Britney Spears and the due process of Law

Britney Spears is a well known pop artist, whom after her split from Justin Timberlake, has spirled out of control. Recently Spears has been involved in many well known cases such as outraged custody battles with ex husband Kevin Federline, which have ended with her being hospitalized for two days before being released. After this public outrage Spears has continued to the center of attention with her odd actions. She has been seen stealing a lighter from a gas station, shaved her head at a public salone, attacked a car, and her recent engagements with a poparatiz.

The most recent act of Spears came early Thursday morning around 1 a.m. when Spears was taken from her home and placed under, once again, a lock down in a mental institue to evaluate her illness. Spears was placed under this lock down due to the 5150 statute.

Under the 5150 Spears is placed in the 72 hour lock down due to either a family member, friend, peace officer, or psychologist whom is worried about Spears causing harm to herself. However, Spears must be evaluated by the proffesional personel of the facility to determine the surcomstances of the involuntary lock down. During Spears lock down if at any time the proffesional personel does not find Spear to be a threat to herself she is then able to voluntarily admit herself to continue treatment or the 5250 may become in effect.

The 5250 come in effect when the subject under confinement refuses the treatment. In order to get a 5250 in effect a letter must be written to continue the infinment. Spears will then be granted a hearing before a judge to determine if the facts presented against her are enough to hold her under another 72 hour lock down.

So far in the case of Britney Spears I feel that with her actions in last year have clearly proven that the 5150 statute has been put in place to protect her. She has been granted her rights throughout many of the cases against her, including her last lock down where she able to release herself after only 2 days. According to Wikpeida while under the 5150 Spears, or anyother patient, still hold the right to: "humane care, religious freedom and practice, participate in publicly supported education, be free from abuse or neglect, refuse medications except in emergency situations where danger to life is present; or by court order where the patient is found to lack the capacity to give or refuse informed consent via either a Riese hearing or via conservatorship, wear their own clothes, visitors, writing materials (including sending mail though they may be charged for postage), safe storage and access to their personal property, have access to private phone conversations (though may be responsible for toll charges), speak with a Patient's Rights Advocate, go outside for exercise and leisure (usually in a fenced area), access their money in amounts for small purchases (vending machine, etc.), be free from discrimination, refuse their picture taken for ID." The only right that the patient is not granted is the freedom to leave the facility.

Although I feel that Spears is getting the attention she needs, I do not feel that she is getting any type of break due to the code of ethics. Spears in the middle of a life crisis that is very dangerous to not only herself but her children and family as well. With the attention that is being drawn to this case, it does not seem that Spears is able to cope with her illness in privacy as which an "average joe" would be able to.