What does it mean to be a “mentally disordered offender” (MDO) — and what mandatory special conditions apply to MDOs on parole?

Under state law, you may be classified as a “mentally disordered offender” (MDO) on parole only if:

You have been diagnosed with a serious mental illness that causes you to pose a substantial danger of physical harm to others, AND

You have been sentenced to prison for an offense involving violence.^[590]

According to the CDCR, if you are a MDO, must receive inpatient treatment from the Department of State Hospitals (DSH)^[591] as a mandatory condition of parole.

1. ⁵⁹⁰

   Cal. Penal Code § 2962. The definition of a crime involving violence under Cal. Penal Code § 2062(e) is broader than the definition of violent felonies in Cal. Penal Code § 667.5(c). ↑

2. ⁵⁹¹

   The DSH was formerly known as the Department of Mental Health (DMH). ↑