Michael J. Churgin

Mass Exoduses: The Response of the United States.

The focus of this article is on mass immigration to the United States and the countrys response to various groups of immigrants. After presenting historical background dating back to the pre-Civil War era, attention is given to the Cuban and Haitian mass movements of recent years and to the refugees coming from Vietnam, the former Soviet Union, and Latin American countries. The article concludes that the United States has utilized international agreements regarding the setdement of large num? bers of people only when they facilitate government action.

The Transfer of Inmates to Mental Health Facilities

Issues concerning the rights of persons confined under state authority have been the subject of increasing litigation during the past two decades. Prisoners and mental hospital patients have sought relief from the judiciary for perceived constitutional errors in the manner of confinement and the actual treatment in the institutions. Usually, prisoner and mental health cases are treated separately, each with its own developing body of law. However, there is at least one area of concern that crosses the boundaries: the transfer of an inmate from a correctional facility to a mental health facility.