This is a review of psychological studies concerning Negroes and whites in the United States for the most part from 1959 through 1965. The topics covered include: the physical substrata of psychological and psychosocial functions, physical and motor development, psychophysical functions, intellectual functions, educational and occupational attainment and aspirations, temperament, social perceptions and attitudes, mental illness, crime and delinquency, family organization. Research results from this period generally confirm the summary statements made in a similar review in 1960. Although the literature reflects some increase in sophistication of design of comparative studies, many inadequacies continue to exist. Meaningful comparative studies are likely to call for more complex experimental procedures and designs involving a number of interactions.

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Several states have revised their civil commitment statutes in recent years. A majority of the recent revisions reflect judicial directives to provide more explicit commitment criteria, but in some instances, criteria have been broadened in reaction to the difficulty of getting some individuals hospitalized under strict criteria. Such statutory changes have impacted considerably on both process and outcome of the civil commitment system. Adoption of explicit commitment criteria has resulted most visibly in substantial reduction of hospital admissions and census. The present study examines the impact of explicit changes in commitment criteria in Florida following the 1982 enactment of amendments to the Baker Act. A total of 80 commitment hearings are reviewed before and after the law took effect to determine procedural effects of the law on degree of defense counsel advocacy, client dispositions, and on the court’s adherence to more explicit criteria. State hospital admissions, discharge, and census information is examined in order to identify the larger impact of 1982 statutory changes on the commitment system. Evidence from hearings and state data suggests that changes in the Florida law impacted significantly on both process and outcome of the civil commitment system. Clients referred to commitment hearings are more dangerous, and may represent a new “hard-core” group remaining after more explicit eligibility criteria are applied by local intake, and emergency detention facilities. State hospital admissions and census in Florida declined significantly following enactment of the 1982 law, consistent with findings from other states enacting similar statutory reforms, Implications for deinstitutionalization policy and administration are discussed.