What is the benefit of involuntary short-term psychiatric hospitalisation?

In Germany, psychiatric patients considered to be a danger to themselves or others may be detained involuntarily for 24 hours, after which the court must be consulted. Only Baden-Württemberg, of all the German states, allows for 72 hours confinement. In a study of 70 patients who were involuntarily hospitalized at a university hospital, it was found that when patients are subject to a 72 hour doctors' court hold, as compared to the 24 hour hold, the number of patients committed to treatment by the court was reduced by about 50%. This applies particularly to younger patients with addiction or neurotic disorders. Schizophrenic patients and older patients with organic brain disease were more likely to be detained on court order. Two-thirds of the patients who were involuntarily hospitalized said that they felt adequately informed about their legal rights, but only about a third felt that involuntary hospitalisation was justified.