Abstract
This article provides a general account of the legislation that governs the use of community treatment orders (CTOs) in the UK, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. In particular, the author concentrates on legal provisions that establish the core elements of a CTO regime, such as those that establish the authority to issue a CTO and the conditions that may be imposed upon a person under a CTO. The article concludes that a certain legal framework is essential to a well-designed regime.