If a mentally ill offender is deemed to be permanently dangerous and to have a diminished or absent capacity for judgement, a court may order them to be admitted to a secure forensic ward instead of being imprisoned. After a certain period of time, the risk of reoffending is assessed. Depending on the result, the measure is either revoked or extended.
With the adoption of the so-called «custody initiative» by the Swiss electorate in 2004, violent and sex offenders who are considered untreatable and extremely dangerous can be kept in custody for life.