As used in this part, “persons subject to judicial commitment” means persons who may be judicially committed under this part as mentally disordered sex offenders pursuant to Article 1 (commencing with Section 6300), sexually violent predators pursuant to Article 4 (commencing with Section 6600), or mentally retarded persons pursuant to Article 2 (commencing with Section 6500) of Chapter 2 of this part.
Nothing in this part shall be held to change or interfere with the provisions of the Penal Code and other laws relating to mentally disordered persons charged with crime or to the criminally insane.
This part shall be liberally construed so that, as far as possible and consistent with the rights of persons subject to commitment, those persons shall be treated, not as criminals, but as sick persons.