This study examined, within the South African context, the prevalence of mental retardation in a forensic observation setting, and the impediments of and successes to forensic rehabilitation. The results of the study indicated that a significant amount of forensic observation patients (25.16%) are ultimately diagnosed as being mentally retarded, with 39.24 percent of such offenders being found unfit to plead. Further 32.91 percent of the same sample was found to be not responsible for their actions. A link was also drawn between the mentally retarded offender and violent offenses. The advantages and disadvantages of a current rehabilitative process are discussed in light of alternate community-based forms of rehabilitation that are being implemented in other countries, for example the United States of America, with a view towards investigated their usefulness and adaptability to South African circumstances. The findings of the study have implications for mental health professionals working within forensic settings concerning the future management of mentally retarded offenders, particularly within the rehabilitative process .

This dissertation deals with the comparative analysis of mental illness as a defence in criminal law. The mental illness / insanity defence is deemed applicable when the accused does not have mens rea or lacks criminal responsibility or is afflicted by the inability to appreciate the wrongfulness of his act and act accordingly, at the time of the commission of the offence due to a pathological disturbance of the mental faculties. A review of the law in South Africa, English Law and United States of America law was done with regard to their approach in connection with the matter. The legal systems of South Africa, English Law and the United States of America were compared and analyzed because English Law and United States of America are developed countries and I decided to compare their approach to insanity defence with reference to South Africa, which is a developing country. Similarities were drawn between South Africa and English Law and this could be attributed to the fact that South African law emanated from English law. This is an important research topic on comparative analysis of mental illness as a defence in criminal law. The law applicable today in South Africa in respect of the defence of mental illness is combined in the provisions of the Criminal Procedure Act 51 of 1977, which replaced the criteria as set out in the M’Naghten rules and the irresistible impulse test. In all the three countries law that were compared the burden of proof has always been on the accused to prove his case on a balance of probabilities but in South Africa the position now is he who alleges must prove because of the legislative amendments. United States of America law allows for the forcible medication with drugs of the mentally ill defendants who are charged with crimes so that they can be fit to stand trial. This is the only country in the ones that were analyzed, which practices such a barbaric and inhuman acts. In the USA , the defendant has the burden of proving the defence of insanity by clear and convincing evidence, and the finding in not guilty by reason of insanity, English law, South African law has the same finding in insanity cases. The most common diagnosis used in support of a defence of insanity continues to be schizophrenia in South Africa and in English law system. In the English law system, the Home Secretary has the power to order defendant to be detained in a hospital on the basis of reports from at least two medical practitioners that the defendant is suffering from mental illness, if the minister is of the opinion that it is in the public interest to do so. In South Africa, the accused will be detained in a psychiatric hospital or a prison pending the decision of a judge in chambers. The detention of those found not guilty by reason of insanity could be challenged under the Human Rights Act in English law because the legal definition of insanity is far wider than the medical concept of mental disorder. The Drs under English Law have to use the legal, not the medical understanding of the mental disorder. The placing of a burden of proof on the defendant may be challengeable under European Convention of Human Rights as contrary to the presumption of innocence that is protected under convention. Finally this is a controversial subject on mental illness but the position in South Africa has been clear for a long time, and I did not come across any deficiencies in our law. I submit that South African law position on mental illness is good.

Afrikaans text / The purpose of this study was to retrospectively analyze a group of observation cases referred to a psychiatric institution through the criminal justice system by means of certain measuring instruments in order to determine on which grounds some of the cases were classified as criminals and others as state patients. The sample for the purposes of this investigation consisted of one hundred and forty-two cases referred to the Weskoppies hospital for psychiatric observation during 1988 to 1994. The measuring instruments were the South African Wechsler intelligence scale, the Rorschach projective technique and an information schedule which was used for the purpose of gathering biographical information and personal details of each particular case. The data collected through these instruments was statistically analyzed utilising frequencies and crosstabulations, chi-square tests, t-tests, correspondence analyses, factor analyses and regression analyses. The findings of this investigation revealed that crimes concerning personal relations and property crimes were more committed by criminals than state patients while crimes concerning communal life were encountered more amongst state patients than criminals. Non-person-directed crimes of violence were encountered proportionally more amongst state patients who had a history of substance abuse than in criminals with a similar history. State patients who had a history of substance abuse were proportionally more prosecuted on account of person-directed-crimes of violence than criminals with a similar history. The predictive measuring instrument developed by means of regression analysis indicated as important predictors three subtests of the South African Wechsler intelligence scale namely general information, digit-symbol substitution and picture arrangement as well as the variable "previous psychiatric treatment". The following recommendations were also made: The current endeavour to adapt the South African Wechsler intelligence scale for all population groups needs to be maintained and this adaptation should also be pursued in each country where the scale is used or was used in the past. It is advisable to draw up certain profiles of specific offenders by means of the Rorschach projective technique while the testing procedure should preferably be undertaken by the same researcher. Provision should be made that the accused be declared as state patients only on account of serious and violent crimes while the courts should have the right in appropriate cases to charge the accused with detention in accordance with chapter three of the Mental Health Act. The testimony of criminologists and psychologists should be added to the testimony of psychiatrists especially in cases of accountability or diminished accountability. The proposed predictive model may be further refined and adapted through the use of a larger, nation-wide sample resulting in the inclusion of a greater number of observation cases and variables. Due to the accelerating rate of revision associated with The DSM­ IV manual and the fact that its validity is questioned, ethically responsible psychiatrists, psychologists and criminologists are obligated to identify practices and procedures which threaten to misinform the legal system. / Die doel van hierdie studie was om aan die hand van bepaalde meetinstrumente retrospektief 'n groep observasiegevalle wat deur die regstelsel na 'n psigiatriese inrigting verwys is, te ontleed, sodat daar vasgestel kon word op watter gronde sekere van die gevalle as misdadigers en ander as staatspasiente geklassifiseer is. Die steekproef vir die doeleindes van hierdie ondersoek het bestaan uit honderd twee-en-veertig gevalle wat vanaf 1988 tot 1994 na Weskoppieshospitaal vir psigiatriese waarneming verwys is. Die meetinstrumente wat gebruik is, was die Suid-Afrikaanse Wechsler-intelligensieskaal, die Rorschach-projeksietegniek en 'n inligtingskedule wat biografiese inligting en persoonlike besonderhede van elke besondere geval ingewin het. Die gegewens wat uit hierdie meetinstrumente versamel is, is statisties verwerk met behulp van frekwensies en kruistabellerings, chi­ kwadraattoetse, t-toetse, korrespondensie-analises, faktoranalises en regressie-ontledings. Die bevindinge van die ondersoek het aan die lig gebring dat persoonverhoudings- en eiendomsmisdrywe meer deur misdadigers as staatspasiente gepleeg word, terwyl gemeenskapslewe misdrywe meer by staatspasiente as misdadigers voorgekom het. Nie-persoonsgerigte geweldsmisdrywe het verhoudingsgewys meer onder staatspasiente met 'n geskiedenis van substansmisbruik as by misdadigers met 'n soortgelyke geskiedenis voorgekom. Staatspasiente met 'n geskiedenis van substansmisbruik is ook verhoudingsgewys meer as misdadigers met 'n soortgelyke geskiedenis weens persoonsgerigte geweldsmisdrywe aangekla. Die voorspellingsmeetinstrument wat met behulp van die regressie ontledings ontwikkel is, het drie subtoetse van die Suid­ Afrikaanse Wechsler-intelligensieskaal naamlik algemene inligting, syfersimboolvervanging en prentrangskikking asook die veranderlike "vorige psigiatriese behandeling" as die belangrikste voorspellers uitgewys. Die volgende aanbevelings word ook hiermee gemaak: Daar moet volgehou word met die huidige poging om die Suid­ Afrikaanse Wechsler-intelligensieskaal vir alle bevolkingsgroepe in Suid-Afrika aan te pas asook met die aanpassing van die meetskaal vir elke land wat dit tans gebruik of in die verlede gebruik het. Dit is raadsaam om met behulp van die Rorschach projektiewe tegniek bepaalde profiele ten opsigte van spesifieke oortreders op te stel terwyl die toetsingsproses verkieslik deur dieselfde ondersoeker waargeneem word. Daar moet seker gemaak word dat beskuldigdes slegs in die geval van ernstige en gewelddadige misdade tot staatspasiente verklaar word, terwyl die howe die bevoegdheid kry om in geskikte gevalle te beveel dat beskuldigdes ingevolge Hoofstuk 3 van die Wet op Geestesgesondheid aangehou moet word. Die getuienis van kriminoloe en sielkundiges behoort bygevoeg te word by die van psigiaters en wel in gevalle waar toerekeningsvatbaarheid of verminderde toerekeningsvatbaarheid ter sprake is. Die voorgestelde voorspellingsmodel kan verder verfyn en aangepas word deurdat 'n groter, landwye steekproef van alle observasiegevalle getrek word wat uiteraard 'n groter aantal veranderlikes sal insluit. Weens die versnellingstempo van hersiening met betrekking tot die DSM-IV handleiding en die feit dat sy betroubaarheid bevraagteken word, word aanbeveel dat eties verantwoordelike gedrag aan die kant van psigiaters, sielkundiges en kriminoloe gevolg word sodat praktyke en prosedures wat die regstelsel kan benadeel, geidentifiseer kan word. / Criminology and Security Studies / D.Litt. et Phil. (Kriminologie)

Afrikaans text / The purpose of this study was to retrospectively analyze a group of observation cases referred to a psychiatric institution through the criminal justice system by means of certain measuring instruments in order to determine on which grounds some of the cases were classified as criminals and others as state patients. The sample for the purposes of this investigation consisted of one hundred and forty-two cases referred to the Weskoppies hospital for psychiatric observation during 1988 to 1994. The measuring instruments were the South African Wechsler intelligence scale, the Rorschach projective technique and an information schedule which was used for the purpose of gathering biographical information and personal details of each particular case. The data collected through these instruments was statistically analyzed utilising frequencies and crosstabulations, chi-square tests, t-tests, correspondence analyses, factor analyses and regression analyses. The findings of this investigation revealed that crimes concerning personal relations and property crimes were more committed by criminals than state patients while crimes concerning communal life were encountered more amongst state patients than criminals. Non-person-directed crimes of violence were encountered proportionally more amongst state patients who had a history of substance abuse than in criminals with a similar history. State patients who had a history of substance abuse were proportionally more prosecuted on account of person-directed-crimes of violence than criminals with a similar history. The predictive measuring instrument developed by means of regression analysis indicated as important predictors three subtests of the South African Wechsler intelligence scale namely general information, digit-symbol substitution and picture arrangement as well as the variable "previous psychiatric treatment". The following recommendations were also made: The current endeavour to adapt the South African Wechsler intelligence scale for all population groups needs to be maintained and this adaptation should also be pursued in each country where the scale is used or was used in the past. It is advisable to draw up certain profiles of specific offenders by means of the Rorschach projective technique while the testing procedure should preferably be undertaken by the same researcher. Provision should be made that the accused be declared as state patients only on account of serious and violent crimes while the courts should have the right in appropriate cases to charge the accused with detention in accordance with chapter three of the Mental Health Act. The testimony of criminologists and psychologists should be added to the testimony of psychiatrists especially in cases of accountability or diminished accountability. The proposed predictive model may be further refined and adapted through the use of a larger, nation-wide sample resulting in the inclusion of a greater number of observation cases and variables. Due to the accelerating rate of revision associated with The DSM­ IV manual and the fact that its validity is questioned, ethically responsible psychiatrists, psychologists and criminologists are obligated to identify practices and procedures which threaten to misinform the legal system. / Die doel van hierdie studie was om aan die hand van bepaalde meetinstrumente retrospektief 'n groep observasiegevalle wat deur die regstelsel na 'n psigiatriese inrigting verwys is, te ontleed, sodat daar vasgestel kon word op watter gronde sekere van die gevalle as misdadigers en ander as staatspasiente geklassifiseer is. Die steekproef vir die doeleindes van hierdie ondersoek het bestaan uit honderd twee-en-veertig gevalle wat vanaf 1988 tot 1994 na Weskoppieshospitaal vir psigiatriese waarneming verwys is. Die meetinstrumente wat gebruik is, was die Suid-Afrikaanse Wechsler-intelligensieskaal, die Rorschach-projeksietegniek en 'n inligtingskedule wat biografiese inligting en persoonlike besonderhede van elke besondere geval ingewin het. Die gegewens wat uit hierdie meetinstrumente versamel is, is statisties verwerk met behulp van frekwensies en kruistabellerings, chi­ kwadraattoetse, t-toetse, korrespondensie-analises, faktoranalises en regressie-ontledings. Die bevindinge van die ondersoek het aan die lig gebring dat persoonverhoudings- en eiendomsmisdrywe meer deur misdadigers as staatspasiente gepleeg word, terwyl gemeenskapslewe misdrywe meer by staatspasiente as misdadigers voorgekom het. Nie-persoonsgerigte geweldsmisdrywe het verhoudingsgewys meer onder staatspasiente met 'n geskiedenis van substansmisbruik as by misdadigers met 'n soortgelyke geskiedenis voorgekom. Staatspasiente met 'n geskiedenis van substansmisbruik is ook verhoudingsgewys meer as misdadigers met 'n soortgelyke geskiedenis weens persoonsgerigte geweldsmisdrywe aangekla. Die voorspellingsmeetinstrument wat met behulp van die regressie ontledings ontwikkel is, het drie subtoetse van die Suid­ Afrikaanse Wechsler-intelligensieskaal naamlik algemene inligting, syfersimboolvervanging en prentrangskikking asook die veranderlike "vorige psigiatriese behandeling" as die belangrikste voorspellers uitgewys. Die volgende aanbevelings word ook hiermee gemaak: Daar moet volgehou word met die huidige poging om die Suid­ Afrikaanse Wechsler-intelligensieskaal vir alle bevolkingsgroepe in Suid-Afrika aan te pas asook met die aanpassing van die meetskaal vir elke land wat dit tans gebruik of in die verlede gebruik het. Dit is raadsaam om met behulp van die Rorschach projektiewe tegniek bepaalde profiele ten opsigte van spesifieke oortreders op te stel terwyl die toetsingsproses verkieslik deur dieselfde ondersoeker waargeneem word. Daar moet seker gemaak word dat beskuldigdes slegs in die geval van ernstige en gewelddadige misdade tot staatspasiente verklaar word, terwyl die howe die bevoegdheid kry om in geskikte gevalle te beveel dat beskuldigdes ingevolge Hoofstuk 3 van die Wet op Geestesgesondheid aangehou moet word. Die getuienis van kriminoloe en sielkundiges behoort bygevoeg te word by die van psigiaters en wel in gevalle waar toerekeningsvatbaarheid of verminderde toerekeningsvatbaarheid ter sprake is. Die voorgestelde voorspellingsmodel kan verder verfyn en aangepas word deurdat 'n groter, landwye steekproef van alle observasiegevalle getrek word wat uiteraard 'n groter aantal veranderlikes sal insluit. Weens die versnellingstempo van hersiening met betrekking tot die DSM-IV handleiding en die feit dat sy betroubaarheid bevraagteken word, word aanbeveel dat eties verantwoordelike gedrag aan die kant van psigiaters, sielkundiges en kriminoloe gevolg word sodat praktyke en prosedures wat die regstelsel kan benadeel, geidentifiseer kan word. / Criminology and Security Studies / D.Litt. et Phil. (Kriminologie)