The sexual offences that are committed by adolescents lately are of a great concern, particularly in the Mafikeng area. The record shows that adolescents are arrested daily for committing criminal offences. Despite the measures that are taken by the government in developing the young people to be the generation that would be tomorrow’s future leaders, others turn to not taking the opportunity with both hands but rather engaging in criminal activities. The office record also shows that adolescents’ cases that are assessed by the Probation officers in Mafikeng are mostly of sexual offences. In every assessment the child offender is expected to be accompanied by the parent/s. In most instances the parent/s indicates to be not aware of what influences the child to act against the law by committing a sexual offence. The role of the family is to provide care, support and guidance towards the child. It becomes difficult for the Probation officers to assist the child in such case if the parent/s does not know the causal factor of his/her child’s negative act, since they are seen to be the child’s primary care giver. In South Africa sexual offence is seen to be serious offence before the court of law that falls under schedule 3 offences. The research was conducted among the adolescents who were found to have committed sexual offences in Mafikeng area. The aim of the research was to gain information on factors that contribute to adolescents to commit sexual crimes. The objective for this research was to explore the factors that contribute to adolescents committing a sexual crime and formulate recommendations for social workers and parents/guardians in preventing adolescents from committing sexual crimes in the Mafikeng area. An empirical study was conducted using a qualitative approach. A self-administered schedule was used to evaluate the factors that contribute to adolescents committing sexual crimes by means of interviews with each adolescent who has been found to have committed sexual offences. It is evident from the data collected from the research that the main factors that influence adolescents to commit sexual offences in Mafikeng are substance abuse, failure to attend school and lack of parental supervision. It takes a village to raise a child, from these findings it is clear that an integrated service approach has to be adopted in addressing the challenge, i.e. parents should start to play their role in providing care and support for their children. There has to be good relationships between the community and government departments as well as NGO’s in dealing with moral decay. / MSW (Forensic Practice), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

The aim of this thesis is to analyse the silence principle (i.e. the right to silence and the privilege against self-incrimination) and to determine its place within procedural and constitutional law. Should the silence principle be entirely abolished, sustained as a limited evidentiary rule or elevated to the status of a constitutional right? The central question to be argued is whether the silence principle has a rationally justifiable and valid procedural place within the accusatorial-adversarial Anglo-American system of criminal justice. The methodology employed in the main body of this thesis involves a critical and comparative examination of the silence principle and is founded on the following four legs : a) A historical analysis of the silence principle and its antecedents. Does the historical silence principle support the modern silence principle in description and scope? b) An analysis of the distinction between a "right" and a "privilege". Why is the accused's right to silence distinguished from the witness privilege? Is there a philosophical justification for the silence principle? c) A comparative study of the two major jurisdictions of the Anglo-American system of justice, namely : i) The American silence principle constituted as the fifth amendment privilege against self-incrimination and entrenched within the U.S. Constitution; ii) The English silence principle constituted until recently as a common law evidentiary rule contained within a body of ill-defined principles loosely referred to as the unwritten English Constitution. The common law rule has been statutorily formalized in the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994 and will be greatly influenced by the new Human Rights Act 1998. iii) The South African interpretation of a silence principle is caught between the two extremes of an American absolute right and an English evidentiary rule. Silence in South Africa is a relative right subject to a balance of interest and reasonable limitation. Which of these definitions is better suited as a template for an ideal silence principle? vi d) A comparative international study of the procedural differences between an inquisitorial and an accusatorial system. How does a principle of silence function outside the accusatorial system? The conclusion of the thesis is that the most suitable role of a silence principle within the accusatorial system is one of a flexible compromise. While it does not deserve abolition neither does it deserve elevation into a constitutional right. Silence is best suited to the role of a procedural evidentiary rule. A circumstantial item of evidence with its trial admissibility determined by the criteria of relevancy and prejudice. If the legal, political and cultural pressures upon a particular jurisdiction are such as to demand constitutional entrenchment then the second best alternative is to define the silence principle as a relative right susceptible to a properly applied balance of interest test. The worst alternative is to define the silence principle in absolute terms. Silence as an evidentiary rule or a relative right means that it will sometimes be necessary to emphasise the autonomous interests of the individual in remaining silent and at other times the societal interest in crime prevention. Which interest is to be preferred and to what extent will depend on the prevailing social pressures of the day. It shall be argued that the elevation of a silence principle into a constitutional right stifles a critical examination of the essentiale of silence by disguising its inherent irrationality and lack of a philosophical raison de etre. The interpretation of a silence principle as an absolute constitutional right by the Supreme Court of the United States is confusing, contradictory and riddled with innumerable exceptions. By contrast the English approach to silence is pragmatic and highly successful. The Criminal Justice and Public Order Act of 1994 gives a meaningful interpretation of silence which takes into account its logical flaws. The English statute is a successful compromise between the need to protect the individual during the criminal process and the need to combating crime in the most efficient manner possible. While the South African interpretation of silence is a workable compromise, South Africa may have been better served by defining its silence principle in terms of the pragmatic English statutory model which allows for the efficient but carefully controlled use of silence in the combating of crime. / Jurisprudence / LL.D. (Jurisprudence)

Thesis (LL.D.)--University of South Africa, 2001.

Digitized using a Konica Minolta 211 PCL Scanner. 300dpi (OCR). / Thesis (MA (Psychology))--University of Stellenbosch, 2007. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The first objective of the present study was to determine whether the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) could predict Willingness to Participate (WTP) in a future Phase III HIV vaccine trial among high risk adolescents in the Western Cape. The second objective was to determine whether the additional predictor variables of Self perceived risk of HIV infection, Knowledge of HIV vaccines and HIV vaccine trials, Attitudes toward HIV I AIDS and Health-promoting behaviours could further explain WTP in a future Phase III HIV vaccine trial among adolescents. A convenience sample of 224 adolescents attending secondary schools located in an African township on the Cape Flats was recruited for the present study. Hierarchical logistic regression analyses indicated that the TPB significantly improved the prediction of WTP in an HIV vaccine trial. Prediction success was 79.9%. Of all the predictor variables, only Subjective norms significantly predicted WTP in an HIV vaccine trial (OR = 1.19,95% C.L = 1.06-1.34). A second stepwise logistic regression analysis showed that Subjective norms (OR = 1.19, 95% c.I. = l.07-1.34) and Attitude towards participation in an HIV vaccine trial (OR = 1.32,95% C.L = 1.00-1.74) were significant predictors of WTP in an HIV vaccine trial. Prediction success was 80.4%. These findings provide support for the Theory of Reasoned Action (TRA) and suggest that psychosocial factors may play a role in WTP in a future Phase III HIV vaccine trial among adolescents. HIV vaccine trial preparedness programs targeting adolescents should aim to influence group norms positively and promote positive attitudes toward participation in a future Phase III HIV vaccine trial. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die eerste oogmerk van die huidige studie was om te bepaal of die teorie van beplande gedrag (TBG) die bereidwilligheid tot deelname (BTD) aan 'n toekomstige fase III-MIV-entstofproefneming onder hoe risiko adolessente in die Wes-Kaap kan voorspel. Die tweede oogmerk was om te bepaal of die bykomende voorspellingveranderlikes, naamlik selfwaargenome risiko vir MIV -besmetting, kennis van MIV -entstowwe en MIV -entstofproefnemings, houdings jeens MIV /Vigs en gesondheidsbevorderende gedrag BTD in 'n toekomstige fase III-MIV entstofproefneming kan verduidelik. 'n Geriefsmonster van 224 adolessente wat sekondere skole gelee in 'n dorpsgebied in Kaapstad, bywoon, is vir die huidige studie gewerf. Hierargiese logistiese regressie-analises toon dat die TBG die voorspelling van BTD aan 'n MIV -entstofproefneming aanmerklik verbeter het. Voorspellingsukses was 79.9%. Van al die voorspellingveranderlikes het slegs subjektiewe norme BTD aan 'n MIV -entstofproefneming beduidend voorspel (RK = 1.19, 95% VI = 1.06-1.34). 'n Tweede stapsgewyse logistiese regressie-analise toon dat subjektiewe norme (RK = 1.19, 95% VI = 1.07-1.34) en houding jeens deelname aan 'n MIV-entstofproefneming (RK = 1.32,95% VI = 1.00-1.74) beduidende voorspellers van BTD aan 'n MIV -entstofproefneming was. Voorspellingsukses was 80.4%. Hierdie bevindinge verleen steun aan die teorie van beredeneerde aksie (TBA) en doen aan die hand dat psigososiale faktore moontlik in die toekoms 'n rol in BTD aan 'n fase Ill-MIV-entstofproefneming onder adolessente kan speel. Programme wat op adolessente se gereedheid vir entstofproefnemings afgestem is, behoort te poog om groepnormne positief te beinvloed en positiewe houdings jeens deelname aan 'n toekomstige fase III -MIV -entstofproefneming te bevorder.

Abstract Aim The aim of this study was to determine whether 30-minute time trial (30MTT) is an accurate estimator of the lactate threshold (LT) relative to direct measures of LT and whether 30MTT is applicable for untrained individuals. Question formulations: (1) Is 30MTT an accurate method for estimation of the LT in a group with varied VO2-peak? (2) Is there a difference in the accuracy of the 30MTT between a group with low and high VO2-peak? (3) Is the method applicable for untrained individuals? Method A quantitative study was conducted consisting of 10 subjects (age=26±2.15 years, BMI=21.7 ±2.76, VO2-peak=47.45 ±6.34ml·kg-1·min-1) who participated during two testing occasions. The sample consisted of women (n=4) and men (=3) with varied physical ability. During the first occasion the subjects took part in a direct measure of their LT followed by a test to measure their maximal oxygen uptake. Four methods were used to determine the subjects LT from the direct measures; LTD-max-c, LTVisual, LTΔ1 and LT4.0. During the second occasion the subjects performed a 30MTT from where their pace (LTV) and heart rate (LTHR) at LT were calculated. After the tests were concluded the direct measure was compared to the 30MTT. Three participants were excluded from the study due to insufficient data. Results The results showed that 30MTT was an accurate and reliable method for estimation of the LTV for a group with varied VO2-peak. No significant differences were seen between the direct methods for LTV and 30MTT. Strong correlations were seen between the direct methods and 30MTT (r≥0.91). LTHR showed significant differences (p=0.05) between the direct measures and 30MTT. No correlations were seen for LTHR. Because of the limited selection question formulations two and three were left unanswered. Conclusion 30MTT appears to be an accurate method for estimation of the LT. A significant correlation was seen for LTV between the direct methods of LT and 30MTT. No correlation was seen for LTHR since there appears to be a systematic elevation of heart rate. These results show that 30MTT appears to be an accurate method for estimation of LTV but not LTHR for group of individuals with varied VO2-peak. Because of a limited selection some caution should be applied when rendering these results. The limited selection also means that potential differences between 30MTT and the direct measures among individuals with low and high VO2-peak weren’t possible to evaluate. / Sammanfattning Syfte och frågeställningar Syftet med studien var att undersöka noggrannheten av uppskattning av laktattrösklar i 30-minuters “time trial”-test i förhållande till fastställda laktattrösklar med hjälp av uppmätta blodlaktatnivåer samt om metoden är applicerbar på individer med varierande VO2-peak. Frågeställningar: (1) Är 30MTT en giltig indirekt metod för fastställande av LT för en grupp med varierande VO2-peak? (2) Skiljer sig noggrannheten mellan individer med låg och hög VO2-peak i 30MTT? (3) Är 30MTT-metoden giltig för otränade individer? Metod En kvantitativ studie bestående av 10 försökspersoner (FP)(ålder=26±2.15 år, BMI=21.7 ±2.76, VO2-peak=47.45 ±6.34 ml·kg-1·min-1) deltog vid två testtillfällen. Urvalet bestod av kvinnor (n=4) och män (n=3) med varierad fysisk förmåga. Vid testtillfälle 1 genomfördes mätning av blodlaktatkoncentrationer för en direkt erhållen LT samt mätning av maximalsyreupptagningsförmåga. Fyra metoder tillämpades för identifiering av LT; LTD-max-c, LTVisual, LTΔ1 samt LT4.0. Vid det andra tillfället genomfördes en indirekt mätning av LT genom 30MTT varefter hastighet (LTV) samt puls (LTHF) vid LT kunde beräknas. Efter genomförda test jämfördes direkt mätning med indirekt mätning av LT. Tre FP exkluderades från studien på grund av ej tillräcklig erhållen data. Resultat Resultaten visade att 30MTT var en reliabel metod för en grupp med varierande VO2-peak för beräkning av LTV. Inga signifikanta skillnader sågs mellan samtliga direkta metoder och 30MTT för LTV. Däremot kunde starka korrelationer ses mellan samtliga direkta metoder samt 30MTT (r≥0.91) för hela urvalet. För LTHF sågs signifikanta skillnader (p=0.05) mellan samtliga direkta metoder samt 30MTT. Inga signifikanta samband kunde ses för LTHF för hela urvalet. På grund av det begränsade urvalet lämnas frågeställning två och tre obesvarad. Slutsats 30MTT tycks vara en reliabel metod för uppskattning av LT. Signifikanta samband kunde ses mellan samtliga direkta metoder för LT och 30MTT gällande LTV. För LTHF sågs inga samband, däremot sågs en systematisk förskjutning av hjärtfrekvensen. LTV enligt 30MTT verkar vara en giltig metod för en grupp individer med varierad VO2-peak. På grund av ett begränsat urval bör en viss försiktighet tillämpas i tolkning av dessa resultat. Vidare kunde det på grund av det begränsade urvalet inte göras någon bedömning på eventuella skillnader mellan individer med låg och hög VO2-peak.

No description available.

Disability due to low back pain is common. While evidence exist that exercise is effective in reducing pain and disability, it is still largely undetermined which kind of exercises that are most effective. The overall aim of this thesis was to evaluate and compare the effects of a high-load lifting exercise and individualized low-load motor control exercises for patients with nociceptive mechanical low back pain. A secondary aim was to evaluate which patients benefit from training with a high-load lifting exercise. All four papers in this thesis were based on a randomized controlled trial including 70 participants with nociceptive mechanical low back pain as their dominating pain pattern. Participants were randomized into training with either a high-load lifting exercise (HLL), the deadlift, (n=35) or individualized low-load motor control exercises (LMC) (n=35). Both interventions included aspects of pain education. All participants were offered twelve sessions during an eight week period. The effects of the interventions were evaluated directly after and twelve months after the end of the intervention period. Outcome measures were pain intensity, activity, disability, physical performance, lumbo-pelvic alignment and lumbar multifidus muscle thickness. There was a significant between-group effect in favour of the LMC intervention regarding improvements in activity, movement control tests and some tests of trunk muscle endurance. For pain intensity there were no significant differences between groups. A majority of participants in both intervention groups showed clinically meaningful improvements from baseline to two and twelve month follow-up regarding pain intensity and activity. There were no significant differences between HLL and LMC regarding the effect on lumbo-pelvic alignment or lumbar multifidus thickness. The participants who benefit the most from the HLL intervention were those with a low pain intensity and high performance in the Biering-Sørensen test at baseline. The results of this thesis showed that the HLL intervention was not more effective than the LMC intervention. The LMC was in fact more effective in improving activity, performance in movement control tests and some tests of trunk muscle endurance, compared to the HLL intervention. The results imply that the deadlift, when combined with education, could be considered as an exercise to produce clinically relevant improvements on pain intensity in patients who prefer a high-load exercise. However, before considering deadlift training, the results suggest that pain intensity and performance in the Biering-Sørensen test should be evaluated.

The purpose of the current study was to determine the efficiency of an electronic data collection method compared to a traditional paper-based method in the educational field, in terms of the accuracy of data collected and the time required to do it. In addition, data were collected to assess users' preference and system usability. The study included a sample of 20 preschool special educators from the Mailman Segal Center's Baudhuin Preschool and Autism Institute located in Davie County, Florida, who conduct daily data collection and analysis. The study used both quantitative and qualitative methods to determine answers to five research questions. These were, (1) to what extent is electronic data collection faster than traditional paper-based data collection, (2) to what extent does electronic data collection aid special education teachers and paraprofessionals to collect more accurate data than traditional paper-based data collection, (3) to what extent is the use of electronic data collection result in significant time savings relative to traditional paper-based data collection during data graphing, (4) to what extent do specialists prefer either data collection method and for what reasons, and (5) to what extent do specialists rate the usability of the handheld device used for electronic data collection. Results suggested that both formats are comparable in terms of data collection time F(1, 18) = 3.53, p = .077 and accuracy, F(1, 18) = .928, p = .348 but that electronic data graphing is faster (M = 40.4, SD = 2.17) than paper-based graphing (M = 80.4, SD = 52.61). A higher percentage of participants (60%) preferred the electronic-based data collection method due to its graphing capability and better organization of data. The electronic data collection system used in this study was found to be more usable than 86.8% of all products tested using the System Usability Scale (SUS) and, therefore, could be considered a "C" or at an "acceptable" level or "good" relative to the other 200+ systems tested using the SUS by Bangor, Kortum, and Miller (2009). The electronic-based data collection system could also be considered an "A-" based on Sauro and Lewis' (2012) scale.

This study investigates the prevalence of peri-operative anxiety and the effective management of intra-operative anxiety during awake surgery. Plastic and vascular surgical patients were selected for the study as many procedures performed within these specialities are performed under local or regional anaesthesia. The study consists of two distinct stages. The first stage was a postal survey of patients (n=213) who had undergone awake plastic, renal access or carotid surgery up to two weeks previously, in order to determine retrospectively the prevalence of peri-operative anxiety. The second stage of the study was a randomised controlled trial of interventions for the effective management of intra-operative anxiety in patients (n=128) having undergone the same surgical procedures described in stage one. The interventions tested in stage two were handholding and an anxiety management package involving a relaxation technique and a procedural information leaflet, against a 'usual care' control. The findings from stage one of the study suggest that peri-operative anxiety prevalence is low, although unacceptable levels of anxiety are seen to elevate during the intra-operative phase. The RCT in stage two demonstrated that intra-operative anxiety was no more effectively managed by the interventions tested than by usual care alone. The validity and reliability of retrospective anxiety measurement was investigated by comparing anxiety scores from stage one with contemporaneous and post-hoc anxiety scores from stage two and found to be an accurate measure of anxiety experienced at the time of the event.

In recent times, there has been an increasing interest in adaptive designs for clinical trials. As opposed to conventional designs, adaptive designs allow flexible design adaptation in the middle of a trial based on accumulated data. Although various models have been developed using both frequentist and Bayesian perspectives, relative statistical performances of adaptive designs are somewhat controversial and little is known about those of Bayesian adaptive designs. Most comparison studies also focused on single experimental treatment rather than multiple experimental treatments. In this report, both frequentist and Baysian adaptive designs were compared in terms of statistical power by a simulation study, assuming the situation when multiple experimental treatments are tested in multiple stages. The designs included in the current study are group sequential design (frequentist), adaptive design based on combination tests (frequentist), and Bayesian adaptive design (Bayesian). Based upon the results under multiple scenarios, the Bayesian adaptive design showed the highest power, and the design based on combination tests performed better than group sequential designs when proper interim adaptation could be conducted to increase power. / text