Psychiatric evaluation of intellectually disabled offenders referred to the Free State Psychiatric Complex, 1993-2003
Authors: Calitz F J W , Van Rensburg P H J J , De Jager P P , Olander M L , Thomas L , Venter R , Wessels G A , Joubert G 
Published: June 2017

<div style="left: 80.9418px; top: 681.852px; font-size: 15px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(1.00583);" data-canvas-width="78.45509999999997"><strong>Background</strong></div><div style="left: 159.629px; top: 681.852px; font-size: 15px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(1.03081);" data-canvas-width="308.21204999999986">. Increased crime is a problem in South Africa</div><div style="left: 80.9418px; top: 705.192px; font-size: 15px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(1.02338);" data-canvas-width="386.8370999999999">and complications arise when the accused is intellectually</div><div style="left: 80.9418px; top: 728.532px; font-size: 15px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(0.99448);" data-canvas-width="386.85255000000006">disabled. The accountability and fitness to stand trial of</div><div style="left: 80.9418px; top: 751.872px; font-size: 15px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(0.999579);" data-canvas-width="386.83709999999996">such individuals is an important facet that needs to be</div><div style="left: 80.9418px; top: 775.212px; font-size: 15px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(1.02131);" data-canvas-width="293.11739999999986">managed by the judicial and health systems.</div><div style="left: 80.9418px; top: 803.277px; font-size: 15px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(1.04883);" data-canvas-width="63.978449999999995"><strong>Objective</strong></div><div style="left: 145.152px; top: 803.277px; font-size: 15px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(1.00521);" data-canvas-width="322.67325">. To analyse the accountability and triability of</div><div style="left: 80.9418px; top: 826.617px; font-size: 15px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(1.05689);" data-canvas-width="386.8216499999998">intellectually disabled people awaiting trial referred to</div><div style="left: 80.9418px; top: 849.957px; font-size: 15px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(0.952801);" data-canvas-width="386.83709999999985">the Free State Psychiatric Complex (FSPC) from 1993 to</div><div style="left: 80.9418px; top: 873.297px; font-size: 15px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(1.01014);" data-canvas-width="386.8834500000001">2003 according to Sections 77 and 78 of the Criminal</div><div style="left: 80.9418px; top: 896.637px; font-size: 15px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(1.04688);" data-canvas-width="221.9392499999999">Procedures Act (Act 51 of 1977).</div><div style="left: 80.9418px; top: 924.702px; font-size: 15px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(1.08084);" data-canvas-width="50.79959999999999"><strong>Method</strong></div><div style="left: 131.973px; top: 924.702px; font-size: 15px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(0.956668);" data-canvas-width="335.7902999999999">. A retrospective study was conducted. The study</div><div style="left: 80.9418px; top: 948.042px; font-size: 15px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(1.00735);" data-canvas-width="386.8216499999999">population consisted of 80 intellectually disabled people</div><div style="left: 80.9418px; top: 971.382px; font-size: 15px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(1.04281);" data-canvas-width="386.8834499999999">awaiting trial in the Free State, referred to the FSPC. The</div><div style="left: 80.9418px; top: 994.722px; font-size: 15px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(0.974401);" data-canvas-width="386.83709999999996">reason for referral was the possibility that they were not</div><div style="left: 80.9418px; top: 1018.06px; font-size: 15px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(1.05115);" data-canvas-width="386.8216499999999">triable or accountable. A data form was compiled to</div><div style="left: 80.9418px; top: 1041.4px; font-size: 15px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(1.0371);" data-canvas-width="386.8371">transfer the relevant information from the patients’ clinical</div><div style="left: 80.9418px; top: 1092.81px; font-size: 15px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(0.839862);" data-canvas-width="41.9931">files.<strong></strong></div><div style="left: 80.9418px; top: 1092.81px; font-size: 15px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(0.839862);" data-canvas-width="41.9931"><strong>Results</strong></div><div style="left: 123.167px; top: 1092.81px; font-size: 15px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(1.04442);" data-canvas-width="344.65859999999986">. The study found that the majority of subjects</div><div style="left: 80.9418px; top: 1116.15px; font-size: 15px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(1.05405);" data-canvas-width="386.83709999999985">were male (96.3%), unmarried (76.3%) and unemployed</div><div style="left: 80.9418px; top: 1139.49px; font-size: 15px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(1.05127);" data-canvas-width="386.8679999999999">(63.8%). The median age was 27 years. A relatively</div><div style="left: 80.9418px; top: 1162.83px; font-size: 15px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(1.0483);" data-canvas-width="386.8216499999999">high percentage (49%) had received some schooling</div><div style="left: 80.9418px; top: 1186.17px; font-size: 15px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(1.04005);" data-canvas-width="386.8988999999999">and 16% had attended a special school. Most (32%)</div><div style="left: 80.9418px; top: 1209.51px; font-size: 15px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(1.05131);" data-canvas-width="386.88345000000004">were referred from the Bloemfontein area and 68% were</div><div style="left: 80.9418px; top: 1232.85px; font-size: 15px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(0.976783);" data-canvas-width="386.80620000000005">referred from the remainder of the Free State and other</div><div style="left: 80.9418px; top: 1256.19px; font-size: 15px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(0.98424);" data-canvas-width="386.8062000000001">areas. The majority were referred according to Sections</div><div style="left: 80.9418px; top: 1279.53px; font-size: 15px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(0.972108);" data-canvas-width="386.89889999999986">77 and 78. The highest number of the offences were of<div style="left: 529.761px; top: 369.865px; font-size: 15px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(1.05429);" data-canvas-width="387.9803999999998">a sexual nature (78%). Of the subjects, 62 (62.5%) were</div><div style="left: 529.761px; top: 393.204px; font-size: 15px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(1.06894);" data-canvas-width="388.02674999999994">diagnosed as having mild mental retardation, while 16%</div><div style="left: 529.761px; top: 416.544px; font-size: 15px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(1.00007);" data-canvas-width="388.02674999999994">were diagnosed as having moderate mental retardation.</div><div style="left: 529.761px; top: 439.884px; font-size: 15px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(1.0157);" data-canvas-width="387.9958500000001">A total of 71 (71.25%) were found to be untriable and</div><div style="left: 529.761px; top: 463.224px; font-size: 15px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(1.01876);" data-canvas-width="100.85759999999996">unaccountable.</div><div style="left: 529.761px; top: 491.289px; font-size: 15px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(0.995784);" data-canvas-width="72.69224999999999"><strong>Conclusion</strong></div><div style="left: 602.685px; top: 491.289px; font-size: 15px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(1.09803);" data-canvas-width="315.13365">. Triability and accountability are not only</div><div style="left: 529.761px; top: 514.63px; font-size: 15px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(1.04024);" data-canvas-width="388.01129999999995">reflected by IQ score, but also involve the accused’s</div><div style="left: 529.761px; top: 537.969px; font-size: 15px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(1.05438);" data-canvas-width="388.0112999999999">understanding of his/her environment, his/her speech</div><div style="left: 529.761px; top: 561.31px; font-size: 15px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(1.02108);" data-canvas-width="388.01129999999995">and language proficiency, level of education, reasoning</div><div style="left: 529.761px; top: 584.649px; font-size: 15px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(1.03211);" data-canvas-width="388.07309999999995">ability and the manner in which the crime was committed.</div><div style="left: 529.761px; top: 607.99px; font-size: 15px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(1.043);" data-canvas-width="387.99585">It is important to note that having an IQ of 70 or less does</div><div style="left: 529.761px; top: 631.33px; font-size: 15px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(0.960348);" data-canvas-width="387.9803999999999">not automatically mean that the accused is unfit to stand</div><div style="left: 529.761px; top: 654.669px; font-size: 15px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(1.02908);" data-canvas-width="387.9649499999999">trial or is not accountable. It is possible for an intellectually</div><div style="left: 529.761px; top: 678.01px; font-size: 15px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(1.06613);" data-canvas-width="388.07309999999995">disabled person to be triable, accountable or diminished</div><div style="left: 529.761px; top: 701.349px; font-size: 15px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(1.0305);" data-canvas-width="85.53119999999998">accountable.</div></div>