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.
