Nemavhola Muthumuni, Melapi Tando A S, Hoffman Danie, Gerber-Schutte Ora
Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.
S Afr J Psychiatr. 2024 Mar 28;30:2209. doi: 10.4102/sajpsychiatry.v30i0.2209. eCollection 2024.
Globally, crime is highly masculinised and research into female criminality is scarce. In South Africa, no research specifically investigating the characteristics of female observandi referred for non-violent crimes has been published.
The study aimed to describe the socio-demographic, clinical, and forensic correlates in women referred to Sterkfontein Hospital for forensic psychiatric observation following a non-violent criminal charge between 2010 and 2019. It also sought to establish the relationship between the correlates and fitness to stand trial and criminal responsibility, as well as the relationship between the socio-demographic characteristics and the different non-violent criminal charges.
Sterkfontein Hospital.
A retrospective record review of all cases referred to Sterkfontein Hospital for a single observation over 10 years was conducted.
Sixty-five cases were included in the study. Most observandi referred for non-violent crimes were found to be single (84.6%), unemployed (67.7%), reported abuse (55.4%), and had a high prevalence of mental illness (90.8%). Non-adherence to treatment was identified in 59.1% and substance use was identified in 72.2% of the study sample. The most common charge was theft (64.6%). The majority of the sample was found fit and responsible (57%). Bipolar (21%) and Primary Psychotic Disorders (35.7%) were associated with statistically significant outcomes of trial incompetence ( = 0.005) and lack of responsibility ( = 0.028).
It is recommended that prospective studies are conducted which include comparisons with male counterparts and females referred for violent crimes.
The study identified correlates that should be included in the standard of care in forensic assessments of female observandi.
在全球范围内，犯罪现象高度男性化，对女性犯罪的研究稀缺。在南非，尚未发表过专门调查因非暴力犯罪而被转介进行观察的女性特征的研究。
本研究旨在描述2010年至2019年间因非暴力刑事指控被转介至斯泰克方丹医院进行法医精神病观察的女性的社会人口统计学、临床和法医相关因素。它还试图确定这些相关因素与受审能力和刑事责任之间的关系，以及社会人口统计学特征与不同非暴力刑事指控之间的关系。
斯泰克方丹医院。
对转介至斯泰克方丹医院进行单次观察的所有病例进行了为期10年的回顾性记录审查。
该研究纳入了65例病例。大多数因非暴力犯罪被转介进行观察的女性为单身（84.6%）、失业（67.7%）、曾遭受虐待（55.4%），且精神疾病患病率较高（90.8%）。研究样本中59.1%的人存在治疗不依从情况，72.2%的人存在物质使用问题。最常见的指控是盗窃（64.6%）。大多数样本被认定适合受审且负有责任（57%）。双相情感障碍（21%）和原发性精神障碍（35.7%）与无受审能力（P = 0.005）和无责任能力（P = 0.028）的统计学显著结果相关。
建议进行前瞻性研究，包括与男性以及因暴力犯罪被转介的女性进行比较。
该研究确定了在对女性观察对象进行法医评估时应纳入护理标准的相关因素。
