ABSTRACT

This study evaluated the application of fitness criteria in pre-trial psychiatric reports prepared for 32 cases sent to psychiatric services in Brunei for assessment of fitness to stand trial over a 3-year period. The primary ICD-10 diagnoses were mental and behavioural disorder due to methyl-amphetamine abuse in 10 (31.2%) cases, schizophrenia in 10 (31.2%) cases, mental retardation in 1 (3.1%) case and acute psychotic disorder in 1 (3.1%) case. Three (9.4%) cases were reported to be unfit to stand trial. Reports for 27(84.4%) cases addressed the person’s ability to understand the charges, 21(65.6%) addressed the ability to decide how to plead, 24(75.0%) addressed the ability to follow court proceedings and 29(90.6%) addressed mental state at the time of the alleged offence. 1(3.1%) addressed the ability to instruct counsel. Of the reports that addressed each criterion, 26 (81.3%) cases were able to understand the charges, 19 (59.4%) were able to decide how to plead, 22 (68.6%) were able to follow court proceedings and 1 (3.1%) was able to instruct counsel. Three(9.4%) cases showed evidence of insanity at the time of the offence. This paper discusses the implications of these findings on the management of mentally disordered offenders in Brunei.

摘要

本研究评估了健康标准在审前精神病学报告中的应用，该报告为送至文莱精神病服务机构的 32 例案件准备，以评估 3 年期间是否适合接受审判。ICD-10 的主要诊断为 10 例 (31.2%) 甲基苯丙胺滥用导致的精神和行为障碍，10 例 (31.2%) 例精神分裂症，1 例 (3.1%) 例精神发育迟滞和 1 例急性精神障碍 ( 3.1%) 的情况。据报告，三起 (9.4%) 案件不适合出庭受审。27 (84.4%) 起案件的报告涉及该人理解指控的能力，21 (65.6%) 起涉及决定如何辩护的能力，24 (75.0%) 起涉及遵循法庭诉讼程序的能力，29 (90.6%) 起涉及被指控犯罪时的精神状态。1(3.1%) 提到了指导律师的能力。在针对每个标准的报告中，26 个 (81.3%) 的案件能够理解指控，19 个 (59.4%) 能够决定如何辩护，22 个 (68.6%) 能够遵循法庭诉讼程序，1 个 (3.1%) ) 能够指导律师。三起 (9.4%) 案件在犯罪时显示出精神错乱的证据。本文讨论了这些发现对文莱精神障碍罪犯管理的影响。