Examining intellectual functioning and disability in Singapore's legal landscape

IF 1.3 4区医学 Q1 LAW

International Journal of Law and Psychiatry Pub Date : 2025-08-18 DOI:10.1016/j.ijlp.2025.102137

Andy Z.J. Teo, Danielle L.J. Sng, Stella W.L. Tan, Lim Xin Xiang

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Abstract

Individuals with intellectual disabilities constitute a significant portion of those managed within the criminal justice system. Courts are increasingly challenged with determining appropriate sentencing. Additionally, many of these individuals have complex social and medical backgrounds, necessitating a multidisciplinary approach to assess their legal and moral culpability. Consequently, these factors impact sentencing outcomes, including decisions regarding incarceration versus rehabilitation programs. This current study utilises all available court judgments involving intellectual functioning and disability recorded on LawNet (Singapore's legal database) from 1985 to 2024 to examine their relationship with sentencing considerations. Broadly, this study reviews sentencing considerations related to individuals' intellectual functioning and the legislation in place to support this population. Specifically, this study further scopes into examining the outcomes of judgments that had the offender undergo an intellectual ability assessment, and its relation to current legislative frameworks' responses to the complex process of judicial decision-making. Hence, this study examines the challenges faced in tailoring legislative frameworks to the complex nature of intellectual functioning and disability in Singapore's legal arena.

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考察新加坡法律环境中的智力功能和残疾

在刑事司法系统管理的人员中，智力残疾人员占很大一部分。法院在确定适当量刑方面受到越来越多的挑战。此外，其中许多人具有复杂的社会和医学背景，因此有必要采取多学科方法来评估他们的法律和道德罪责。因此，这些因素会影响量刑结果，包括关于监禁还是改造项目的决定。目前的这项研究利用了1985年至2024年间记录在LawNet（新加坡法律数据库）上的所有涉及智力功能和残疾的法院判决，以研究它们与量刑考虑的关系。从广义上讲，本研究回顾了与个人智力功能相关的量刑考虑以及为支持这一人群而制定的立法。具体而言，本研究进一步研究了对罪犯进行智力评估的判决结果，以及其与当前立法框架对复杂司法决策过程的反应的关系。因此，本研究考察了在调整立法框架以适应新加坡法律领域智力功能和残疾的复杂性质时所面临的挑战。

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来源期刊

International Journal of Law and Psychiatry Multiple-

CiteScore

4.70

自引率

8.70%

发文量

审稿时长

41 days

期刊介绍： The International Journal of Law and Psychiatry is intended to provide a multi-disciplinary forum for the exchange of ideas and information among professionals concerned with the interface of law and psychiatry. There is a growing awareness of the need for exploring the fundamental goals of both the legal and psychiatric systems and the social implications of their interaction. The journal seeks to enhance understanding and cooperation in the field through the varied approaches represented, not only by law and psychiatry, but also by the social sciences and related disciplines.