Full Text Available

Note: Clicking the button above will open the full text document at the original institutional repository in a new window.

Unfitness declarations and participation of persons with psychosocial disabilities in Kenya's criminal justice system : Beyond the social model

Thesis (LLD)--University of Pretoria, 2023.

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Other Authors: Ngwena, Charles
Format: Thesis
Language:English
Published: University of Pretoria 2023
Subjects:
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1867613480074346497
access_status_str Open Access
author2 Ngwena, Charles
author_browse Ngwena, Charles
author_facet Ngwena, Charles
collection Thesis
dc_rights_str_mv © 2023 University of Pretoria. All rights reserved. The copyright in this work vests in the University of Pretoria. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the University of Pretoria.
description Thesis (LLD)--University of Pretoria, 2023.
format Thesis
id oai:repository.up.ac.za:2263/91652
institution University of Pretoria (South Africa)
language English
last_indexed 2026-06-10T12:36:48.836Z
license_str Other — see source repository
provenance_str_mv Harvested via OAI-PMH from UPSpace — University of Pretoria Institutional Repository
publishDate 2023
publishDateRange 2023
publishDateSort 2023
publisher University of Pretoria
publisherStr University of Pretoria
record_format dspace
source_str UPSpace — University of Pretoria Institutional Repository
spelling oai:repository.up.ac.za:2263/91652 Unfitness declarations and participation of persons with psychosocial disabilities in Kenya's criminal justice system : Beyond the social model Ngwena, Charles pauljuma2009@gmail.com Juma, Paul Ochieng UCTD Unfitness Persons with psychosocial disabilities Participation Criminal justice system Kenya Thesis (LLD)--University of Pretoria, 2023. This thesis appraises the adequacy of the social model of disability in responding to violations of declarations of unfitness during plea and proceedings (unfitness declarations) against persons with psychosocial disabilities in Kenya’s criminal justice system. The study hypothesises that the social model of disability is inadequate to respond to violations against the right to participation of persons with psychosocial disabilities in Kenya’s criminal justice system. The study argues that unfitness declarations violate the right of persons with psychosocial disabilities to participate in access to justice. This thesis explores the legal framework of the declarations, the effects or consequences of unfitness declarations, possible causal factors of unfitness declarations, intervention strategies, and the different ways in which they can be reformed. These themes cannot be addressed solely by the social model of disability because it leaves many gaps in the holistic understanding of disability and society. I argue that the social model of disability is limited because it does not adequately address mental disabilities. Taking into account the limitations of the social model of disability, this thesis draws from a syncretic archive of knowledge and normative frameworks such as the Foucauldian and decolonial theories of disability. The theories are employed because they focus more on the body thus shaping the discourse on mental impairment by seeking new ways and more progressive forms of action in the realisation of disabled persons’ rights. The Foucauldian theory is a useful discourse for reforming the law on unfitness declarations in Kenya by improving the agency and visibility of persons with psychosocial disabilities. Decolonial theory serves to ensure that reforms of unfitness declarations are responsive to the legacy of colonial ideology and governance. The study also employed empirical research, to interrogate the factors that inhibit the participation of persons with psychosocial disabilities in Kenya’s criminal justice system. It found that unfitness declarations are caused by attitudinal, social, and cultural factors. Accordingly, this study recommends that legislative enactment and reform are imperative not only to promote participation in access to justice but also to remove the barriers inhibiting the legal capacity of persons with psychosocial disabilities. N?A Centre for Human Rights LLD Unrestricted 2023-07-27T10:05:40Z 2023-07-27T10:05:40Z 2023-09 2023 Thesis * S2023 http://hdl.handle.net/2263/91652 https://repository.up.ac.za/handle/2263/51914/submit/1b293c2b5c4b34253a4721521d397a2718712946.continue en © 2023 University of Pretoria. All rights reserved. The copyright in this work vests in the University of Pretoria. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the University of Pretoria. application/pdf University of Pretoria
spellingShingle UCTD
Unfitness
Persons with psychosocial disabilities
Participation
Criminal justice system
Kenya
Unfitness declarations and participation of persons with psychosocial disabilities in Kenya's criminal justice system : Beyond the social model
title Unfitness declarations and participation of persons with psychosocial disabilities in Kenya's criminal justice system : Beyond the social model
title_full Unfitness declarations and participation of persons with psychosocial disabilities in Kenya's criminal justice system : Beyond the social model
title_fullStr Unfitness declarations and participation of persons with psychosocial disabilities in Kenya's criminal justice system : Beyond the social model
title_full_unstemmed Unfitness declarations and participation of persons with psychosocial disabilities in Kenya's criminal justice system : Beyond the social model
title_short Unfitness declarations and participation of persons with psychosocial disabilities in Kenya's criminal justice system : Beyond the social model
title_sort unfitness declarations and participation of persons with psychosocial disabilities in kenya s criminal justice system beyond the social model
topic UCTD
Unfitness
Persons with psychosocial disabilities
Participation
Criminal justice system
Kenya
url http://hdl.handle.net/2263/91652
https://repository.up.ac.za/handle/2263/51914/submit/1b293c2b5c4b34253a4721521d397a2718712946.continue