The 17-year-old boy convicted for the triple murder of a Griekwastad, Northern Cape, family is unlikely to receive support to enable him to be rehabilitated in prison.
The Kimberley High Court yesterday sentenced the boy, who can not be named as he is under age, to 20 years in jail for the triple murders, rape, and lying to the police.
His sentence could have been stiffer, but Northern Cape Judge President Frans Kgomo said there was a chance he could be rehabilitated.
But clinical and forensic psychologist Ivan de Klerk said there was a slim chance of him being rehabilitated in prison. He said there were 72 psychologists serving about 250000 inmates.
"He would be lucky if he goes to a prison that has a psychologist," he said.
De Klerk said that, judging by the nature of the crimes, it would appear the boy had psychopathic tendencies, which were difficult to treat.
Prosecutor Hannes Cloete had argued that the boy's ability to manipulate was a danger to society.
"The prisons don't have an expert in psychopathy," De Klerk said.
It was such a controversial field of study, De Klerk said, that some experts believed psychopaths could not be rehabilitated and that trying only trained them to manipulate people further.
The boy was found guilty on March 27 for the murders of farmer Deon Steenkamp, his wife Christel and daughter Marthella.
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