Why is suicide considered illegal? (At least in the US it is)

[Delirious]

(Reason in this forum because this is more of an opinionated question/subject, I won't recieve one correct answer)

What is the reason of suicide being considered illegal? Is it santicity of life, and if so what do they base the santicity upon? Why should we not take our own lives, that to the point we would be breaking law?
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[Tulok]

Maybe because its basically murder, and thats obviously wrong... I'm not sure really,*some people are crazy, or VERY extra stressed* it is pretty weird that its illegal, I mean, it IS your life to decide what you want to do with it right...

 

[Kent]

Legally speaking you've got to make suicide illegal so people can't abuse the action...
Think of how life insurance policies could be manipulated by someone already planning to kill themself. You're crazy and depressed, you're family could use the money... You need an easy out on life and want to support your family in death... etc etc... All of that is understandable but ethically and legally unacceptable (both in the sense of fairness as well as in the sense of fraud). (keep in mind that insurance is issued under the presumption that injury or losses are not garunteed and will not be created by a voluntary action)
Various legal concepts could need to have suicide's status as that of an illegal action simply to avoid situations like what I've demonstrated using the life insurance example.
I'm sure there's a little moral factor in it as well but who knows how much that factors in?

 

[3-Wheel Drive]

Kent summed it up best: to discourage it for fraud reasons. That's why family members may rearrange a suicide scene to make appear as murder or accident, in hopes of getting the insurance money.

On a similar note, am I the only one who thinks suicide watch in prison is stupid? They are usually on death row anyway, what does a few months matter? If they want to off themselves, let them. The state's just going to do the same later. Or is it again an insurance, or even lawsuit (failed suicide attempt) issue?

 

[fyfee]

Me thinks It's to do with justice and the public uproar it would create.

Why should someone who commits a hanus crime such as...well I don't know what crimes get death, but why should someone who commits such a crime be able to get off so easily through means of suicide. There is no real justice there, as they haven't lived with their sentence, they've just ended life.

Jail is supposed to be hell, apparently...people on the outside think this is the way it should be and people who are in jail suffer immense emotional, mental and sometimes physical abuse. Some people think the more serious offenders deserve this, and them commiting suicide is basically a 'Get Out Of Jail Free' card, if you will.

 

[Small_Fryz]

People who commit suicide are criminals and should be sent to jail for breaking the law. No questions asked.

 

[Zrow]

What, and crowd our prisons even more? Legalize it!

 

[Jay]

What, and crowd our prisons even more? Legalize it!

Then give the suicide criminals the death penalty, that'll clear prisons.

 

[Small_Fryz]

What happens if they are wrongly convicted?

 

[Jay]

What happens if they are wrongly convicted?

Defibrillator maybe?

 

[TuneRVisioN]

It all has to do with killing someone, so when you try killing yourself, it's illegal. Atleast that's what I think.

 

[Danoff]

murder is illegal for a reason - because human beings have a right to their own life/property. You own your body and you own your life. Nobody else can infringe upon that right. But why should you not have the ability to destroy your own property?

 

[MustangSVT]

Suicide isn't really illegal in a sense. If you kill yourself, are you going to go to jail or face the consequences? Maybe you face the consequences in after life, whatever that may be, if there even is one, depending on what you believe, but it's not like someone is gonna put you in jail after you've killed yourself.

 

[OZZYGT]

Maybe the thread name should be changed to "Why is committing suicide illegal?

 

[Touring Mars]

Even attempting suicide is illegal... but I think you'll find it is rarely prosecuted (unless it is assisted suicide or a suicide pact of some description)... it's kind of kicking a man when he's down, literally...

I reckon the reason is because it would create an unnecessary grey-area in cases where suicidal motive cannot be properly established. All cases of murder/manslaughter have to be considered as the same in the eyes of the law, regardless of who the intended victim is, even if that victim is yourself.

Although the consequences of making suicide illegal are pertinent for the insurance industry, I don't think that this is why suicide is illegal. Insurance companies will void your policy if you kill yourself in an attempt to benefit your family - but that hasn't got anything to do with the law. It's strictly business. Ironically, insurance companies have no right to cancel the life assurance policies of murderers... therefore, the act of murder in itself is not the reason insurance companies will void a policy.

 

[TheCracker]

Suicide is considered a sin in the eyes of Christianity. I would happen a guess that at some point church law became civil law, which is why it still stands that way now. I think suicide is only a crime in six US states.

 

[skip0110]

murder is illegal for a reason - because human beings have a right to their own life/property. You own your body and you own your life. Nobody else can infringe upon that right. But why should you not have the ability to destroy your own property?

I was under the impression it was because failed suicides place a burden on society in the form of hospital staff, rehabilitation, etc.

On the other hand if you smash up your coffee table you have to pay to fix it, or you don't have a coffee table.

 

[ledhed]

Kent summed it up best: to discourage it for fraud reasons. That's why family members may rearrange a suicide scene to make appear as murder or accident, in hopes of getting the insurance money.

On a similar note, am I the only one who thinks suicide watch in prison is stupid? They are usually on death row anyway, what does a few months matter? If they want to off themselves, let them. The state's just going to do the same later. Or is it again an insurance, or even lawsuit (failed suicide attempt) issue?

Not everyone in jail is finished the appeals process...they may be suicidal BECAUSE they are innocent and IN jail...I am pro death penalty BTW.

But I am against one innocent person being killed .


look at all those being let out now that they have DNA that proves they are innocent .

Think about what you are saying. Your assuming everyone in jail is guilty.

If that was true why is O.J. a free man ? And why do cases get overturned?

Why did they almost linch the Duke Laccross players ?


Anyway ..I think suicide is considered Illegal because its euthanasia , and thats an illegal act in the US .
I don't think it fits under manslaughter or any other murder law..

Also the problem is you are innocent until proven guilty at trail...and you have a right to confront your accuser...lol..

Kinda hard ...even a suicide note has to be JUDGED to be authentic. And thus its open to appeal . Same as with the medical examiners findings and any forensics that were used to determine the suicide.

So suicide is a different class of crime ( than murder) IMO because of these and other issues.

The illegality part doesn't need to be for insurance either. Once you sign your policy its a civil matter.

Some wont pay off if you die by riding a motorcycle. So adding a suicide clause is a simple civil law action and need not be based on any criminal law.

 

[Grand Prix]

There's also the issue of certainty that a person intended to commit suicide, some people are stupid and kill themselves by accident. Like driving a car off a cliff in the dark. Or driving into a wall in a race car for a strange reason, stuff like that. (Aryton Senna springs to mind, pardon the pun) Surely those who didn't have intent in killing themselves shouldn't be treated otherwise just to appeal to insurance companies? I agree that it should be treated as something different than murder.

 

[turboash78]

Attempted suicide... If you're gonna do it... do it right: wrap your lips around a revolver and be done with it.

 

[Sakiale]

Well in Buddhism, suicide will get you to hell because it is the destruction of a life....

Although, if you do it for some great purpose like.... i dont know, like if you have to to save many peoples lives, then it is good...

 

[Danoff]

I was under the impression it was because failed suicides place a burden on society in the form of hospital staff, rehabilitation, etc.

On the other hand if you smash up your coffee table you have to pay to fix it, or you don't have a coffee table.

Then perhaps any dangerous activity could be declared illegal. The "burden" is one that exists regardless. It's not a sound justification for making the activity illegal.

 

[Touring Mars]

Yep, if that was the case, then smoking should be illegal aswell.

Suicide and attemtped suicides do place a burden on the health service, but that is a mere consequence and not a reason to criminalise the endeavour.

 

[RACECAR]

thats rather pathetic. so its illegal to end your own internal conflict when no one wants to listen and/or talk to you? what will they do next, arrest you for the mere thought of it? its you own life and the goverment should not have any say in what you do with it. while suicide isn't exactly good, it shouldn't be illegal. what exactly is this supposed to accomplish? I thought the law was there to protect you from Criminals, not from yourself. just goes to show how stupid this country has gotten.

 

[HEAVYSET]

Such a sensitive subject. It hard for me to form an opinion separate from my belief as a Christian that suicide is a ticket to hell. But I'll try.

On one hand, I've known people that were suicidal who were helped by intervention from others. It's a great thing to help someone regain their desire to live. On the other hand, you have people like these school shooters/ mass murderers/ and serial killers who usually had a history of previous suicide attempts thwarted by family, friends, police, etc. What if they had been left alone to carry out their attempt? Is it reasonable to assume intervention allowed them to carry on with the hate festering inside them to the point when they decide to transfer their desire to kill themselves to killing others as well? It's a chilling thought with no right or wrong answer.

 

[Gonz013]

Kent summed it up best: to discourage it for fraud reasons. That's why family members may rearrange a suicide scene to make appear as murder or accident, in hopes of getting the insurance money.

2 main reasons why it is commonly illegal:

1. Moral/ Ethical (often religious- based) reasons - essentially that it is wrong because...(insert reason here)... and therefore it should also be illegal.

2. Cultural reasons, mostly concerned with the running of/ living in a society, so for instance, as mentioned above - for practical reasons in the law/ avoid fraud, etc.

You guys might be interested to know:

- In some countries it is not illegal to commit suicide (I believe this is still the case in Japan- unless changed recently - Historically, suicide in Japan is seen as an honorable thing to do. Kind of like the ultimate sacrifice, and many Japanese still regard it in this manner.)

-I recently took out Life insurance. Despite suicide being illegal here in Australia, I was surprised to find out that life insurance policies here will pay out if I were to commit suicide - but there is a catch- this does not apply for the first 13 months of the policy- a cooling off period to avoid the obvious!

I actually queried this, and I was told that suicide was treated like any other death, and that they were less concerned with the reason for the death, only with the fact that it had occured! (Not that I'm plannning on it )