Legal Definitions - attempted suicide

Attempted suicide refers to an individual's deliberate and unsuccessful effort to end their own life. It involves both the specific intent to die and an overt act taken to carry out that intent, where the act does not result in death. While suicide itself is generally not a crime, attempted suicide often leads to mandatory mental health evaluations or interventions rather than criminal charges, reflecting a public policy focus on prevention and support.

Here are some examples to illustrate this concept:

• Example 1: A person consumes a large quantity of prescription pills, leaving a note indicating their desire to die. They are later discovered unconscious by a family member and rushed to the hospital, where medical intervention saves their life.

  Explanation: This illustrates attempted suicide because there was a clear intent to die (indicated by the note and the act of taking pills) and an overt act (consuming the pills) that was unsuccessful in causing death due to timely intervention.

• Example 2: An individual stands on the ledge of a tall building, expressing their intention to jump and end their life. Before they can jump, emergency services arrive and safely bring them down.

  Explanation: This is an attempted suicide because the individual had the specific intent to die (expressed verbally) and took a significant overt step towards that goal (standing on the ledge), but the act was interrupted and did not result in death.

• Example 3: Someone tries to cut their wrists with a sharp object, intending to bleed to death. However, they are interrupted by a roommate who discovers them and immediately calls for help, leading to medical treatment that prevents fatal injury.

  Explanation: This demonstrates attempted suicide through the clear intent to die (using a sharp object on wrists) and an overt act (the cutting), which was unsuccessful in causing death due to intervention and medical care.