Controversial Issue: Suicide

Suicide is defined as “the act or an instance of taking one's own life voluntarily and intentionally.” Although it is not traditionally considered a crime against a person, it does consist of violent behavior against oneself. Some may consider a more accurate definition as “self-murder.”

Several factors may play a part in an individual attempting to commit suicide. Some of these risk factors include a family history of depression, suicide, or mental illness, family violence, changes within the family dynamic (i.e., job loss, divorce, death), and substance abuse. Demographic risk factors also identify peak age ranges, and a higher percentage of males commit suicide than do females.

Cultural issues also play a part in suicide. Suicide is viewed differently in different societies. Whereas some condemn the act, other cultures praise it, depending on the circumstances in which the individual acted.

Historical and Cultural Issues

The history of suicide goes back for centuries. Many stories in the Old Testament tell of men killing themselves for honor, and literature from the Middle Ages also depicts individuals committing suicide for a just and honorable cause. George Minois (1999) addresses suicide in the Middle Ages and states that it was divided in two social categories. In the first category, a peasant or craftsman may have taken his own life to “escape poverty and suffering.” In the second category, a knight may have taken his own life to “escape humiliation and to deprive the infidel of a victory.” One type of suicide was considered a noble act, whereas the other was seen as cowardice.

In later years, with the spread of Chrisitanity, suicide was condemned and considered an affront to God. It is considered immoral by Judaism and Islam, and attempts are punishable by law in many countries. In ancient Greece, suicide was tolerated for criminals; and in India, where it is now against the law, it was praised at one time.

Although suicide may not be considered a crime, assisted suicide can be. Assisted suicide is the act of an individual who assists another in committing suicide. This can be done by providing the means (i.e., poison, medication) for the person or actually physically assisting them in the process of killing themselves. Another term that may be used for assisted suicide is euthanasia. Robert N. Wennberg (1989) states,

A basic distinction is made between two kinds of euthanasia, passive and active. Active euthanasia is identical with mercy killing and, roughly speaking, involves taking direct action to end a life…. Passive euthanasia… is allowing a patient to die when he or she could be kept alive by the appropriate medical procedures. (pp. 7-8)

Although assisted suicide may traditionally be identified as a case in which an individual helps another person with a terminal illness to die, in other cases of assisted suicide, the individual helps a healthy person commit suicide. An example of this would be a recent case in Michigan in which a young couple allegedly participated in the sexual assault of a 14-year-old girl. When the girl went to ...