So I know this is probably an older topic, but I'm just wondering does anyone think its odd that if you attempt suicide and fail, you can actually have criminal charges pressed against you and go to jail? Its like saying the best way to save your finger is to cut off your arm. I personally don't think it's right, because most people that contemplate suicide have low self-esteem, and throwing them in prison or fining them or whatever does not help that, not to mention apparently they can take away your license, because of course that sounds like a great way to help someone, make sure they cant go anywhere else, I'm just wondering on other peoples thoughts on this
Take me away, I just want out from this self-imprisoned self-made Hell. Don't be surprsed, this is your mind coming to life by self-sacrifice. This tragedy of death will walk hand in hand with every thought of regret. Blame yourself for what you've become. The mind is a powerful thing set to self-destruct.
~I, Dementia - Whitechapel~
Even in Britain you can be charged with breach of the peace or some such thing for self harming in a public place although I don't *think* suicide attempts are illegal over here.
'Never forget what you are. The rest of the world will not. Wear it like armor, and it can never be used to hurt you.'
['There is only one thing we say to death. Not today'.']
'We are each our own devil, and we make this world our hell. Oscar Wilde
Its hard to dance with the devil on your back. Sydney Carter
I was told about it about a month or so ago when someone misconstrued what I had said
Take me away, I just want out from this self-imprisoned self-made Hell. Don't be surprsed, this is your mind coming to life by self-sacrifice. This tragedy of death will walk hand in hand with every thought of regret. Blame yourself for what you've become. The mind is a powerful thing set to self-destruct.
~I, Dementia - Whitechapel~
Take me away, I just want out from this self-imprisoned self-made Hell. Don't be surprsed, this is your mind coming to life by self-sacrifice. This tragedy of death will walk hand in hand with every thought of regret. Blame yourself for what you've become. The mind is a powerful thing set to self-destruct.
~I, Dementia - Whitechapel~
There are loads of laws that are still present but are not acted upon/vetoed b newer laws. It jus takes time and money to remove old laws rather than 'trump' with newer ones.
Like it's illegal to eat mince pies on Christmas day - but that's subsequently trumped by the human rights act.
Likewise, there is a law that I forget that allows someone to shoot a Scots man with a bow and arrow on the second sunday of the month- or something like that.
Suicide may be 'illegal' but if you fail, you won't be punished b jail time or death penalties anymore, you will be admitted to a psychiatric hospital or given community support to help get you well.
I know in Dubai, if you try to commit suicide and fail you can be put in jail and fined and probably deported. But if you succeed your family or whoever has sponsored to allow you to live there gets the full penalties with a big fine and then put in jail.
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As everyone has mentioned suicide in Britain used to be illegal back in the day (wayyy back in the day) however nowadays if you're trying to commit suicide and the police step in they'll take you to hospital and get you treated rather than put you in a cell. Even if this law was still enforced I'd doubt people would be arrested and convicted, police officers are human too and they'd probably just continue to take people to hospital.
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Are you sure its not a welshman? There is still the common law that if a welshman crosses the border into cheshire/England after 6pm you can shot him in the back with your bow and arrow.
Common laws are a little crazy, many people in the UK try and use it to not pay council tax (freeman of the land) using the argument that as long as i do not harm to others, nor harm oneself subsequent laws such as statutes are not valid.
Though, I still think attempted suicide is against the law within the UK, however its highly unlikely you will be charged with it! Just like, I can;t go shooting a welshman anymore even though the common law has not be removed.
Yeah, I think you're right. I couldn't recall the exact wording.
Okay, from reading wikipedia, here is what I understand. In many jurisdictions it is illegal to assist another person in their suicide. In a few places, those who survive a suicide pact can be held criminally responsible for anyone that died in the suicide pact.
Also in Singapore and other places, a suicide attempt can lead to a one year jail sentence.
As for weird laws, my understanding is that courts in the US will not review laws that haven't been enforced in a long time, considering them to effectively be off the books. Of course most mentions of weird laws make few mentions to any specific statutes, so I'm a little bit skeptical.
This is what they told me, if a policeman lied to me about the law I'd be pissed, though he did say if it happens twice then they'll take away your license and you cant get it back
Take me away, I just want out from this self-imprisoned self-made Hell. Don't be surprsed, this is your mind coming to life by self-sacrifice. This tragedy of death will walk hand in hand with every thought of regret. Blame yourself for what you've become. The mind is a powerful thing set to self-destruct.
~I, Dementia - Whitechapel~
Suicide is illegal in Britain still. It's like if you take someone to Switzerland for euthanasia, you won't be able to get back in the country. You can't go on your own to Switzerland as they need someone from outside of the clinic to be able to say that they did everything by the book.
You don't go to prison anymore, you are very likely to get sectioned however.
You can also still get hung drawn and quartered for 'Piracy on the High Seas' and 'Treason' in this country also. Obviously they won't do that because it violates human rights and everything.
The world is just illusion always trying to change me.
You will find wonder wherever you can, and spread joy whenever you are able.
I felt emotions of gentleness and pleasure, that had long appeared dead, divide within me. - Frankenstein.
I agree with pretty much all of the above however remember watching a television documentary (not the most reliable I know but still) about a Glasgow womens' prison and at least 1 of the prisoners was there chiefly for having self harmed in public and had been charged with something along the lines of breach of the peace. Tried and failed to find link 0.o
'Never forget what you are. The rest of the world will not. Wear it like armor, and it can never be used to hurt you.'
['There is only one thing we say to death. Not today'.']
'We are each our own devil, and we make this world our hell. Oscar Wilde
Its hard to dance with the devil on your back. Sydney Carter
Suicide has never been illegal in Scotland, at least not to my knowledge. However, if your actions put others in danger, or breach the peace then you can be charged. It is more likely that you will be sectioned for your own safety, and possibly taken to a jail cell depending on hospital bed availability.
In England, Wales and Northern Ireland, the act of suicide hasn't been a criminal since the 1960s.
If you are self-harming in public, then it is likely that you will have some sort of "offensive weapon" on your person, and considering Scottish police forces (particularly Strathclyde) have a no tolerance approach to this, you could be arrested for possession of a weapon.
Last edited by The One Who : 01-09-2012 at 06:51 PM.
Are you sure its not a welshman? There is still the common law that if a welshman crosses the border into cheshire/England after 6pm you can shot him in the back with your bow and arrow.
Actually the rule is that it is legal to shoot a Welshman within Chester city walls after 6 pm. Simply crossing the border (as I live in a county that borders Cheshire) is not illegal, nor is it legal to shoot them if they are outside the city walls after 6pm.
On a similar note, in Hereford it is legal to shoot a Welshman on a Sunday, provided they are on the Cathedral Green and it is before 12 pm.
Both laws dictate that a bow and arrow must be used.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Femme Fatale
You can also still get hung drawn and quartered for 'Piracy on the High Seas' and 'Treason' in this country also. Obviously they won't do that because it violates human rights and everything.
Technically though hanging was made illegal for most crimes in the 1960s in the UK, you could get hanged for treason as it is still legal until 1998. An perfectly good example of treason is putting a stamp on upside down, though in practice nobody has gotten hanged since the 1960s. Today you wouldnt get hanged but you could face life imprisonment.
Last edited by not_so_insig : 01-09-2012 at 05:23 PM.
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On a more emotive level, it just strikes me as very ironic to punish someone for not valuing their life/who they are enough to try and keep living... how is punishing them meant to help them value who they are... [because surely it's the lack of value of own life that is the 'crime' in a lawish view, right?]
And where does all this fit in if the person has attempted suicide due to abuse/domestic violence - and they get punished not the person who hurt them causing them to hate themselves causing them to attempt suicide...?
I will now run away from the can of worms I have now likely opened!
On a more emotive level, it just strikes me as very ironic to punish someone for not valuing their life/who they are enough to try and keep living... how is punishing them meant to help them value who they are... [because surely it's the lack of value of own life that is the 'crime' in a lawish view, right?]
They don't get punished, since it's not a criminal offence, unless they do it in a public setting whereby it'll be a breach of the peace and possibly some other offences such as tresspassing. They may end up in a jail cell though, if there is no other "safe" place for the police to take them, but that may say more about the NHS than it does about the law. Suicide was originally a crime (except in Scotland) because it was deemed an offence against God and against the Monarch, although I think it was written in the fourteenth century or so!
Quote:
And where does all this fit in if the person has attempted suicide due to abuse/domestic violence - and they get punished not the person who hurt them causing them to hate themselves causing them to attempt suicide...?
Suicide is suicide. It doesn't matter the reasons behind it. When it comes to violence or abuse, then perhaps they should raise that issue with the police and/or a mental health professional.
Its because they view suicide the same as self-murder, they see it the same as if you attempted murder
Take me away, I just want out from this self-imprisoned self-made Hell. Don't be surprsed, this is your mind coming to life by self-sacrifice. This tragedy of death will walk hand in hand with every thought of regret. Blame yourself for what you've become. The mind is a powerful thing set to self-destruct.
~I, Dementia - Whitechapel~
