Love the sinner: the crime of attempted suicide in late 19th century Australia

Abstract

By the end of the 19th century, the former crime of attempted suicide was almost always not an occasion for punishing people who had infringed the moral code, but rather a means of checking on the welfare of would-be suicides by ensuring that they had people to care for them while also conveying to them that their lives mattered to the rest of the community and discouraging them from future attempts at self-destruction. There was some good in having an important state official convey the messages stated to a person who had attempted suicide. Only in rare cases, such as repeated suicide attempts, threats to renew the attempt or a lack of family and friends to care for the would-be suicide was anything beyond a nominal penalty usually imposed. Rather, people were given a jolly good talking-to along the lines indicated and released without further ado or after a short time in prison designed to ensure their welfare.