It's my understanding that this is a crime that is never charged or prosecuted. Rather, if (attempted) suicide is a crime, it serves as a legal fiction that provides a structure for first responders to intervene. Police can then enter an office where someone is hanging out a window without a warrant, for example, because there are exigent circumstances (a crime in progress). Officers could also physical restrain someone trying to jump from a bridge and have a more straightforward justification for this after the fact. I think this is a societal good.

Have you seen any examples of suicidal people being charged or prosecuted for attempted suicide? I can imagine that this could have opportunities for abuse, but not ones that are qualitatively different from probable cause writ large.

> Rather, if (attempted) suicide is a crime, it serves as a legal fiction that provides a structure for first responders to intervene.

If I have a heart attack, does "having a heart attack" need to be criminalized for a police officer to render aid? The notion of criminalizing suicide attempts to protect a person is fundamentally absurd.

> Have you seen any examples of suicidal people being charged or prosecuted for attempted suicide?

Here you go: https://theappeal.org/suicide-attempt-gun-charges-incarcerat...

Wow. The fiance must have felt like shit for thinking calling the cops would solve anything.

That said, that man was not prosecuted for attempted suicide. He was convicted for possession of a firearm without a license, and acquitted for stealing his fiance's gun.

The end result is the same: people who might commit suicide, but don't, are punished for failed attempts.

It's not the same, though, because what was requested was an example of someone convicted of attempted suicide. That man could have faced the same legal consequences if he had intended to use the gun for any number of other purposes.