AN ANALYSIS ON THE CRIMINALIZATION OF ATTEMPTED SUICIDE IN NIGERIA

Abstract

The criminalization of attempted suicide is a contentious issue intersecting legal, ethical, and public health domains. This project critically examines the rationale, implications, and effectiveness of laws penalizing attempted suicide using the doctrinal methodology, with a focus on both historical perspectives and contemporary practices globally.� The project explores the origins of criminalization rooted in religious and moral doctrines, contrasting them with modern understandings of mental health and human rights. The project delves into the consequences of such criminalization, highlighting its negative impacts on individuals' mental health, the stigmatization of mental illness, and the deterrence of help-seeking behavior. It also assesses public health implications, noting how punitive measures can undermine suicide prevention efforts and exacerbate the suffering of vulnerable individuals. Findings show that the criminalizing attempted suicide doesn�t curb the incidence of suicide� but instead discourages individuals from seeking help due to fear of legal repercussions. This project makes recommendations such as decriminalization of attempted suicide so that persons who attempted suicide no longer face the fear of prosecution; thus, creating the avenue to seek help also, it recommends that attempted suicide be treated as a public health issue rather than a criminal offense. In conclusion, this project showed that much to the contrary criminalizing attempted suicide causes more harm than good, emphasizing the need for policy reforms that prioritize compassionate and effective responses, suggesting that governments should adopt sensitive legislative approaches that focus on the well-being of citizens. It underscores the importance of decriminalization in promoting mental health and suicide prevention efforts.

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urn:uuid:4ae3804a-24ac-41e6-8a41-f837eb9b0f37