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Prosecuting attempted suicides in London: 1891-1913
1Psychology Program, The Richard Stockton College of New Jersey, Jimmie Leeds Road, Pomona, NJ 08240, USA. lesterd@stockton.edu
Psychological Reports
|January 27, 2010
Summary
Prior suicide attempts predicted sentence severity in Old Bailey cases (1891-1913). Mothers attempting infanticide and suicide received lighter sentences, often not guilty verdicts.
Area of Science:
- Forensic Psychiatry
- Legal History
- Criminology
Background:
- Historical legal proceedings concerning suicide and infanticide provide insight into societal and judicial attitudes.
- The Old Bailey criminal court records offer a unique dataset for analyzing criminal cases from a specific historical period.
Observation:
- A review of 30 attempted suicide cases at the Old Bailey (1891-1913) revealed prior attempts as the sole predictor of sentence severity.
- Of 22 individuals tried for infanticide and attempted suicide, none convicted of murder but half of attempted murderers were acquitted or released.
- Mothers utilized drowning more frequently than fathers and were more often found not guilty.
Findings:
- Previous suicide attempts were statistically significant in determining the severity of judicial sentences.
- Judicial outcomes for infanticide combined with attempted suicide varied, with acquittals or releases common among attempted murderers.
- Gender disparities were observed, with mothers showing different methods and receiving more lenient judgments compared to fathers.
Implications:
- Understanding historical sentencing patterns for suicide and infanticide can inform contemporary legal and psychiatric assessments.
- The findings highlight potential biases or differing societal views regarding maternal versus paternal actions in such cases.
- This historical analysis contributes to the broader understanding of the intersection between mental health, criminal law, and social factors.
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