Suicide in forensic practice – an Australian perspective

Abstract

In Australia from 1997 to 2006, there were 23,254 suicides recorded, with suicide being the 14th leading category of death in 2008. Of 2191 deaths in that year there were 1151 hangings (53% of cases), 506 poisonings (23%), 170 firearm deaths (8%), 121 falls from heights (6%), 45 drownings and submersions (2%), 43 deaths due to intentional contact with sharp objects (2%), and 155 deaths due to other methods (7%). However, the interpretation of data is not always straightforward. For example, problems arise in comparing Australian data with that from overseas due to different systems for reporting, gathering and classifying cases. Research that relies on national, international and/or large city suicide data may obscure specific local issues and trends, and care should be exercised when interpreting suicide data over particular time periods, as the number of ‘open’ coronial cases at the time of annual data collection may alter the number of suicide deaths reported yearly by central authorities. The conduct and quality of autopsies in different countries is also variable. Thus, when data are analysed and apparent trends discerned these issues should be born in mind.