Planned and Unplanned Complex Suicides: A 5‐year Retrospective Study

Abstract

The notion of planned and unplanned complex suicides first appeared in 1974 by Marcinkowski and, since then, no systematic study of complex suicides has been published in the English forensic literature. Here, the authors present a 5-year retrospective study of complex suicides. Nineteen complex suicides were reviewed: five unplanned and 14 planned, including the first case of an unplanned complex suicide in a woman. All cases were analyzed in terms of gender, age, methods of suicide, the presence of a suicide note, and past suicide attempts, and statistically compared with a 50-case sample of simple suicides. A further comparison was established with compiled data from the literature. Similarities were revealed regarding incidence of complex suicides, male gender predominance, and types of methods used. In contrast, results showed a higher average age for planned complex suicide victims. Finally, the authors discuss the application of the complex suicide definition.

An unusual complex suicide by corrosive ingestion and stabbing

“…Complex suicide can be divided into two distinct groups: planned and unplanned complex suicides (other terms have been coined, such as primary combined (planned complex) and secondary combined) [15] . In the forensic literature, complex suicides have been reported to account for about 1.5%-5.0% of all suicides [1,2] .…”

“…In this classification, suicides are first divided into simple versus complex, the complex type referring to suicide by a combination of methods. If the combination of multiple suicidal methods is previously planned, the suicide is categorized as "planned", while if the failure of the first mechanism brings the victim to come up with an alternative method of inflicting death, it is categorized as "unplanned" [1,6,7] .…”

“…Complex suicides can be defined as the use of more than one method to induce death [1][2][3][4][5] . In 1974, Marcinkowski et al [5] had proposed a general division of suicide.…”

Kompleks İntihar Olgusunda Kan Lekesi Model Analizi İle Olay Yerinin Yeniden Yapılandırılması

“…Planlı kompleks intihar, kullanılacak yöntemlerin önceden belirlenerek aynı anda ya da peşi sıra uygulanmasıdır. Plansız kompleks intihar ise ilk denenen metot başarısız olduğunda ya da çok ağrılı olduğunda ya apayrı bir yöntemin ya da yardımcı bir başka yöntemin de intihar girişimine eklenmesidir (1). Adli tıp literatüründe çeşitli yöntemlerin kullanıldı-ğı planlı kompleks intihar olguları bulunmaktadır (2)(3)(4)(5)(6)(7)(8)(9).…”

A case of complex suicide: Self-electrocution

“…Using another method concurrently when the first one has the possibility of inefficiency is named as primary complex suicide, using another method to accelerate death when selected method becomes unsuccessful or goes slowly or gives much pain is named as secondary complex suicide [1][2][3].…”