These days it's usually handled as a mental-health issue, but until fairly recently many parts of the world did treat attempted suicide as a crime. (The original version of 'Bedazzled' joked that "in less enlightened times, they'd have hanged you for it", but I don't think it's been a capital offence for quite a while. More detail at http://www.straightdope.com/columns/040326.html.

(Not that I think this makes any sense, mind you.)