> Why not just let any depressed person commit suicide efficiently so they're not around bringing us down! Criminals who would get life sentences are an order

> Why not just let any depressed person commit suicide efficiently so they're not around bringing us down! Criminals who would get life sentences are an order of magnitude different than average person who attempts suicide. They are net negative in almost all cases. if person A kills person B and C, the society will end up net negative no matter how you spin it. They destroyed many families, decreased economical output of the state, caused moral panic, and health issues among public on top of forcing people who took the most damage to pay for their prisons. Additionally, I am not opposed to improved assistive suicide laws allowing for more use cases with focus on preventive measures. > yeah, so when it turns out that a poor person who was innocent opted for death to give his starving family some money (remember, we're talking about America here) what's the clever response going to be then A judge would be responsible for the final decision on matters related to money. We could simply remove giving money to the family but introduce it back into budget at the end of the day. Specifics of policy can be changed but for me, the most important question is whether society gains more or loose more in either scenario. I don't believe letting a person rot in prison for life is better than giving them more options to choose from. I would definitely pick up death sentence if I were in that position. Many people would if given the choice.