Public Drunks and the Law - The Effects of California's Public Inebriate Project on the Criminal Justice System

• NCJ Number: 90651
• Author(s): J Reynolds
• Date Published: 1982
• Length: 147 pages
• Grant Number(s): 80-IJ-CX-0011
• Agencies: NIJ-Sponsored

Annotation

Although the California's public inebriate projects did not reduce criminal justice involvement in handling public inebriates, it did give positive directions for development of policies and programs.

Abstract

The principal objectives were (1) reduce the visibility of public inebriates, (2) reduce their arrests, (3) reduce their involvement with the criminal justice system, and (4) increase their rehabilitation. A 24-hour Drop-In center, detoxification units, and recovery homes provided diversion of inebriates as an alternative to arrest. During the 2-year study, the number of public inebriates was more than double the estimates. The project admitted many public inebriates more than once. Many of these people entered treatment centers but did not successfully change their drinking behavior. Criminal justice involvement remain the same despite a decline in arrests. The project was unable to reduce visibility of the public inebriates. People who occasionally became drunk in public composed the majority of arrests, even though they were not the target group for the project. The presence of an authority figure is key to the project, and this would probably remain true despite decriminalization of the offense. Few of the offenders were interested in alcohol treatment services. Appendixes detail projections of arrests, estimates of time and costs in handling public inebriates, and population. Tables, illustrations, and bibliography are provided.