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Drunkenness among police detainees

G Robertson1, R Gibb, R Pearson

  • 1Forensic Psychiatry Department, Institute of Psychiatry, De Crespigny Park, London, UK.

Addiction (Abingdon, England)
|June 1, 1995
PubMed
Summary

Police in London arrest many individuals for public drunkenness, often those who are white and from Scotland or Ireland. These detainees frequently exhibit poor health and aggression, leading to procedural delays, with few being formally charged.

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Area of Science:

  • Criminology
  • Public Health
  • Sociology

Background:

  • Public drunkenness is a recurring issue within urban environments.
  • The Metropolitan Police Area in London encounters frequent detentions for offenses related to alcohol intoxication.
  • Existing police procedures for handling intoxicated individuals may not fully address the complexities of chronic alcohol abuse.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To observe and document the characteristics of individuals detained for drunkenness in London.
  • To analyze the associations between arrest for drunkenness and demographic factors.
  • To assess the in-station behavior and physical condition of intoxicated detainees and the impact on police procedures.

Main Methods:

  • Observational study conducted over 3-week periods at seven police stations in the Metropolitan Police Area.
  • Continuous 24-hour monitoring of all detainees.
  • Recording arrests for drunkenness, degree of intoxication, and demographic information.

Main Results:

  • Arrest for drunkenness was significantly associated with being white and having origins in Scotland or Ireland.
  • Intoxicated detainees exhibited increased aggressiveness, required medical attention, and caused delays in interviews.
  • Many chronically intoxicated individuals presented with poor physical health and signs of long-term self-neglect.
  • Only 5% of those arrested solely for drunkenness were charged, due to formal cautioning policies.

Conclusions:

  • The study highlights specific demographic correlations with public drunkenness arrests in London.
  • Detention for drunkenness presents challenges within police stations, including behavioral issues and resource strain.
  • Current policies effectively divert many drunkenness offenders from the judicial system, yet police continue to detain them due to a lack of alternatives.

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