Citation

McLaughlin P. Br. J. Criminol. 1985; 25(4): 344-364.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1985, Centre for Crime and Justice Studies, Publisher Oxford University Press)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

This paper considers the impact of individual attitudes, experitnces and perceptions on the routine management of public drunkenness. The study, which was conducted in a division of a Scottish police force over a six-months period, involved interviews and informal discussions with 66 police officers , analysis of police reports, and direct observation of police-inebriate encounters. The characteristics of police encounters wilh public drunks and the factors that might influence decision-making in such situations are discussed with reference to the data collected from these various sources. Observed differences in patterm of response-the operation of police discretion through informal controls--are related to attitudinal, environmental and organisational variables. The findings are discussed in term of their possible implications for the implementation of alternative management strategus which seek to divert the public drunk from criminal justice processing.