To say it's time we stopped being soft on drunken yobs.

[seaviewer]

I just wonder how long we're going to allow drunken yobs to tie up police resources, ambulance crews and hospital casualty departments. Why can't the government listen to police chiefs and toughen up. I don't know the answer, some police chiefs have said we should have drunk tanks. Whatever happens SOMETHING should be done.

Town centers at weekends are now often like the Wild West a no go area with people who just can't handle their drink, they cost the country fortunes. I just don't understand why it's being allowed to continue. What do you all think?

allegretto the point as you made it is absolutely fine, but I don't think it was what the OP said.

There used to be an offence of being 'drunk and disorderly' - probably still is - there should IMO be really hefty fines for anyone making a drunken nuisance of themselves, throwing up/fighting/urinatimg in the street, etc. All too often it seems they barely even get a slap on the wrist.

As for anyone causing trouble in A&E, a huge fine would be in order, IMO. I wouldn't advocate prison, though, since it just costs the taxpayer money. Hit them in their pockets, hard.

seaviewer

I didn't say that it was an excuse, I'm saying that these drunken yobs are not all yobs.

Also where do you draw the line with your fines?
At what point do you haul these people off the streets to your drunk tanks?
Is it when they are happily singing and leaning on each other, or when they are falling down and throwing up?
How many of the students get anymore than stupid drunk?
How many lives would you be putting in danger by throwing them in to a drunk tank and ignoring them?
Not all of these "yobs" are a danger to those around them and many make it home without getting in to any bother.

sooty do you expect me to include all the problems of the world in my thread. I don't blithely dismiss intoxication and drug addiction in the home. Its just that I'm not getting into that. That's for another thread, as big a problem as that is I am not talking about that. Blanche please stop mentioning the "daily mail" I've never read it in my life.

OP you sound quite rabid.

You have made frequent references to the money and NHS resources spent on drunk people. I am wondering why you have singled them out over the other self inflicted causes of NHS use? No, I don't think they should be refused help, but I reckon if you gave yourself long enough to think about it, you could probably get really steamed up about them too.

Have a and calm down love.

Perhaps you should read it. You seem to have missed your spiritual home.

Boney I'm not talking about drunks in general. The ones I calls yobs aren't called that because they're drunk. Happy drunks are totally different and I must say they are probably the majority of people who are out drinking. Just people drinking and having fun. Fine, great,. You can have a laugh with them. But I'm not on about them.

Blanche please stop mentioning the "daily mail" I've never read it in my life.

I really think you should have the DM delivered OP. You will find "your people"

do people actually go out with that intention of being violent? Rather then being drunk and reacting to a situation?

Regrettably, I've known a few people in the past who do, yes.

But OP, what if those happy drunks then need hospital treatment? Would they then be charged? Would I be charged in the situation I outlined in my previous post?

What do you think should be the criteria for fines being issued? Genuine question as its a very difficult issue and if you do charge for alcohol related injuries then why not sport related injuries as another poster mentioned? Both are "self inflicted" and cost the NHS?

One of my students was out in town on a Saturday night and went for a pee up an alley. He got hauled into a police van, fingerprinted, the lot. They took him to a cashpoint as he had to either pay £50 fine on the spot or go to the police station overnight. He said he wasn't particularly drunk, ie he knew what he was doing. (Not sure if they'd take you to a cashpoint if you didn't know what you were doing.)

His and his friends' reactions? They wouldn't do that again.

As I mentioned earlier up the thread, fines/fees for use of a public service often sound great on paper and a simple solution, however the issuing and collection of such charges usually costs more than said fee for various reasons. You want to add the pressure of judging who and what amount people are charged/fined to already busy NHS staff?

allegreto what your mum had to witness is exactly what I'm talking about. It's hellish. Unfortunately on here a lot don't recognise the massive problem, which like the doctor said, it never used to be like that. Too many people wearing blinkers for my liking, unless of course they ever had to witness it themselves.

**do people actually go out with that intention of being violent? Rather then being drunk and reacting to a situation?

Regrettably, I've known a few people in the past who do, yes.**

So, the intention is violence rather then it being down to alcohol? It would likely occur regardless of alcohol being involved?

I've been thinking about this and the only example I can think of in my local area where violence has occurred due to yobs that was pre arranged was due to a football match and whilst alcohol was involved with that and blamed at the time actually it had been pre planned and violence was always the outcome .
That day/night was horrific with people seriously injured and the local hospitals full (I had the misfortune to be in a&e that night via ambulance which was rerouted several times called out to me as whilst my condition was potentially life threatening there were actual life threatening incidents that needed priority ambulance service kept me updated) as well as all the police cells in the region being full but not specifically because of alcohol, it was probably a small part because of the pre planned disorder

Well to all those who have objections to all I say, can I ask,
A Do you think there is a problem
B If you do, do you think it should be ignored and left to carry on
C What should be done about it.
D If you don't think it's a problem can you say why
Thanks

So what happened OP? And is it only sparking your anger because something has affected you this time whereas before, you ignored it because it hadn't affected your life?

This is a weird thread. There's a well-known and documented problem in the UK with alcohol and violence going together, that doesn't mean all people who drink or who are drunk are violent, but of all the violence, over 50% of those who are violent are drunk on evenings and weekends, and if you have ever been to a police station on a Sat night then pretty much every single cell is used up by drinkers who have been violent. Domestic violence is also connected with heavy drinking. It uses up a huge amount of police resources and A and E admissions. I can't quite believe people doubt this, even if they are right all drinkers aren't violent.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-32126518

I do wish we had a night-time environment which felt safer, in which I enjoyed going out more with my family in the early evening. Our city centre changes about 5.30 on a Friday and Sat and goes really quite unpleasant. I was chatting with someone selling beautiful gifts at a market recently and she packs up and goes home around 4pm to avoid the abuse.

Dh is currently in the middle of a career change after 20 years on the doors. It is frightening how many people drink to oblivion. Then there's the drugs. Then people who go out with the intention of causing trouble. The abuse the door staff get is ridiculous, they are attacked purposefully. It's common for weapons (knives and all sorts) to be found in toilet cubicles or when they're being waved about. There isn't the volume of police to be able to deal with it effectively, and I truly feel for the staff in a&e.

In the past year he's been assaulted multiple times, broken hand, had his ear bitten/ripped off, been attacked from behind by a group and had glass bottles launched at him. It's a weekly occurrence that people get so drunk/drugged up that they pass out, start fitting, need assistance. Other than changing the entire culture and attitude around drinking, clubbing etc I don't know what would change it.

In my experience It used to be the minority who spoiled it for the majority, now the volume of drunk, drugged up, aggressive punter is/are outweighing the ones who go out for a couple and a laugh.

I really think you should have the DM delivered OP. You will find "your people"
Rather insulting comment but also very insulting to all our police, nurses and ambulance staff who are on the front line and who would probably agree with every word I say. But hang on, it sounds like dailymail talk so it must be rubbished and put down at all costs.
Blanche no one would expect nhs staff to fine people.

I think there is a problem, but I wouldn't do a lot about it. Maybe have drunk tanks in towns that really struggle with it. I think it is on the decrease, my feeling is young people drink less than their parents did. Student bars are often really civilised now. The ones wrapped around lampposts seem middle aged

*disclaimer: I have no data to back this up, just personal observation.

whiskey it's always angered me but something happened to a family member recently who was assaulted in the course of her work. Does it not anger you? Why the sarcasm?

Other people's ridiculously excessive drinking does affect my life. I don't want to go out for a drink on Saturday night in a town where people are so drunk that they are intimidating.
I have a friend who was singing in a concert in our local cathedral and I took her daughter to listen to her. When we came out it was like one of those old-fashioned paintings of hell. I felt really intimidated and I don't think it is fair that our town centres have become no-go areas for the rest of us, especially when we have to pay for the care of those who go really over the top.

I see no one willing to answer my little questionnaire, very telling. Oh well.

Okay, so some people have made themselves need medical attention due to excessive alcohol consumption and are in A&E, please explain how it is judged who is charged, who does this assessment, how this is recorded and how these charges/fines are collected.

I have answered your questionnaire, seaviewer.