Public intoxication reforms slash deaths in custody

Victoria's decriminalisation of public intoxication has led to no deaths in custody or people being jailed solely for public drunkenness, according to a Monash University evaluation of the 2023 reform. The report, released on Friday, praised police for maintaining a health-led approach since the changes were implemented. The evaluation report found that arrests for secondary offences during intoxication-related events occurred in only five percent of matters overall.

However, Aboriginal people were still twice as likely to be arrested as the general population. Report lead author and Palawa woman Kyllie Cripps stated that youth, refugees, migrants, people with disabilities, and those experiencing domestic and family violence have also been impacted by the policy. The reforms were motivated by an inquest into the 2017 death of Yorta Yorta woman Tanya Day, who died after hitting her head in a concrete cell at Castlemaine Police Station.

The report calls for a 25-point action plan to improve the reform, including the creation of an independent oversight body to monitor police discretion and receive public complaints. Additionally, the 20-bed sobering-up facility in Melbourne's Collingwood neighbourhood will close in mid-2027 and be replaced with local outreach options to support individuals in getting home or connecting them with family and friends.