Victoria public intoxication reforms reduce deaths in custody

A report by Monash University has found that the decriminalisation of public intoxication in Victoria has led to zero related deaths in custody and no individuals being incarcerated solely for being intoxicated in public.

The evaluation of the 2023 reforms highlights a successful shift toward a health-led approach by police. While arrests for secondary offences during intoxication-related incidents occurred in only 5% of cases, the report noted that Aboriginal people remain twice as likely to be arrested compared to the general population.

The policy changes were partially motivated by a 2017 inquest into the death of Tanya Day, a Yorta Yorta woman who died after hitting her head in a cell following an arrest for public drunkenness. Lead author Professor Kyllie Cripps noted that previous policies disproportionately impacted First Nations people, youth, refugees, and people with disabilities.