Katelynn Duane

Some major cities, including San Antonio and Houston, are making fewer public intoxication arrests because law enforcement officials have an alternative. Bobcat Update's Katelynn Duane reports on the pros and cons of what are called sobriety centers. 

Public Intoxication is a class C misdemeanor. But due to the nature of a P-I, police can spend up to an hour booking an individual for an offense. Texas State Police Captain Daniel Benitez says that decriminalizing P-I's could be a good thing but worries that the number of offenses could go up if there's no punishment.
"It could provide a safe haven, it would save us time and it could save us money, downfalls include that people could not suffer consequences from their actions."
"It takes more of cops time and it takes more tax dollars and they won't have to spend that money any more which is good, but then they won't think that they'll get punished for their actions."
Texas State Freshman Matthew Hubble has dealt with a P-I charge firsthand and thinks decriminalization is the way to go.
"After I was released I still had the arrest and the charges over my shoulder even though I had been released from jail."
By decriminalizing public intoxication, offenders would be free to leave the center without any repercussions after they've sobered up.
"Honestly feel like the pi charge is so they're not causing harm to themselves or others, and putting them in center is going to take them away from danger."
"According to the Texas State police department records, 27 people have already been arrested for public intoxication this year."
That number doesn't include San Marcos P-D arrests. For Bobcat Update, I'm Katelynn Duane.