Non-drinkers opinion on crimes commited when Drunk

Mark Hamill

I'm curious as to non-drinkers opinions on how much blame someone should take if they commit a crime when they're drunk as opposed to sober.
Personally I think that the crimes should be seen as equal, but people have tried to use the excuse of being drunk (or stoned) as an excuse for commiting crimes (eg assault, dangerous driving) as if its not really their fault, its the drinks (or the drugs)
Any other opinions?

Dave!

Most people (drinkers + non-drinkers) do not see it as an excuse, and the courts do not count it as a defense. That's good enough for me

af_thefragile

I don't see being drunk as an excuse for committing crimes or doing stupid things. And if someone uses it as an excuse its a very pathetic one.
Cuz 1. you have committed a crime and there's no running away from that fact.
2. If you can't control your actions while drunk, you're not a responsible drinker and you shouldn't have been drinking in the first place. So you're again punishable. And its very likely that even after being punished for the offense the person may well commit the crime again when drunk. There's no real stopping to a crazy drunk guy.

Blisterman

Depends on the crime (I drink btw).
Pissing in Public, Stealing a glass from a bar - Forgivable, if drunk.
Violent crimes - Alcohol's no excuse. A non violent person, wouldn't attack someone, even if they were wasted.

Edit: You can probably ignore my sig in this forum.

Feeonaw

Blisterman wrote: »

Depends on the crime (I drink btw).
Pissing in Public, Stealing a glass from a bar - Forgivable, if drunk.
Violent crimes - Alcohol's no excuse. A non violent person, wouldn't attack someone, even if they were wasted.

Edit: You can probably ignore my sig in this forum.

Pissing in public is totally disgusting! Can't even count the number of times I've had to avoid the little streams of piss trickling across the path cos of those dirty widdlin' feckers. Fair enough if you're in a field, but if you're in the city there are toilets everywhere then that's not a drunken mistake...it's just laziness. I think people that do this make the world smellier and dirtier then it needs to be. If they get arrested / fined for it, I think it's a good thing. I reckon the Amsterdam street urinals are a great idea and they should be introduced over here.

Blisterman

There certainly are not toilets everwhere. Particularly late at night after the pubs have shut and you've got several pints of liquid in your bladder.

unreggd

Bein drunk usually just makes u more likely to actually do what u really want to

Besides, the drinker is responsible for getting themselves drunk, so they're responsible for any actions they take while intoxicated

Feeonaw

Blisterman wrote: »

There certainly are not toilets everwhere. Particularly late at night after the pubs have shut and you've got several pints of liquid in your bladder.

No excuse - there's always a toilet around somewhere. Sure McDonald's opens til all hours and there's one of them on every corner. Search and you shall find! I suppose we can thank the junkies for a lack of public toilets.

Earthhorse

Being drunk may not be a defense in a court of law but it seems to me it's used as grounds for reducing sentencing sometimes. People who drive when drunk should be locked up for a long time if you ask me. Don't care how little over the limit they are or whether they actually drive dangerously under the influence, their actions are completley callous, selfish and show a disregard for other people's lives.

lostexpectation

i got the mipression that being drunk can aso be used to increase sentences depending on the mood of the judge