Public Intoxication, also known as 'drunk and disorderly conduct', is a summary offense in many countries. In the law of many common law jurisdictions, a summary offence is an offence which can be tried without an indictment. ...
Typical offenders are those who are obviously intoxicated and making a public nuisance of him or herself. Intoxication in and of itself is not illegal - a person must also fulfill one of the following criteria in order to be arrested: This article or section should include material from drunkenness Intoxication is an impaired mental and physical state caused by ingesting alcoholic beverages or other psychoactive drugs. ... Illegal, or unlawful, is either prohibitted or not authorized by law. ...
Being a "public nuisance;" that is, he is acting in such an obnoxious manner as to cause a public disturbance;
Being a danger to others, such as trying to "pick a fight" with someone; or
Being so intoxicated that he is a danger to himself, i.e. he is vomitting due to alcohol poisoning.
Typically, the police would put the intoxicated person in jail (often referred to as the drunk tank) until he sobers up and then issue a fine. A fine is money paid as a financial punishment for the commission of minor crimes or as the settlement of a claim. ...