Sobering-up centre a success in Zurich
Switzerland’s first central sobering-up centre is proving its necessity week after week.
The centre, which is a repurposed jailhouse in Zurich, has hosted 366 drunk and violent individuals since its opening in March. There they can sober up under the supervision of private security and medics.
On the average weekend it hosts 13 individuals, who are locked into individual cells. It was especially busy over the course of the Züri-Fäscht festival weekend in July, when police gathered 25 people whose drunkenness posed a danger either to themselves or others.
As the project leader said during a media conference on Tuesday, the need for such a centre is clear. He also pointed out the fact that it helps relieve the emergency departments of hospitals.
Most of the guests are men between the ages of 18 and 24. However, the city police once brought in a 69-year-old as well as a 15-year-old and 17 additional minors.
In compliance with the JTI standards
More: SWI swissinfo.ch certified by the Journalism Trust Initiative
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here. Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.