Justice System Response to Underage
Drinking: Roadmap for Improvement
Campus and Community
Best Practices
June 20, 2011
The Underage Drinking Enforcement
Training Center (UDETC)
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Established by OJJDP to support its
Enforcing Underage Drinking Laws
Program
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Provides science-based guidance to States,
Territories and communities working to
combat underage drinking through law
enforcement and environmental policy
change.
The Underage Drinking Enforcement
Training Center
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Services include:
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On-site training
Monthly audio-teleconferences
Publications (over 30 specific to UAD)
Electronic Resource Alerts
Distance Learning
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Compliance Check Operations
Environmental Strategies /Controlled Party Dispersal-Coming Soon!
Toll-free assistance hotline: 1-877-335-1287
Internet web site (udetc.org)
Annual National Leadership Conference
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August 10-12. Orlando Florida
Young People Are Experiencing a
Different Drinking Environment
What has changed:
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What they drink (potency of
alcohol)
How much they drink
Frequency of drinking
Age they begin drinking
Overall availability of
alcohol
The definition of a “drink”
Parent or adult supervision
New Container Sizes Encourage
Greater Consumption
New sizing = confusion about what is really “a drink”
5
Source: FACE, 2004.
Underage drinking can be a serious
threat to campus and community.
These photos are from riots at
University of Colorado, Boulder.
Additional threats to campus
community Security
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Property Damage
Sexual assaults
Assaults
Increased Dropout Rates
Roommate Conflicts
Automobile Crashes
Campuses have their own unique
challenges.
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Older classmates supply
alcohol
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Fraternities, sororities,
dorms, and house parties
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Parties consist of 100 plus
youth
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Multiple kegs of beer
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Alcohol is sold on some
campuses
What we know
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Due to the unique nature of each campus one
cookie cutter approach will not work.
Each campus should develop a
comprehensive coalition which implements
evidence based environmental strategies.
A statewide coalition can provide additional
resources, support and clout.
Environmental Strategies:
What are they?
Strategies used to reduce problems
associated with the use of alcohol
through changes in the physical,
social, legal, and economic
environment
Basic Concepts of Environmental Change
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Establishes community norms
 Policy-oriented
 Addresses physical, social, legal, & economic
factors
 Involves Youth participation
 Engages citizen action
 Partners with law enforcement, the legal system,
community groups, and community leaders
Environmental Strategies
What’s So Great About Them?
1.
2.
3.
4.
Effective and Efficient
Immediate Results
Long lasting effects
Inherently Sustainable
Environmental Prevention:
On Campus and Off
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Norms
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Availability
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Regulations or policies
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Enforcement
Environmental & Evidenced-Based
Strategies
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Involve Students, Parents, Communities
Social Norming to Correct Misperceptions
Educate and Enforce Policies (Social Host
Law)
Alcohol Screening and Brief Motivational
Enhancement of Policy Violators
Provide Alcohol Free Options
Enforce, Adjudicate & Educate on
Laws and Policies
Example for College Campuses:
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All campus have an AOD policy
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All students must receive a copy of the policy
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Educate on the policy especially the social host
law and the sanctions of the social host law
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Review basics of policy in summer welcome with
both parents and students.
Campuses and Communities
NEED TO WORK TOGETHER !
Colleges and Universities need to build
partnerships within the campus
community and with the surrounding
community as well.
THE STRATEGY
1. Education and Awareness Programs
2. Community Involvement
3. Enforcement Activities
4. Develop and Implement Clear and
Consistent Alcohol Policies
5. Media Support
Education and Awareness
Education and Awareness
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Research – Data collection
Survey your student population to develop a
baseline and your schools culture.
Share the information/data with students,
administrators and policy makers to determine
where to focus your efforts.
Education and Awareness
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Set policy and enforcement priorities: Share them
with campus and community.
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Foster student participation. Get student groups,
(i.e., fraternities and sororities) involved in
educational programs.
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Recruit students to help each other.
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Build a sense of community responsibility.
Community Involvement
Why involve the broader community?
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Builds and strengthens support of community
members and alumni for policy and
enforcement efforts
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Helps to forge peaceful relationships between
higher education and the general community
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Provides a broader perspective and resource
availability
HOW DO WE GET THE COMMUNITY
INVOLVED/WHO IS THE COMMUNITY?
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ASK ! & Provide a Reason to Participate
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Students
Faculty/Staff/Administrators
Local Businesses
Law Enforcement
Judicial partners
Parents
Clergy
Counselors, Support Groups
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Best Practices
Enforcement Strategies
Enforcement Strategies
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Building partnerships with local law
enforcement agencies and sharing information
and intelligence.
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Compliance Checks
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Implement zero tolerance
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Should taps operations
Enforcement Strategies
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Joint Task Force Patrols
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Establish specific goals within the community
regarding the enforcement of liquor law
violations.
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Convey to the student body and community
that joint enforcement efforts are in place.
Policy Development
The goal of policies focused
on the problem of underage
drinking is to change attitudes
and behaviors as well as educate.
Clear and Consistent Alcohol Policies
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Will open containers of alcohol be allowed on
campus?
How will open containers, even by those already 21,
be transported across campus?
What is the policy on kegs and multiple cases on
campus ? Are there limits in place?
What is the policy for alcohol in the residence halls
when minors are present?
Parental Notification? Referral to Judicial Affairs?
Referral for screening/assessment?
Policy: Best Practices
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Restrict the location of alcohol outlets.
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Restrict alcohol sales at community events.
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Regulate the age of alcohol sellers and servers.
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Impose appropriate penalties
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Ban False IDs.
Cont:
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Restrict minors’ access to bars.
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Install and use drivers license scanners.
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Regulate home delivery and internet sales.
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Mandate responsible server training.
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Implement beer keg registration.
What makes a good policy?
Reasonable
 Fair
 Consistent
 Clear
 Concise
 Well communicated
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Policy Makers
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Administrators
Community members
Student Affairs, Residence Life
Judicial Affairs
Student Health Services
Campus Police, Security, Public Safety
Campus Ministry
Students
Business Owners
Media Power!
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Develop a strategy
Develop program support through the use of
media
Establish goals and objectives
Understand the media objectives
Select your target audience
What is your message?
Assessment
Schools are not separate from the rest of
the community…
For alcohol and other drug prevention
education messages to work, they must be
supported within the community beyond
the school walls; and alcohol policies and
laws must be fairly, consistently, and
expeditiously enforced.
Campus Officials and students at UIW partnered
with Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission to:
•Ban Alcohol Promotion and Advertising
•Create Four Substance Free Dorms
•Restructure swift University Enforcement and
Adjudication Practices
•Sponsor Alcohol-Free Events
Additional Resources
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AMA (American Medical Association)
APIS (Alcohol Policy Information System)
CAMY (Center on Alcohol Marketing and Youth)
CDC (Centers for Disease Control)
CSPI (Center for Science in the Public Interest)
FACE: Truth and Clarity on Alcohol (Facing Alcohol
Concerns through Education)
Join Together
Marin Institute
Remember
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Change can often be a slow painstaking
process. When dealing with a population base
that is changing every year and a population
base that is often in the tens of thousands a
one or two percent change can be statistically
significant.
Highlight the change no matter how small.
Every little victory counts.
“Follow the path of the unsafe, independent
thinker. Expose your ideas to the dangers of
controversy. Speak your mind and fear less
the label of 'crackpot' than the stigma of
conformity. And on issues that seem
important to you, stand up and be counted at
any cost.” Thomas J. Watson
OJJDP’s document, “Environmental Strategies to
Prevent Alcohol Problems on College Campuses”
•Visit the UDETC
website to
download at no
cost:
www.udetc.org
STRATEGIES
Underage Drinking Enforcement Training
Center Contact Information
Contact Info:
Mary V. Gordon, Georgia’s UDETC State Contact
Office: 1-877-335-1287; Cell: 240.354.2130
Email: gordon@pire.org; website: www.udetc.org
Consultant:
Nancy McGee, Special Agent, MOATC, 3256 Laclede
Station Road, Suite 102, St. Louis, MO 63143, 314-8770325 mcgeenm@sbcglobal.net