www.cops.usd

Underage Drinking

by Kelly Dedel Johnson

Problem-Oriented Guides for Pol

Problem-Specific Guides Ser

No. 
www.PopCenter.org

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Log onto the Center for Problem-Oriented Policing websit

at www.popcenter.org for a wealth of information to help

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resource in problem-oriented policing.

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Center for Problem-Oriented Policin
Underage Drinking

Kelly Dedel Johnson

This project was supported by cooperative agreement

#2002CKWX0003 by the Office of Community Oriented Policing

Services, U.S. Department of Justice. The opinions contained herein

are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the

official position of the U.S. Department of Justice.

www.cops.usdoj.gov

ISBN: 1-932582-39-8

September 2004

Problem-Oriented Guides for Police 

Problem-Specific Guides Series

Guide No. 27

About the Problem-Specific Guides Series 

About the Problem-Specific Guides Series

The Problem-Specific Guides summarize knowledge about

how police can reduce the harm caused by specific crime

and disorder problems. They are guides to prevention and

to improving the overall response to incidents, not to

investigating offenses or handling specific incidents. The

guides are written for police–of whatever rank or

assignment–who must address the specific problem the

guides cover. The guides will be most useful to officers

who

• Understand basic problem-oriented policing

principles and methods. The guides are not primers in

problem-oriented policing. They deal only briefly with

the initial decision to focus on a particular problem,

methods to analyze the problem, and means to assess

the results of a problem-oriented policing project. They

are designed to help police decide how best to analyze

and address a problem they have already identified. (An

assessment guide has been produced as a companion to

this series and the COPS Office has also published an

introductory guide to problem analysis. For those who

want to learn more about the principles and methods of

problem-oriented policing, the assessment and analysis

guides, along with other recommended readings, are

listed at the back of this guide.)

• Can look at a problem in depth. Depending on the

complexity of the problem, you should be prepared to

spend perhaps weeks, or even months, analyzing and

responding to it. Carefully studying a problem before

responding helps you design the right strategy, one that

is most likely to work in your community. You should

not blindly adopt the responses others have used; you

must decide whether they are appropriate to your local

situation. What is true in one place may not be true
ii Underage Drinking

elsewhere; what works in one place may not work

everywhere.

• Are willing to consider new ways of doing police

business. The guides describe responses that other

police departments have used or that researchers have

tested. While not all of these responses will be

appropriate to your particular problem, they should help

give a broader view of the kinds of things you could do.

You may think you cannot implement some of these

responses in your jurisdiction, but perhaps you can. In

many places, when police have discovered a more

effective response, they have succeeded in having laws

and policies changed, improving the response to the

problem.

• Understand the value and the limits of research

knowledge. For some types of problems, a lot of useful

research is available to the police; for other problems, little

is available. Accordingly, some guides in this series

summarize existing research whereas other guides illustrate

the need for more research on that particular problem.

Regardless, research has not provided definitive answers to

all the questions you might have about the problem. The

research may help get you started in designing your own

responses, but it cannot tell you exactly what to do. This

will depend greatly on the particular nature of your local

problem. In the interest of keeping the guides readable, not

every piece of relevant research has been cited, nor has

every point been attributed to its sources. To have done so

would have overwhelmed and distracted the reader. The

references listed at the end of each guide are those drawn

on most heavily; they are not a complete bibliography of

research on the subject.
About the Problem-Specific Guides Series 

• Are willing to work with other community agencies

to find effective solutions to the problem. The police

alone cannot implement many of the responses

discussed in the guides. They must frequently implement

them in partnership with other responsible private and

public entities. An effective problem-solver must know

how to forge genuine partnerships with others and be

prepared to invest considerable effort in making these

partnerships work.

These guides have drawn on research findings and police

practices in the United States, the United Kingdom,

Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the Netherlands, and

Scandinavia. Even though laws, customs and police

practices vary from country to country, it is apparent that

the police everywhere experience common problems. In a

world that is becoming increasingly interconnected, it is

important that police be aware of research and successful

practices beyond the borders of their own countries.

The COPS Office and the authors encourage you to

provide feedback on this guide and to report on your own

agency's experiences dealing with a similar problem. Your

agency may have effectively addressed a problem using

responses not considered in these guides and your

experiences and knowledge could benefit others. This

information will be used to update the guides. If you wish

to provide feedback and share your experiences it should

be sent via e-mail to cops_pubs@usdoj.gov.
iv Underage Drinking

For more information about problem-oriented policing,

visit the Center for Problem-Oriented Policing online at

www.popcenter.org or via the COPS website at

www.cops.usdoj.gov. This website offers free online access to:

• the Problem-Specific Guides series,

• the companion Response Guides and Problem-Solving Tools

series,

• instructional information about problem-oriented policing

and related topics,

• an interactive training exercise,

• online access to important police research and practices,

and

• on-line problem analysis module.
Acknowledgments 

Acknowledgments

The Problem-Oriented Guides for Police are very much a

collaborative effort. While each guide has a primary

author, other project team members, COPS Office staff

and anonymous peer reviewers contributed to each guide

by proposing text, recommending research and offering

suggestions on matters of format and style.

The principal project team developing the guide series

comprised Herman Goldstein, professor emeritus,

University of Wisconsin Law School; Ronald V. Clarke,

professor of criminal justice, Rutgers University; John E.

Eck, professor of criminal justice, University of

Cincinnati; Michael S. Scott, clinical assistant professor,

University of Wisconsin Law School; Rana Sampson,

police consultant, San Diego; and Deborah Lamm Weisel,

director of police research, North Carolina State

University.

Karin Schmerler, Rita Varano and Nancy Leach oversaw

the project for the COPS Office. Suzanne Fregly edited

the guide. Research for the guides was conducted at the

Criminal Justice Library at Rutgers University under the

direction of Phyllis Schultze.

The project team also wishes to acknowledge the members

of the San Diego, National City and Savannah police

departments who provided feedback on the guides' format

and style in the early stages of the project, as well as the

line police officers, police executives and researchers who

peer reviewed each guide.

Contents

About the Problem-Specific Guides Series . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . i

Acknowledgments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . v

The Problem of Underage Drinking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

Related Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Factors Contributing to Underage Drinking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Why Underage People Drink . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Environmental Reasons for Underage Drinking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

How Underage Drinkers Obtain Alcohol . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Where Underage Drinking Occurs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Understanding Your Local Problem . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Asking the Right Questions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Offenders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Incidents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Environment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Alcohol Sources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Times/Locations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Special Events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

Current Responses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

Measuring Your Effectiveness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

Responses to the Problem of Underage Drinking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

General Considerations for an Effective Response Strategy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

Specific Responses to Underage Drinking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

Responses That Target the Motivation to Drink . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

Responses That Target Commercial Access to Alcohol . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

Responses That Target Social Access to Alcohol . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

Responses That Target Locations Where Drinking Occurs . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36

Responses That Focus on the Consequences of Underage Drinking . . . . . 41

Responses With Limited Effectiveness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

Contents v
viii Underage Drinking

Appendix: Summary of Responses to Underage Drinking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45

Endnotes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53

References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57

About the Author . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67

Recommended Readings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69

Other Problem-Oriented Guides for Police . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
The Problem of Underage Drinking 

The Problem of Underage Drinking

This guide begins by describing the problem of underage

drinking,† and reviewing factors that contribute to it. It

then identifies a series of questions to help you analyze

your local underage drinking problem. Finally, it reviews

responses to the problem, and what is known about them

from evaluative research and police practice.

Young people use alcohol more than any other drug,

including tobacco.1 Underage drinking–that is, drinking

under the age of 21–is prohibited throughout the United

States. Despite a historical lack of vigorous enforcement,

minimum-drinking-age laws have been very effective in

reducing many of the harms associated with underage

drinking,2 such as traffic fatalities and alcohol-related

injuries, as well as assaults and other crimes. There is

significant potential for further harm reduction if

additional strategies targeting the factors underlying the

problem are implemented.††

Virtually all high school students and most college

students are under 21. However, most drink alcohol at

least occasionally, and many drink frequently and heavily.†††

They can get alcohol for free or at low prices, which

contributes to their drinking at levels that significantly

increase their risk of negative alcohol-related

consequences.3 The proportion of underage youth who

drink has not changed significantly over the past decade in

the United States.4 Indeed, if anything, they are starting to

drink at a younger age, and their drinking patterns are

becoming more extreme.5

† There are many labels used to

describe underage drinking and 

negative consequences. These

include "binge drinking," "high-

drinking," "heaving drinking," a

"risky drinking," among others.

Controversy about proper

terminology comes from

disagreement about how to qua

the amount of alcohol consume

and the time period in which it 

consumed, and to what extent t

measurements account for phys

characteristics of the drinker (e

weight, gender) that are related 

the effects of alcohol.

†† There are several national eff

to combat the problem: see the

Office of Juvenile Justice and

Delinquency Prevention's

"Enforcing the Underage Drink

Laws" program

(www.ncjrs.org/html/ojjdp/com

dium/2001/contents.html), the

Pacific Institute of Research an

Evaluation website (www.udetc.

and the Robert Wood Johnson

Foundation's "A Matter of Deg

program designed to discourage

drinking on college

campuses(www.amaassn.org/ama/pub/category/35

tml).

††† Recent surveys of U.S. high

school and college students sho

that one-half to three-quarters 

high school students had tried

alcohol (Johnston, O'Malley, an

Bachman 2002) and two out of

every three underage college

students surveyed had drunk alc

in the past 30 days (Wechsler 20
2 Underage Drinking

Underage drinkers experience a wide range of alcoholrelated health, social, criminal justice, and academic

problems. They do not all experience the same level of

problems–those who drink more, and drink more often,

suffer a greater number of negative consequences.

However, negative consequences occur across a wide range

of consumption levels and frequencies.

Young drinkers report a range of negative effects from

alcohol, all of which can lead to troubled interactions with

others, particularly police officers or other responsible

adults who try to intervene.6 These include the following:

• Overconfidence and recklessness. Excessive drinking

may cause people to act in ways they would normally

consider unwise or inappropriate.

• Lack of awareness. As people become intoxicated,

they may not be fully aware of what is happening, and

may not be able to figure out how to react to situations

appropriately.

• Aggression. Drinkers may misread cues from other

people as being offensive, and react violently.

• Loss of control. Drinkers' motor skills may become

impaired, and drinkers may also lose control of their

emotions.

These effects often lead young drinkers to come into

contact with police, either as offenders or as victims.

Youths who drink heavily are more likely to carry

handguns than those who do not drink.7 Alcohol use

contributes to property damage, rape, and other violent

crime on college campuses,8 and about half of college
The Problem of Underage Drinking 

crime victims have been drinking before the crime occurs.9

A significant proportion of young drivers killed in car

accidents are intoxicated when the crash occurs.10

Further, underage college students who drink heavily are

more likely to miss class, fall behind in school, sustain an

injury, have unplanned or unprotected sex, drive after

drinking, or have contact with campus police.†, 11 Students

also experience "secondhand" effects of others' alcohol

misuse, such as having their sleep or study time

interrupted; having to take care of an intoxicated friend;

being insulted or humiliated by drinkers; receiving

unwanted sexual advances; getting in serious arguments;

having their personal property damaged; being assaulted,

sexually or otherwise; and being raped by an

acquaintance.12 There are also a number of physical and

mental health-related consequences of alcohol use, which

are detailed elsewhere.††

† While a number of studies rev

a correlation between alcohol

consumption and negative or hig

risk behavior (e.g., violent behav

unprotected sexual activity), this

relationship does not necessarily

mean that alcohol causes these

behaviors. Instead, there may be

situational or personality factors

underlying both the drinking and 

high-risk behavior. For more

information, see Gottfredson an

Hirschi (1990).

†† For example, see National

Institute on Alcohol Abuse and

Alcoholism (2000), and Institute 

Alcohol Studies (2003).

Despite widespread use, relatively few underage drinkers experience

any legal or school-based consequences for their behavior.

David Corbett
4 Underage Drinking

Very few college students experience any college-based

disciplinary action as a result of their drinking, despite

widespread use and serious consequences for the

individuals, their peers, and their communities.13 The past

decade has witnessed increased concern about and

creativity in confronting the issue, and both adults and

youths support measures to prevent underage drinking.

Given the issue's complexity, it is important to understand

how the problem takes shape in your community.

Analyzing the factors that contribute to your local

underage drinking problem will help you to select the

most effective responses.

Related Problems

Underage drinking is associated with a number of other

problems not directly addressed in this guide, but many

are covered in other guides in this series. These related

problems require their own analyses and responses:

• drunken driving,

• speeding in residential areas,

• cruising,

• disorderly conduct in public places,

• assaults in and around bars,

• acquaintance rape,

• house parties,

• rave parties,

• vandalism, and

• noise complaints in residential areas.
The Problem of Underage Drinking 

Factors Contributing to Underage Drinking

Understanding the factors that contribute to your problem

will help you frame your own local analysis questions,

determine good effectiveness measures, recognize key

intervention points, and select appropriate responses.

Why Underage People Drink

Some researchers have found that drinking, particularly

among underage college students, "is often so routine that

people find it difficult to explain why they do it."14

However, there are several common themes that appear to

underlie underage drinking. Many see drinking as a "rite of

passage," or a fundamental part of adolescence and

college life. Young people develop beliefs about the

acceptability of underage drinking from their peers,

parents, and other agents of informal social control.15

Many young people believe that drinking will make it

easier to be part of a group, reduce tension, relieve stress,

help them to forget their worries, increase their sexual

attractiveness, or make them more socially confident.16

People who attribute such benefits to alcohol are more

likely to drink than people who believe drinking has more

negative consequences (e.g., loss of control, legal troubles,

health problems).17

Young people often go out intending to get drunk, and

may try to intensify their drunkenness by drinking a lot

very quickly or drinking especially strong liquor. However,

many young people unintentionally get drunk when they

misjudge their limits.18
6 Underage Drinking

Many young people do not drink at all, or drink at

minimal levels. Their decision not to drink or to drink in

moderation appears to result from a combination of

factors:19

• Attachment. Young people with strong ties to family,

friends, and significant others tend to drink less. They

have close emotional ties with others, and care about

others' expectations and opinions regarding their

behavior.

• Commitment. Young people who invest significant

amounts of time, energy, and resources in conventional

activities such as studying, working, taking part in

organized religion, and/or participating in clubs or

athletics tend to drink less than students who are not

so invested, perhaps because they have less time

available for alcohol-focused activities.

• Belief. Young people who accept conventional values,

obey society's rules, and respect authority tend to drink

less than those who do not.

In addition, much research suggests that young people–

college students in particular–drink because they assume

everyone else does.20 Students consistently overestimate

the amount that other students drink and the proportion

of their fellow students who are heavy drinkers.21 Given

that adolescents and young adults are susceptible to peer

pressure and want to conform, it is likely that their

perceptions of others' alcohol use influence their own

drinking, whether or not their perceptions are correct.
The Problem of Underage Drinking 

Environmental Reasons for Underage Drinking

Underage drinking occurs in an environment saturated by

alcohol advertising on television, on billboards, at sporting

and music events, and in national and local newspapers.

The alcohol industry spends far more to promote its

products than is spent on public messages encouraging

responsible drinking.22 This media saturation may promote,

facilitate, and perpetuate heavy drinking among young

people. In addition, many products (e.g., alcopops, wine

coolers) have hip, colorful, youth-oriented packaging and

are likely to appeal mainly to young people.

In addition, young people, particularly those in college, are

surrounded by outlets (e.g., grocery and convenience stores)

that sell alcohol to be consumed elsewhere, or "off

premises," as well as "on-premises" outlets such as bars and

restaurants. High concentrations of alcohol outlets are

associated with higher rates of heavy drinking and

drinking-related problems among college students.23

Alcohol outlets and advertisers team up to provide an

additional incentive for underage drinking: price

promotions and drink specials. In general, lower prices

result in higher consumption levels across all age levels.24

Price promotions offer discounts for high-volume

purchases, such as kegs and cases of beer. College

campuses near retailers that sell large volumes of low-price

alcohol have higher rates of binge drinking than those

campuses near outlets that do not sell discount alcohol.25
8 Underage Drinking

Many bars and restaurants have discount prices (e.g.,

during happy hour) and drink specials (e.g., two for one,

ladies drink free) that encourage heavy drinking among all

customers, some of whom may be underage.

Many high school and college students say that they attend

parties or go out drinking because "there is nothing else to

do." Like older adults, adolescents and young adults enjoy

socializing and need a variety of avenues to interact with

peers, make new friends, and pursue romantic

relationships. In the absence of alcohol-free places to

socialize, young people go to parties where alcohol is

present, and may succumb to peer pressure to drink.

How Underage Drinkers Obtain Alcohol

Underage drinkers obtain alcohol from two main sources:

third parties, such as legal-age friends, siblings, and

strangers; and commercial outlets, such as stores, bars, and

restaurants (often by using a fake ID).26

Home is the primary source of alcohol among the

youngest drinkers.27 Some youth take alcohol from their

parents' liquor cabinets without their parents' knowledge.

Drink specials encourage heavy drinking among all customers, some

of whom may be underage. 

David Corbett
The Problem of Underage Drinking 

Some parents supply their underage children with alcohol

at special events such as graduations, weddings, or holiday

parties.

Underage drinkers sometimes ask strangers to buy alcohol

for them, often in exchange for a fee or a portion of the

alcohol purchased. This practice is called "shoulder

tapping"–underage youth wait outside a store and tap a

stranger on the shoulder to make the request.28

Most underage drinkers report it is "very easy" to obtain

alcohol; about one in four underage college students

report that they can buy alcohol without age verification,

or with a fake ID.29 Studies of alcohol purchases across the

country reveal that, depending on the location and the

environmental context, 40 to 90 percent of retail outlets

have sold alcohol to underage buyers.30

In some cases, retailers do not ask for ID. In others,

underage drinkers present an ID card that has been altered

to indicate they are of legal drinking age, or an ID card

that belongs to someone who is of legal drinking age. The

underage drinker may resemble the person in the

photograph, or may substitute his or her own picture and

relaminate the card. People can purchase fake IDs on the

Internet, buy them directly from counterfeiters, or use

fraudulent documents to get a driver's license. Recent

advancements in technology have made the counterfeiting

of state-issued ID cards easier, using a scanner and a color

printer.31 Use of fake IDs is more common in urban areas

and in states without consistent enforcement of underage

purchase laws.32 Furthermore, young people are more likely

to obtain and use a fake ID if they think their peers

support the practice.33
10 Underage Drinking

Where Underage Drinking Occurs

Underage people drink at a variety of locations, including

the following:

• Parties in private residences. Large numbers of

young people may gather in a home, often while the

parents are away, or in a college student's off-campus

residence. Parties in residential areas often generate

complaints from neighbors who are disturbed by noise,

improper parking, property damage, and littering. Such

parties are of particular concern to police because they

often include large numbers of underage drinkers and

large quantities of alcohol. If the hosts charge an entry

fee, they are essentially selling alcohol without a license,

often to guests who are not of legal drinking age.

House parties are popular among both high school and

college students, as well as underage nonstudents.

College students who live off campus are more likely to

attend house parties than those who live on campus,

and underage drinkers are more likely to gain access to

alcohol at house parties than in bars or restaurants.34

• Parties at outdoor venues such as beaches, parks,

fields, or parking lots. The remoteness of these

locations may reduce the chances that residents will be

bothered, but also usually means that partygoers will

have to drive home after drinking. These parties, like

those in private residences, rarely provide nonalcoholic

beverages or food to mitigate alcohol's intoxicating

effects.

• College campuses. Many colleges and universities

have on-campus bars and pubs, and social and athletic

events at which alcohol sales are permitted. Of

particular note is the high rate of underage and binge
The Problem of Underage Drinking 

drinking that occurs at fraternity houses. Over the

years, fraternity membership has become closely

associated with heavy drinking, as part of social events,

pledging, and initiations.35 Most students who join

fraternities expect that alcohol will be central to their

experience, despite the fact that most are underage.36

The high levels of drinking associated with fraternities

are hazardous not only to members, but also to the

large number of underage college or high school guests

who regularly attend fraternity parties. Breaking up

these parties and identifying the responsible adult can

be particularly difficult for police.37

• Bars and restaurants. Older underage drinkers are

more likely to drink in bars and restaurants.38 Their

close proximity to campus and advertised drink

promotions make these venues an attractive choice for

off-campus underage drinking. Many colleges have outof-state students, requiring doormen or bartenders to

judge the authenticity of driver's licenses with which

they might not be familiar.

Excessive drinking is common at special

events such as graduation, pre- or postsemester parties, and spring break. 

David Corbett
12 Underage Drinking

• Special events. Many colleges and communities have

special events that seem to encourage widespread,

heavy drinking, such as homecoming, graduation, preor post-semester parties, Halloween, Mardi Gras, and

athletic events. Partly due to the large number of

people present, and the failure of event planners to

create specific "over 21 only" areas, underage people

may have little difficulty getting alcohol through thirdparty purchases and drinking it unnoticed. In some

cases, supervising adults both expect and tolerate

underage drinking.

Spring break is a college ritual associated with excessive

drinking and other high-risk, extreme behavior. One

study of students visiting a Florida beach community

during spring break found that 75 percent of the males

reported being intoxicated at least once per day, while

40 percent of females reported the same.39 More than 50

percent of the men and more than 40 percent of the

women reported drinking until they got sick or until

they passed out at least once during the weeklong

period. Given that people usually vomit when their

body's blood alcohol content (BAC) reaches

approximately 0.16, and lose consciousness at a BAC of

approximately 0.30, it is clear that many students on

spring break are drinking at unsafe levels.40
The Problem of Underage Drinking 

In addition, high school and college students often play

any of hundreds of drinking games.41 These games

encourage heavy drinking, and the resulting inability to

follow game rules leads to even more drinking.

Drinking games and traditions may encourage heavy drinking.

David Corbett

Understanding Your Local Problem 

Understanding Your Local Problem

The information provided above is only a generalized

description of underage drinking. You must combine the

basic facts with a more specific understanding of your

local problem. Analyzing the local problem carefully will

help you design a more effective response strategy. You

will likely find that effective responses to combat underage

drinking will also result in reductions in alcohol-related

crime such as drunken driving, assault, property damage,

and noise violations.

Asking the Right Questions

The following are some critical questions you should ask

in analyzing your particular underage drinking problem,

even if the answers are not always readily available. Your

answers to these and other questions will help you choose

the most appropriate set of responses later on. Because

police may not know how much underage drinking occurs

in a community, you should use multiple information

sources, including police records, juvenile police officers

or school resource officers, state and local alcohol

beverage control (ABC) records, school faculty, parents

and parent advocate groups, underage drinkers, underage

nondrinkers, and observations of youth, alcohol outlets,

and areas where underage people drink.

Further, it may be helpful for police to link with local

colleges, universities, or researchers to design, test, and

administer surveys for high school students, college

students, and underage nonstudents.†

† Using survey questions similar 

those in the most widely used

instruments, such as the College

Alcohol Survey or the Monitorin

the Future study, will allow you 

compare your jurisdiction's trend

with national trends.
16 Underage Drinking

Offenders

• What proportion of high school students drink

alcohol? 

• What proportion of local college/university students

are underage? What percentage of them drink? How

often? How much? 

• What reasons do they give for drinking? 

• What are underage drinkers' characteristics (e.g., age,

occupation, gender, group affiliations)? What are

underage nondrinkers' characteristics? Are there any

differences in their characteristics that suggest

opportunities for intervention?

• Which alcoholic beverages do high school students

prefer? Which do college students prefer? Which do

underage nonstudents prefer? 

• Do underage people know what proportion of their

peers drink, and how much?

• Do underage people believe they can obtain and drink

alcohol without being denied or apprehended?

• What negative consequences of drinking do underage

people fear (e.g., embarrassment from being refused

alcohol in stores, hindrance to work or schooling,

illness, injury, arrest)?

Incidents

• In what proportion of crimes and police service calls is

underage drinking a significant contributing factor?

(Note: Many police report forms do not capture this

information in a way that permits computerized

tabulation, so you may need to read a sample of reports

to estimate this figure.) What, specifically, is the nature

of the crimes and service calls? How, specifically, do

you believe underage drinking has contributed to the

incident?
Understanding Your Local Problem 

• How many alcohol-related deaths occur among those

under 21 (e.g., car crash fatalities, drownings, suicides)? 

• How many underage drinking-related incidents result in

an arrest? 

• How many citations, detentions, arrests, or other

official interventions do police make for underage

drinking? What proportion of all incidences of

underage drinking do you estimate result in some

official intervention?

Environment

• What types of alcohol advertising are present in the

community? Newspaper ads? Billboards? Radio

commercials? Do major alcohol manufacturers or

distributors sponsor any community events or athletic

events? How much of this advertising and promotion

do you believe particularly targets underage people?

• Which local retailers, bars, and restaurants advertise

large-volume price discounts, drink specials, or other

promotions? Where are these advertisements placed?

• What types of alcohol-free opportunities to socialize

are available to high school students? To 18- to 20-yearolds? How are the events publicized? How many people

attend? Which events are most popular? What reasons

do young people give for not going?

Alcohol Sources †

• Do underage youth obtain alcohol through parents,

older siblings, or other relatives? 

• Do underage youth ask strangers to buy alcohol for

them? Where do these transactions occur? Is a fee

provided? What are the characteristics of the strangers

who agree to make the purchase? Of those who refuse?

† The Pacific Institute for Rese

and Evaluation has produced a

monograph on conducting alcoh

purchase surveys. It is available 

the Internet at

www.udetc.org/documents/purc

.pdf.
18 Underage Drinking

• Which fraternity and sorority houses and private

residences have reputations as "party houses?"

• Which licensed establishments have a reputation for

not checking ID, or for accepting fake IDs? Are

individual clerks, door staff, or managers part of the

problem? 

• Are there relationships between the staff and the

customers (e.g., they know each other from campus)

that make service denial difficult?

• Is it more likely for underage people to obtain alcohol

because they showed a fake ID, or because the vendor

did not ask for ID?

• How many fake ID cards get confiscated? Who

confiscates them (e.g., police, licensed- establishment

employees, school officials)? How have the IDs been

altered or falsified? Where and how do the drinkers

obtain them?

Times/Locations

• How often do underage drinkers drink? How much do

they drink?

• When do underage drinkers typically drink (e.g., time of

day, day of week)?

• Where does underage drinking occur (e.g., private

parties, licensed establishments, parks, remote areas)?

• How many underage parties at private residences come

to police attention? How do the police find out about

them? 

• How many youth attend the parties? How do they learn

about them? Do they have to pay a fee to get in? Are

adults of legal age responsible for the parties?

• Are particular neighborhoods or residences known for

underage parties? Are there outdoor venues (e.g., parks,

beaches, fields) popular among underage drinkers?
Understanding Your Local Problem 

• What type of alcohol is typically served at parties? Is

food served? Are nonalcoholic beverages available? 

• What are local college and university policies regarding

alcohol sales and consumption on campus? How

involved are the Greek organizations in the drinking

environment? What are their policies and practices

regarding the availability of alcohol at their parties?

• How many retail outlets and bars are there in the

community? Do certain areas have high concentrations

of retail outlets or bars? 

Special Events

• At which community events does alcohol play a role in

advertising or in event participation? Athletic events?

What deterrents to underage drinking are in place at

these events? How do underage drinkers circumvent

these controls to get access?

• Is your community a popular spring break destination?

What are the typical spring break activities for students

there? What types of problems do you encounter

during that time?

• Do underage drinkers participate in drinking games? If

so, which games are popular? What types of problems

occur at parties or events where people play drinking

games?

Current Responses

• What is your jurisdiction currently doing to address

underage drinking? Is there evidence that any activities

are particularly effective? What is not working, and why?

• Which agencies are involved with this issue? Are there

other agencies, organizations, groups, or individuals

who need to play a role? 
20 Underage Drinking

• What legal sanctions are there for underage drinking?

What sanctions are actually imposed?

• Are there other administrative sanctions that apply to

certain groups of underage drinkers (e.g., suspensions

or demerits for students)? What sanctions are typically

applied?

• Are there any informal social sanctions applied to

certain groups of underage drinkers (e.g., being

grounded by parents, being benched by athletic

coaches, being fired by employers)?

Measuring Your Effectiveness

Measurement allows you to determine to what degree your

efforts have succeeded, and suggests how you might

modify your responses if they are not producing the

intended results. You should take measures of underage

drinking before you implement responses, to determine how

serious the problem is, and after you implement them, to

determine whether they have been effective. All measures

should be taken in both the target area and the

surrounding area. (For more detailed guidance on

measuring effectiveness, see the companion guide to this

series, Assessing Responses to Problems: An Introductory Guide

for Police Problem-Solvers.) 

The following are potentially useful measures of the

effectiveness of responses to underage drinking:

• reductions in the proportion of underage high school

and college students who report drinking;

• reductions in the number of citations given to minors

for possession, underage purchase, etc. (assuming a

constant enforcement level);
Understanding Your Local Problem 

• reductions in the number of retailers cited for selling

alcohol to minors (assuming a constant enforcement

level);

• reductions in the number of citations given for thirdparty alcohol purchases (assuming a constant

enforcement level);

• reductions in the number of underage drinking parties

requiring police response;

• reductions in the number of complaints received about

underage drinking parties;

• reductions in the number of students who report

having to tolerate secondhand effects of their peers'

drinking;

• reductions in alcohol-related crime statistics (e.g.,

assault, property damage, sexual assault); and

• reductions in the number of alcohol-related deaths

(e.g., suicides, traffic fatalities).

Responses to the Problem of Underage Drinking 

Responses to the Problem of Underage

Drinking

Your analysis of your local problem should give you a

better understanding of the factors contributing to it.

Once you have analyzed your local problem and

established a baseline for measuring effectiveness, you

should consider possible responses to address the

problem.

The following response strategies provide a foundation for

addressing your particular underage drinking problem.

These strategies are drawn from a variety of research

studies and police reports. Several of these strategies may

apply to your community's problem. It is critical that you

tailor responses to local circumstances, and that you can

justify each response based on reliable analysis. In most

cases, an effective strategy will involve implementing

several different responses. Law enforcement responses

alone are seldom effective in reducing or solving the

problem. Do not limit yourself to considering what police

can do: give careful consideration to who else in your

community shares responsibility for the problem and can

help police better respond to it.

General Considerations for an Effective Response

Strategy

1. Reducing the community's overall alcohol

consumption. Any efforts to reduce a community's

overall drinking have the potential to reduce underage

drinking as well. Changing the norms about alcohol's role

in the community can affect young people as well as those

legal to drink. Specific responses could include
24 Underage Drinking

discouraging price discounts on alcohol, restricting the

hours or days retailers can sell alcohol, or limiting the

number of community alcohol outlets.

2. Creating community coalitions. Many groups have a

vested interest in the problem of underage drinking.

However, conflicting personal, political, and business

interests can make cooperative community efforts difficult

to implement and even harder to sustain.42 The most

successful efforts to combat underage drinking have

included a broad range of stakeholders who can lend their

specific expertise to the issue, and whose involvement can

help to reduce any resistance to the effort. Potential

partners include the following:

• state, local, and campus police agencies;

• county prosecutor's and city attorney's offices;

• state and local elected officials;

• local high schools, colleges, and universities;

• parent organizations such as the Parent-Teacher

Association and Mothers Against Drunk Driving;

• student organizations such as the student council,

athletics associations, Students Against Drunk Driving,

and Interfraternity Council;

• community recreation programs and athletic programs;

• community and neighborhood programs such as Crime

Watch and Neighborhood Watch;

• alcohol licensing bureaus and ABC boards;

• local bars and restaurants, and alcohol wholesalers and

distributors;

• local retailers and distribution centers; and

• media advocacy groups.
Responses to the Problem of Underage Drinking 

† See DeJong and Langford (200

for a useful table of strategies th

illustrate the importance of

approaching the problem from

various levels and focusing on th

environment that sustains the

behavior.

†† You can find a description o

each state's statutes at

http://www.nllea.org/reports/A

EnforcementLegalResearch.pdf.

3. Using a multifaceted, comprehensive approach. A

multifaceted, comprehensive approach is more effective

than one that focuses on only one or two aspects of

underage drinking. For example, responses targeting only

the commercial availability of alcohol to minors could

displace the problem to residential neighborhoods, in the

form of house parties. A comprehensive approach should

address the motivations for underage drinking, the specific

harms associated with underage drinking (e.g., drunken

driving), the commercial and social availability of alcohol,

the use of fake IDs, and the community's norms regarding

alcohol. It is vital to look broadly at the environment that

supports the problem behavior.† Programs targeting the

college environments in which drinking occurs have been

shown to reduce the level of students' alcohol

consumption, as well as the problems experienced by

drinkers and those around them.43

4. Understanding your state's laws regarding

underage drinking. All U.S. states have laws governing

minors' purchase and possession of alcohol. However, the

specifics of the laws vary widely, and their usefulness in

constructing responses can be limited by unusual wording

or loopholes.44 When considering responses that alter

penalties or apply new sections of law to the problem, it is

vitally important to consult with your jurisdiction's

prosecutor to ensure the law's interpretation supports your

intentions.††

5. Avoiding overwhelming the court system. Stepping

up enforcement efforts nearly always results in an increase

in court cases. If the system is not prepared to handle the

increase, and offenders are not quickly sanctioned, the

response's effectiveness may be undermined. For this
26 Underage Drinking

reason alone, it is often worthwhile to develop responses

that do not rely on the application of criminal penalties.

Some jurisdictions have anticipated this issue and have

included court representatives in the project-planning

phase, to get their cooperation in handling the increased

number of cases,45 or have enlisted them as partners to

create alternative sanctions for offenders, such as

community service-based diversion programs.46

Specific Responses to Underage Drinking

Responses That Target the Motivation to Drink

6. Implementing a "social norms" program. Some

interventions use a harm-reduction approach. In other

words, they attempt to reduce how much or how often

young people drink, rather than try to prevent underage

drinking altogether, which some see as unrealistic,

particularly among college students.

Many universities have developed a wide variety of visual

aids to correct students' misperceptions of typical

drinking behavior among their peers. 

Source: University of Arizona Social Norms Media

Campaign, see http://www.socialnorm.org/
Responses to the Problem of Underage Drinking 

Given that many youth drink because they think "everyone

else is doing it," providing accurate information on the

typical amount of alcohol consumed and the proportion

of peers who drink heavily (both of which are lower than

most young people estimate) may reduce overall

consumption levels among college students.47 Essential

steps include identifying students' primary source of

information (e.g., the campus newspaper), placing notices

that provide accurate statistics regarding alcohol use, and

providing students with incentives to process and retain

the information. Social norms researchers recommend

keeping the message simple, straightforward, and

consistent, and stressing the norm of moderation.48

Anticipate some opposition to an approach that could be

perceived as condoning some level of underage drinking.†

7. Raising underage drinkers' awareness of their

behavior's impact on other people. Informing underage

drinkers that their drinking adversely affects their peers,

and that their peers are no longer willing to tolerate it, can

encourage young people to reduce their alcohol use.49

† While there is research to

substantiate the effectiveness of

social norms marketing program

other studies cast doubt on their

effectiveness. For example, Wech

et al (2003), compared student

drinking patterns at colleges tha

employed social-norms marketin

programs and those that did not

Over a three year period, no

decreases in various measures of

alcohol use were evident at scho

with social norms marketing

programs. In fact, increases in

monthly alcohol use and in total

volume consumed were observe

some schools.

Posters and flyers raise awareness of the 

second-hand effects of drinking. Source: Hobart &

William Smith College’s Alcohol Education Project, see

http://academic.hws.edu/alcohol/posters/posters
28 Underage Drinking

These campaigns should take care not to reinforce an

institution's reputation as a "party school" or encourage

the ostracism of nondrinkers.50 They should direct those

interested to further resources and information.

8. Providing treatment or feedback. Cognitivebehavioral approaches and skills-based training have

proved effective strategies in reducing high-risk drinking

among young people.51 These interventions require

drinkers to monitor their alcohol use and any alcoholrelated problems. They also teach important skills such as

drink refusal and drink pacing to reduce the harms

associated with underage drinking. In addition,

motivational techniques† that provide nonjudgmental

feedback to young people based on their own assessment

of their drinking patterns have had some success in

reducing drinking and its negative consequences.52

Responses That Target Commercial Access to Alcohol

9. Improving the ability to detect fake IDs. Using fake

IDs to obtain alcohol from retailers or at bars and

restaurants is widespread, in part because of the relative

ease in altering, forging, or counterfeiting these

documents. In addition, underage drinkers often present

merchants, bartenders, and door staff with out-of-state

IDs with which they are not familiar, making it difficult to

detect minor alterations. ID guides can help in detecting

the more egregious falsifications.†† Training programs are

also available to help in identifying more subtle forms of

falsification, such as picture replacement, date adjustments,

computer-generated duplicates, and mismatches between

the person's appearance and the ID photograph.53

† See Walters (2000) for sample

feedback forms.

†† Several companies publish

reference books of each state's ID

cards. For example, see

http://www.idcheckingguide.com/
Responses to the Problem of Underage Drinking 

Many states have changed their driver's licenses and ID

cards to make them more tamper-resistant. For example,

some states use a profile photograph of minors to clearly

indicate that they are under 21. Others boldly print

"Under 21 Until..." on the face of ID cards. Holograms

or indicators that can be seen only under an ultraviolet

light can also deter counterfeiting. Using scanners to read

barcodes and magnetic strips can also help in detecting

altered ID cards.54 While this response must be enacted at

the state level, it can provide a powerful tool for reducing

fake-ID use.

When citing someone for using a fake ID, you should ask

about the source of the document so that you can tailor

your responses to unique problems or emerging trends.

For example, one jurisdiction confiscated a number of

fake IDs procured through the Internet. By copyrighting

the state's driver's license, the jurisdiction could use

copyright-violation laws to close down counterfeiting

Internet sites.55

ID guides can help doormen to identify documents that have been

falsified. 

David Corbett
30 Underage Drinking

10. Implementing "Responsible Beverage Service and

Sales Training" programs. The primary lines of defense

against commercial access to alcohol by underage youth

are the sales clerks, waiters and waitresses, and bartenders

who directly interact with them. Business owners and

managers should set clear policies for their employees

regarding checking ID and denying service to underage

customers. Without this support, changes in server or

seller behavior are unlikely.

Many states' ABC boards provide free responsiblebeverage-service-and-sales training to licensed

establishments. Some states require such training for

licensing, and others provide specific incentives for

businesses that participate voluntarily. These programs

inform participants about state and local ordinances

concerning alcohol sales to minors, and about penalties for

breaking the law. Further, they help owners and managers

to develop establishment-level policies and practices to

help employees carry out their legal obligations. Essential

elements of effective service and sales policies include:56

• establishing 21 as the minimum age for everyone who

serves or sells alcohol,

• ensuring that staff know their legal responsibilities

regarding underage sales,

• ensuring that staff know the establishment's policies

and the consequences for violating them,

• requiring ID from all customers who appear to be

under 30,

• developing specific guidelines and providing training on

valid forms of ID, and

• monitoring staff compliance and enforcing

consequences for violations.
Responses to the Problem of Underage Drinking 

Good training programs offer skill-development exercises,

such as:57

• how to identify a fake ID, how to confiscate it, and

what to do with it once confiscated;

• how to determine whether an adult is buying alcohol

for someone underage, and how to refuse service;

• how to resist pressure to serve or sell alcohol to an

underage customer; and

• how to refuse service without creating a tense situation.

Businesses should inform customers about their

participation in such programs, both to encourage

community support for responsible business practices and

to deter underage youth from trying to buy alcohol or gain

entry.

11. Enforcing minimum-age purchase laws. The

primary means to enforce minimum-age purchase laws is

to conduct compliance checks of businesses that sell

alcohol for use either on or off premises. Compliance

checks use underage volunteers who try to gain entry and

alcohol service at bars or restaurants, or buy alcohol at

stores. The volunteer is directed to be truthful about his

or her age, if asked, and to present legitimate ID. If the

volunteer is able to buy alcohol, the server and manager

are cited for violating the minimum-age purchase law. In

some jurisdictions, if a clerk or bartender appropriately

denies service to an underage volunteer, the alcohol board

notifies the business owner and encourages the owner to

congratulate and reward the employee for obeying the

law.58
32 Underage Drinking

† See Alcohol Epidemiology

Program (2000) and Willingham

(n.d.) for two excellent guides on

designing compliance investigations.

There are a number of important considerations and

decisions to be made when designing a compliance

investigation:†

• selecting underage volunteers who clearly look

underage, and whose diverse characteristics may help to

avoid bias or other factors that may influence sales

rates;

• training volunteers on how to make a purchase: how to

act, what to say, and how to respond to questions;

• selecting location, time of day, and frequency of

operations;

• choosing the type and amount of alcohol to buy; and

• addressing a variety of operational issues, such as

deploying officers, issuing citations, recording or

observing transactions, keeping records, and working

with the media.

Given that the overall goal is to reduce alcohol sales to

minors, and not to issue a high volume of citations, it is

important to give retailers, bars, and restaurants notice that

random and ongoing compliance checks will be

conducted.59 Such notice, and prior consultation with local

prosecutors, can also help to prevent entrapment claims.

Some jurisdictions supplement compliance investigations

with "Cops-in-Shops" operations that station a police

officer in an establishment, as either a customer or an

employee, to apprehend underage people trying to buy

alcohol. Establishments cooperating in these operations

post a sign in the window notifying customers that a

police officer may pose as an employee, and advising them

of the penalties for underage purchases. While this

enforcement strategy has not been rigorously evaluated,

case studies suggest that "Cops-in-Shops" programs can

effectively supplement compliance checks, although they
Responses to the Problem of Underage Drinking 

should not substitute for them.60 One of the main benefits

of these operations is on-the-job training on identifying

fake IDs and detecting typical physical and behavioral

characteristics of minors–and of adults buying alcohol for

them.61

12. Conducting undercover "shoulder tap" operations.

One of the main ways that young people obtain alcohol

from commercial sources is to ask strangers to buy it for

them. In "shoulder tap" operations, an undercover

operative approaches an adult outside a store and asks the

adult to buy him or her alcohol. If the adult agrees and

does so, he or she is cited for furnishing alcohol to

someone underage. As with all undercover operations,

decisions about the characteristics of the volunteers used,

the scripts delivered, the types of establishments and

potential buyers targeted, the time of day, and other

concerns are paramount to the effectiveness of the

response. Very few of these operations have been

evaluated, but case studies suggest that highly publicized

operations that generate a large number of citations are

likely to have a deterrent effect and reduce the amount of

alcohol minors obtain through third parties.62

13. Checking ID at bars and nightclubs. In this

response, either plainclothes or uniformed officers enter

an "on-premise" establishment and check the IDs of

everyone drinking alcohol. They cite those with no or

fraudulent ID, and the establishment may face

administrative consequences. These ID checks encourage

doormen and bartenders to be diligent in their efforts to

verify customer age, and they show customers that the

police support the establishment's policies and procedures.
34 Underage Drinking

14. Applying graduated sanctions to retailers that

break the law. There are three types of penalties imposed

in response to violations of minimum-age purchase laws:63

• Administrative: These penalties involve restrictions,

suspensions, or revocations of business licenses if

retailers do not follow state and local standards of

conduct.

• Criminal: These penalties apply to the person who sells

alcohol to a minor. They may include fines, probation,

or imprisonment, and they may be noted on a criminal

record.

• Civil: These penalties are commonly called "dramshop

liability," and refer to lawsuits for monetary damages

for any harm caused by minors served alcohol by

retailers.

Penalties are most effective when believed to be both swift

and certain. The likelihood of sanctions is more important

than the severity of sanctions in encouraging compliance.64

Given the complexity and often excessive severity of

criminal charges, most states have found that

administrative penalties are the most effective. Further,

administrative penalties hold the establishment's owner

responsible and significantly affect profitability, which

encourages owners to ensure that all employees follow the

law. The threat of civil liability has been shown to increase

the consistency with which ID is checked, and to be

related to decreases in negative alcohol-related

consequences.65 One incentive for retailers to comply with

the various provisions of responsible-beverage-serviceand-sales programs is to shield them from dramshop

liability if they can demonstrate that they followed all

applicable policies and practices.
Responses to the Problem of Underage Drinking 

Responses That Target Social Access to Alcohol

15. Training adults about "social host liability." Social

host liability refers to the imposition of civil penalties

against adults who provide alcohol to minors for injuries

caused by those minors. Approximately 30 states have

some form of social-host-liability law,66 but education and

awareness programs must be in place to make them

effective.67 At a minimum, education efforts should stress

that it is unacceptable for adults to furnish minors with

alcohol, and should increase awareness of relevant laws,

penalties, and enforcement initiatives. This type of training

has proved particularly effective with Greek organizations

on college campuses, some of which have radically altered

their practices regarding large house parties.

16. Requiring keg registration. Police have noted that it

is often difficult to identify the adult responsible for

providing alcohol to minors at large house parties,

particularly keg parties on college campuses. Keg

registration links buyer information to the keg itself,

through tags, stickers, or ID numbers stenciled on the keg.

At the retail outlet, the buyer must provide ID and contact

information, and may also be required to sign a statement

indicating awareness that it is illegal to furnish alcohol to

minors. When police seize a keg of beer at a party where

underage drinking is occurring, the person responsible for

furnishing the alcohol can be easily identified through the

retailer. This response is relatively low-cost. However, a

number of jurisdictions have noted that retailers can

exploit voluntary keg registration by advertising their

refusal to participate (e.g., "We don't use keg tracking").68

Thus, it may be sensible to make keg registration

mandatory.
36 Underage Drinking

Responses That Target Locations Where Drinking Occurs

17. Developing house party guidelines, registration

forms, and pre-party walk-through procedures.

Offering guidance on how to host a safe party at which

minors cannot access alcohol can reduce underage

drinking and the number of complaints received from

Many states use keg registration to link information about those who

purchase a keg to the keg itself. Buyers are required to complete a form at

the time of purchase. The keg is marked with a permanent sticker or tag.

Source: Georgia Department of Revenue
Responses to the Problem of Underage Drinking 

neighbors bothered by noise, traffic, and other party byproducts. A number of police departments and college

student organizations have developed guidelines for safe

parties. These guidelines offer pre-party preparation and

hosting tips, such as the following:69

• Inform neighbors about the party and ask them to

contact the host first if they have any concerns or

problems, rather than automatically calling the police.

• Take frequent walks around the outside of the house

and property to assess noise levels.

• Do not permit underage guests to drink.

• Ensure that people who have been drinking do not

drive.

• If the police do show up, turn off the music, stop the

party, and talk calmly with the officers.

Other jurisdictions use voluntary party registration forms

and pre-party site visits by police to offer prevention tips

to parents or property owners. Guides have been

developed to help high school students' parents in

planning parties at their homes. Typical guidelines include

the following:70

• Limit the number of people invited, and the number of

people allowed on the property.

• Have sufficient chaperones to monitor the property and

the guests for any problems.

• Be prepared the call an underage guest's parents if he

or she appears to be under the influence of drugs or

alcohol.

• Set a beginning and ending time for the party.

It is important to remind party hosts that pre-party police

advice is not foolproof, and that controlling the party and

access to alcohol is their responsibility.
38 Underage Drinking

18. Setting up hotlines to gather information. Hotlines

for students, teachers, or parents concerned about

underage drinking can be a valuable information source.

People use a hotline to report a party location either

before or during the event. Patrol officers then drive by

the location to identify any problems. Providing an easyto-remember phone number, ensuring caller anonymity,

and staffing the hotline with nonpolice personnel increase

the likelihood people will call.

19. Deploying party patrols. Teams of police officers

dedicated to identifying and dispersing parties where

underage drinking is occurring not only serve as a

deterrent to such events, but also can reduce the number

of youth who drive after drinking. Police identify party

locations through hotline reports, complaints received

from neighbors, keg registrations, or routine patrol.† Once

police establish probable cause and secure the perimeter of

† The San Diego Police

Department uses its College Area

Party Plan to identify locations that

have been the subject of repeated

violations and complaints. Once a

property has been identified as a

CAPP property, a zero tolerance

policy is enacted for all future

complaints: no warnings are given,

and proactive arrests are made. The

Silver Gate Group (2001).

Well-publicized hotlines can be a valuable source

of information about party locations. Source:

Texas Alcohol Beverage Commision

http://www.tabc.state.tx.us/enforce/hotline.htm
Responses to the Problem of Underage Drinking 

the location, they enter it;† contact the host; identify those

age 21 and over and those under 21 who have not been

drinking, and release them; and process those under 21

who have been drinking. They also cite the adult(s)

responsible for furnishing the alcohol. Arranging safe

transportation for those who have been drinking is vitally

important. There are a number of detailed implementation

guides available.††

20. Imposing fines for each underage person drinking

at a party. Large monetary penalties for providing alcohol

to minors can be an effective deterrent to groups and

organizations that regularly host parties where underage

drinking occurs (e.g., fraternities and sororities). Issuing a

summons to the responsible adult for each underage guest

found drinking at a party can be financially devastating.

One jurisdiction issued 70 summonses at one event,

resulting in a fine of over $20,000 to the host.71 The

financial liability from large parties where alcohol

distribution is not controlled has caused a number of

national Greek organizations to require that their

properties and social functions be alcohol-free.72 When

fine amounts are modest, party hosts may conclude that

they are a small cost compared with the revenue they get

from charging admission.

21. Using landlord-tenant ordinances and nuisance

abatement procedures. When police receive numerous

complaints about parties from neighbors, and respond to a

location multiple times and find underage drinking, they

may have additional leverage through landlord-tenant

ordinances and nuisance abatement procedures.73 If the

party host rents the property, the landlord can be brought

in to help resolve the problem. Upon the first citation for

providing alcohol to minors, the landlord is issued a

† You should consult legal coun

you are uncertain about police

authority in your jurisdiction to

enter house parties without a

warrant.

†† See Morrison and Didone (20

and Casady (2002), accessible at

www.ci.lincoln.ne.us/city/police

/nuparty.pdf.
40 Underage Drinking

warning. Subsequent citations lead to requirements for

corrective action plans, and ultimately, eviction if the

problem continues. Similarly, some jurisdictions have used

nuisance abatement procedures to combat problems often

associated with house parties, such as illegal alcohol sales,

excessive noise, and property damage.74 It is vitally

important to document all contacts with tenants and

owners to establish a record of noncompliance.

22. Restricting alcohol use at popular outdoor venues

and community events. Restricting drinking in public

places can reduce excessive drinking and sales to minors.75

One way to control the flow of alcohol at public venues is

to issue conditional-use permits that set standards for how

and when alcohol can be sold, served, or consumed. These

permits can restrict drinking to certain "21 and over"

areas, restrict the hours of sale, and limit advertising.

23. Sponsoring alcohol-free events. High school and

college students often complain that "there's nothing to

do" in their communities, and often have few

opportunities to socialize outside of school. This may

increase drinking's appeal. Coalition- or school-sponsored

alcohol-free events can increase the array of social

alternatives for youth and can substitute for events and

traditions centered on excessive drinking (e.g., after-prom

parties, tailgating before athletic events, spring break).76

The events schedule should be focused on the most

problematic times of the day, days of the week, and

locations.77 For example, late-night weekend activities such

as movies or karaoke can be planned for residence halls

where underage drinking has been a persistent problem.
Responses to the Problem of Underage Drinking 

24. Developing campus policies to deter underage

drinking. Given that college campuses are popular

settings for underage drinking, it is vital that schoolspecific strategies be enacted in jurisdictions that include

colleges and universities. These could include clarifying

campus alcohol policies, creating substance-free housing

and dormitories, adjusting class and exam schedules to

deter Thursday-night drinking, and using campus

disciplinary procedures to emphasize the school's

intolerance for alcohol violations.78, †

Responses That Focus on the Consequences of Underage

Drinking

25. Applying administrative sanctions rather than

criminal penalties. Criminal penalties are meant to serve

as a deterrent. However, severe criminal penalties for

underage drinking-related offenses (e.g., possession,

attempted purchase, use of fake ID) are seldom enforced

and have not proved a big deterrent.79 In part, the lack of

widespread, consistent enforcement is due to the burden

on prosecutor and court resources, and a reluctance to

enforce stiff penalties for what is perceived as a minor

offense. Criminal sanctions are often neither swift nor

certain, which undermines their deterrent effect. In

contrast, less severe penalties (e.g., fines, community

service) are more likely to be enforced and may be a

greater deterrent.80

Suspension of a minor's driver's license in response to an

alcohol violation–whether or not the offense involved a

vehicle–is the penalty for breaking use/lose laws. For

youths not yet licensed to drive, use/lose laws generally

† See Fisher (1999) and Nationa

Advisory Council on Alcohol A

and Alcoholism (2002) for detai

response guides for college

campuses.
42 Underage Drinking

delay the issuance of a driver's license for a specified

amount of time. These laws have been linked to a

reduction in vehicle-related alcohol problems,81 but raise

constitutional concerns.82 Use/lose laws have been

extended to cover the use of a fake ID. Many states have

recently increased the penalties for using a fake ID, and

have publicized these changes to ensure that young people

are aware of the consequences for doing so.† Keep in

mind that extending driver's licensing sanctions to

nondriving offenses almost certainly will increase offenses

such as driving with a suspended or revoked license and

eluding a police officer.

26. Applying informal social control. While there have

been no evaluations of informal social control's impact on

underage drinking, we know that young people are often

more powerfully influenced by teachers, coaches, mentors,

peers, and parents than they are by the threat of formal

sanctions. Enlisting the help of responsible adults who

have relationships with young people not only can prevent

expensive criminal justice sanctions that often take some

time to be imposed, but also sends a powerful message

about the community's intolerance for underage drinking.

For example, when police cite high school or college

athletes for underage drinking, notifying their coaches of

the infractions can lead to creative consequences that hold

the offenders accountable but do not saddle them with a

criminal record. Similarly, parents and schools revoke

privileges (e.g., driving, participating in social events) or

impose disciplinary sanctions in response to citations for

underage drinking. Military commanders may discipline

underage soldiers who come into contact with police.

Police may find opportunities to support these forms of

informal social control.

† For example, Virginia's ABC

board created a pamphlet, available

at

http://www.abc.state.va.us/Educatio

n/fakeid/FakeID.pdf.
Responses to the Problem of Underage Drinking 

Responses With Limited Effectiveness

27. Using school-based education, awareness, or

values-clarification programs. Student orientation,

alcohol awareness weeks, and curriculum infusion are

typical interventions found on high school and college

campuses. The assumption guiding these efforts is that

people make wiser choices if they know the facts about

alcohol. Although this may be true, information alone is

usually insufficient to change behavior.83 Evaluations of

these stand-alone programs have found no effect on

alcohol use or alcohol-related consequences.84

28. Launching consequence-focused information

campaigns. Focusing solely on the negative consequences

of underage drinking is unlikely to affect young people's

alcohol use.85 Not only is drinking likely to be entrenched

in community and peer group norms, but also young

people tend to be risk-takers and to deny their

vulnerability to both short- and long-term consequences.

Most importantly, consequence-focused campaigns rarely

address the motivations for underage drinking–nor do they

offer realistic or practical alternatives.

Appendix 

Appendix A: Summary of Responses to

Underage Drinking

The table below summarizes the responses to underage

drinking, the mechanism by which they are intended to

work, the conditions under which they ought to work best,

and some factors you should consider before

implementing a particular response. It is critical that you

tailor responses to local circumstances, and that you can

justify each response based on reliable analysis. In most

cases, an effective strategy will involve implementing

several different responses. Law enforcement responses

alone are seldom effective in reducing or solving the

problem.

1.

2.

23

24

Reducing the

community's

overall alcohol

consumption

Creating

community

coalitions

Changes

community

norms about

drinking

Enlists multiple

stakeholders

with specific

areas of

expertise;

reduces

resistance;

establishes joint

ownership of

the problem

...multiple

responses are

used

simultaneously

...resistant

stakeholders are

also included

May not address

the specific

reasons for,

locations of, and

problems

associated with

underage

drinking

Requires a high

level of project

management to

sustain interest

over time

Response

No.

Page No. Response How It Works Works Best If... Considerations

General Considerations for an Effective Response Strategy
46 Underage Drinking

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

25

25

25

26

27

Using a

multifaceted,

comprehensive

approach

Understanding

your state's laws

regarding

underage

drinking

Avoiding

overwhelming

the court system

Implementing a

"social norms"

program

Raising underage

drinkers'

awareness of

their behavior's

impact on other

people

Addresses many

of the known

risk factors;

prevents

displacement

Ensures that

responses are

appropriately

targeted and can

withstand

scrutiny in court

Increases the

likelihood of a

quick response

Corrects

misperceptions

about the

proportion of

peers who drink;

uses adolescents'

desire to

conform to

reduce drinking 

Uses peer

pressure to

encourage

underage

drinkers to

control their

behavior

...responses are

implemented as

designed and are

properly

sequenced

...police review

the laws in

consultation with

the local

prosecutor

...meaningful

alternative

sanctions are in

place

...the message is

simple,

memorable,

truthful, and

reinforced

...victimized

students are

empowered,

specific statistics

that show

widespread

impact are used,

and additional

information

resources are

provided

Difficult to isolate

a specific

intervention's

effect; requires

coordination; a

large number of

options can be

overwhelming

Frequently

amended and

updated, so a

regular review is

required

Effect depends on

the impact of

criminal versus

noncriminal

sanctions among

the target group

Gives the message

that some

underage drinking

is acceptable;

could encourage

those who drink

less than the norm

to increase their

consumption in

order to fit in

Risk of

reinforcing a

"party school"

image; risk that

nondrinkers will

be ostracized if

they are not

sufficiently

empowered 

Response

No.

Page No. Response How It Works Works Best If... Considerations

Responses that Target the Motivation to Drink

Specific Responses to Underage Drinking
Appendix 

8.

9.

10.

11.

28

28

30

31

Providing

treatment or

feedback

Improving the

ability to detect

fake IDs

Implementing

"Responsible

Beverage

Service and

Sales Training"

programs

Enforcing

minimum-age

purchase laws

Provides

personalized

feedback on the

level of risk

underage

drinkers face;

provides them

with skills to

help break their

drinking habits

Eliminates a

tool commonly

used to obtain

alcohol 

Restricts access

to sources of

alcohol; provides

skills and

incentives for

servers/sellers to

comply with the

law

Reinforces

establishmentlevel procedures

to refuse service

to those under

21

Those who most

need intervention

may be the ones

who don't show up

for or drop out of

treatment

Long-term effect is

limited unless the

original source of

the IDs is

addressed

If not mandatory,

establishments may

lose business to

places that do not

comply; requires

police and

management

enforcement to be

taken seriously

Can be expensive

in jurisdictions

with large numbers

of outlets

...it is not seen

as punishment, is

nonjudgmental,

and provides

alternative ways

of behaving

...servers/sellers

are trained, have

good reference

materials and

good lighting,

and are

supported by

management

...laws are

enforced, the

training is

mandatory, and

following

procedures

protects

businesses from

dramshop

liability

...compliance

checks are

random,

ongoing, and

conducted on a

large number of

retail outlets; and

administrative

penalties apply

to both the

server/seller and

the

manager/owner

Response

No.

Page No. Response How It Works Works Best If... Considerations

Responses That Target Commercial Access to Alcohol
48 Underage Drinking

12.

13.

14.

15.

16.

33

33

34

35

35

Conducting

undercover

"shoulder tap"

operations

Checking ID at

bars and

nightclubs

Applying

graduated

sanctions to

retailers that

break the law

Training adults

about "social

host liability

Requiring keg

registration

Fear of

sanctions deters

adults from

buying alcohol

for minors

Reinforces

establishmentlevel procedures

to refuse service

to those under

21

Holds retailers

accountable,

with increasingly

punitive

sanctions for

subsequent

infractions;

affects

profitability

Fear of

sanctions deters

adults from

buying alcohol

for minors

Allows police to

identify the

retailer that

furnished

alcohol to

minors

Can be

complicated and

expensive; if not

properly designed,

it can be

vulnerable to

entrapment claims

Need to target a

wide range of

establishments to

be seen as fair

Criminal penalties

can be complex

and timeconsuming; need

to target a wide

range of

establishments to

be seen as fair

Not likely to be

effective without

enforcement

If registration is

not mandatory,

establishments that

voluntarily comply

may lose business

to those that don't

...the

undercover

decoy is chosen

carefully, and the

operation is

highly publicized

both before and

after it occurs

...checks are

random and

ongoing, fake

IDs are seized,

and meaningful

sanctions are

applied to both

the minor and

the establishment

...sanctions are

administratively

focused, and

penalties are

swift and certain

...laws are

accompanied by

widespread

education and

awareness

efforts, and

enforcement is

consistent

...it is

mandatory, and a

fine is imposed

for tampering

with a tag or

sticker on a keg

Response

No.

Page No. Response How It Works Works Best If... Considerations

Responses That Target Social Access to Alcohol
Appendix 

17.

18.

19.

20.

21.

36

38

38

39

39

Developing

house party

guidelines,

registration

forms, and preparty walkthrough

procedures

Setting up

hotlines to

gather

information

Deploying party

patrols

Imposing fines

for each

underage

person drinking

at a party

Using landlordtenant

ordinances and

nuisance

abatement

procedures

Provides useful

advice about

controlling

house parties

Helps police to

identify

potentially

problematic

party locations

Fear of

sanctions deters

hosts from

having parties;

parties where

underage

drinking occurs

are dispersed 

Increases

financial

consequences of

hosting a party

where underage

guests are

drinking

Uses civil

remedies to

target properties

with a history of

violations

Is voluntary;

despite good

intentions, the

party may still get

out of control and

require police

intervention

Not all

information may

be accurate or

useful; not all

parties will be

discovered this way

Can be costprohibitive and

time-consuming;

diverts officers

from other duties

May be viewed as

excessively

punitive

Likely to require a

significant time

investment

...a responsible

adult who is

motivated to

obey the law is

in charge of the

party

...the hotline is

staffed by

nonpolice

personnel, and

the number is

well-publicized

and easy to

remember

...patrols are

consistent,

routine, and

highly

publicized; and

dispersal is safe

and orderly

...fines are

imposed after

the initiative has

been publicized

and warnings

have been issued,

and there is

significant public

support

...multiple

agencies are

involved, and all

interactions and

violations have

been

documented

Response

No.

Page No. Response How It Works Works Best If... Considerations

Responses That Target Locations Where Drinking Occurs
50 Underage Drinking

22.

23.

24.

25.

26.

40

40

41

41

42

Restricting

alcohol use at

popular

outdoor venues

and community

events

Sponsoring

alcohol-free

events

Developing

campus policies

to deter

underage

drinking

Applying

administrative

sanctions rather

than criminal

penalties

Applying

informal social

control

Adjusts

community

norms regarding

drinking; makes

it harder for

underage

drinkers to

obtain alcohol

Decreases

reliance on

alcohol-centered

events as a

means of

socializing

Holds students

accountable,

using schoolbased

disciplinary

procedures 

Holds offenders

accountable with

sanctions that

can be quickly

applied 

Enlists people

with important

relationships

with youths to

encourage them

to change their

behavior 

Requires

significant

manpower to

enforce at big

community events

Needs to target

those who would

otherwise be

drinking to have an

impact on the

overall underage

drinking problem

Requires support

from diverse

groups of

stakeholders; likely

to encounter some

opposition

May require the

creation of new

programs and

sanctions, or the

expansion of

existing ones

Requires

knowledge of the

significant others

in minors' lives;

requires

cooperation from

significant others

...limitations are

strictly enforced

for all drinkers

...the events are

scheduled for the

times, days, and

locations that

have historically

been the most

problematic, and

the events are

highly publicized

...the policies

send a consistent

message about

alcohol's role on

campus, problem

drinking at

Greek

organizations is

targeted, and

students are

involved in

policy

development 

...the alternative

sanctions are

meaningful, and

the community

supports

alternative

sentencing

...the behavior is

sanctioned

appropriately,

and the youths

are concerned

about others'

opinions

Response

No.

Page No. Response How It Works Works Best If... Considerations

Responses That Focus on the Consequences for Underage Drinking
Appendix 

27.

28.

43

43

Using schoolbased

education,

awareness, or

valuesclarification

programs

Launching

consequencefocused

information

campaigns

Assumes that

knowing the

facts leads to

better choices

Assumes that

knowing about

the negative

consequences

will deter

dangerous or

illegal behavior

Information alone

is usually

insufficient to

produce a change

in behavior 

Information often

stands in stark

contrast to young

people's experience

and thus has little

credibility; young

people tend to

deny their own

vulnerability; it

does not address

the motivations for

drinking

Response

No.

Page No. Response How It Works Works Best If... Considerations

Responses With Limited Effectiveness

Endnotes 

Endnotes

1 Johnston, O'Malley, and Bachman (2002). 2 Wagenaar (1993). 3 Wechsler (2001). 4 Keeling (2002). 5 Bonnie and O'Connell (2003). 6 Engineer et al. (2003). 7 Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services

Administration, Office of Applied Studies (2001). 8 Wechsler et al. (2002); National Center on Addiction

and Substance Abuse (1994). 9 National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse

(1994). 10 National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (1997). 11 Center for Science in the Public Interest (2000). 12 Wechsler (2001). 13 Keeling (2002). 14 Engineer et al. (2003). 15 Bandura (1977). 16 Christiansen et al. (1989). 17 Christiansen et al. (1989). 18 Engineer et al. (2003). 19 Hirschi (1969); Durkin, Wolfe, and Clark (1999). 20 Perkins and Berkowitz (1986); Perkins (2002). 21 Perkins (2002). 22 Center on Alcohol Marketing and Youth (2003). 23 Weitzman et al. (2003). 24 Wechsler and Wuethrich (2002). 25 Kuo et al. (2003). 26 Wagenaar et al. (1996). 27 Wagenaar et al. (1996). 28 Powell and Willingham (n.d.). 29 Wechsler and Wuethrich (2002). 30 Bonnie and O'Connell (2003). 31 Myers and Willingham (2001).
54 Underage Drinking

32 Preusser et al. (1995). 33 Durkin, Wolfe, and Phillips (1996). 34 Morrison and Didone (n.d.). 35 Wechsler and Wuethrich (2002). 36 Wechsler and Wuethrich (2002). 37 Michigan State University, Department of Police and

Public Safety (1998). 38 Walter et al. (2001). 39 Smeaton and Josalm (1998). 40 BRAD (n.d.). 41 Borsari, Bergen-Cico, and Carey (2003). 42 Bonnie and O'Connell (2003). 43 Weitzman et al. (2004) 44 Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation (2003). 45 Wichita Police Department (1999). 46 Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department (1998). 47 Haines (1996). 48 Haines (1996). 49 DeJong (2002). 50 DeJong (2002). 51 Larimer and Cronce (2002). 52 Larimer and Cronce (2002). 53 Myers and Willingham (2001); Michigan State

University, Department of Police and Public Safety

(1998). 54 Kanable (2002). 55 National Liquor Law Enforcement Association (2003). 56 Bonnie and O'Connell (2003); Wolfson et al. (1996). 57 Alcohol Epidemiology Program (n.d.). 58 Alliance Against Underage Drinking (n.d.). 59 Reece (1984). 60 Bonnie and O'Connell (2003). 61 Michigan State University, Department of Police and

Public Safety (1998). 62 Bonnie and O'Connell (2003).
Appendix 

63 Mosher and Stewart (1999). 64 Ross (1992). 65 Bonnie and O'Connell (2003). 66 Mothers Against Drunk Driving (2002). 67 Bonnie and O'Connell (2003). 68 Michigan State University, Department of Police and

Public Safety (1998). 69 Adams (2003). 70 Morrison and Didone (n.d.). 71 Boulder Police Department (1997). 72 Hechtkopf, Woods-Issacs, and Jamieson (2001). 73 Walski (2002). 74 Morrison and Didone (n.d.). 75 Bonnie and O'Connell (2003). 76 Weitzman et al. (2004) 77 University of Alaska, Fairbanks (2000). 78 Weitzman et al. (2004) 79 Bonnie and O'Connell (2003). 80 Bonnie and O'Connell (2003). 81 Ulmer, Shabanova, and Preusser (2001). 82 Bonnie and O'Connell (2003). 83 DeJong and Langford (2002). 84 Larimer and Cronce (2002). 85 DeJong (2002).

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Kanable, R. (2002). "Identifying Fake Driver's Licenses."

Law Enforcement Technology 29(7):82–87.

Keeling, R. (2002). "Binge Drinking and the College

Environment." Journal of American College Health

50:197–201.
Appendix 

Kuo, M., H. Wechsler, P. Greenberg, and H. Lee (2003).

"The Marketing of Alcohol to College Students: The

Role of Low Prices and Special Promotions." American

Journal of Preventative Medicine 25(3):204–211.

Larimer, M., and J. Cronce (2002). "Identification,

Prevention, and Treatment: A Review of IndividualFocused Strategies to Reduce Problematic Alcohol

Consumption by College Students." Journal of Studies

on Alcohol (Supp. 14):148–163.

Michigan State University, Department of Police and

Public Safety (1998). "Underage Drinking."

Submission for the Herman Goldstein Award for

Excellence in Problem-Oriented Policing.

Morrison, W., and T. Didone (2000). Practical Guide to

Preventing and Dispersing Underage Drinking Parties.

Washington, D.C.: Office of Juvenile Justice and

Delinquency Prevention.

Mosher, J., and K. Stewart (1999). Regulatory Strategies for

Preventing Youth Access to Alcohol. Washington, D.C.:

Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention.

Mothers Against Drunk Driving (2002). Rating the States:

2002 Report Card. Available at

www.madd.org/activism/0,1056,5545,00.html

Myers, D., and M. Willingham (2001). Law Enforcement

Guide to False Identification. Washington, D.C.: Office of

Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention.
62 Underage Drinking

National Advisory Council on Alcohol Abuse and

Alcoholism, Task Force on College Drinking (2002). A

Call To Action: Changing the Culture of Drinking at U.S.

Colleges. Bethesda, Md.: National Institute on Alcohol

Abuse and Alcoholism.

National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse

(1994). Rethinking Rites of Passage: Substance Abuse on

America's Campuses. New York: Columbia University.

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (1997).

Young Drivers Traffic Safety Facts 1997. Washington, D.C.:

U.S. Department of Transportation.

National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism

(2000). 10th Special Report to the U.S. Congress on Alcohol

and Health. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Department of

Health and Human Services.

(1997). Ninth Special Report to the U.S. Congress on

Alcohol and Health. Bethesda, Md.: U.S. Department of

Health and Human Services.

National Liquor Law Enforcement Association (n.d.). 2003

NLLEA Awards. Available at

http://www.nllea.org/ConferenceAwards2003.htm

O'Malley, P., and L. Johnston (2002). "Epidemiology of

Alcohol and Other Drug Use Among American

College Students." Journal of Studies on Alcohol

514:23–39.

Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation (2003).

Alcohol Beverage Control Enforcement: Legal Research Report.

Washington, D.C.: National Highway Traffic Safety

Administration.
Appendix 

Perkins, H. (2002). "Social Norms and the Prevention of

Alcohol Misuse in Collegiate Contexts." Journal of

Studies on Alcohol (Supp. 14):164–172.

Perkins, H., and A. Berkowitz (1986). "Perceiving the

Community Norms of Alcohol Use Among Students:

Some Research Implications for Campus Alcohol

Education Programming." International Journal of the

Addictions 21:961–976.

Powell, A., and M. Willingham (n.d.). Strategies for Reducing

Third-Party Transactions of Alcohol to Underage Youth.

Washington, D.C.: Office of Juvenile Justice and

Delinquency Prevention.

Preusser, D., S. Ferguson, A. Williams, and C. Farmer

(1995). Underage Access to Alcohol: Source of Alcohol and

Use of False Identification. Arlington, Va.: Insurance

Institute for Highway Safety.

Reece, G. (1984). "The ABC's of ABC Decoy Programs."

Journal of California Law Enforcement 18(1):10–13.

Ross, H. (1992). Confronting Drunk Driving: Social Policy for

Saving Lives. New Haven, Conn.: Yale University Press.

The Silver Gate Group (2001). "Communities and

Campuses Coming Together for Prevention:

Collaboration in San Diego." Prevention File 16(2):2–5.

Smeaton, G., and B. Josalm (1998). "College Students

Binge Drinking at a Beachfront Destination During

Spring Break." Journal of American College Health

46:247–254.
64 Underage Drinking

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services

Administration, Office of Applied Studies (2001).

NHSDA Report: Youths Who Carry Handguns. Rockville,

Md.: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services

Administration.

Ulmer, R., V. Shabanova, and D. Preusser (2001).

Evaluation of Use-and-Lose Laws. Washington, D.C.:

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

University of Alaska, Fairbanks (2000). "Wasting Away in

Margaritaville: From Animal House to Healthy

Choices." Submission for the Herman Goldstein

Award for Excellence in Problem-Oriented Policing.

Wagenaar, A. (1993). "Minimum Drinking Age and

Alcohol Availability to Youth: Issues and Research

Needs." In M. Hilton and G. Bloss (eds.), Economics and

the Prevention of Alcohol-Related Problems. Bethesda, Md.:

National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.

Wagenaar, A., T. Toomey, D. Murray, B. Short, M.

Wolfson, and R. Jones-Webb (1996). "Sources of

Alcohol for Underage Drinkers." Journal of Studies on

Alcohol 57:325–333.

Walski, D. (2002). "Drinking on College Campuses."

Campus Law Enforcement Journal 32(6):20–22.

Walter, S., J. Grube, M. Chen, J. Light, and A. Treno

(2001). Driving Under the Influence and Riding With

Drinking Drivers: The Importance of Ethnicity, Gender, and

Drinking Context. Paper presented at the annual

meeting of the Research Society on Alcoholism, as

cited in Bonnie, R., and M. O'Connell (eds.) (2003).

Reducing Underage Drinking: A Collective Responsibility.

Washington, D.C.: National Academy Press.
Appendix 

Walters, S. (2000). "In Praise of Feedback: An Effective

Intervention for College Students Who Are Heavy

Drinkers." Journal of American College Health

48:235–238.

Wechsler, H. (2001). Binge Drinking on America's College

Campuses: Findings From the Harvard School of Public

Health College Alcohol Survey. Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard

University.

Wechsler, H., T. Nelson, J. Lee, M. Seibring, C. Lewis, and

R. Keeling (2003). "Perception and Reality: A National

Evaluation of Social Norms Marketing Interventions

to Reduce College Students' Heavy Alcohol Use."

Journal of Studies on Alcohol 64(4):484–494.

Wechsler, H., J. Lee, M. Kuo, M. Seibring, T. Nelson, and

H. Lee (2002). "Trends in College Binge Drinking

During a Period of Increased Prevention Efforts:

Findings From Four Harvard School of Public Health

Study Surveys, 1993-2001." Journal of American College

Health 50(5):203–217.

Wechsler, H., and T. Nelson (2001). "Binge Drinking and

the American College Student: What's Five Drinks?"

Psychology of Addictive Behaviors 15:287–291.

Wechsler, H., and B. Wuethrich (2002). Dying to Drink:

Confronting Binge Drinking on College Campuses. Emmans,

Pa.: Rodale.

Weitzman, E., T. Nelson, H. Lee, and H. Wechsler (2004).

"Reducing Drinking and Related Harms in College:

Evaluation of the "A Matter of Degree" Program."

American Journal of Preventative Medicine 27(3): 187-196.
66 Underage Drinking

Weitzman, E., A. Folkman, K. Folkman, and H. Wechsler

(2003). "The Relationship of Alcohol Outlet Density

to Heavy and Frequent Drinking and Drinking-Related

Problems Among College Students at Eight

Universities." Health and Place 9:1–6.

Wichita Police Department (1999). "Juvenile Underage

Drinking Group Education and Enforcement."

Submission for the Herman Goldstein Award for

Excellence in Problem-Oriented Policing.

Willingham, M. (n.d.). Reducing Alcohol Sales to Underage

Purchasers: A Practical Guide to Compliance Investigations.

Rockville, Md.: Pacific Institute for Research and

Evaluation.

Wolfson, M., T. Toomey, J. Forster, A. Wagenaar, P.

McGovern, and C. Perry (1996). "Characteristics,

Policies, and Practices of Alcohol Outlets and Sales to

Underage Persons." Journal of Studies on Alcohol

57:670–674.
About the Author 

About the Author

Kelly Dedel Johnson

Kelly Dedel Johnson is the Director of One in 37 Research, Inc., a

criminal justice consulting firm based in Portland, Ore. As a

consultant to federal, state, and local agencies, her research on the

juvenile and criminal justice systems takes one of three major forms:

1) developing written tools to enhance practice or inform public

policy; 2) conducting investigations of the conditions of confinement

in juvenile correctional facilities; and 3) undertaking rigorous

evaluations of various juvenile and criminal justice programs to

determine their effectiveness. She has provided evaluation-related

technical assistance to over 60 jurisdictions across the country for the

Bureau of Justice Assistance. In this capacity, Dr. Dedel Johnson

worked with a broad range of criminal justice programs implemented

by police, prosecutors, public defenders, local jails, community

corrections, and prisons. Dr. Dedel Johnson consults with the

Department of Justice as a monitor/investigator of civil rights

violations in juvenile correctional facilities, most often in the area of

education. Among her other research interests are prisoner reentry,

risk assessment and offender classification, and juveniles in adult

correctional facilities. Prior to working as a consultant, she was a

founder and senior research scientist at The Institute on Crime, Justice

and Corrections at The George Washington University, and was a

senior research associate at the National Council on Crime and

Delinquency. Dr. Dedel Johnson received bachelor's degrees in

psychology and criminal justice from the University of Richmond and

a doctorate in clinical psychology from the Center for Psychological

Studies in Berkeley, Calif.

Recommended Readings 

Recommended Readings

• A Police Guide to Surveying Citizens and Their

Environments, Bureau of Justice Assistance, 1993. This

guide offers a practical introduction for police practitioners

to two types of surveys that police find useful: surveying

public opinion and surveying the physical environment. It

provides guidance on whether and how to conduct costeffective surveys.

• Assessing Responses to Problems: An

Introductory Guide for Police Problem-Solvers, by

John E. Eck (U.S. Department of Justice, Office of

Community Oriented Policing Services, 2001). This guide is

a companion to the Problem-Oriented Guides for Police series. It

provides basic guidance to measuring and assessing

problem-oriented policing efforts.

• Conducting Community Surveys, by Deborah Weisel

(Bureau of Justice Statistics and Office of Community

Oriented Policing Services, 1999). This guide, along with

accompanying computer software, provides practical, basic

pointers for police in conducting community surveys. The

document is also available at www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs.

• Crime Prevention Studies, edited by Ronald V. Clarke

(Criminal Justice Press, 1993, et seq.). This is a series of

volumes of applied and theoretical research on reducing

opportunities for crime. Many chapters are evaluations of

initiatives to reduce specific crime and disorder problems.
70 Underage Drinking

• Excellence in Problem-Oriented Policing:The 1999

Herman Goldstein Award Winners. This document

produced by the National Institute of Justice in

collaboration with the Office of Community Oriented

Policing Services and the Police Executive Research Forum

provides detailed reports of the best submissions to the

annual award program that recognizes exemplary problemoriented responses to various community problems. A

similar publication is available for the award winners from

subsequent years. The documents are also available at

www.ojp.usdoj.gov/nij.

• Not Rocket Science? Problem-Solving and Crime

Reduction, by Tim Read and Nick Tilley (Home Office

Crime Reduction Research Series, 2000). Identifies and

describes the factors that make problem-solving effective or

ineffective as it is being practiced in police forces in

England and Wales.

• Opportunity Makes the Thief: Practical Theory for

Crime Prevention, by Marcus Felson and Ronald V.

Clarke (Home Office Police Research Series, Paper No. 98,

1998). Explains how crime theories such as routine activity

theory, rational choice theory and crime pattern theory have

practical implications for the police in their efforts to

prevent crime.

• Problem Analysis in Policing, by Rachel Boba (Police

Foundation, 2003). Introduces and defines problem

analysis and provides guidance on how problem analysis

can be integrated and institutionalized into modern

policing practices.
Recommended Readings 

• Problem-Oriented Policing, by Herman Goldstein

(McGraw-Hill, 1990, and Temple University Press, 1990).

Explains the principles and methods of problem-oriented

policing, provides examples of it in practice, and discusses

how a police agency can implement the concept.

• Problem-Oriented Policing and Crime

Prevention, by Anthony A. Braga (Criminal Justice

Press, 2003). Provides a through review of significant

policing research about problem places, high-activity

offenders, and repeat victims, with a focus on the

applicability of those findings to problem-oriented

policing. Explains how police departments can facilitate

problem-oriented policing by improving crime analysis,

measuring performance, and securing productive

partnerships.

• Problem-Oriented Policing: Reflections on the

First 20 Years, by Michael S. Scott (U.S. Department of

Justice, Office of Community Oriented Policing Services,

2000). Describes how the most critical elements of

Herman Goldstein's problem-oriented policing model have

developed in practice over its 20-year history, and proposes

future directions for problem-oriented policing. The report

is also available at www.cops.usdoj.gov.

• Problem-Solving: Problem-Oriented Policing in

Newport News, by John E. Eck and William Spelman

(Police Executive Research Forum, 1987). Explains the

rationale behind problem-oriented policing and the

problem-solving process, and provides examples of

effective problem-solving in one agency.
72 Underage Drinking

• Problem-Solving Tips: A Guide to Reducing Crime

and Disorder Through Problem-Solving

Partnerships by Karin Schmerler, Matt Perkins, Scott

Phillips, Tammy Rinehart and Meg Townsend. (U.S.

Department of Justice, Office of Community Oriented

Policing Services, 1998) (also available at

www.cops.usdoj.gov). Provides a brief introduction to

problem-solving, basic information on the SARA model

and detailed suggestions about the problem-solving process.

• Situational Crime Prevention: Successful Case

Studies, Second Edition, edited by Ronald V. Clarke

(Harrow and Heston, 1997). Explains the principles and

methods of situational crime prevention, and presents over

20 case studies of effective crime prevention initiatives.

• Tackling Crime and Other Public-Safety Problems:

Case Studies in Problem-Solving, by Rana Sampson

and Michael S. Scott (U.S. Department of Justice, Office of

Community Oriented Policing Services, 2000) (also available

at www.cops.usdoj.gov). Presents case studies of effective

police problem-solving on 18 types of crime and disorder

problems.

• Using Analysis for Problem-Solving: A Guidebook

for Law Enforcement, by Timothy S. Bynum (U.S.

Department of Justice, Office of Community Oriented

Policing Services, 2001). Provides an introduction for

police to analyzing problems within the context of

problem-oriented policing.

• Using Research: A Primer for Law Enforcement

Managers, Second Edition, by John E. Eck and Nancy G.

LaVigne (Police Executive Research Forum, 1994). Explains

many of the basics of research as it applies to police

management and problem-solving.
Other Problem-Oriented Guides for Police 

Other Problem-Oriented Guides for Police

Problem-Specific Guides series:

1. Assaults in and Around Bars. Michael S. Scott. 2001.

ISBN: 1-932582-00-2

2. Street Prostitution. Michael S. Scott. 2001. ISBN: 1-932582-01-0

3. Speeding in Residential Areas. Michael S. Scott. 2001.

ISBN: 1-932582-02-9

4. Drug Dealing in Privately Owned Apartment Complexes.

Rana Sampson. 2001. ISBN: 1-932582-03-7

5. False Burglar Alarms. Rana Sampson. 2001. ISBN: 1-932582-04-5

6. Disorderly Youth in Public Places. Michael S. Scott. 2001.

ISBN: 1-932582-05-3

7. Loud Car Stereos. Michael S. Scott. 2001. ISBN: 1-932582-06-1

8. Robbery at Automated Teller Machines. Michael S. Scott. 2001.

ISBN: 1-932582-07-X

9. Graffiti. Deborah Lamm Weisel. 2002. ISBN: 1-932582-08-8

10. Thefts of and From Cars in Parking Facilities. Ronald V.

Clarke. 2002. ISBN: 1-932582-09-6

11. Shoplifting. Ronald V. Clarke. 2002. ISBN: 1-932582-10-X

12. Bullying in Schools. Rana Sampson. 2002. ISBN: 1-932582-11-8

13. Panhandling. Michael S. Scott. 2002. ISBN: 1-932582-12-6

14. Rave Parties. Michael S. Scott. 2002. ISBN: 1-932582-13-4

15. Burglary of Retail Establishments. Ronald V. Clarke. 2002.

ISBN: 1-932582-14-2

16. Clandestine Drug Labs. Michael S. Scott. 2002.

ISBN: 1-932582-15-0

17. Acquaintance Rape of College Students. Rana Sampson. 2002.

ISBN: 1-932582-16-9

18. Burglary of Single-Family Houses. Deborah Lamm Weisel.

2002. ISBN: 1-932582-17-7

19. Misuse and Abuse of 911. Rana Sampson. 2002.

ISBN: 1-932582-18-5
74 Underage Drinking

20. Financial Crimes Against the Elderly.

Kelly Dedel Johnson. 2003. ISBN: 1-932582-22-3

21. Check and Card Fraud. Graeme R. Newman. 2003.

ISBN: 1-932582-27-4

22. Stalking. The National Center for Victims of Crime. 2004.

ISBN: 1-932582-30-4

23. Gun Violence Among Serious Young Offenders. Anthony A.

Braga. 2004. ISBN: 1-932582-31-2

24. Prescription Fraud. Julie Wartell and Nancy G. La Vigne. 2004.

ISBN: 1-932582-33-9

25. Identity Theft. Graeme R. Newman. 2004 ISBN: 1-932582-35-3

26. Crimes Against Tourists. Ronald W. Glesnor and Kenneth J. Peak.

2004 ISBN: 1-932582-36-3

27. Underage Drinking. Kelly Dedel Johnson. 2004 ISBN: 1-932582-39-8

Response Guides series:

• The Benefits and Consequences of Police Crackdowns.

Michael S. Scott. 2003. ISBN: 1-932582-24-X

• Closing Streets and Alleys to Reduce Crime: Should You Go

Down This Road? Ronald V. Clarke. 2004 ISBN: 1-932582-41-X

Problem-Solving Tools series:

• Assessing Responses to Problems: An Introductory Guide for

Police Problem-Solvers. John E. Eck. 2002. ISBN: 1-932582-19-3

Upcoming Problem-Oriented Guides for Police 

Problem-Specific Guides

Disorder at Budget Motels

Domestic Violence

Mentally Ill Persons

Robbery of Taxi Drivers

Student Party Disturbances on College Campuses
Other Problem-Oriented Guides for Police 

Vandalism and Break-Ins at Schools

Street Racing

Bomb Threats in Schools

Drug Dealings in Open-Air Markets

Illicit Sexual Activity in Public Places

Drunk Driving

Cruising

Bank Robbery

Problem-Solving Tools

Analyzing Repeat Victimization

Using Offender Interviews to Inform Police Problem-Solving

Other Related COPS Office Publications

• Using Analysis for Problem-Solving: A Guidebook

for Law Enforcement. Timothy S. Bynum.

• Problem-Oriented Policing: Reflections on the First

20 Years. Michael S. Scott. 2001.

• Tackling Crime and Other Public-Safety Problems:

Case Studies in Problem-Solving. Rana Sampson and

Michael S. Scott. 2000.

• Community Policing, Community Justice, and

Restorative Justice: Exploring the Links for the

Delivery of a Balanced Approach to Public Safety.

Caroline G. Nicholl. 1999.

• Toolbox for Implementing Restorative Justice and

Advancing Community Policing. Caroline G. Nicholl.

2000.

• Problem-Solving Tips: A Guide to Reducing

Crime and Disorder Through Problem-Solving

Partnerships. Karin Schmerler, Matt Perkins, Scott

Phillips, Tammy Rinehart and Meg Townsend. 1998.
76 Underage Drinking

• Bringing Victims into Community Policing. The

National Center for Victims of Crime and the Police

Foundation. 2002.

• Call Management and Community Policing. Tom

McEwen, Deborah Spence, Russell Wolff, Julie Wartell

and Barbara Webster. 2003.

• Crime Analysis in America. Timothy C. O’Shea and

Keith Nicholls. 2003.

• Problem Analysis in Policing. Rachel Boba. 2003.

• Reducing Theft at Construction Sites: Lessons

From a Problem-Oriented Project. Ronald V. Clarke

and Herman Goldstein. 2003.

• The COPS Collaboration Toolkit: How to Build,

Fix, and Sustain Productive Partnerships. Gwen O.

Briscoe, Anna T. Laszlo and Tammy A. Rinehart.

2001.

• The Law Enforcement Tech Guide: How to plan,

purchase and manage technology (successfully!).

Kelly J. Harris and William H. Romesburg. 2002.

• Theft From Cars in Center City Parking 

Facilities - A Case Study. Ronald V. Clarke and

Herman Goldstein. 2003.

For more information about the Problem-Oriented Guides for

Police series and other COPS Office publications, please call

the Department of Justice Response Center at 800.421.6770

or visit COPS Online at www.cops.usdoj.gov.

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

U.S. Department of Justice

Office of Community Oriented Policing Services

1100 Vermont Avenue, N.W.

Washington, D.C. 20530

To obtain details on COPS programs, call the

COPS Office Response Center at 800.421.6770

Visit COPS Online at the address listed below.

e08042480 Updated Date: September 29, 2004

ISBN: 1-932582-39-8