The number of tickets issued by police to underage drinkers in Naperville dropped by almost a third in the past few years, and one police official thinks it might be because kids are being made more aware of the negative ramifications of being caught with liquor.
In 2012, the Naperville Police Department gave out 273 ordinance violation tickets for the consumption of liquor by a minor, but in 2014 that number fell to 189 tickets, a drop of about 30 percent, according to statistics provided by the department in response to a Freedom of Information request.
“I think the kids might be using their better judgment and are more familiar with the law,” said detective Mark English, the Naperville Police Department’s liquor liaison.
Someone under the age of 21 found guilty of the possession, consumption, purchase or receipt of alcohol, can have their driving privileges suspended for at least three months, he explained.
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Phil Nathe, a criminal defense attorney in Naperville, said he has seen a decrease across the board in Naperville in drunken driving tickets and consumption of alcohol arrests.
“You can be at a basement party where you consumed or possessed alcohol without a vehicle being remotely close to you, and you can lose your driving rights,” Nathe said. “That’s definitely a deterrent, and I think kids must have finally heard about that.”
He said another reason for the decrease in underage drinking might be linked to the so-called Social Host law that went into effect at the beginning of 2013 under which any person who knew or should have known that there were people under 21 consuming alcohol at their house can be held criminally responsible.
“I suppose we see a decrease because parents are more in tune,” Nathe said. “The question isn’t just did you know, but should you have known, you were hosting an underage drinking gathering that had a lot of costs associated with it, costs that are not worth the consequences.”
In an effort to limit underage drinking, Naperville School District 203 and Indian Prairie School District 204 also have policies in place to discipline those who do imbibe. Those policies affect students in athletic or extracurricular school activities.
For athletes at Neuqua Valley High School, a first offense could result in losing the ability to play 40 percent of their season. The second offense could result in losing the ability to play for an entire season. And the third offense could make a student ineligible to play sports for the entire school year.
Neuqua Valley Principal Bob McBride also serves as a member of the board of trustees for Kids Matter, a Naperville non-profit organization with a mission of empowering kids to make good choices. He said that he believes the decrease in underage drinking comes from the help of different organizations and operations throughout Naperville.
“I think there’s a number of things going on: schools with athletic and activity codes, schools doing a robust job with deans and health and physical education classes educating students about those kinds of bad behaviors, community organizations like Kids and Parents Matter working with parents to address the issues, and law enforcement being more proactive on those issues,” McBride said.
When a student is charged with violating the school athletic or activity policy for drinking underage, the student or student’s parent can appeal the punishment. McBride said that last year was the first time in many years he did not receive any appeals. McBride said he believes this is a sign of the decrease in underage drinking.
“There are so many aspects of community life in Naperville that have eyes on this issue from enforcement to student and parent education,” McBride said. “We’re not at a perfect place, but I think we’re at a strong place, and I feel positive about the community focus going into the school year.”