Judicial Action on Underage Drinking:

Reno Judges Pilot Alternative Sentencing Options to Address College Drinking (NV)

University of Nevada Reno (UNR) students report that involvement with the local judiciary system is often less of a concern in comparison to the university student conduct system that is punitive as to behavioral changes and inconsistent in the penalties assigned each individual. To address this disparity, Reno Municipal Court Judges and Justice Court Judges met with UNR representatives to discuss court practices involving local college students and to establish informal agreements to pilot alternative sentencing options for first time and repeat alcohol-related offenses committed by college students. The change in court practices was launched in fall 2009 and is being evaluated locally to determine effectiveness of the court-appointed programs and their impact on reducing alcohol-related crimes and recidivism rates of this young population.

To read more about Reno’s efforts to address college drinking, click on https://www.udetc.org/documents/judicial/0310eNews/Reno.pdf.

Underage Drinking and the Justice Community

By Judge Ronald Bogle (Ret.)

As the Nation struggles with the problem of underage drinking, stronger enforcement of existing laws is one of the most commonly recommended environmental strategies for prevention. To occur, the greater justice community (judges, prosecutors, and law enforcement) must recognize the problem for what it really is—arguably the Nation’s worst drug problem and a genuine public health threat.

On March 6, 2007, then U.S. Surgeon General, RADM Kenneth Moritsugu, issued a national “Call to Action” to prevent underage drinking. A “Call to Action” is a science driven intervention, intended to mobilize all sectors of society when medical science conclusively identifies a national public health threat. Underage drinking is such a threat.

To read the entire article, click on https://www.udetc.org/documents/judicial/0310eNews/Bogle.pdf.

Reno Judges, University of Nevada at Reno Student Code of Conduct Officers, and Police Innovatively Address College Drinking

Date: Wednesday, April 28, 2010

Time: 3:00-4:15 p.m. Eastern

Description: This program is the sixth in a series of audio-teleconference presentations produced by the Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation (PIRE) and the American Probation and Parole Association (APPA) in cooperation with the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) with a focus on the relationship of the judicial and probation communities and the issues related to underage alcohol abuse.

University of Nevada Reno (UNR) students reported that involvement with the local judiciary system was often less of a concern in comparison to the university student conduct system; punitive as to behavior changing; and inconsistent in the penalties assigned each individual. To address this disparity, Reno Municipal Court Judges and Justice Court Judges met with UNR representatives to discuss court practices involving local college students, and established informal agreements to pilot alternative sentencing options for first time and repeat alcohol-related offenses committed by college students. The change in court practices launched in fall 2009, and is being locally evaluated to determine effectiveness of the court appointed programs and their impact on reducing alcohol-related crimes and recidivism rates of this youth population. Our program will feature representatives from UNR and the local courts who will present information about their efforts and preliminary data that suggest the alternative sentencing practices are having an impact.

*Visit https://www.udetc.org/audioconf_judicialregistration.asp to register for this program and see a schedule of upcoming audio conferences. Please visit our website to listen to our past programs that may be of interest to you.*

Teen drinking may cause irreversible brain damage (Published January 25, 2010, Washington, D.C.)

Host of underage drinking party pleads guilty (Published February 18, 2010, CA)

St. Cloud city proposals target excessive drinking (Published February 28, 2010, MN)

An Underage Drinker Challenges her Conviction by Suggesting the Local Ordinance is Preempted by California Law (January 2010, MD)

This information was compiled to help interested individuals learn about legal considerations related to underage drinking and the impact of public policy and enforcement in reducing underage alcohol availability and consumption, and the many negative consequences associated with this high risk behavior.

Appellant Jennifer S., a person under the age of 21, was charged and convicted of violating County Code section 9.42.020,1 which makes it a misdemeanor for a person under 21 to have a blood alcohol level of .01 percent or more while in a public place within the County. She appeals her conviction by arguing the local ordinance was preempted by state law and therefore void. Please click here to read this interesting opinion.