Police, Community Advocates, Teens Unite At Underage Drinking Prevention Conference

ORLANDO, August 2, 2007 - Police raids on out-of-control underage drinking house parties hosted by parents are making news across the country. In many resort areas, alcohol-fueled spring break vacations have become a dreaded community nightmare. And teens continue to be injured and killed in drunken driving crashes. Yet there are calls to lower the drinking age to 18 because some believe that will solve these problems.

Underage drinking costs the nation $60 billion annually. Alcohol still remains the No. 1 killer of youth - 6.5 times more than all other illegal drugs combined. Now, communities are being proactive to prevent the problems of underage drinking.

From August 1-4, law enforcement professionals from Orlando, Orange County and other jurisdictions in the state will join more than 1,500 individuals from across the country for a conference on underage drinking prevention. Sponsored by the Office of Justice Programs' Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) within the U.S. Department of Justice, the three-day National Leadership Conference is designed to support OJJDP's Enforcing Underage Drinking Laws Program and includes workshops that feature scientific, evidence-based solutions to problems related to underage drinking. The conference is co-sponsored by the National Liquor Law Enforcement Association (NLLEA).

"Underage drinking is not having a glass of wine at dinner with your parents. Underage drinking is a significant public health and safety issue," said J. Robert Flores, Administrator of OJJDP. "Alcohol affects teens differently than adults. A teenager may look like an adult, but teenagers' bodies are still developing. According to the American Medical Association, it takes less alcohol for a teen to get drunk than it does for a 20-something adult."

Called "Empowering Leadership to Enhance What Works," the conference showcases proven examples of community groups and law enforcement working together to effectively address out-of-control house parties, drunken driving and binge drinking. Research indicates that the best way to stop the sale of alcohol to minors is through regular police enforcement of liquor laws. Results of a five-year national study show that consistent, regular enforcement is necessary to reduce alcohol sales to minors. This conference links law enforcement with community groups and young people to work together on solving the underage drinking epidemic.

"There are tools available and strategies in place to reduce the number of preventable injuries, crime and deaths linked to underage drinking," said Shawn Walker, NLLEA President. "By enforcing laws already on the books, officers can stop outlets from selling alcohol to youth. This is just a first step toward protecting the public safety and the health of our communities."

Surveys show, however, that most youth obtain alcohol at a private residence. In fact, nearly 75 percent of young people say that the last time they binge drank or consumed five or more drinks, it was either at their home or someone else's home. High school seniors list parties as the place where they get alcohol more than half of the time.

"As retail-oriented enforcement takes off in local communities, the need for enforcement directed at the social availability of alcohol becomes more obvious. Party patrol and controlled party dispersal operations address this need," Walker said.

On Friday, August 3, conference law enforcement participants will ride along with Orange County officers to conduct random checks of local liquor stores using undercover decoys who attempt to purchase alcohol. Media also are invited to participate.

For more information about the conference or to arrange an interview, please contact Michelle Blackston at (301) 523-9921 or [email protected] or log onto to www.dgimeetings.com/nlc/.