To many people, drinking alcohol is a part of college life. Sometimes these few years are the only time in life when people can drink like they do. But are college students taking it too far? I recently had an interview with Tony Rook, the court administrator in Starkville, to receive some statistics on the alcohol problem in Starkville.
In 2005, there were 854 alcohol-related cases. Not to say every case involved college students, but in a city with about 16,000 students and 16,000 non-students, we contribute a larger part to the cases. 2005 also had 71 fake ID charges. It’s not a secret people can make fake ID cards or that big brothers and sisters get their licenses duplicated for younger siblings.
Also, I guess with confidence that the major portion of the 175 MIPs (minors in possession) in 2005 were committed by college students. I think the only way MIPs would decrease is if the drinking age is lowered, which probably won’t happen in the next decade.
But I don’t think the biggest problem is just minors drinking; it’s drinking and driving. Although Rook told me the officers have been more aggressive with DUIs this year, 58 DUIs occurred in January 2006.
Because the number of DUIs have already doubled compared to January from last year (about 24), I asked Rook if he thought it had anything to do with the selling of cold beer. He brought up a good point, saying that when Starkville didn’t sell cold beer, people had to drive to places like West Point, only to drink the beer they bought on the way back to town.
Students who drink need to be more responsible with their alcohol, considering not only the dangers but also the laws that come along with it. If a person gets into a wreck while drinking and the other person is killed, the drinker is charged with manslaughter.
Personally, if I were too drunk to drive, I would take the smaller charge of public drunkenness rather than the possibility of going to jail for killing someone. Also, there are many well-located convenient stores where people should walk to get their beer instead of driving there.
So far in 2006, there have been 93 alcohol-related cases. With last year’s monthly average being 71, it makes me wonder if this year will be one to remember at the police station.
As for my question of are we out of control or not, I have no answer quite yet. But students need to be more responsible with alcohol, whether they are in vehicles or a bar.