Lake County judges offer sobering information about underage partying
Nancy Shcuster-Waites and Daniel Shanes are two Lake County Judges who want to educate teenagers about how dangerous it is to "party." They have presented the "7 Reasons to Leave the Party" program at Vernon Hills High School.
Part of the presentation includes demonstrating a breathalyzer and the passing of a medical urinalysis container. If you are convicted of drug use you would be required to provide a urine sample, on a regular basis, in the presence of a probation officer.
Waites and Shanes took the students through a house party. Going room to room discussing the charges they would face if they were caught partying by police and were underage at the time.
According to Shanes, because you are under 18 does not mean you'll be charged as a juvenile. Depending on the circumstances, you may be charged in adult court.
A juvenile could be charged with minor consumption of alcohol, to illegal possession of durgs and drug paraphanalia to criminal sexual abuse.
According to Waites, "A 15 year old person cannot consent to sex." An 18 yeard old who has sex with a 15 year old can be charged with criminal sexual abuse and must register with the state as a sex offender. "When people see sex offender next to your name, they don't think 'he's 18 and had sex with a 15 year old.' They think he's a pedophile."
The charge of sex offender will follow them to college where they will have to notify authorities of their addresses and where they will have to check-in to their dorm room and register.
Illinois is a zero tolerance state. Anyone under the age of 21 caught consuming alcohol can lose their driver's license or have to wait longer to get it.
In addition, anyone who is charged with DUI now must use a portable breath test everytime they drive their car. The drivef must blow into the machine, which checks for alcohol, to start the car, and breath every 10 minutes after to keep the car running. This costs the driver about $1,500 per month
Injury and death are also real consequences of underage partying. Several students where shown pictures of a DUI victim who survived a car crash. Shanes said that when they show students these pictures " you can hear a pin drop, every single time."
Amber Egan and Nicole Mao, both freshmen, found the pictures to be horrifying, were not aware of the new laws and had no idea how costly the fines could be.
They both feel that the presentation wil deter them from partying, however, they say that they do get pressured to drink, do drugs and have sex.
"I don't care which (reason) you pick, just pick one and leve the party," said Shuster-Waites at the close of their presentation.
