The Green County United Prevention Professionals for Youth (GUPPY) Coalition, the Green County Sheriff's Office, Green County District Attorney's Office, and the police departments of Monroe, Brodhead, New Glarus, Albany and Monticello are continuing joint efforts to prevent adult hosted drinking parties in Green County. Together, according to a statement, they are using the 'Parents Who Host Lose the Most: Don't Be a Party to Underage Drinking' campaign.
Those who purchase, provide or pour alcohol for anyone under age 21, except their own child, are breaking the law and will be charged under state or municipal law. Sometimes it isn't a parent providing the alcohol, but an adult sibling or other family member. Legal-aged family members, often just a few years older than the underage drinkers, are frequent sources of alcohol for youth.
The parental exception for serving alcohol applies only to parents and spouses; if a 21 year old gives a beer to his 19 year old brother, it is a crime.
Adults who furnish alcohol to teenage drinkers will pay a monetary penalty of $452 for a first offense. Penalties for subsequent convictions of furnishing alcohol to underage persons are criminal offenses with escalating penalties up to a $10,000 fine and a nine-month jail sentence for fourth and subsequent offenses within a 30 month time period.
Wisconsin law provides adults with civil immunity when they provide alcohol to other adults in a social setting, but there is no immunity if the adult provides or serves alcohol to an underage drinker. Purchase, provide or pour alcohol for underage drinkers and the people they injure could sue if alcohol was a substantial factor in the accident. There is also criminal liability for adults who furnish alcohol to a child under the age of 18 years, when alcohol consumption results in death or great bodily harm to that child. When a child suffers great bodily harm or death as a result of consuming alcohol, the adult furnishing the alcohol could be fined and sent to prison for up to ten years.
Even if everyone gets home safely, adult hosts may be fined at least $500 for a first offense under state law.
If a second offense occurs within 30 months, a possible 30-day jail sentence can be added to the $500 fine. Should a third offense occur, the fine jumps to $1,000 and maximum jail time increases to 90 days.
In an effort to dissuade underage drinking, the Green County law enforcement community will be instituting the following policy changes for underage drinking violations:
Effective May 1, when Green County law enforcement agencies issue citations to underage persons for illegal consumption and illegal possession of alcohol beverages, they will be requiring all underage persons to make a mandatory court appearance and requesting that the Circuit Court Judge impose a minimum 60 day suspension of the underage person's Wisconsin Operating Privileges. In addition, law enforcement agencies will request longer license suspensions for subsequent offenses as follows:
- 60 days: first offense (range is 30 to 90 day suspension)
- 120 days: second offense (maximum is up to 180 day suspension)
- 180 days: third offense (maximum is up to 1 year suspension )
- 270 days: fourth offense (maximum is up to 1 year suspension)
Those who purchase, provide or pour alcohol for anyone under age 21, except their own child, are breaking the law and will be charged under state or municipal law. Sometimes it isn't a parent providing the alcohol, but an adult sibling or other family member. Legal-aged family members, often just a few years older than the underage drinkers, are frequent sources of alcohol for youth.
The parental exception for serving alcohol applies only to parents and spouses; if a 21 year old gives a beer to his 19 year old brother, it is a crime.
Adults who furnish alcohol to teenage drinkers will pay a monetary penalty of $452 for a first offense. Penalties for subsequent convictions of furnishing alcohol to underage persons are criminal offenses with escalating penalties up to a $10,000 fine and a nine-month jail sentence for fourth and subsequent offenses within a 30 month time period.
Wisconsin law provides adults with civil immunity when they provide alcohol to other adults in a social setting, but there is no immunity if the adult provides or serves alcohol to an underage drinker. Purchase, provide or pour alcohol for underage drinkers and the people they injure could sue if alcohol was a substantial factor in the accident. There is also criminal liability for adults who furnish alcohol to a child under the age of 18 years, when alcohol consumption results in death or great bodily harm to that child. When a child suffers great bodily harm or death as a result of consuming alcohol, the adult furnishing the alcohol could be fined and sent to prison for up to ten years.
Even if everyone gets home safely, adult hosts may be fined at least $500 for a first offense under state law.
If a second offense occurs within 30 months, a possible 30-day jail sentence can be added to the $500 fine. Should a third offense occur, the fine jumps to $1,000 and maximum jail time increases to 90 days.
In an effort to dissuade underage drinking, the Green County law enforcement community will be instituting the following policy changes for underage drinking violations:
Effective May 1, when Green County law enforcement agencies issue citations to underage persons for illegal consumption and illegal possession of alcohol beverages, they will be requiring all underage persons to make a mandatory court appearance and requesting that the Circuit Court Judge impose a minimum 60 day suspension of the underage person's Wisconsin Operating Privileges. In addition, law enforcement agencies will request longer license suspensions for subsequent offenses as follows:
- 60 days: first offense (range is 30 to 90 day suspension)
- 120 days: second offense (maximum is up to 180 day suspension)
- 180 days: third offense (maximum is up to 1 year suspension )
- 270 days: fourth offense (maximum is up to 1 year suspension)
