A Zero-Tolerance-Juvenile Alcohol Law: Why Legislation Won't Work

A Zero-Tolerance-Juvenile Alcohol Law: Why Legislation Won't Work
John A. Lewis
August 2009

ISBN-13:  978-1-59332-367-7 / Hardcover
Dimensions:  5.5 x 8.5 / xii, 174 pages

Price   $60.00

Description

Currently, there is a dilemma about how to handle alcohol related issues, especially those that involve juvenile offenders and drunk driving. Many traffic safety advocates argue for additional alcohol laws to restrict use and more severe penalties for those laws already being enforced. Conversely, some lawmakers and even college presidents are calling for an ease in the alcohol policies, to include a lower drinking age and state mandated regulation of alcohol use without federal interference. There is little disagreement about the seriousness of DWI offenses. The disagreement is about policy, with the current approach favoring retribution and incarceration, instead of deterrence and rehabilitation. The argument made in this book is that a retribution and incarceration approach has little chance of success and will only add to the problem through higher incarceration rates, the threat of more severe offending, and the implementation of additional policies that will cause net widening.

About the Author

John Lewis served twenty-four years in the Military Police Corps. The majority of his enlistments were spent in Europe with multiple deployments to other locations. After retiring, John, Malia (wife), and Melinda (daughter) moved to Indiana, PA, where they all attend Indiana University of Pennsylvania. After graduating, John taught at The University of Southern Mississippi before returning to IUP.