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Statement before the Joint Committee on Judiciary of the

Connecticut General Assembly

Testimony in support of HB 5211,

February 24, 2006

Comments by Stephen Guest:

Inaction can be the source of as much damage as action.

 The word inaction characterizes the current approach by most adults to the growing use and abuse of alcohol.  Most parents are terrified of the risks and potentially tragic consequences as their child attends high school and goes away to college.  House parties in many communities are known by the young to be frequent and accessible.  Enforcement of the underage drinking laws rarely results in consequences to those who provide the alcohol.  Policy makers encounter difficulty in enacting effective statewide social host legislation. 

 In the midst of this inaction, the prevailing youth drinking culture grows and becomes more extreme.  Regularly, families are hit with the devastating consequences of the prevailing culture when it’s too late to act.

 Our family experienced the terrible consequences of inaction.  In a situation made possible by the acceptance of the prevailing alcohol culture on most college campuses, my daughter, Kristine, died in an alcohol related incident.  

 This acceptance was not only by the students but also by the college administration that evidence shows gave far from adequate attention to underage drinking on campus and the reckless behavior that often is associated.  Kristine had the misfortune to visit what can appropriately be characterized as a campus out of control.

 Kristine was one of the over 1.400 college aged students who died in an alcohol related incident last year.  She was the victim of the prevailing alcohol culture that develops through high school and then carries to college campuses. 

 Although Kristine was a victim of the prevailing alcohol culture, she did not buy into it. Upon reviewing the circumstances, one can only conclude that Kristine’s death was caused as much by the inaction of the policy makers and others responsible for student safety as by the reckless actions of those attending the party. 

 This is relevant to this Committee in that introduction to the drinking culture begins during the high school years, and even earlier.  Easy access to alcohol at recurring house parties leads to greater expectations by many once they go away to college where any restrictions present at home are now nonexistent.

 The aftermath of Kristine’s accident has caused me to reflect continuously on the issue of underage drinking and what parents and kids are confronting.  Following are ten points which reflects my observations and the experience of my three children:

1. Unfortunately, there will always be minors who seek to drink regularly regardless of the consequences.  However, the majority of teens, possibly matching the 80/20 rule, do not approach the teenage years in this way.  It’s the prevalence of the drinking culture that leads the 80% who are not inclined to frequent exposure to alcohol use and abuse. Some kids are predisposed to drink.  Controls are necessary to limit exposure to those not so inclined.

2. Potential arrest under the proposed statute will be an effective deterrent to the 80% of minors not predisposed to seek drinking opportunities.  This will reduce the frequency of minors drinking on a regular basis.

3. Certain parents allow minors to drink in their house based on the belief that it is safer to have their own kids do their drinking at home. Surely the vast majority of parents whose children attend such house parties in other people’s homes do not approve of their child’s presence.

4. The extreme nature of drinking that is now frequent among youth more regularly occurs in residences.  The drinking games that excessive drinking is often organized around are not as conducive in settings other than a private residence.

5. As a parent of a child who suffered the ultimate consequence of the prevailing drinking culture, I am much more concerned with identifying and punishing the adult enablers than in punishing minors, except in where the case minors are repeat offenders.

6. Minors who possess alcohol should be held accountable and encouraged to seek help where necessary.  The prime purposes for the consequences should be more as a determent, than a weapon.  As for adults, the full enforcement efforts and consequences must be borne on those who facilitate underage drinking.

7. While those drinking excessively are most at risk to suffer the negative consequences of their actions, those who choose not to drink are also at risk.  This was the case with Kristine.  Although she unintentionally found herself in the midst of scores of underage students drinking excessively, she had little, if anything to drink that night as evidenced by post-mortem test results.

8. We cannot rely upon the judgment of adults aware of underage drinking parties to control the excesses and risky behavior that often results.  The college that Kristine had the misfortune to visit was not only aware of the drinking by minors both on and near campus, but also was aware and temporarily present while the reckless activity that eventually led to tragedy was occurring.

9. All adults need to get serious about the prevailing alcohol culture and not wait until tragedy causes them to act upon their concern.

10. Passage of HB 5211 is a first step in a long effort to curb and control the prevailing drinking culture among minors.

  The General Assembly must act now to assist communities in their attempt to stop and to intervene in house parties.  While over one-quarter of the municipalities have enacted house party ordinances, the nature of a municipal ordinance in contrast with a state criminal statute continues to handcuff the enforcement efforts of local police.  HB 5211 is necessary for effective enforcement. This will lead to a change in attitudes since there will be genuine consequences to hosts of house parties and those minors in attendance.

 Kristine’s tragedy was the direct result of inaction by responsible individuals.  “We all make mistakes” was the response by the college president to the accident and school policies that led to the accident, as recently reported in the local press.  I hope after learning the circumstances of that evening, we can agree that the consequence of the college’s mistake is too significant to allow further similar mistakes.

 My wife and I urge you to support HB 5211 and submit the bill to the full General Assembly.  More importantly, we urge passage by both houses during this session.  An effective state social host statute is long overdue in Connecticut. With passage of HB 5211, inaction by this body will not be identified as the direct cause of future tragedies.  We will never know which lives passage of this bill may save in the future.  However, inaction will surely contribute to numerous additional unnecessary and avoidable tragedies.  We cannot accept further mistakes.

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In loving Memory of Kristine Guest