2008 Woodie Awards
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Staff writer
sascamed@isugw.indstate.edu
A survey conducted on the ISU campus showed that 40 percent of students between the ages of 18 and 22 have owned or currently own a fake driver's license.
This is not a problem at only Indiana State, but at several other colleges throughout Indiana, as well.
Wendell McCollough, a detective at the Indiana State University Police Department, said fake IDs are a hot commodity to many college-age students.
"In all honesty, we know that there is a problem, but it is hard for us to stop it because most people don't buy them here at ISU, they bring them from out of state," McCollough said.
When asked why they had fake IDs, a majority of students said it was because they wanted to purchase alcohol.
"Having a fake ID can eliminate trying to find someone that is legally allowed to purchase alcohol," said 20-year-old Rick Davis, a sophomore electronic technology major. "This way you can just walk into the store and pick (the alcohol) up yourself and not have to wait for someone that is 21."
In Terre Haute, local police now work at the front doors of local bars such as the Ballyhoo to ensure that minors are not admitted.
In addition to police checking identification, Indiana Excise Police periodically attend public venues to find underage drinking in the act.
"The only advice I can give students is wait until the legal age to consume alcohol," McCollough said. "It is very unsafe when minors drink, simply because they do not drink responsibly."
Students should also be aware of the consequences of getting caught with a fake ID.
"Possessing false identification is a class C infraction," McCollough said. "What this means is it is not a jailable offense, but large fines are given out for consumption of alcohol by a minor."
McCollough said if a student were to be found consuming alcohol with a fake ID, he or she would most likely be written a ticket and given a court date.
There have been several steps taken by the state to stop this growing problem, however.
At Indiana University in Bloomington, Ind., alcohol vendors and several taverns have acquired machines that read the bar code on the back of Indiana driver's licenses to see if the ID is real or not.
"I think that (the machines) are a good way to ensure that people under the age of 21 don't get into trouble, and ultimately stay safe and sober," said Stephen Reiman, a sophomore geology student at ISU.
Detective McCollough said that students should always know the consequences of their actions before they commit the act, which is why he created the "Ask Mac Sessions."
"The Ask Mac Sessions is a forum on Facebook where students at Indiana State can ask officers from Public Safety questions about the law," McCollough said. "This, in turn, can help students be aware of what could happen to them under Indiana law, especially because there are many students coming to ISU from other states."
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