A 31 percent increase in the number of on-campus alcohol violations at the University of Michigan has resulted in a lot of publicity surrounding changes to how the university handles drug and alcohol offenses. The university has attracted attention by attempting to crack down on student’s illicit alcohol and drug use by notifying parents when their children are repeat violators.
The University of Michigan isn’t the only college or university in the state noticing a problem with drugs and alcohol on campus. There has been an uptick in alcohol and drug crimes at a number of Michigan universities, where students often view drinking as a rite of passage. Further, an increasingly relaxed attitude toward drugs — especially marijuana — has led to a rising number of violations that shows no signs of slowing.
Here in Lansing, there are indications at Michigan State University that alcohol and drug violations may be increasing based on the number of students cited already this year. This is despite the efforts of an anti-alcohol abuse campaign that had been incredibly effective at MSU in recent years. Even colleges that traditionally had lower incidences of reported drug and alcohol violations, like Lansing Community College and Great Lakes Christian College, are being affected.
What Do These Increased Violations Mean for Michigan College Students?
So what does this all mean? At the very least, colleges across Michigan are cracking down on students for underage drinking and illegal drug use, whether the incidents occurred on or off campus. Increased alcohol and drug use have been associated with an increased number of reported sex crimes — another problem that Michigan universities struggle to control.
It’s not surprising then that universities are strictly enforcing drug and alcohol policies. On-campus parties are being policed more strictly at universities like MSU. Commuter schools like Lansing Community College have enacted policies that punish off-campus crimes as though they happened at school, and colleges with strict no-tolerance values systems like Great Lakes Christian College are not hesitating to enforce them.
How a Lansing Criminal Defense Lawyer Can Help
Law enforcement is taking a similarly heavy-handed approach. Even misdemeanors like underage alcohol possession and underage drinking are prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law in the hopes of getting the college alcohol and drug problem under control.
While the increase in alcohol and drug violations on college campuses has not been as pronounced in some parts of Michigan, including here in Lansing, young people accused of such crimes should take any arrest very seriously and talk to a Lansing criminal defense lawyer about options for fighting their charges.
If you are a student accused of a crime related to alcohol or drugs, call DeBruin Law today at 517-324-4303 for a free consultation with a Lansing criminal defense lawyer about your case. We will do everything we can to help you avoid or lessen the consequences of a criminal conviction. We’ll also work to protect your record, including helping you try to avoid any potential on-campus fallout that may affect your education or your progress toward your degree.