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Ventura, Oxnard party hosts cited for teen drinking
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More from County NewsVentura and Oxnard police issued citations to the hosts of four weekend parties with alleged underage drinking, — including one with children as young as 14 — as part of a countywide legal crackdown on teenage alcohol use.
With the addition of Port Hueneme this month, all 10 cities in Ventura County and its unincorporated areas now have so-called "social host liability laws" — making it the only county in the nation with such rules in every jurisdiction, local officials said.
The laws aim to prevent underage drinking parties and curb binge alcohol use by fining the parties' hosts.
Ventura's ordinance took effect this month, and patrol officers recently trained on its provisions wasted no time in enforcing it, breaking up three loud parties and issuing three citations in a two-hour period between 10 p.m. and midnight Friday, police reported.
Those receiving the civil citations, which carry fines of up to $1,000 in Ventura, were a 20-year-old who hosted a party on Neath Street for more than 100 people, a 25-year-old who had a house party on Ocean Avenue, and a 19-year-old whose party on Bayshore Avenue included a 14-year-old, police said.
"We will not turn a blind eye to those providing alcohol to minors," police Lt. Quinn Fenwick said.
'Just scratching the surface'
Parents, friends and teens can be fined if caught hosting underage-drinking parties, which are the biggest source of alcohol to young people, said Dan Hicks, a county drug and alcohol specialist and program administrator for Ventura County Limits, an initiative to curb underage and binge drinking.
"This is just scratching the surface of what is occurring," Hicks said of Ventura's first weekend of enforcement.
The Ventura County Sheriff's Department has issued 51 citations since the first ordinance took effect in Ojai in early 2006. Fourteen citations were in unincorporated areas, followed by 13 in Camarillo, 12 in Thousand Oaks, eight in Ojai, two in Moorpark and two in Fillmore.
Oxnard police have issued nine, the latest coming early Sunday at a house party on North M Street, where a "16-year-old girl was left in charge of the home by a woman who left for Las Vegas," police Cmdr. Tom Chronister said.
Police found 35 to 40 underage people drinking at the party, which was broken up after gunshots were reported by neighbors, police said. Police recovered bullet casings in the backyard.
"This is the kind of party where you have a mix of ages and a lot of young girls drinking where it's a sexual assault waiting to happen," Chronister said.
No citations have yet been issued in Simi Valley. Port Hueneme passed its ordinance earlier this month, but the law has not yet taken effect. Figures for Santa Paula were not available.
One reason Simi has not issued a citation is that its social-host law requires police to actually see the minors consuming alcohol, which can be difficult if police are not allowed inside a residence, Sgt. Dave Livingstone said.
The fines range from $500 in Camarillo and Oxnard to $2,500 in Thousand Oaks.
According to surveys conducted by the Ventura County Behavioral Health Department from 2002 to 2004, nearly 78 percent of 18-year-olds and 73 percent of 19-year-olds convicted of driving under the influence were drinking at a private residence or house party before their arrest.
The younger the offender, the more likely they were drinking at a private home, Hicks said.
Fighting marketing efforts
He and others say they are battling marketing efforts of the alcohol industry and a social norm that says drinking at home is OK.
The highest grossing film over the weekend was the raunchy teen comedy "Superbad," which follows two teenage best friends as they try to score alcohol for an underage house party.
Social-host citations "will become more of a deterrent as enforcement increases and media attention increases," said Ojai Councilwoman Rae Hanstad, a policy consultant to the Ventura County Limits group. "The goal has always been for every jurisdiction to enforce the law and educate at the same time."
Posted by gayala70 on August 29, 2007 at 8:35 a.m. (Suggest removal)
This is probably one of the best things that has happened in a long time. Parents should not be leaving 16 year old kids in charge of themselves much less a home for a weekened while they go to Vegas and they wonder why kids are careless. Look who their parents are for role models?
Posted by RC on August 29, 2007 at 10:18 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I think that's great that they are cracking down on these irresponsible parents that are either hosting these parties or leaving their children alone while they take off to Vegas ....however, when I was 16 years I was always up for these alcohol hosted house parties. Couldn't wait to get my hands on a cup of jungle juice
Posted by gayala70 on August 29, 2007 at 10:25 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Yeah, I was to, but how times have changed and I do remember my first drink was a cup of jungle juice at a friends parent house, but my parent would have killed me had they known.
Posted by RC on August 29, 2007 at 10:38 a.m. (Suggest removal)
yes times have changed because back in the late 80's I don't really remember any gangs and certainly there were no guns being fired. Yeah the occasional fight would break out but it was with fists...no bats or guns involved. It was all about jungle juice dancing, making out with boys and dancing to RUN DMC,Apollonia 6 and Pebbles. AAh those were the days
Posted by gayala70 on August 29, 2007 at 10:47 a.m. (Suggest removal)
That's exactly how it was, but I think the late 80's is when the gangs really started coming around. I did notice the changes when at the end of my high school years. What a shame, my husbnd and I don't even go out too much because even the adults at bars can't leave that gang s&*t alone. What are they going to be doing? Banging at 50 with grey hair and all? Some of them even have teen age kids with kids and they are out there being idiots, but I'm glad about the crack down on the kids.
Posted by angrygirl8284 on August 29, 2007 at 11:28 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I keep seeing "times have changed", but I graduated high school just 7 years ago and not once did I encounter gangs or guns at party. Maybe it was the fact that I grew up in Newbury Park or maybe I just got lucky. Who knows. But I am glad for this law. Too many kids get drunk at these parties and then get behind the wheel of a car. Maybe this will help prevent such actions.
Posted by RC on August 29, 2007 at 11:36 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Well angrygirl8284 times have changed, things are much worse now. Even the video games are more violent now..we were playing Pac Man or would kill space invaders not somthing that would portray people, plus the population was alot less 20 years ago. And ur probably right, it may have to with the fact that you grew up in Newbury Park...is there evena ghetto in NP??
Posted by Face on August 29, 2007 at 1:16 p.m. (Suggest removal)
They should increase the fine to a minimum of $10,000 for homeowners. Since leaving little Johhny alone to do God knows what for a long weekend is of little concern for "parents" nowadays, maybe the real threat of a real punishment might make them think twice.
Posted by justareader on August 29, 2007 at 7:14 p.m. (Suggest removal)
i admit...i have left my 16 year old home while out of town for the weekend. but i also took all the alcohol out of the house and gave it to the neighbors. i also told my neighbors not to hesitate to call us and the cops if they thought something not ok was going on. my child was totally aware of all the people watching and maybe that's why there were no issues. my neighbors even brought him dinner one night just to make sure he had some 'real' food while we were gone. it's a community effort to raise kids. they need to know they are accountable for all their actions - not just by their family...but by the neighbors, community, and police. i think this accountability is great. my 16 year old is now an adult living at home with a teenage brother. i never hesitate to tell him the rules no matter what they are. they were 'home alone' a couple of weeks ago and i told him straight up that there would be no alcohol of any kind and that neither i nor the neighbors would hesitate to call the cops. did i mention - all my kids (even my 10 year old) know that i wouldn't even dream of taking away the advneture of their night in jail if that's where they ended up. like i said....parental effort with community accountability with parental back-up.
Posted by slkrchck on August 29, 2007 at 8:54 p.m. (Suggest removal)
What the heck is jungle juice?
And since when does the Star familiarize itself with street slang? Score alcohol? Sure, we all know what it means, but by using English instead, I am able to somewhat separate myself from these low rent activities.
Posted by RC on August 30, 2007 at 7:40 a.m. (Suggest removal)
if I remeber correctly, jungle juice is a mixture of fruit juice with everything but the kitchen sink mixed in with it.
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