Underage Drinking As A Deviant Behavior
Deviance describes a behavior or action that violates social and cultural norms. A behavior that is a violation to a society norm is ordained a criminal law by the state and federal government. In this paper I will evaluate the deviance of underage drinking within ages 14-20-year old. Although alcohol is mainly consumed by adults many young teens develop curiosities to try alcohol. These curiosities include: what does it taste like? Is it sweet? Bitter? Is it that strong that it makes people act differently? Many times, older siblings or other family members are the first to introduce a young teen to alcohol. Reported problem drinkers are more prone to peer pressure and less parental guidance on the use of alcohol. Many people believed that consuming alcohol at a young age is a step towards using illegal drugs, committing greater illegal acts, committing serious offenses such as drunk driving, and being confronted by the police for crazy behavior.
Adolescent alcohol use is truly a major social problem. In order to limit these acts and behaviors, many states have raised the legal drinking age to 21. Many communities have created alcohol awareness programs to help prevent underage drinking. These efforts reflect the realization that alcohol is related to law breaking and criminal behaviors. Even though underage drinking is classified as deviant, in reality, this is quite common and often accepted by youth and adults. We look at the specific legal consequences of the behavior, the historical roots of the deviance of underage drinking from social and cultural norms, and theories that connects to underage drinking. “Alcohol use has not always occurred, it seems to emerge later in life as an increase in social interaction”. This behavior is deemed both cultural and social because many people in America drink when there is a purpose for alcohol. Social drinking is very similar to being a responsible drinker. In many western cultures, good news is often a reason for having a few drinks to celebrate. Drinking is also very common at celebrations such as weddings and birthdays. Teenagers see friends and family drink socially and culturally, which makes them believe it is okay. Many young teenagers don’t know their alcohol limit and when to stop drinking. A spike in a drink can lead to heavy drinking and even death.
Some of the legal consequences that are associated with underage drinking according to the research in Center for Disease Control and Prevention, it included punishment in forms such as drivers license suspension, intention of possible jail time, big fines, community services and even academic suspension. These are risks of underage drinking that teenagers engage in when they are intoxicated. This can lead to drunk driving, going to the emergency room, and reckless acts that can cause harm to the body. “Moderate to heavy drinking are known causes of chronic health conditions. Chronic health conditions can include cancer, diabetes, or heart disease that can even lead to death”. Underage drinking has never always been viewed as deviant because many young adolescents are subconsciously aware of the way other labels them and their actions reflect that. This is why many young adolescents are labeled as a student or child who drinks because that is what they do. As stated, underage drinking is quite common and often accepted by youth and adults. Underage drinking according to the National Minimum Drinking Age Act, which was passed in 1984 has raised the drinking age to 21. Between the 1970s to 1975 states lowered the legal drinking age from 21 to 18. This was because of the 26th amendment which decreased the voting age from 21 down to 18. Considering the voting age to 18, it made sense to lower the legal drinking age also to 18.
In reference to the historical roots, many young students are offered alcohol from their employer as a payment for a day of working hard. The deviance in underage drinking being labeled criminal has changed tremendously throughout time. The drinking of alcohol is a big part of college rituals such as fraternity and sporting events. This has allowed young students to test the boundaries of their new freedoms. This has also helped them to overcome their shyness in a social environment. Young adults found that drinking is an activity in which they associate it as a bonding, escaping or having fun. This behavior has been ignored by college administration and law enforcement. Deviancy in underage drinking being criminal has been changed and varied throughout history. In the United States, no one can drink legally until the age of 21. According to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, in consumption, many of those who are under the age of 21 have tried alcohol at some time in their growth. It so happens that thirty-seven states have exception in their drinking law which allow underage individuals to consume alcohol at home surrounded by their own family members or allow parents to buy alcohol to minors at home. Some states such as Arkansas prohibit underage individuals from having alcohol but their parents can give alcohol to their own children. It raises confusion whether the parent or child is still breaking the law. This is a critical problem having to face as government can’t figure out what the actual legal drinking law is, which is a huge problem. Many people are convicted for crimes that they don’t understand because laws are confusing and probably not specific enough.
Many social forces influenced this deviant behavior. Looking into medical institutions, “moderate to heavy drinking are known causes of chronic health conditions. Chronic health conditions can include cancer, diabetes, or heart disease that can even lead to death”. Alcohol use involved in roughly one hundred thousand deaths and plays a major role in medical and social problems in the United States. Alcohol use has been known to demonstrate a risk factor for multiple vehicle injuries and car crashes in this country. A misuse of alcohol challenges population health, medical service cost and society. Majority of young adolescents with alcohol problem do not seek help because they do not view their drinking as problematic. In emergency departments, excessive alcohol consumption impacts acute and chronic diseases that require screening, getting admitted, and increase in bills. Another social force that influences the deviant behavior is family, and parental concerns of safety and controlling their children. Parents who think their young adolescents are safe because they agree not to drink much, are actually only preventing one third of underage drinking. Parents provide adolescents with alcohol through supplying such as parental supervision, parental presence while drinking and parental supply of alcohol to an adolescent. Parental provision has influence young adolescent alcohol consumption and cause related health or mental problems to the child. In some instance, this may cause an increase in heavy binge drinking as well as high alcohol-related problems. Parents fail to oversee activities while their child lives at home, having mood swings, attitude changes, and not guarding access to alcohol at home. As adolescents mature into their senior year of high school, parents begin to feel more comfortable about allowing them to consume alcohol even though they are underage. Parents have the greatest influence in changing this deviant behavior. It is important for parents to talk to children early and make sure the child is comfortable in opening up about their actions.
In reflecting the social context in underage drinking, the U. S. Department of Health and Human Services provided that the population what are most at risk of underage drinking are considered those who are in the process of a developmental change. Those who are risk takers, have low expectancy, personality characteristics such as being hyperactive, depressed, withdrawn, or even rebellious. For societal cost in underage drinking is explained that it is has led to 3170 deaths and 2. 6 million other harmful incidents. This has estimated to billions of medical costs, work loss, and even lost of an individual personal life.
Cultural approaches to understanding the problem of underage drinking are crucial because increasing evidence strongly explain the role of development through theories concerning this deviant issue. Many theories related to deviance and crimes have appeared within time. Theories are applied to many types of deviant behavior and are used to explain many forms of deviance in society. Social learning theory and social control Theory in an integrative approach are used to understand underage drinking as a deviant behavior. Social learning theory is the way humans learn social conduct through observing one another. Young adolescents learn from observing parents, friends, and society. If an action is positive, most likely you will repeat it. If an action is negative, you will be less inclined to repeat that action. Sometimes these learned social behaviors are met with rewards and some is met with punishment. For example, alcohol consumption is rewarded at parties or relationships. Alcohol consumption can also lead to punishment such as drunk driving, jail time, fines, academic failures and many more.
The media plays a huge role in Social learning theory encouraging underage drinking by showing characters drinking alcohol in a TV show or movie such as Super Bad, Mean Girls, American Pie and Project X. These TV shows and movies portray the same stereotypes such as big groups of friends, popular girls/groups, and invitation to large parties. Many young adolescents believe that in order to fit in a group or school, they need ideas. Those ideas such as consuming alcohol can come from watching TV shows and movies that are listed. Brands such as four loco or ice tea market the teenage audience by creating fruity flavors and added sugar to disguise the use of alcohol contained in the drink.
Herschi’s social control theory defines crime as an act of force in pursuit of self-interest. Therefore, underage drinking is similar as being an act taking in pursuit of self interest. Due to low self-control, criminal act provides immediate indulgence of desires. Immediate indulgence that comes from underage drinking can be considered from the social acceptance of a party. It also comes from the lack of courage to saying no to a drink, fitting in easily, and that criminal acts can be risky and exciting. Underage drinking provides a sense of risk especially with those who have low sense of control and provide feeling of being adventurism. Crime provide long term benefits, so behaviors in underage drinking will lead to long term of unstable friendship, and crime require a little skill or planning. Therefore, with underage drinking it doesn’t require any sort of skill and comes from being intoxicated.
Alcohol affects the teenage brain more than the adult brain because a young adolescent’s brain is still developing. Drinking reduces the ability to concentrate and control the nerves and impulses, which causes a young adolescent to do something they would never do. When a person is intoxicated they tend to have mood swings, act tougher, or behave differently. Many underage drinkers can not remember the things they did while intoxicated the next day. Crime often result in pain or discomfort for the victim. This comes from realization after the fact that they are behind the wheel during an incident. Again, consequences are then applied to them once a crime results in damage relating to the victim.
According to the National Institute of Alcohol Consumption and Alcoholism, people drink to socialize with friends, celebrate an event, and relaxing such as: enjoying a movie, post cleaning, and after a long day at work. Many people don’t understand the power of alcohol consumption which is why many individuals act and feel differently. Underage drinking leads to serious health and law enforcement issues in the United States even though there are laws that prohibit underage drinking. In examining the social responses of underage drinking, many parents are concerned about the effect of drinking that ruins their relationships with their teenagers. Alcohol use among young adolescent’s population has led to negative consequences. These consequences include car crashes, suicide, unintentional deaths, sexual assault, and academic failures in high school and college institutions. These consequences have affected everyone around them such as neighbors, families, and random individuals. Underage drinking has a negative impact socially. Many young adolescents may feel that because a vehicle incident has not occurred to them because they are a responsible drinker, which results in them to continue drinking. Until an incident occurs to the victim, they will continue having the intention that they act different from others when consuming alcohol.
Individual have a positive and negative reaction to the deviant behavior of underage drinking. The result of curiosity is very natural in every human being. Feeling of fitting in and gaining rewards has influenced many underage drinkers. Rewards as explained earlier include an invitation to a house party as an example. In order to interact with people better, many young adolescents who are shy tend to consume alcohol to shake off their shyness and be more open to talk to people. Although, individuals have some positive reaction to underage drinking, others think otherwise. Consequences of underage drinking are associated with risky tasks after being intoxicated. Risky tasks can include violence, sexual assault, vandalism, and damage to oneself, others, and property.
Underage drinking harms others because the victim may result in taking the life of another. Adolescent drinking is more prone to drink and drive which may cause a hit and run, car crash, and other life threatening situations. This impacts the behavior of society in a negative way. There have been multiple incidents on the news regarding underage drinking incidents that cause the media to think about how parents are handling their children’s deviant behavior. As explained earlier, parent’s involvement is important in their children growth development.
Those who are labeled deviant are treated in society as an example for others to not follow. If an individual committed a crime and is punished for it, others may not commit that same crime because they do not want to be punished. Those who are labeled deviant are more likely to get stereotyped as criminals and looked down on because of their behavior and actions. Many may feel that those who are labelded deviant in society shouldn’t exist, because they are a threat to society. This increases the fear living because no one knows if they will get robbed, killed in a car crash, be sexually harassed or shamed upon sexual preferences such as being transgender, gay, or bisexual.
Labeling the behavior deviant impact society generally as it can divide and segregate people within a community thus leading to racial profiling and or stereotyping amongst those who would fit the general description. Almost everyone prefers to live in a community that is free of crime. If a deviant behavior is spreading more and more, many will consider moving away to another location. Socioeconomic status includes not just income but also educational achievements, financial stability, and opinion of social status and class. In today society, social status and class is divided within the community. As an example looking into Wisconsin, per Milwaukee Crime Rates and Statistics, Milwaukee tends to be the safest place and less likely of becoming a victim of a deviant crime. Although the statistics states this, many see segregation within the community.
It is very clear that growth, family, and media influence the growing progressions of drinking behavior. Underage drinking is not a good thing but many young adolescent consume alcohol anyways due to social interactions, family events, or just even out of curiosity. The development of drinking started from being curious, watching movies and TV shows, and drinking at home to drinking at the bars. As young adults get older, they start to develop chronic health problems. Starting early makes a young adult lose control of their mind and body leading to failure in academics. Young adolescent’s brain is still developing therefore, consuming alcohol has caused the brain to malfunction early. “It is important for the field of alcohol studies to know the extent to which attitudes toward alcohol use will be reflected in drinking behavior”.
Alcohol use among young adolescent’s population has led to negative consequences. These consequences include car crashes, suicide, unintentional deaths, sexual assault, and academic failures in high school and college institutions. These consequences have affected both the individual and society. Government views underage drinking as illegal and other institutions view underage drinking as a health issue or illness. Labeling underage drinking as a deviant behavior will open the eyes of parents, individuals, and society to realize that there needs to be a social order or way to prevent future emotional, physical, and mental damage to a developing young adolescent.
