In passing a new ordinance the Oxford City Council has exponentially increased the consequences for nine designated offenses, including crimes such as public intoxication, underage drinking and misrepresentation. At the discretion of the Oxford Police Department, offenders may be given a one-time opportunity to enroll in a program that would expunge the given offense from their record. The editorial board of The Miami Student supports the city's more stringent response to violations of alcohol-related laws.
The measure is a proactive solution to a persistent problem in the community. Not only does it include an element of treatment in punishment, but, with the associate cost in both time and money, also it serves as a deterrent. If given the option to participate, offenders take a 16-hour, two-day alcohol education class, which costs $350. Some on this board took issue with the high price, which could discriminate against lower-income students. Indeed, the ordinance has even been labeled "legalized bribery." However, the fee may be waived or reduced at the discretion of the police department. We feel that the police should be sure to exercise this possibility in good faith when wealth is a factor. We hope this program will not set the precedent that the rich can buy their way out of anything. That being said, the program is a privilege and not a right. Offenders are not in a position to claim injustice because they cannot afford the optional program; they should not have broken the law in the first place. Furthermore, the program is a one-time chance, so even if wealthier offenders can "buy" their way out the first time, they will be out of luck in the future.
Though unpleasant, it is a fact of life that money is an issue. The program may also incorporate community service, which offenders may opt to pay $15 per hour to avoid. Those with a proclivity that might lead them to commit such infractions should be warned that now in addition to the $350 program that the Oxford police department may allow you to take, the university has its own fees (ranging from $150 to $450) and mandatory substance abuse education programs.
The severity of the financial consequences of violating alcohol-related laws is likely intended to scare potential offenders to reconsider risky behavior. Still, despite its sharp teeth, the ordinance actually gives people a second chance, by allowing offenders the one-time opportunity to clear the violation from their record. The ordinance has the potential to go to the source of the prevalent problem of alcohol abuse.
