Is underage drinking is a serious problem in your town? Consumption of alcohol by teenagers tends to contribute to many other problems for both individuals and communities, such as increased high school dropout rates, teen pregnancies, gang activity, alcoholism and drug abuse. Underage drinking is also a factor in many traffic fatalities and violent crimes.
A group of local young people, who call themselves the Youth Alcohol Council (YAC), has been posting flyers in areas where teens gather, encouraging them to avoid alcohol. Some flyers describe (in very realistic terms) the situations that lead teens to drink, and all of the group's literature uses language that teens are likely to find appealing. Unfortunately, some parents are convinced that YAC is promoting alcohol use among youth. YAC leaders insist that the group is providing information about alcohol for the purpose of discouraging its use and abuse among the town's youth population.
A local judge has decided on a unique way to settle the dispute between YAC and the group of concerned parents. As soon as she was assigned the case (The People vs. Youth Alcohol Council), she put together an advisory committee of adults and teens from the area who have not been involved on either side of the issue. As a member of that committee, it is your job to determine whether YAC is persuading teens to use alcohol or urging them to refrain from doing so. The committee will advise the judge on the actual purpose of YAC's flyers, and the judge as promised to consider the committee's recommendations very seriously as she makes her decision.
Much is at stake in this case, including the future of YAC and its core members. If the judge rules that YAC is deliberately promoting the use of alcohol among people who are not legally old enough to drink, its members could face prison time. They could carry a convicted felon label for the rest of their lives! This is not a task to undertake lightly.
