"LICENSED TO DRINK"
Last month, senior Dylan* and 14 of his friends gathered to place an online order for a batch of fake IDs. “We had a friend of mine who is a very good photographer take her expensive camera, and we stood in front of a blank white wall,” he said. “She took pictures of us from the waist up and just followed their guidelines: no hair covering the face, standing [up] straight.”
The teenagers then prepared their signatures and relevant personal information before scanning everything and sending the materials to a service based in China.
As dealers and websites proliferate, more and more students are turning to fake IDs as a source of entertainment — like concerts and bars — as well as alcohol. Increasing availability and a lack of law enforcement has made teenagers more likely to engage in these illegal behaviors.
With prices ranging from $40 to $110 for a single ID and the online market for suppliers growing, a teenager can acquire a fake ID within weeks. For Dylan, purchasing a fake ID was as easy as doing a quick search on the internet.
“You just go on a website and fill in an information sheet, collect money ... and send it to some sketchy address in China. You get a confirmation email, and it shows up in a box covered in Chinese characters about a month later,” he said.
Despite the seemingly mysterious process of creating and receiving IDs, they are far from rare, junior Allison* said.
Emma*, a sophomore in New York who sells fake IDs, agreed with Allison. Most of her friends, she said, have fake IDs and go out weekly without getting caught, which she said prepares them for their future.
“If you never experience certain things at a young age, then when it’s actually time to experience them, you might not know the right limit or amount that you should have,” she said. “You might be inexperienced compared to everyone around you, ... and it might not be safe for you.”
For freshman Ariel Hirschhorn, the risk of using a fake ID is not worthwhile. She said that students who obtain fake IDs are not doing it to plan for the future; rather, they are causing themselves more harm.
“They just want to do something really desperately, and it’s impulsive that they’re willing to go get a fake ID,” she said.
Dylan, however, said that students preparing to order fake IDs are not uneducated. He said that the group with which he ordered fake IDs conducted meticulous research and examined their options before making a final decision.
“The place we used is known for being able to scan and pass tests very well. That’s why we chose them. There are other groups that do similar jobs, but this particular individual is known for having the best IDs [that are] able to pass,” he said.
The process is not as haphazard as it seems, even from the production side of the operation, according to Emma, who has been part of her friend’s business of making fake IDs since last year.
“I know everyone who I’m giving it to, and I know that they’re going to be smart about it,” she said.
While some use fake IDs to gain access to concerts that ban minors, most use them to purchase alcohol or go to bars.
According to Officer John Panica, a resource officer for Newton Public Schools, underage drinking has always been a part of teen culture.
“It’s a rite of passage, where this is what kids have been doing for the last 50, 60, 70 years,” he said. “I think it just goes along with the whole growing up and risk-taking portion of your life.”
Fake IDs, like alcohol itself, appeal to a teenager’s tendency to rebel, according to Allison. “It’s the power ... that appeals to high schoolers, just to know that they can access illegal things right now,” she said.
Panica said that teenagers today have even more opportunities to become involved in illegal behaviors.
“There’s a lot more information out there, and maybe a lot more kids that have these things,” he said.
Several students cited the high drinking age in the U.S. as a reason for teenagers to break the law.
“It’s just part of the phase in life where teenagers feel invincible and want to experiment. It’s not like they’re too young at 18 to go clubbing,” junior Lauren* said.
“I don’t think … drinking is a bad thing. I think drinking in excess is bad, but I think having the drinking age as 21 has been a big mistake for the United States,” Dylan said.
Hirschhorn, however, believes the drinking age is in place for a reason. “People at that age don’t have the kind of maturity that’s needed [to drink],” she said.
In theory, Panica said that the strict laws prohibiting sale of alcohol to minors should be effective.
“I know the bars and restaurants here are pretty vigilant about checking and making sure because there’s quite a penalty in these establishments [for] serving to underage people,” Panica said.
Debra Meyer, assistant manager of Martignetti Liquors in Brighton, said that workers at the establishment are well aware of the punishments they could face.
“If you’re detected [selling to minors], they almost always close you for three days. The [cashier] can be fined, arrested, all sorts of things,” she said. “The cashier would obviously be in extreme danger in their job.”
This fact, however, does not prevent all local establishments from providing alcohol to illegal customers.
“It’s so common at this point that I just don’t think the consequences are that severe. … If you’re caught it’s not the end of the world,” Allison said. “The people who catch you will just cut [the fake ID] up or take it away. They don’t usually call the cops.”
Dylan agreed, adding that businesses would have to take a risk in order to abide by existing laws.
“A lot of places that people are using their fakes at have accepted fakes in the past. If they brings cops around, they’re going to draw more attention [to themselves],” he said. “If they take your ID ... no one from Newton South is ever going to purchase from them.”
While legal punishments can be threatening, some said that they do not feel the same pressure from their parents. Although his parents do not know about his ID, Dylan said, they are open to the idea of teenage alcohol consumption.
“[My parents are] pretty understanding about alcohol consumption in general, and they wouldn’t be too upset if they found out,” Dylan said. “I know friends whose parents know, and they’re completely fine with it.”
Due to the proliferation of fake IDs, the Police Department must be extremely vigilant, Panica said.
“We’re actually in the middle of a program where we’re targeting underage drinkers and targeting different locations around the city where kids may go purchase alcohol,” he said.
Cracking down on fake IDs, however, would not solve the problem, according to students.
“If I didn’t get alcohol with a fake I’d buy it somewhere else,” junior Sydney* said.
Meyer agreed. “Everybody’s obtained alcohol illegally somehow,” she said. “I hope they just do it from home, from their brother or mother’s cabinet, and don’t involve us.”
While the Newton Police Department’s drug and alcohol education programs continue to grow, Panica said that there is only so much that they can do to discourage illegal behaviors.
“Do we catch every kid that’s in possession of a fake ID? No. Do we catch everybody that uses it? No,” he said. “Hopefully we can educate kids on the dangers and the consequences of getting involved in it, but truthfully, I don’t think anyone can completely stop it.”
*Names changed to protect students’ identities
The teenagers then prepared their signatures and relevant personal information before scanning everything and sending the materials to a service based in China.
As dealers and websites proliferate, more and more students are turning to fake IDs as a source of entertainment — like concerts and bars — as well as alcohol. Increasing availability and a lack of law enforcement has made teenagers more likely to engage in these illegal behaviors.
With prices ranging from $40 to $110 for a single ID and the online market for suppliers growing, a teenager can acquire a fake ID within weeks. For Dylan, purchasing a fake ID was as easy as doing a quick search on the internet.
“You just go on a website and fill in an information sheet, collect money ... and send it to some sketchy address in China. You get a confirmation email, and it shows up in a box covered in Chinese characters about a month later,” he said.
Despite the seemingly mysterious process of creating and receiving IDs, they are far from rare, junior Allison* said.
Emma*, a sophomore in New York who sells fake IDs, agreed with Allison. Most of her friends, she said, have fake IDs and go out weekly without getting caught, which she said prepares them for their future.
“If you never experience certain things at a young age, then when it’s actually time to experience them, you might not know the right limit or amount that you should have,” she said. “You might be inexperienced compared to everyone around you, ... and it might not be safe for you.”
For freshman Ariel Hirschhorn, the risk of using a fake ID is not worthwhile. She said that students who obtain fake IDs are not doing it to plan for the future; rather, they are causing themselves more harm.
“They just want to do something really desperately, and it’s impulsive that they’re willing to go get a fake ID,” she said.
Dylan, however, said that students preparing to order fake IDs are not uneducated. He said that the group with which he ordered fake IDs conducted meticulous research and examined their options before making a final decision.
“The place we used is known for being able to scan and pass tests very well. That’s why we chose them. There are other groups that do similar jobs, but this particular individual is known for having the best IDs [that are] able to pass,” he said.
The process is not as haphazard as it seems, even from the production side of the operation, according to Emma, who has been part of her friend’s business of making fake IDs since last year.
“I know everyone who I’m giving it to, and I know that they’re going to be smart about it,” she said.
While some use fake IDs to gain access to concerts that ban minors, most use them to purchase alcohol or go to bars.
According to Officer John Panica, a resource officer for Newton Public Schools, underage drinking has always been a part of teen culture.
“It’s a rite of passage, where this is what kids have been doing for the last 50, 60, 70 years,” he said. “I think it just goes along with the whole growing up and risk-taking portion of your life.”
Fake IDs, like alcohol itself, appeal to a teenager’s tendency to rebel, according to Allison. “It’s the power ... that appeals to high schoolers, just to know that they can access illegal things right now,” she said.
Panica said that teenagers today have even more opportunities to become involved in illegal behaviors.
“There’s a lot more information out there, and maybe a lot more kids that have these things,” he said.
Several students cited the high drinking age in the U.S. as a reason for teenagers to break the law.
“It’s just part of the phase in life where teenagers feel invincible and want to experiment. It’s not like they’re too young at 18 to go clubbing,” junior Lauren* said.
“I don’t think … drinking is a bad thing. I think drinking in excess is bad, but I think having the drinking age as 21 has been a big mistake for the United States,” Dylan said.
Hirschhorn, however, believes the drinking age is in place for a reason. “People at that age don’t have the kind of maturity that’s needed [to drink],” she said.
In theory, Panica said that the strict laws prohibiting sale of alcohol to minors should be effective.
“I know the bars and restaurants here are pretty vigilant about checking and making sure because there’s quite a penalty in these establishments [for] serving to underage people,” Panica said.
Debra Meyer, assistant manager of Martignetti Liquors in Brighton, said that workers at the establishment are well aware of the punishments they could face.
“If you’re detected [selling to minors], they almost always close you for three days. The [cashier] can be fined, arrested, all sorts of things,” she said. “The cashier would obviously be in extreme danger in their job.”
This fact, however, does not prevent all local establishments from providing alcohol to illegal customers.
“It’s so common at this point that I just don’t think the consequences are that severe. … If you’re caught it’s not the end of the world,” Allison said. “The people who catch you will just cut [the fake ID] up or take it away. They don’t usually call the cops.”
Dylan agreed, adding that businesses would have to take a risk in order to abide by existing laws.
“A lot of places that people are using their fakes at have accepted fakes in the past. If they brings cops around, they’re going to draw more attention [to themselves],” he said. “If they take your ID ... no one from Newton South is ever going to purchase from them.”
While legal punishments can be threatening, some said that they do not feel the same pressure from their parents. Although his parents do not know about his ID, Dylan said, they are open to the idea of teenage alcohol consumption.
“[My parents are] pretty understanding about alcohol consumption in general, and they wouldn’t be too upset if they found out,” Dylan said. “I know friends whose parents know, and they’re completely fine with it.”
Due to the proliferation of fake IDs, the Police Department must be extremely vigilant, Panica said.
“We’re actually in the middle of a program where we’re targeting underage drinkers and targeting different locations around the city where kids may go purchase alcohol,” he said.
Cracking down on fake IDs, however, would not solve the problem, according to students.
“If I didn’t get alcohol with a fake I’d buy it somewhere else,” junior Sydney* said.
Meyer agreed. “Everybody’s obtained alcohol illegally somehow,” she said. “I hope they just do it from home, from their brother or mother’s cabinet, and don’t involve us.”
While the Newton Police Department’s drug and alcohol education programs continue to grow, Panica said that there is only so much that they can do to discourage illegal behaviors.
“Do we catch every kid that’s in possession of a fake ID? No. Do we catch everybody that uses it? No,” he said. “Hopefully we can educate kids on the dangers and the consequences of getting involved in it, but truthfully, I don’t think anyone can completely stop it.”
*Names changed to protect students’ identities