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About Siletz news / (Siletz, OR) 199?-current | View Entire Issue (July 1, 2007)
TRIBAL PROGRAM NEWS ATOD Prevention - Hosting Teen Parties Parents: Summer is here and it’s important to know what to do if your child/ren want to have some friends over. The information below includes help ful hints to assist you in knowing what precautions to take in planning alco hol- and drug-free events for youth. • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Guests Set a maximum number of guests and an age limit for guests. Go over the guest list with your teen and agree on who will be invited. Suggest that your teen make the party “by invitation only” and send out invitations. Do not allow any uninvited guests into the party. Inform all guests’ parents/guardians about the party ahead of time. Explain the ground rules and expectations. Supervision Be visible during the party; don't just stay somewhere in the house or on the property. Walk through the party frequently. Stay at the party location for the entire party, until all guests are gone. Have other parents and adults vol unteer to chaperone with you. Don’t serve alcohol to adults and make sure adults do not bring al cohol with them. Notify neighbors in advance about the party and that you will be present. The Menu Plan the menu with your teen. Serve a wide variety of foods that appeal to youth, like chips and dip. sand wiches, pizza, finger foods, and cookies. Include some fresh food, like fruit and veggie trays. Provide a selection of beverages, including water. Do not serve “en ergy” drinks. Do not allow guests to bring outside drinks, cups, or open bottles into the party. Look carefully at energy drink containers and make sure they are not the combination en ergy drink/alcohol type. Ground Rules Plan the party with your teen. Ex plain your rules and expectations to your teen upfront and what the con sequences are for breaking them. Set start and end times for the party and stick to them. No alcohol or drugs. No smoking or using other tobacco products anywhere on the property, even by guests of legal age. Do not allow guests to leave the party and return. Supervise guests who need to get something from their car. Location Decide on the location of the party and limit the guests to this area. If the party will be held inside, close doors to and post signs on those rooms that are off-limits. If the party will be outside, mark off the area indicating the party area. The party area should be well-lit. Make sure outdoor lighting is working properly and check throughout the party to ensure bulbs are not broken or removed. • • Other Tips If the party will be held at your home and you keep alcohol in your home, make sure it's not visible or accessible during the party. Also, make sure all prescription and over-the-counter medications are secured and not accessible. Watch for strange or odd behavior by guests. Pay close attention if a guest enters the restroom fre quently or after getting a drink. This could indicate use of alcohol and/or other substances. If you suspect a guest is impaired, immediately contact the parent/ guardian or law enforcement. Do not allow him/her to leave the party until a responsible adult picks him/ her up. What Parents Need to Know As a parent, you cannot legally give alcohol to your child’s friends under age 21, under any circum stances, even in your home. You cannot knowingly allow a per son under age 21, other than your own child, to remain in your home or on property while consuming or possessing alcohol. You cannot legally give permission for your own minor child (age 20 or younger) to consume alcohol in someone else’s home or on some one else’s property unless you are present with your child. If You Choose to Break the Law You can face a sentence of at least a $1,000 fine and 30 days in jail. Others can civilly sue you if you give alcohol to anyone under age 21 and they, in turn, hurt someone else or themselves, or damage property. Officers can take any alcohol, money, or property used in com mitting the offense. Anyone who is convicted of DU 11 can face an increased fine up to $10.000 if there was a minor pas senger in the vehicle at the time of the incident who was three or more years younger than the driver. Some Oregon Underage Drinking Laws 471.410 (2): Providing Alcohol to a Minor (Furnishing) An individual of any age can be charged with furnishing - a person does not have to be age 21 or older. • • “Furnishing” includes any manner of providing alcohol. It does not have to be purchased. For example, if a 14-year-old takes alcohol from home and gives some to his/her friend, that is furnishing. 471.410(3): Allowing Alcohol Consumption by Minors on Private Property An individual of any age can be charged - a person does not have to be age 21 or older. This law does not apply to landlords of rental properties unless they rent the property knowing that under age drinking is the intent. The law does not extend to parents who are temporarily out of town (such as for a business trip) and their minor child has a party with out their knowledge or consent. 471.430(1): Purchase, Attempt to Purchase, or Possession of Alcohol by a Minor (MIP) • “Possession” can be either physi cal (internal or external) possession or contructive (in the presence of) possession. • A minor (20 years old or younger) who has been drinking alcohol and driving can be arrested for DUII and cited for MIP. • Use of any type of breathalyzer equipment to determine if a minor has been drinking alcohol is not required in order to cite for MIP. Tribal Children Need You Do you value Siletz Native cul ture and want to help preserve it? If so, please consider fostering for the tribe. The Siletz Tribe needs loving, stable, nurturing homes in all areas. If you are interested, please contact: Shawna Nagunst Foster Care Certifier 1-800-922-1399, ext. 1275, or 541-444-8275 or visit www.ctsi.nsn.us/icw.html Delinquency Prevention by Jenifer Metcalf The Community Accountability Board is continually serving tribal youth with a culturally specific diver sion program for Siletz Tribal youth. The CAB gets referrals from the local county juvenile department. CAB is always looking for tribal members who might be interested in being a volunteer. Currently the board has five members. Remember. In June 2006. the Siletz Tribal Delinquency Prevention Program hosted a community aware ness gathering on tagging and commu nity youth identifying themselves as being in a “gang.” Our presenter. Tori Lopez, was from Multnomah County. Community members liked Tori and her abundance of information. With Siletz being a smaller community by far, we are using some of her infor mation to fit this community. Gang relation/gang member: Two or more people who engage in intimi dation. harassment, drug activity, never by yourself, tagging, claiming territory, bullying, violence, gang names, members have code names, threatening, wear ing specific colors, and hand signs. This cannot be taking lightly. Once we hear of gangs or gang-related is sues here, we have to come together and work as a team to prevent this sort of behavior. Young people: The message has to be clear to you. It's a against the law to actually engage in these behaviors that go along with being a gang member or being gang-related. It's not illegal, however, to be in a gang or be a gang member. It’s the behavior, especially for youth who are in school, that will get you into trouble. This constitutes delinquency behavior. The alternatives for this kind of activity/behavior include getting in volved with all the summer activities that tribal programs will be doing for youth. Involve yourself with fun and adven turous activities that are not going to harm you or others. If you can do these with your par ents, great. If a parent is not available, get with another positive adult whom you can identify with in your commu nity and you can talk to. and ask il it's possible for them to participate in something with you this summer. Parents: If you think your child might be at risk for alcohol, tobacco, or other drug problems and/or delinquency be haviors. please call Delina or Jenifer at 1-800-600-5599 or 541-444-8267. One of them will talk with you about risk factors and the things that help protect your child from develop ing those problems. They will help you make a prevention plan that will sup port you as a parent and provide your child with the tools for making good choices. July 2007 • Siletz News • 9
