Wow - not from Barrington and no one has said anything??

How about - the way to address this issue is to make certain that someone is held accountable. Kids who drive drunk need to accept the bad consequences of doing bad things, or the parents do. Parents who hold parties for underage kids need to accept the bad consequences of doing bad things.

Parents need to know where the kids are, who they are with, what they are doing . . . and parents also need to be responsible for these kids until the kids are responsible for themselves. If the kid gets a speeding ticket, take the keys away for enough time to prove a point. If the kid comes home drunk, make him stay home and not go out with friends long enough to prove a point. And start modeling good behavior and the rewards that such good behavior brings really early - WELL before the kids are 16.

And Moms that hold under-age drinking parties?? The police have got to prosecute, the community needs to support them, and consequences need to be significant.

I'm not perfect, and don't profess to be. How can we expect kids to behave like responsible people, though, if we don't give them good models - and show them the consequences of both the good and bad behavior??

Now will this make the headline news like it does in Barrington? Probably not. If it was in Barrington they would be breaking into regular programming!

Thankfully there are communities such as Bristol and Barrington that are tackling these issues; probably because the police are not pre-occupied with petty crime (or stabbings, shootings,etc..)they are able to focus on underage drinking. There were most likely underage drinking parties in many places on New Years...unfortunately most communities just don't have the resources to make it a priority. As a mom of teenagers in Pawtucket, I certainly wish there was some attention to this problem in my city!!

I cant believe that after all the publicity which Barrington received for underaged drinking that this woman would even think about hosting a party..where are her brains......maybe when this comes to trial, if found guilty the judge needs to sentence her to the maximum jail time possible....I just dont think these people think the police and courst are serious or they just dont care..maybe the judge has to start making believers out of these people who openly violate the law. What kind of message are we sending our youth...and then we wonder why the society is the way it is....no respect for authority, no respoect for one another and the attitude that noi matter what I'll find a way to get out of the problem Im in...we're in a sad state of affairs but no one cares...

Seems to me that having teens drinking in a supervised environment would be safer than having them sneak off and do it surreptitiously. Seems a little unnecessary to criminally charge a parent for trying to keep an eye on their kids. Although we don't have the whole story and won't know for sure until the police report comes out.

And I would imagine that our public officials have better things to do over the holidays than crack down on underage drinking. Perhaps like cracking down on drunk driving from allegedly more responsible adults? Or dealing with real crime? While undesirable; like most things teenagers do, it's going to happen anyway, so why not provide a relatively structured setting in which the children could be supervised as opposed to drinking on their own.

This is a great example of selective prosecution.

A nearly identical incident in Bristol happened a few weeks ago and when the police came the father simply said he was asleep and didn't hear the noise from the 30+ teenagers in his house that had caused neighbors to summon police.

It is simply unacceptable to selectively enforce the law.

I disagree with you, KSR, on several points. How many people do drunk drivers have to kill before you think this is "serious"? Is killing someone in this way not a "real crime" to you? Is the victim any less dead?

This amount of alcohol and illegal drugs to boot in this instance is so far beyond what is acceptable that she should receive the maximum sentence. Maybe then it will get thru to her kids at least how serious this is.

get serious--this woman needs to be held accountable, and serve min of 30 days in prison 1st offense--start setting an example--parents need to be held responsible--I really believe she is a danger to society---PS I consider myself rather liberal but I have two teenagers and wouldn,t appreciate any parent hosting alcohol parties for my kids---I would press charges--

No way is illegal behavior in a controlled environment acceptable.

I am glad that the police spend the time they do to crack down on all illegal behaviors - especially ones that hurt our kids.

wow just wow, why would you let your kids have a drinking party... although we dont know the whole story you should still have a good idea to where your kids are...

The saddest part about these situations is so many middle-aged women so desperate to seem "cool" in the eyes of a bunch of kids that they have coomletely lost their bearings. They can't stand the thought of actually being grown-ups, so they dress, act and, like, speak as if they're still in high school. "Remember that beer party we had when the parents were away - Oh, Yeah, I'm the parent."
Whatever happened to maturity and class?

It's just getting worse every year....
It seems that not only global warming is happening but it's happening in the homes as well, with parents that want to be "friends" with their children than be a resposible parent/adult...
That mother needs to grow up and perhaps six months in prison will smarten her up and scare the other losers that are doing the same thing...
Something needs to happen and BIGGER fines are a must too, big enough to effect their lives....
Because when you contribute to these actions, you're contributing to a possible death or more.... And that can't be fixed....
Does that mother think she's "younger-Madonna" at night and Mother Teresa during the day?!!
It just don't make sense!!

Do all you people know where your children are at all times? Start looking around , Open your damn eyes. Some children are going to drink and have or go to parties no matter how you raise them. You condemm people without knowing all the facts or what their thoughts are. I'll bet half of the people on here giving their worthless two cents haven't raised any children. I've raised six and it's a damn though job. No matter what we do some will stray. After all their only children. Love them and hope for the BEST With whatever discipline you impose and hope for its right and works for them.

Have another Jerry! :)

Hey Jerry

Great to know people like you condone a woman - who should be old enough to know better - having other people's kids over to the house to get drunk and stoned. Yes, it's hard enough keeping track of your kids when you find out the person making it easiest for them to drink and drive is another parent who never grew up enough to think straight.
Good logic, buddy!

Jerry yes some kids will drink no matter what and no we don't always know where our kids are. However this mom had 22 kids in her house aged 14 to 18. Would you give your 14 year old a beer and some pot to smoke? She was pouring the drinks for these kids! That's who they are charging - the responsible parent. After all the recent incidents I can't believe a parent would sponsor this party.