<p>re post #413---- I don’t think students are purchasing fake ID’s because they have a need to drink. They are looking to join friends in social situations such as bars and clubs. There are comedy clubs in the city that will not allow under 21s in and as a result many students are seeking these fake IDs so they can participate in a wider variety of social situations. </p>
<p>I am happy that 3 of my four are now over 21 and none of them had a fake for fear of the legal ramifications of getting caught with one. My daughter at age 20 has not gotton one but I know it is a social hindrance when all of her friends and brothers are over the 21 age group. She is not able to go out with her friends or brothers to the types of places she would enjoy at this age.</p>
<p>Oh course I am coming from the age group where drinking was legal at 18 so I do believe the current age of 21 is taking it a bit too far. I think Canada has the right idea with the legal age being 19. If an 18 year old is considered to be an adult at 18, than it only makes sense that the drinking age be modified. IMHO</p>
<p>I have and continue to be the voice of reason by telling my daughter that the risk is not worth the potential for legal trouble. I hope she listens.</p>
<p>^^^^My 20 y/o told me NO WAY was she getting a fake ID-not because she is somehow on a moral high ground or a better person than those who do, but because she is way too fearful of the legal consequences. She doesn’t feel the benefit justifies the risk.</p>
<p>My younger child will probably have a different perspective, as she has for most issues so far, Lord help me.:)</p>
<p>What do you suppose the actual consequences of being found with a fake ID would be in Vegas? I’m not disagreeing at all with those who think the risks may not be worth the benefits, but it’s also fair to say that the risks may not be the same everywhere.</p>
<p>My dad talked to a cop the last time he was in Vegas and they said that as long as a minor wasn’t drinking, gambling, or stripping they generally don’t care about fake IDs. They have bigger issues.</p>
<p>The risks are NOT the same everywhere. You don’t DARE use a fake ID at or near Penn State OR in certain counties on the Jersey shore. It is a felony in NJ and a huge money-maker for the local economies to bust kids with fake IDs. Trust me on this one.</p>
<p>It does not appear to me that use of a fake ID is a felony in New Jersey, or anywhere else, unless it is used in the commission of some more serious crime. Also, I think it’s important to distinguish between a fake driver’s license and something else, like a fake student ID. Penalties for having a fake driver’s license may be more significant, because they might involve loss of your real license.<br>
Here, for example, is a summary of the law in Virginia:
[Fake</a> ID Facts](<a href=“http://www.abc.virginia.gov/facts/fakeid.html]Fake”>http://www.abc.virginia.gov/facts/fakeid.html)
There, it’s a felony if you use it to buy a firearm.
Note: it may also matter whether you have an ID that has your name, but a false age, as opposed to somebody else’s ID.</p>
<p>Again, the consequences can be pretty significant–you may have to pay a substantial fine, you may have a criminal violation on your record (probably a misdemeanor or a “disorderly” charge), you may lose your real driver’s license for some period, and you may have to make an inconvenient and embarrassing trip to court.</p>
<p>The charge for using a fake ID in NJ is “possession of counterfeit government identification”. This is for using a fake driver’s license, which is what the ovewhelming number of fake IDs are. It is a felony. There is a big fine, you have to have counsel and the lawyers charge about $5K and you get off with probation and a lot of community service commitment. You can get it expunged at the end of all this. I am quite familiar with this issue.</p>
<p>MomofWildChild, I don’t doubt you, but I can’t find this in the New Jersey statutes. They must call the charge something else. That term is used in California, though.</p>
<p>I’ve seen more kids than I’d like appear in my courtroom on fake ID charges–the person who helped and the person who had the fake ID both were charged and extremely contrite. The statute was pretty clear and penalties were quite significant (no longer recall them). </p>
<p>Really, I’m VERY glad both my kids are now over 21 and never had an interest in fake IDs, a far as I know. </p>
<p>It can be a very slippery slope if we give even tacit approval of them having fake IDs and any criminal blemish can affect future job prospects, especially one involving any significant security clearance (which a surprising number of firms & government conduct).</p>
<p>No- around Penn you can generally safely use a fake ID except for the bars that deliberately cater to the older students and don’t want the under-21s coming in.</p>
<p>It is confusing in NJ, and the key thing is whether it gets bumped up from the township (I think that is what the lower jurisdiction is called) to the county. If you get to county court, you are in pretty big trouble and you pay the lawyer more. It’s all pretty stupid, really. Definitely something to note, though.</p>