The purpose of this study was to develop, test, and use an instrument to measure the effectiveness of a community-based, mandated drug education intervention program, Youthful Offenders Program (YOP), targeting college students at risk. A total of N = 350 students voluntarily agreed to participate in an evaluation of program effectiveness using…

Introduction: High-risk alcohol use by U.S. college students remains a significant threat to individual health and community well-being. Newly-emerging social media platforms and apps which relay information about alcohol-related law enforcement serve as an intriguing addition to college alcohol-use environments. The purpose of this study was to…

This issue of "Issues in Prevention" focuses on the role of enforcement in prevention. This issue contains the following articles: (1) What the Evidence Tells Us about the Role of Enforcement in Prevention; (2) Campus Briefs; (3) Q&A with Charles Cychosz; and (4) Higher Education Center Resources.

This issue of "Issues in Prevention" focuses on overcoming barriers in implementing effective off-campus party intervention. This issue contains the following articles: (1) Confronting the Problems Associated With Off-Campus Parties With Evidence-Based Strategies (John D. Clapp); (2) Overview of Research on Effective Off-Campus Party…

As campuses and communities across the country grapple with problems related to unruly house parties, neighborhood disruptions, and alcohol-fueled "celebratory" incidents, they are developing partnerships with law enforcement agencies to implement strategies to reduce such problems and protect the health and safety of students and residents alike.…

We assessed alcohol enforcement practices at 343 U.S. colleges via surveys of directors of campus law enforcement. We measured types and frequency of enforcement and barriers to enforcement. We found that 61% of colleges indicated nearly always proactively enforcing alcohol policies, with most frequent enforcement at intercollegiate sporting…

Off-campus parties are a major source of underage and excessive drinking among college students and cause alcohol-related problems for students and residents. This checklist is a brief, evidence-based guide for campus-based prevention professionals. It is designed to give the basic information needed to develop, implement, and evaluate an…

"High-Risk Drinking in College: What We Know and What We Need To Learn: Final Report of the Panel on Contexts and Consequences" (2002), a report from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism's (NIAAA) Task Force on College Drinking, points out that "federal, state, and local laws help define college administrators' responsibilities…

Americans have been wrestling with college drinking for so long that they've forgotten there was a time when they didn't. Prior to World War II there were a number of "crises" on American campuses--loutish behavior at football games, the introduction of the research-heavy "German Method," the corruption of coeds--but excessive college drinking was…

Off-campus parties that foster underage and high-risk drinking and become a nuisance to neighbors are often a sore spot when it comes to town-gown relations. Responding to these parties is leading communities to adopt new measures and enforcement strategies to reduce a range of problems faced by students and residents alike. While many policy and…

A central feature of the U.S. Department of Education's Higher Education Center for Alcohol, Drug Abuse, and Violence Prevention is the promotion of multiple prevention strategies that affect campus and surrounding community environments as a whole and can, thereby, have a large-scale effect on the entire campus community. In outlining the…

The problem of underage drinking on college campuses has been brewing for many years to the continued vexation of higher education administrators. In 2008, John McCardell, president emeritus of Middlebury College, began to circulate for signature a public statement among colleagues titled "The Amethyst Initiative," which calls for elected…

High-risk drinking on game day represents a unique public health challenge. Objective: The authors examined the drinking behavior of college football fans and assessed the support for related interventions. Participants: The authors randomly selected 762 football fans, including college students, alumni, and other college football fans, to…

The purpose of this study is to compare the drinking and associated behavior of fraternity and sorority members to that of nonmembers. The project is national in scope, and its results can help determine whether public perceptions of alcohol use by students affiliated with Greek social organizations are warranted. This study will also lend some…

Objective: The authors examined college student support for policies and enforcement strategies to reduce alcohol problems on campus. Participants: A random sample of students from each of 32 four-year colleges and universities participated. Methods: Students completed an anonymous mail survey. Results: A majority of students supported 5 of the 12…