Duke liquor law violations up 19 percent

346 liquor law violations were given out last year

Brown paper bags at the ready – a fifth more people got caught violating liquor law last year than in 2013.

Between 2012 and 2014, Duke’s Annual Clery Security Report showed a huge drop in liquor law violations, followed by a significant increase the year after.

The findings for 2014 on Duke’s campus also show an increase in drug law violation referrals, but a decrease in robbery reports. Drug law violation referrals jumped from 55 and 53 in 2012 and 2013, respectively, to 75 in 2014.

Yet the most common crime reported on Duke’s campus was liquor law violations. In 2012, there were 542 reported violations, which decreased nearly 50 percent to 290 in 2013.

In 2014, however, there was a 19 percent increase in reported liquor law violations, up to 346. Though still less than 2012, the increase is significant and may be indicative of greater alcohol-related trends on campus.

Image from the October 2015 Duke University Annual Clery Security Report

Devine’s Bar and Sports Grill is a popular spot for student nightlife on Thursday evenings. In nice weather, the outdoor patio is  often where students will drink throughout the night.

However, some Duke students have run into trouble here.

Catherine, a Duke sophomore, said: “I got my fake I.D. taken by a cop at Devine’s who threatened to give me an MIP.

“But one of my friends said she was taking me home and I got out of it,” she added.

Not all Duke students have been as lucky. Liquor law violations have been given for carrying a beer from the gate of the outdoor patio, onto the sidewalk. By stepping onto the sidewalk, the students were in violation of liquor law boundaries – sometimes receiving referrals.

The Clery Act, signed in 1990, is a federal law requiring all universities and colleges to disclose information regarding crime on and near campuses. Every university is required to release an Annual Clery Security report each year.

Crime statistics for the annual report are compiled by the Duke University Police Department, in a joint effort with Durham Police. The report notes that RA’s have become more vigilant in dorms and sections regarding marijuana use, and security guards on campus have been trained to recognize suspect behavior.

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