Double A: Alcohol and Arrests

The University of Mississippi staff members, students, and Oxford residents are dealing with numerous arrests from the new 2011-12 school year. Are authorities and staff members enforcing alcohol abuse on a daily basis? Opinions vary between people who think that the behavior, such as DUI’s and arrests, gives Ole Miss a bad reputation. Although these actions may increase Oxford’s income, is the money really worth the danger these incidents bring to Oxford residents?

Many would assume it is the staff members’ responsibility to educate students daily on alcohol abuse, but it is in fact the opposite. Marvin Williams, a journalism professor, said it is not the staff’s right to discuss alcohol issues with students. Williams believes in order to teach students about the dangers of alcohol, Ole Miss should require a “university policy or that they need to receive guidance from authority, such as guidance counselors or the Student Health Promotion Center.”

Although students are receiving DUI’s and arrests, Erin Murphy, health educator and peer health educator, said, “The number of DUI's and alcohol/drug related arrests are not what hurts the reputation.” Looking at the breakdown, Murphy brought to attention 66 percent of people receiving these charges, not having the exact, correct data in front of her, are not students. Murphy said this is not what hurts the reputation. “What hurts us is the culture,” she said.

Murphy also declared even though the numbers of arrests are decreasing, efforts to educate the student body of protective behaviors and negative consequences of alcohol misuse also are increasing. “Perception vs. reality is the battle we face,” she said.

According to Officer Thelma L. Curry, Crime Prevention Coordinator at Ole Miss, there have been about 11 MIP’s and 20 DUI’s given since the beginning of the 2011-12 school year. This time last year, Curry said, there was a larger number of DUI’s given out, a total of 23. Curry’s statistics came from her computer reports.

Although DUI’s and arrests may bring harm to Oxford residents, the money earned goes through a ten stage process before it can be distributed. According to Officer Curry, the money received from the fines benefits the town and state. “The fines also go to victims injured in accidents,” she said.

Sources:
1. Dr. Marvin Williams, Journalism professor, mfwillia@olemiss.edu
2. Erin Murphy, Health Educator and Peer Health Educator, elmurphy@olemiss.edu, 662-915-5055
3. Thelma Curry, Crime Prevention Coordinator, tcurry@olemiss.edu, 662-915-7234