A Critique of Policies on the Legal Drinking Age of an Individual

Many policies have been set up to deal with setting the drinking age, sobriety checkpoints, and random drug testing. These policies have proven effective in ensuring to give a general picture of how the policies have been analyzed as well as the positive effect they have on groups and stakeholders.

Analyzing various policies happens through different way and the formulation of public policy by establishing the objectives to be attained. (Rosenbloom, Kravchuk & Clerkin, pg. 346, 2009). Many studies were completed that took a look at current drinking ages from state to state.

This study would’ve proven more effective if the preprogram-post program analysis was completed.

During the pre-program analysis, “Studies in the 1970s and 1980s showed significant increases in alcohol-related crashes involving youth aged 18 to 20 in states that lowered their drinking age” (Taylor, 2009). With post program analysis, “Since 1988, the MLDA has applied to age 21 for both the purchase and possession of alcohol in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Between 1982 and 1998, the population- adjusted rate involving drinking drivers aged 20 and younger in fatal crashes in the United States decreased 59 percent” (Taylor, 2009).

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). Both of the analysis’ detail how effective the policies are and why they are continuously needed. These policies have proven to be effective sine most states are experiencing good change when it comes to lower homicide, suicide, and unintentional injuries.

The current drinking age is 21 deals with due process when it comes to notice. If and underage drinker gets caught violating the policies set forth they will receive notice of the violation.

The will then have the opportunity to get detailed information regarding hearing and their violation of the law. They will get timely notice of the hearing and any others details surrounding the incident. There are equal protection issues that will affect this policy. When the Supreme Court’s three-tiered test is put into account, the minimum drinking age policy doesn’t show that due process or equal protection issues have been violated by using the substantial test.

The program logic model would be benefit sobriety checkpoints since they are such a key factor in the success of the policy. The program provides material and the manpower that will assist with checkpoint completion. The activities are the checkpoints that will allow the policy effectiveness. How many people stopped at those checkpoints would be the outputs and the outcomes are those people that have been stopped by police and removed off the street preventing driving under the influence.

These checkpoints and model would prove effective and I’d want to ensure that this is the best way to deter a driver from driving drunk and preventing this type of situation is by using his model. When it comes to random drug testing for public employees and high school students the same random testing should take place, the input is the place of employment, high school, or drug test location. Random drug testing also prevents any workers from potentially have incidents. The activities the people being drug tested, the output is the number of drug tests administered, why the test is being given. The accomplishments of the program on the attendees would be the outcome. Checkpoints are not liked by many political groups and they are trying to make them illegal but 12 states have managed to have them prohibited. Random drug testing is not favored in the same way.

The due process and equal protection issues that sobriety checkpoints and random drug testing raise are whether or not these two polices violate the Fourth Amendment, which point out that when a person is stopped, it could be viewed as unconstitutional because no reason is given as to why they are stopped. But “despite finding that roadblocks did meet the Fourth Amendment’s definition of an unreasonable seizure, the court found that, due to the threat a drunk driver imposes on other motorists, they were a necessary means of protection” (“Dui Check Points.net”, 2013). However, random drug testing must have a legitimate purpose for the testing, or instance, if there is suspicion that the employee/student is using drugs as seen through observations.

When the Supreme Court’s three-tiered test is used, it is found that due process is violated as a result of the checkpoints from taking place and with random drug testing. Random drug testing must have probable cause to occur, based on the nature of the testing and reasoning behind it determines the violation. If the employer or school administrators give the drug test without reason, this is a violation of substantial interest test.

All of the policies should be viewed from a managerial, political and legal perspective. The managerial perspective details the cost benefit to the policy and how it’s implemented and the economic role. Politically, there must be correct, targeted demographic with the services and information given to them. Is this a legal policy that is being put into place? Are the affected parties being treated fairly as a result of the policy?