Essay/Term paper: How do fake ids assist in the corruption of minors

Essay, term paper, research paper:  Sociology Essays

How do fake IDs assist in illegal activity in underage minors? We think that with the use
of fake IDs, minors are able to obtain things they would not be able to get without a fake
id, thus increasing the use of alcohol (going to bars), and underage smoking. It also
increases other things that minors would not be able to do, such as get into over 18 clubs,
R rated movies, buy spraypaint and weaponry such as boxcutters.
The problems of the underage youth using fake IDs to buy substances, and do
things that they would normally not be able to do without the use of a fake ID, is an age
old problem. With the help of computers and scanners, making fake IDs is simple, and the
results are usually high quality.1 Computer technology offers rich possibilities for fraud.
A document scanner can "read" a picture and "draw" a copy onto the memory of the
computer. Laser techniques are used to convert the image to digital data. A copying
machine developed by Xerox for the Department of Defense as a tool in high-speed map
making can also make good copies of driver's licenses. It is also possible to rearrange
images on a computer. Document scanners and fast color printers make it easy to fake
images and documents. Through digital retouching, computer-generated images can be
combined in new ways, unwanted images can be deleted (such as UNDER 21 written on a
license), and colors and fonts can be added and changed. What is usually changed on a
fake ID used by a teenager is the birthday, thus making the person older then they are.
Although many states offer ID cards with holograms, double pictures of the person, and
other features that thwart alterations and reproduction of the ID cards, the use of
fraudulent identification is increasing in the United States.2
Obtaining ID cards is incredibly easy for an underage teenager. They can be
obtained from older siblings, friends, and relatives. Another thing that underage people do
is buy a friend's ID who is over the age of 18 or 21, and have them report it stolen. In
addition to that, there are stores where you can go to buy fake IDs. On the web, you can
just type in www.fake-id.org and you have access to buy fake IDs. When buying a fake id,
the store or webpage usually has a disclaimer saying they will not be held liable for your
actions, and that the ID is a "novelty card". Before entering most "how to make/buy fake
IDs" webpages, the disclaimer states "I am at least 18 years of age, and realize that I am
individually responsible for my actions. I understand the act of downloading information
for the use in illegal activities is punishable by jail time, severe fines and a criminal record."
A traditional, and still popular, strategy is buying counterfeit out-of-state IDs from
underground dealers. Since the quality of buying out-of-state IDs can be poor, others
prefer altering their own expired driver's licenses in hopes of it looking more genuine. This
could be risky, though, if the person tampering with the ID isn't careful enough.
While possessing false identification is considered a misdemeanor in the eyes of the
law, most students are willing to overlook potential legal consequences in favor of the
benefits, such as admission into dance clubs and access to buy alcohol.
The standard police procedure for handling a fake ID is to appropriate the
counterfeit and mail it back to the DMV. In some police stations, the ID is either
destroyed, or kept for evidence. The possession of a fake ID is a misdemeanor in all the
states. A misdemeanor could result in a fine, jail time, or both, depending on a judge's
decision. The maximum sentence is one year in jail and a thousand dollar fine. However,
most people get off with one month and a small fine, normally around a $250 fine or up to
30 days in jail. Despite the potential legal punishments, most students are willing to take
the chance for the promise of a more exciting social life.
If purchase and public possession of alcohol by people under the age of 21 is
illegal in all 50 states, then how does the underage youth get possession of alcohol?3
Easily, they ask someone who has a fake ID to get it for them. The same goes for
cigarettes. Approximately 1/3 of teenagers who drink report that they can not buy their
own alcoholic beverages.4 The main problem of underage use of substances is that they
are able to get items, and things that they would not normally be able to obtain without the
use of a fake ID.
Manhattan is the number one "college town" with the most arrests of teenagers
using fake IDs to get into bars. The Alcohol Beverage Control (ABC) agents working in
Manhattan checked drinkers' and buyers' ages throughout the city. Lawrence comes in
second with the arrest of minors using fake IDs to get into bars. Not only are there
consequences for underage minors that use fake IDs to buy alcohol, there are also
consequences for the businesses who violated their ABC license by selling alcohol to
minors with or without a fake ID. They could be fined a maximum of $1,000 per
incident.5
Fake IDs are also used to buy cigarettes. Youth smoking is on the rise and is the
highest its been since 1980, according to a report last year from the National Institute on
Drug Abuse. As the number of teen smokers grew, so did calls for legislative action to
limit the access that youth had to tobacco. States and municipalities across the country --
Minnesota chief among them -- began enacting and enforcing laws to limit youth access.
The industry has held training sessions around the country. The training sessions consisted
of a two-hour class. Among other things, the two-hour class gave tips on spotting fake ID
cards and dealing with kids who get angry when they are denied cigarettes.