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Governor
expands TrAIL into northwestern Illinois
Initiative
kicks off in Whiteside, Carroll, and Jo Daviess counties
DATE:
December 19, 2006
CONTACT: Ted Penesis (ted.penesis@illinois.gov)
MOLINE—With holiday celebrations in
full swing, Governor Rod R. Blagojevich today expanded the
state’s efforts to crack down on underage drinking by
introducing the TrAIL (Tracking Alcohol
in IL) Program to Jo Daviess, Carroll, and Whiteside
counties.
Funded through a $100,000 traffic safety grant from the Illinois
Department of Transportation (IDOT), this Illinois Liquor
Control Commission (ILCC) initiative is designed to target
alcohol sources in underage drinking-related fatalities and
injuries. To complement the increased law enforcement in these
counties, the Governor will also expand the state’s Don’t
Be Sorry campaign to educate teens, parents, and liquor
retailers on the consequences of underage drinking and providing
alcohol to minors. (To order educational materials, visit
www.DontBeSorry.org
on the web.)
"During this time of year, we celebrate and enjoy our
families,” says Gov. Blagojevich. “This is also
a good time to think about what we can do to keep them safe.
One of the most dangerous threats our young people face is
underage drinking. While most parents try hard to prepare
their kids to make responsible choices, we can't be with our
kids all of the time to make sure they do the right thing.”
“That's why the TrAIL Program is so important. It helps
us track down and go after people who sell or give alcohol
to minors. If we're serious about curbing underage drinking,
we need to address the problem from every aspect, and that
includes both teaching kids to do the right thing and taking
on those who are giving alcohol to minors."
Originally launched last August on a pilot basis in Sangamon
and Jackson counties, TrAIL was expanded in the suburban Chicago
counties of Kane and McHenry in October. Under the program,
a special investigation is conducted when underage alcohol
consumption is suspected in an incident—such as a car
crash, underage drinking party, alcohol poisoning/overdose,
sexual assault or other event—that results in injury
or death. If the above criteria are met, first responding
officers will call a 24-hour hotline number to deploy a TrAIL
investigator, who will assist in the collection of evidence
and determine where the alcohol was purchased or served.
The TrAIL Program has already achieved successes in the four
pilot counties. For example, in Carbondale, an 18-year-old
suffered alcohol poisoning and was taken to the emergency
room. A TrAIL investigator was deployed and able to identify
the adult who provided the teen with alcohol. The adult was
arrested and criminal charges are pending, giving peace of
mind to the teen’s parents. Additionally, less than a
month after its introduction into the Chicago suburbs, three
TrAIL investigations were already underway.
“While our primary goal is to hold accountable those
who provide alcohol to minors, we also hope to collect more
extensive data on injuries and deaths caused by underage drinking
through this program,” says Ted Penesis, ILCC Industry
Education Manager. “We will also track the type of liquor
involved, and create a central repository to catalog those
establishments who sell to underage youth.”
TrAIL will continue to be expanded into new counties over
the next year with the ultimate goal of TrAIL investigators
being deployed statewide. In the meantime, all current pilot
counties will be evaluated to determine whether the criteria
for conducting a TrAIL investigation should be expanded. Additionally,
training opportunities will be held for local law enforcement,
enabling them to conduct their own investigations.
Protecting our youth remains a key priority for the Governor,
who has taken several steps to improve their safety through
a variety of alcohol prevention and teen driving programs.
Please click here for more details
about TrAIL, Don't Be Sorry, and some of the other Governor
initiatives
Other
Industry Education Links:
News Releases
ILCC Newsletters
Illinois
Liquor Control Act
Browse and/or download
Illinois Liquor Control Commission
Rules and Regulations
Browse and/or download
Tobacco Program
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