Alcohol Compliance Checks

Compliance checks, also known as “stings,” involve an underage operative (a “decoy”), working with either law enforcement officials or agents from the TABC, who enters an alcohol retail establishment and tries to purchase an alcoholic beverage from a server, bartender, or clerk. Typically, the decoy is observed by an undercover enforcement officer. Audio and video recording equipment may also be used or required.
 

If a purchase is made successfully, the establishment and/or the clerk or server may be subject to an administrative or criminal penalty.
 

Why Do Compliance Checks?
 

It may sound mean to trick a merchant and then punish him for his mistake. However, the stakes are high, and delaying youth exposure to/use of alcohol can help young people avoid early exposure to alcohol. There are good reasons why it is illegal for people under age 21 to purchase alcohol. For example, when the drinking age was 18, many more youths were killed and injured in alcohol-related motor vehicle crashes.

 

Too often, early drinking brings with it many problems other than health/brain development issues. Researchers report that when younger people drink they experience:

• More unplanned teen pregnancies, sexually transmitted diseases, and unplanned sex.
• More assaults, vandalism, and violence.
• Increased problems in school and work.

Additionally, there is strong correlation between early exposure to alcohol and developing alcohol dependence later in life (see the graph below).
 

 

Simply upholding existing laws that prohibit retail alcohol sales to minors goes a long way towards keeping East Texas safe for youth despite the recent increase in retail availability.
 

Compliance checks are most effective when they are frequent, well publicized, and well designed, and when they solicit community support and impose penalties on the licensed establishment, rather than just on the server. Frequent Compliance Checks result in an environment where merchants do the right thing, which in turn reduces youth alcohol-related problems within the community.
 

Compliance checks have both educational and behavior-change goals:

• They change/reinforce social norms that underage drinking is not acceptable by publicizing non-compliant retailers.
• They educate the community, including parents, educators, and policymakers, about the ready availability of alcohol to youth, which may not be considered a major issue.
• They help increase alcohol retailers’ perception that violation of sales to minors laws will be detected and punished, creating a deterrent effect.