Public Service Announcements

For Parents: Social Host Liability and Underage Drinking

Parents are the most important influence in their children’s lives. While parents typically do not want their children under the age of 21 to consume alcohol, some may think, “It’s not a problem in our controlled home environment.” However, this approach can lead to significant consequences, as, under Massachusetts law, furnishing alcohol to a person under 21 results in a fine of up to $2,000, imprisonment for up to one year, or both – with the damages of a potential civil lawsuit being much greater.

Under Massachusetts law, a social host is anyone (adult or minor) who is in control of the premises and who furnishes alcohol or allows it to be consumed on the premises. This means that if you allow your under-21 child and guests to consume alcohol in your house, you are breaking the law and you may be criminally prosecuted. Additionally, when an impaired young driver has injured or killed someone, those who have allowed underaged guests to consume alcohol in their home have faced millions of dollars in damages in civil lawsuits.

Even if your child supplies alcohol to guests at your home without your knowledge, they may be criminally charged and/or face a civil lawsuit. The law also applies to rented hotel rooms.

Discuss Alcohol, Drugs, and Party Safety with Your Kids

Beyond financial and criminal consequences, District Attorney Paul F. Tucker recommends that parents discuss the value of abstaining from alcohol and drugs with their kids. Some key points to discuss include the fact that the brain does not fully develop until a person is around the age of 26 and drinking alcohol or using drugs can have negative impacts on decision-making, self-control, memory, and learning. In addition, using drugs or alcohol can jeopardize kids’ college admissions, financial aid, involvement in school activities, job opportunities, and eligibility for things like joining the military.

Parents should discuss the risks of alcohol and drugs with kids and establish clear consequences for breaking the rules. Additionally, do not assume that other parents have the same rules that you do and create a plan with your children about what to do if they find themselves in a risky situation. Texting, calling, or moving to a safe location may be good options. As a parent, you have a major influence on the decisions your child makes, especially regarding alcohol and other drugs. By talking with your kids about not using alcohol and other drugs, you help them make better choices and live safer, healthier lives.

For Teens: Party at Your Place? Keep It Drug- and Alcohol-Free!

If you are under the age of 21 and plan to host a party at your home with friends, it is important to make sure that your gathering remains drug- and alcohol-free. Under Massachusetts law, any person who furnishes alcohol to a person under age 21 shall be punished by a fine of up to $2,000, imprisonment for up to one year, or both – with the damages of a potential civil lawsuit being much greater.

A social host is anyone (adult or minor) who is in control of the premises and who furnishes alcohol or allows it to be consumed on the premises. This means that if you allow your under-21 guests to consume alcohol in your house, you are breaking the law and you and/or your parents may be criminally prosecuted. Additionally, if one of your guests consumes alcohol and then accidentally injures someone – such as in a motor vehicle crash – you and/or your parents may face millions of dollars of damages in a civil lawsuit.

Throwing Fun Parties Without Alcohol or Drugs

There are many ways to throw a good party without alcohol or drugs involved. Enjoying music, dancing, talking, sharing talents, making and eating food, sharing jokes, singing karaoke, wearing formal attire or themed costumes, and engaging in a group activity like a sport, artistic project, or role-playing game such as a murder mystery are just a few of many activities that can make for a fun party and none of them require alcohol or other drugs.

It is also a good idea to make a plan with your parents as to what you will do if you ever find yourself in a risky situation, such as a party where you do not feel comfortable. Calling, texting, and/or moving to a safe location may be good options. Remember: your future is more important than any one night or any one party. When you make safe and healthy choices, you afford yourself the ability to attend many more parties in the years to come.

Safe Driving and Preventing Fatal Crashes

Many fatal motor vehicle collisions are preventable, notes Essex County District Attorney Paul F. Tucker, and avoiding high-risk behaviors such as driving under the influence and using cellphones while driving can make you and everyone on the road safer. Behind the many distracted- or impaired-driving statistics are real people whose lives have been ended or forever altered by the reckless decisions of impaired or distracted drivers. In addition to these victims, surviving drivers may also face life-altering consequences, with culpable drivers facing potential State Prison sentences for fatal crashes in addition to potential loss of license for at least 15 years, or even up to life.

No one wants to be responsible for killing another person with their vehicle, but many people think that this outcome would never happen to them. Essex County District Attorney Paul F. Tucker and all members of Essex County law enforcement are determined to combat impaired and distracted driving. If you see someone operating a vehicle in a reckless manner, please contact your local police department to let them know. You may wind up saving someone’s life. In addition, remember to always wear your seatbelt. Together, we can keep the roads of Essex County as safe as possible.

Operating Under the Influence

Operating under the influence of alcohol, marijuana, or other drugs – including prescription medication abuse – is illegal and, all too often, lethal. On average, someone dies from a drunk-driving car crash in the United States every 39 minutes, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). These deaths are preventable. By utilizing a designated driver system or calling taxis or ride-hailing services, individuals who know they will be drinking or consuming cannabis – although Massachusetts has legalized marijuana, driving while “high” remains a crime – can avoid putting others at risk. Passengers should not get in the car with drivers who are drunk or high. Those hosting parties and social gatherings should make sure all guests leave with a sober driver. It’s also important to remember that a driver may be impaired even if they are not visibly drunk; “buzzed” driving is also drunk driving.

Distracted Driving

Much like operating under the influence of alcohol or drugs, distracted driving is a frequent contributor to fatal motor vehicle crashes. While sending a single text or checking an app while behind the wheel of a moving vehicle may seem harmless in the moment, NHTSA reports that more than 3,000 deaths were directly attributed to this dangerous practice in 2022. Sending or reading a text takes your eyes off the road for an average of 4.6 seconds; at 55 miles per hour, that’s comparable to driving the length of an entire football field with a blindfold on. In addition, a texting driver is 23 times more likely to get into a crash than a non-texting driver. People of all ages should understand that distracted driving such as texting while driving is a criminal offense. No text message is more important than your life or the lives of other motorists. Remember that texting, social media, and other phone app-related responses, activity, or usage can wait. If you are driving, put the phone away or use a hands-free device for calls (and know that junior operators may not use a phone at all, even if hands-free, when driving.

Cryptocurrency Scams: Beware and Report Financial Fraud

It is estimated that approximately $10 million of financial fraud was reported in Essex County in 2023. The total amount of money lost to scams may be much greater than that, given that some financial fraud victims do not report the crime committed against them. Essex County District Attorney Paul F. Tucker urges victims of scams to immediately contact their local police department to report the crime.

Cryptocurrency scams have become one of the most popular tactics used by criminals to defraud victims and often target the elderly in schemes that involve making payments using Bitcoin or other cryptocurrency at cryptocurrency ATMs. Perpetrators of these crimes are drawn to cryptocurrency due to the ability to anonymize their identities and quickly move funds overseas. This video highlights one such scam, and the victim involved hopes others may learn from her story and avoid falling prey to similar cryptocurrency scams, as our best line of defense against such scams is a well-informed public:

Understanding Crypto ATMs/Bitcoin ATMs and Scams

A crypto ATM, sometimes called a crypto kiosk or BTM (Bitcoin ATM) is a physical machine that looks similar to a traditional ATM and allows customers to purchase cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin using cash, debit, credit card, or bank transfer. Often, crypto ATMs charge significantly higher transaction fees than online and mobile platforms – sometimes as high as 25 percent. There are tens of thousands of these machines across the United States, and the Boston Business Journal has reported that there are more than 800 Bitcoin ATMs in Massachusetts. A crypto or Bitcoin ATM is intended to convert a user’s physical cash into cryptocurrency and send that cryptocurrency to the user’s “digital wallet.” However, in many of these scams, users are directed to send the cryptocurrency to the scammer’s digital wallet. Because these transactions are instantaneous, there is no “clawback” period and perpetrators can instantly transfer funds.

Crypto Scams: Know the Warning Signs

The nature of these scams may vary, from romance-based schemes and lottery-themed schemes to impersonation schemes. A few warning signs of crypto- or Bitcoin-based scams to look out for include, among others: directions to make financial transactions at machines while still on the phone with the other party, suggestions that the nature of the situation should be secretive or should not be shared with others, and/or insistence that crypto is the only form of acceptable payment to resolve a situation. Essex County District Attorney Paul F. Tucker advises citizens that no legitimate business, entity, or individual will ask for payment using only cryptocurrency such as Bitcoin. Additionally, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) offers the following tips regarding crypto-ATMs:

Never click on links or respond directly to unexpected calls, messages, or computer pop-ups. If you think it could be legit, contact the company or agency, but look up their number or website yourself. Don't use the one the caller or message gave you.
Slow down. Scammers want to rush you, so stop and check it out. Before you do anything else, talk with someone you trust.
Never withdraw cash in response to an unexpected call or message. Only scammers will tell you to do that.
Don’t believe anyone who says you need to use a Bitcoin ATM, buy gift cards, or move money to protect it or fix a problem. Real businesses and government agencies will never do that – and anyone who asks is a scammer.

Safe Swimming Tips for Families

Essex County District Attorney Paul F. Tucker reminds residents that following best practices for water-based activities can help ensure that swimmers of all ages have a safe and happy time during these seasonal activities.

First and foremost, do not swim alone or allow children to swim unsupervised. Parents of very young children can help ensure their safety by installing fencing or barriers that disallow access to a pool when parents are not present to supervise. Parents of older kids should discuss the importance of staying out of the water when a responsible adult overseer is not present. Be it at the beach or a pool, avoid diffusion of water safety responsibility, as there can be a tendency in larger groups and gatherings to assume someone else will see an issue or raise an alarm if there is a problem. Swimmers of all ages can help prevent unexpected issues by keeping a flotation device on hand while in the water.

“When it’s everybody’s job to monitor kids in the pool, unfortunately it can become ‘nobody’s job,’” Tucker says, “so one of the most impactful water safety practices parents can implement is making sure that, at any given time, a single, responsible, and focused water safety monitor is assigned.”

Water safety monitors should be familiar with the signs of drowning, which often do not match the splashing and screaming depictions of drowning in movies and TV.

“If a swimmer is quiet or in distress, ask if they are okay,” Tucker advises. “If they cannot verbally respond with an affirmation that they are doing well, take immediate action and assume it is a drowning risk unless or until proven otherwise.”

The American Red Cross offers a comprehensive checklist of swimming safety tips here.