Young people who are caught drinking before they are 21 stand to get in a lot of trouble. It's probably fair to say that most Palatine residents who are under 21 do not realize just how bad the consequences could be if they are caught drinking before they are of age.

In one fellow suburb of Chicago, those penalties might get even higher. Recently, aldermen in Geneva expressed their desire to increase the penalties for those who are caught underage drinking. The plan was developed when the aldermen were acting as a committee of the whole and was approved unanimously. The next step is for the city council to vote on the measure.

Under the proposed plan, the penalty for drinking before the age of 21 would rise from $100 to $250. The aldermen are considering a rebate if an offender undertakes certain educational measures, but the chief of police said he his opposed to that idea because such a rebate would be administratively burdensome and is not offered for other offenses.

The aldermen also voted to increase the fine for people who are caught selling synthetic marijuana, which became illegal in Illinois as of Jan. 1.

A $250 fine might not sound like a lot, but look at it this way -- that's quite a lot to pay to attend a party. Furthermore, that price does not reflect other costs, such as the possibility that a scholarship or admission to a college might be put in jeopardy. It is also hard to predict future costs, such as what employers would think if they find out a job applicant was caught drinking underage.

It's because of reasons like those mentioned above that many people who get in trouble because they drank before they were 21 seek the help of attorneys. Lawyers can't undo your mistake, but they can make sure you are not unduly punished for a youthful indiscretion.

Source: Kane County Chronicle, "Geneva aldermen vote to recommend bigger fines for underage drinking," Brenda Schory, Jan. 10, 2012