With Prom Season Near, Dedham Police Warn Parents of Social Host Laws

Prom season is right around the corner, and Dedham Police are asking local parents to remain vigilant in keeping in line with the state's social host laws. 

The annual junior/senior prom for students of the Dedham Public School system is on Friday, May 30 at Lombardo's in Randolph. 

And while that may be weeks off, the Dedham Police Department issued the following statement ahead of time to remind students and parents of the importance of the state's laws: 

"The law in Massachusetts is clear. Whoever furnishes alcohol to a person under 21 years of age shall be punished by a fine of up to $2,000 or imprisonment or both. 'Furnish' shall mean to knowingly or intentionally supply, give, provide or to allow to possess acloholic beverages on premises or property owned or controled by the person charged. This law covers teenage alcohol parties that are held with the parent's knowledge. This law also applies to alcohol parties held by indivdiuals under 21 who host parties while their parents are away. In 2005, a 19-year-old Massachusetts boy was convicted and incarerated for providing alcohol to his underage friends at his parent's home. One of this 19-year-old friends drove away from the house drunk and killed a 16-year-old girl and seriously injuried a 17-year-old boy."

Dedham Police also issued a question-and-answer guide for parents: 

Question: Am I breaking the law if I allow my child’s underage guests to consume alcohol in my home? 

Answer: Yes. The legal drinking age in Massachusetts is 21. It is against the law to serve or provide alcohol to underage guests or to allow them to drink alcohol in your home or on other property you control. If you do, you may be prosecuted criminally. The penalty is a fine of up to $2,000, imprisonment for up to a year, or both. M.G.L. c. 138, s. 34. 

Q: Can I be sued if my child or an underage guest at my home drinks alcohol and injures someone? 

A: Yes. You may be financially responsible if your child or underage guest injures another person (or himself) after having consumed alcohol, if you controlled the supply of the alcohol, made it available, or served it. Civil judgments can be for millions of dollars. 

Q: What if my child allows underage guests to drink or possess alcohol at my home or other property I control? 

A: You or your child may be charged criminally. For you to be found guilty under the Social Host Law, the Commonwealth must prove that you or your child knowingly or intentionally supplied, gave, provided, or allowed minors to possess alcohol at your home or other property you controlled. You or your child may also be sued civilly. 

Q: Does the Social Host Law apply if I rent a hotel room for my daughter’s party? 

A: Yes, since you control the hotel room, the Social Host Law applies. M.G.L. c. 138, s. 34.

Q: Will my homeowner’s policy cover the costs of litigation and any judgment against me or my child? 

A: You may or may not be covered, especially if the underage drinker causes injury or death by use of an automobile. Many insurance policies do not cover situations where criminal conduct is involved.