For one anonymous 20-year-old third-year College student, the fake ID he's had since high school was just another school supply to pack for his return to the University this fall.
"I've used my [fake] ID way too many times to count," the student said. "I've had it since before I came to the University. I never really thought about the fact that it could be considered an Honor offense." But while they may ease alcohol purchases, using fake IDs comes with the risk of consequences.
Beyond the University, students face prosecution when they chose to use fake, altered or borrowed IDs.
Under Virginia law, persons caught purchasing alcohol with fake or borrowed IDs face fines of up to $2,500, suspension of driving privileges for up to a year and up to 12 months jail time.
In Charlottesville, however, rates of arrest for possession of fake or borrowed IDs are extremely low.
There have been only two arrests this year for possession of a false ID, a slight increase from 2002, said Detective Tom McKean.
Jim Roland, the owner of St. Maartens on 14th Street, said his establishment's strategy for curbing the use of false identification is not heavily reliant on reporting such incidents to the police.
"There are some magnificent IDs out there," Roland said. "It's really hard to discern them but through training I think we do a good job."
He added that IDs are not always confiscated on sight.
"We don't mean to be hard about it, we try to be nice," Roland said. "Typically when someone presents what we think is a fake ID we ask that person, 'do you really want to present me with this ID?' and then we confiscate it."
Confiscated ID's then are used to train new wait staff.
"In the past five years have only called the police twice," Roland said.
Strategies such as the one used at St. Maarten's seem to be reflected in the low rate of arrest in Charlottesville for possession of false or borrowed IDs.
Students who choose to misuse state and University issued IDs run the risk of penalties not only from the Charlottesville police but potentially also from Honor and University Judiciary Committee.
"Using a false ID could be considered an Honor offense because it could be an example of lying," Honor Committee Chair Carey Mignerey said. "Juries decide whether or not actions can be serious enough to warrant expulsion from the University."
Though she would not comment on specific cases, UJC Chair Alexis Gregoriansaid using someone else's student ID or altering one's own to purchase alcohol could certainly be considered a violation of UJC standard seven, which prohibits the "alteration, fabrication, or misuse of, or obtaining unauthorized access to University identification cards, other documents, or computer files or systems"
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