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Researcher Analyzes Drinking Patterns With Highlands Teens

UNDERAGE DRINKING

KATHY WATERS/Highlands Today

From left: Karen Patton with Tri-County Human Services and Debbie Lees, coordinator of the substance abuse reduction grant, look over current statistics on graduation and dropout rates as well as statistics from Heartland Workforce on Tuesday in Sebring. Lees is trying to determine the impact on the community at large due to underage drinking.

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By Dan  Fearson | Highlands Today

Published: November 8, 2007

Debbie Lees worked for more than 20 years as an FBI agent, dealing with criminals and working on foreign counter intelligence operations.

And although she's now retired, Lees' current activities involve the same amount of research as her bureau days.

Lees is now under contract with the Highlands County Sheriff's Office. With the help of Highlands County Community Coalition for Substance Abuse Reduction (HCCC,) she is focusing on underage drinking, which has grown in popularity. The project is officially dubbed the Substance Abuse Response Guide Project and is being funded by a grant from Florida State University.

"I've had about a year and a half to settle into retirement," said Lees, who last worked with the FBI in Miami. "I know I have the skills and abilities to help out the community, so I wanted to help out."
Lees, who served as a juvenile probation officer before joining the FBI, has experience dealing with youthful substance abuse.

"(Underage drinking) seems to be a problem in rural communities," said Lees. "I think that more people are aware of the problems."

Research Phases

The project is expected to last for a year and will be broken into research phases. Project details and findings will be given until its completion during the HCCC's monthly meetings.

"The state was able to target where (underage drinking) was a problem," said Lees. "Every county has problems with drinking in one form or another, and here it seemed to be with the youth.

"My job is to hone in on the problem and validate it with figures. We want to try to detail the problem as closely as we can, so that we can find its root."

Currently, Lees is crunching survey results, which were completed by Highlands County students. The survey features questions asking students if they have had alcohol, where they get it, and how many peers they've had that have consumed it. The survey also links other drugs and social activities into its questions.

"I was overwhelmed by the number of statistics that are already available at a national and state level," said Lees. "We are going to be able to correlate the numbers that are already out there, with our own findings.

"My job is going to be to provide data that can be used to get results. My time in the FBI required me to do a lot of research, which made me a results-oriented person. I have a strong analytical background."

Lees was hired in mid-October to work on the project. So far, after looking over surveys provided by a few sixth- and seventh-grade classrooms, she has not made any judgments. She hopes to have information available to HCCC members at their meeting on Nov. 14.

"So far the surveys indicate that kids are not drinking, but they seem to know where they can get alcohol," said Lees, who expects the number of kids who have drunk alcohol to increase as she researches older youths.

"I think that (the numbers) may indicate that some of the students may have not been completely truthful, because (they know of ways to get alcohol)."

"We're also weighing the validity of the questions and the validity of the survey," said Lees. "I'm excited to be able to look at this data."

A Big Problem?

When asked about underage drinking, local minors, who have graduated from high school, said that it is a problem.

"I consider it a big problem," said Cindy Current, 18, of Sebring. "I heard stories in high school about parties where kids were drinking and getting in trouble. I think that's why they make the legal drinking age 21, to prevent minors from being irresponsible while under the influence."

Carmen Diaz, 19, agreed with Current, and both mentioned a former Avon Park student's ongoing manslaughter case.

"I personally don't like alcohol," said Diaz. "I think it causes problems, and I've heard stories."
"There's not a lot do around here, sometimes kids have nothing to do but go out and get drunk at parties," said April Johnson, 18, who said she doesn't participate in drinking activities because of her strict upbringing.

"If they had more activities for people our age, I don't think the numbers would be as high."

Taking It To The Classroom

Paul Hinman, a crime prevention practitioner, saw the impact of alcohol first-hand during his eight years of service as a major and administrator at the Highlands County Jail.

Hinman gave a series of lectures on underage drinking Wednesday to students who are taking life management classes at Sebring High School.

"I started giving the presentation in 1992," said Hinman. "I want to make teens aware of not only the dangers but the penalties they face if they are caught."

Hinman said he developed the presentation himself after working at the jail.

"I try to relay some of my personal experiences with them when it comes to DUIs," said Hinman. "I think the number of underage drinkers in the county is continuing to grow based on what I've heard from community members."

Hinman said he shows a video involving real DUI cases where teenagers made bad decisions and were killed as a result of their actions, as well as press clippings, which include the T.K. Hill case.

"(The Hill case) seems to hit them close," said Hinman. "That's something he's going to have to live with for the rest of his life, regardless of what happens to him in court. I try to relay that to the teens.
"If only half the students in each class take away something from the presentation, then it will be worth my time."

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