Monday’s Courier-News piece covers the vagaries of where local government is willing to draw the line when it comes to parental responsibility. Of course, the general problem is they usually don’t draw it at all. 
While I like Elgin’s new social hosting law which holds parents responsible for underage drinking parties on their premises, it has more loopholes than the current tax code. The parent(s) virtually have to be complicit before they can be held accountable.
The main point I make in the column is an Elgin teenager can be fined more for playing his car radio too loudly than a parent can be for knowingly hosting such a party.
Give it a read!
A loud stereo is clearly a greater threat to public safety than a bunch of intoxicated teenagers, some of them driving. At least that’s what the fine structure in Elgin indicates.
I agree with Jeff that $500 for a flagrant violation strikes me as too low. Suppose one of the youthful drinkers leaves the party and causes a traffic crash that injures or kills someone. A $500 fine is a pittance for such harm.