__________________________________________Ask the DA

What is your opinion on the recent release of Paris Hilton from prison and what message does it send to our youngest citizens who think these celebrity types are cool? 

The many accounts of Ms. Hilton’s arrest, release from and subsequent return to jail have certainly been played out in the media. My opinion regarding Ms. Hilton’s travails is inconsequential.  What does concern me is the behavior of young people who continually fail to recognize the seriousness of drinking and driving. 

Were Ms. Hilton not a celebrity, her case would merely resemble the cases of tens of thousands of others in this country who drink and drive, often wreaking irreversible consequences on their lives and the lives of others. Unfortunately in Ms. Hilton’s case, her behavior is emulated by millions of young people here and abroad. And it is young people between the ages of 20 and 29 who are more likely than any other age group to be the drivers in alcohol-related vehicular fatalities. When you consider that the number one cause of death in this country for young people aged 16-24 is traffic fatalities, and that in 2005, 41% of all traffic fatalities were alcohol-related, the gravity of this behavior hits home. 

My office treats charges of driving while under the influence very seriously. In addition to vigorous prosecution of all such cases, I have responded to the deadly problem of reckless and drunk driving among teens by creating a prevention program called “Choices and Consequences”. My dedicated staff from the Vehicular Crimes Bureau presents this interactive curriculum to high school students throughout Brooklyn. The program is a joint initiative with the City Department of Transportation and the Police Department. The program concludes with a family member of a victim tragically killed or a defendant who has himself inflicted harm due to his reckless behavior addressing the audience and relating his experience. Traditionally, this portion of the presentation has a profound impact on the students.