The Muncie Police Department has decided to crack down on house parties. Though this might seem unfortunate to frequent party throwers or party goers, the step is an important one after Sunday's events.
House parties are a component of the college social scene. They are an opportunity for students who cannot go to the bars to get out on the weekends and get their hands on alcohol.
This is what sets a house party apart from a party. A party is a group of friends gathering. A house party is a moneymaker. Usually, a group of people who live together will buy a keg or make a large batch of drinks. After setting a price per cup, the hosts can sit back and watch both the underage drinkers and the money roll in.
House party hosts do not know every person who comes through the door that night. Often, these parties are full of friends of friends. Monitoring party guests might not be at the forefront of the hosts' minds. They want to enjoy themselves.
Though party throwers cannot keep track of every guest, they should be aware of the consequences connected to illegal distribution of alcohol.
Muncie police chief Joe Winkle said the people who threw a house party on Saturday night are not responsible for Karl Harford's death, although they were cited for maintaining a public nuisance and contributing to the delinquency of a minor.
The crackdown should be a wake-up call for party hosts. The money collected after a kegger cannot offset the cost of breaking the law or losing a life.
It's not worth it.
Alcohol is dangerous if used improperly or distributed illegally. Anyone engaging in these practices should be ready for the consequences.
Aside from alcohol, crowded parties can cause additional problems.
Having too many guests can create fire hazards. Hosts should try to limit the number of people entering their house. When the party gets out of hand, it's the hosts' responsibility to start breaking it up. If the police arrive to break up the party, trying to outrun officers or stampede out of the house will only make the problem worse and could get people hurt.
If the fear of putting guests in danger is not enough to keep hosts from letting a party get out of hand, the fear of having to fork over the keg money to pay for fines and legal fees might be.
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