In our previous post, we wrote about the lengthy legal process that people arrested for underage possession of alcohol must go through after they've been booked and released.

While underage possession might not sound like a big deal, the reality is that authorities take it quite seriously and it makes sense for UGA students and anyone else in Athens who's arrested on the charge to take it just as seriously.

Even for first-time offenders, the process takes time and money to complete successfully. First-time offenders can in many cases get into a pretrial intervention program. But the program comes with costs: a $200 program fee, $115 for classes and $30 a month for monitoring.

In addition, you have to attend four 150-minute classes, submit to a substance abuse evaluation and complete 30 hours of community service.

The substance abuse screening determines whether a University of Georgia student will be required to attend one-on-one sessions with a counselor or attend classes with other offenders.

A student interviewed for a media report on underage possession said he liked the one-on-one counseling sessions.

"I enjoyed it," he said. "I thought it was helpful and he was very insightful and had a lot of good advice."

A student who attended the classes was less enthusiastic.

She said, "it acts as more of a deterrent and punishment than an informational source. I didn't see a lot of information that I hadn't been exposed to before."

She said that for her, the greatest deterrent to again drinking while underage was the possibility of suspension from school.

She said, "I did not drink for a year because I was so scared of being kicked out of school."

The legal and academic processes and punishments can be intimidating and confusing. That's why many UGA students rely on the help of an experienced attorney who knows the law and can help them successfully navigate the system and get their lives back on track.

Source: Red and Black: "What's life like after an alcohol-related arrest," Kathryn Ingall, Nov. 6, 2011