The University of Central Florida's campus newspaper reports that the UCF region of Orange County lead the county in reports of driving under the influence of alcohol in 2013. According to Sarah Ortega's article "UCF area ranks No. 1 in DUI reports: UCF Police Department reports 160 percent increase in DUI arrests," an influx of new restaurants and bars around UCF has coincided with the recent increase. The numbers are gathered from arrests made by law enforcement officials over the last several years.
The area included in Ortega's story includes a radius of two miles around the campus. More than 50 percent of the DUI arrests made in the area by the Orange County Sheriff's Office involved UCF students. Furthermore, many of the arrests made by the University police did not occur on campus property. The campus police have authority to make arrests if they observe criminal behavior or have probable cause to make an arrest off-campus whether a suspect is a student or not.
For college students who face criminal charges, including driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, having a highly skilled defense attorney is crucial. A conviction can lead to serious damage to a student's future aspirations. Colleges and universities often have their own codes of conduct which can lead to inter-university disciplinary action. Financial aid may also be at risk if a student is convicted of a serious crime. For anyone concerned about their reputation, their finances, and their future, aggressively fighting a Florida DUI conviction may be the best strategy. Hoping for the mercy of the court may be extremely risky especially for college students whose aspirations may be at risk.
Read more at UCF's campus newspaper "Central Florida Future."