Underage Drinking
N.J.S.A. 2C:33-15, Minors Possessing Alcoholic Beverages, states that any person under the legal age to purchase alcoholic beverages who knowingly possesses without legal authority or who knowingly consumes any alcoholic beverage in any school, public conveyance, public place, or place of public assembly, or motor vehicle, is guilty of a disorderly persons offense, and shall be fined not les than $500.00.

Whenever this offense is committed in a motor vehicle, the court shall, in addition to the sentence authorized for the offense, suspend or postpone for six months, the driving privilege of the defendant. If a person at the time of the imposition of a sentence is less than 17 years of age, the period of license postponement, including a suspension or postponement of the privilege of operating a motorized bicycle, shall commence on the day the sentence is imposed and shall run for a period of six months after the person reaches the age of 17 years.

Haddonfield Borough Ordinance (Code Chapter 65) addresses the same legal issues and carries similar penalties especially the suspension and or postponement of the driving privilege of the defendant. To review this Chapter go to
http://e-codes.generalcode.com/codebook_frameset.asp

Harassment
N.J.S.A. 2C:33-4, Harassment, states that a person commits a petty disorderly persons offense if, with purpose to harass another he: a) makes, or causes to be made, a communication or communications anonymously or at extremely inconvenient hours, or in offensively coarse language, or any other manner likely to cause annoyance or alarm; b) subjects another to striking, kicking, shoving, or other offensive touching, or threatens to do so; or c) engages in any other course of alarming conduct or of repeatedly committed acts with purpose to alarm or seriously annoy such other person.

Note: This statute is applicable to the many forms of harassment being experienced by juveniles utilizing computers and cell phones to send and or receive messages that are deemed harassing in nature. The public schools have called this “cyber-bullying”.

For more information on Cyber-bullying, go to http://www.stopcyberbullying.org/index2.html

Criminal Mischief (Vandalism):
N.J.S.A. 2C:17-3, states that a person is guilty of criminal mischief if he: (1) Purposely or knowingly damages tangible property of another or damages tangible property of another recklessly or negligently in the employment of fire, explosives or other dangerous means listed in 2C:17-2, Causing or Risking Widespread Injury or Damage.