Sober Graduation is an annual community-based program that targets seniors around Prom, graduation and other end-of-the-year school activities. Sober Graduation hosted “Reality Check,” a student journalism press conference on April 30, to publicize its cause.

Student journalists from local high schools were selected to partake in a jail tour, an interactive viewing of a wrecked vehicle, a press conference with four experts and a tour of the Santa Clara County Morgue.

The day started with participants experiencing a mock-arrest for driving under the influence (DUI). They were given a series of real sobriety tests, breathalized and handcuffed.

Then, students traveled to the Santa Clara Main Jail (SCMJ) in San Jose to learn about how jails operate and specific consequences that drunk drivers face. Charges at SCMJ range from DUIs to murder. “Our jail is for people awaiting trial, not for those who are already convicted,” SCMJ Public Information Officer Mike Percy said. “That’s why we get a lot of DUI drivers, who police will send here upon arrest.”

The jail has two wings: a newly renovated North section and an older South section. There is little privacy in the North wing, where inmates live dorm-like rooms, called modules. The South wing has individual cells which are reserved for inmates with more serious crimes. “Trust me, you do not want to end up here,” police officer and jail tour officer Scott Freund said. “There are numerous gang systems, and you are away from society except for the two visits per week you are allotted.”

According to Freund, people often drive when under the influence because they don’t think it’s as “bad” of a crime. “You end up in jail just like the other crimes,” he said. “And once you end up in jail, it’s a difficult road from there. Is it worth ruining your life with one drink, going to jail and ruining everything you’ve gained or done?” Officers also stressed that DUIs do not only refer to drinking and driving; they also include driving after using drugs.

A panel of experts composed of officers Rick Stagner and Steve Pennington, two of the top DUI officers in California, as well as Dave Fawcett, Vice President of Ludwig & Fawcett Insurance Brokers and Chief Assistant District Attorney Marc Buller. Each expert stressed the gravity of driving under the influence as well. “The violations will stick with you for up to 10 years,” Fawcett said. “The insurance rate will rise drastically, and it’ll even affect your future employment.” Fawcett showed an example of an annual insurance rate rising from $1799 to $3145 after just one DUI.

Officer Stagner said that police officers can stop drivers for a number of reasons if they suspect a driver is intoxicated. “We can stop you if your taillight is out, if your license plate is on wrong and 10,000 other things,” he said. “You’re really rolling the dice if you drive under the influence and hope you aren’t caught. You’ll find yourself going to jail.”

The day ended with a visit to the county morgue, where students viewed a graphic presentation of accident scenes and a body that had been decomposing for 10 days. Coroner Rosa Vega led the presentation of scenes that she had personally attended to. She showed photographs of graphically injured and contorted dead bodies, some in cars, others on the road. “This is real life,” Vega said. “This is not ‘CSI.’ These [pictures and stories] are not made up; these are real people.”

All the victims in the presentation died as a result of driving under the influence. Some were drivers, others were passengers, still others were simply innocent pedestrians. “ninety percent of death by car accidents is from alcohol or drugs, the other 10 percent by speeding,” Vega said. “It’s stupid because the majority of car accidents are preventable if you make the right choice and don’t drive under the influence.”

Overall, the program stressed the importance of making smart decisions. None of the experts lectured not to drink; they simply highlighted the importance of safe transportation and the consequences of driving under the influence. It explained that any alternative is better than putting people at risk by driving intoxicated.

As seniors attend more off-campus events, chances of driving under the influence also increase. Sober Graduation encourages students who find themselves under the influence to call friends or Saferide to get home safely, or spend the night at a safe nearby location.