Earlier this month, an 18-year-old Pittsburgh woman was arrested and charged with two counts of DUI and one count of possession of a controlled substance. That same day, another 18-year-old man was also arrested and charged with two counts of DUI and one count of purchase of alcohol by a minor, which is a charge related to underage drinking. Together, these two young people face a heap of trouble.

Students in Pennsylvania can sometimes forget that alcohol-related charges are very serious. Especially around this time of year, when friends return home for the holidays and people gather at bars so they can socialize, it can seem like alcohol is really no big deal.

That simply is not the case.

Every alcohol-related charge, from underage drinking to DUI, carries with it very serious penalties with conviction. On top of whatever punishments are meted out by the criminal justice system (presuming the accused is convicted, of course), there are other hassles to deal with.

Licenses can be suspended, community service can be imposed and car insurance rates can shoot up dramatically. On top of that, alcohol-related offenses can jeopardize scholarships and result in

other academic punishment, to say nothing of earn punishment from one's parents.

Obviously, there is a lot at stake when one is charged with an alcohol-related offense. Because so much hangs in the balance, many young people who are accused of alcohol-related offenses choose to work with criminal defense attorneys to make sure they are not unjustly punished. Criminal defense attorneys cannot work miracles, but sometimes they can help their clients make the best of what could be a bad situation.

Source: The Rocket, "Police Blotter," Nov. 10, 2011