by Roger Johnson

About the author: FBI Special Agent Roger Johnson serves as the assistant section chief for the Alcohol and Tobacco Enforcement Section of the Wisconsin Department of Revenue.

In the United States, 18-year-olds can legally drive, vote, and die for their country, but they cannot drink alcohol. Viewing this discrepancy in the law as a denial of their rights, today’s teens are determined to beat the system. This results in a proliferation of false identification cards (IDs) and a nightly cat-andmouse game between the youths and the law enforcement officers and alcohol beverage licensees who stand in their way.

Indeed, both law enforcement officers and retailers have become increasingly frustrated as false IDs have become a way of life for many thirsty 18-, 19-, and 20-year-olds. Aided by...