But even where the law stops, less official forces step in. Both students' colleges and their parents are automatically notified after every arrest. And at least in the short term, authorities agree, that is the scarier possibility for students.

"They're more afraid of what the school will do," says John Kervin. "Kids were always saying, 'Will BC find out?'"

Schools have traditionally taken up the slack when police were lenient, and they are not relaxing any. For instance, Mills says one BC student was suspended for a semester for possessing two fake ID's.

Evans is matter-of-fact about such strict measures: "Schools give them one bit of the apple," he said. "The second time they're gone."

Yet according to Lehman, for many, the worst sanctions come from home.

"[The enforcement] works a little better when Mum and Dad are involved," he said.

Even the chair of Wellesley College's Alcohol Advisory Committee S. Joanne Murray, who presided over the adoption of a policy focusing more on education than enforcement, concedes that "there is some evidence that it's a good deterrent to notify parents." Wellesley town police pushed hard for the college to adopt their zero tolerance policy, according to published reports last year.

Evans agrees about the importance of parental involvement, saying "the kids don't like us notifying parents. They can deal with the college and the courts, but when the parents call, they tell us, 'If you see this kid again, take him out of school.' Parents are paying $30,000, and they're not paying for the kid to come and party. We don't want to see these kids party away their life."