Tailgate/Bar Offenses: Why Good People Make Bad Choices

Tailgate and bar offenses, such as underage drinking, open container violations, use of fake IDs, and public urination, are common during social gatherings like college football games, concerts, or nights out at bars. These behaviors often occur in high-energy, social environments where peer influence, alcohol consumption, and a sense of freedom can lead to poor decision-making. For individuals charged with these offenses, especially first-time offenders, the experience can be deeply embarrassing and out of character, as they see themselves as generally responsible and law-abiding.
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Understanding why good people make these poor choices requires examining the psychological, situational, and social dynamics that contribute to such behavior. By applying criminological theories, we can explore how these offenses happen and provide pathways for reflection, accountability, and personal growth.

Criminological Theories Applied to Tailgate Offenses

1. Social Learning Theory (Albert Bandura, Ronald Akers)

Key Idea: Behavior is learned through observation, imitation, and reinforcement within social contexts.

• Application to Tailgate Offenses:
  Many tailgate offenses occur because individuals are influenced by the behavior of their peers. Drinking, using fake IDs, or urinating in public may seem normalized or even encouraged in certain social circles.
• Example of Behavior:
  • A college freshman drinks alcohol at a tailgate because everyone around them is doing the same, believing it’s a rite of passage.
  • A friend encourages someone to use a fake ID to buy drinks at a bar, framing it as harmless fun.

2. Rational Choice Theory (Derek Cornish and Ronald Clarke)

Key Idea: People make decisions by weighing perceived risks and rewards, though these calculations may be flawed in high-energy situations.

• Application to Tailgate Offenses:
  Individuals engaging in these behaviors often underestimate the likelihood of getting caught or overestimate their ability to avoid detection. They focus on the immediate benefits, such as fun or convenience, rather than the long-term consequences.
• Example of Behavior:
  • Someone decides to drink beer in the parking lot, assuming, “The cops are too busy to worry about me.”
  • A person urinates behind a car, thinking, “No one will notice if I’m quick.”

3. Self-Control Theory (Michael Gottfredson and Travis Hirschi)

Key Idea: Impulsivity and poor self-regulation contribute to risky behavior, especially in environments with heightened emotions.

• Application to Tailgate Offenses:
  Alcohol consumption and the festive atmosphere of tailgating often lower self-control, leading to impulsive decisions that individuals might not make under normal circumstances.
• Example of Behavior:
  • A person under the influence of alcohol uses a fake ID to get into a bar, despite knowing it’s illegal.
  • Someone urinates in public rather than finding a restroom, acting on the immediate need without considering the consequences.

4. Neutralization Theory (Gresham Sykes and David Matza)

Key Idea: Individuals justify their behavior to minimize guilt or align it with their self-image.

• Application to Tailgate Offenses:
  Offenders often rationalize their actions by downplaying the harm or shifting blame. This allows them to reconcile their behavior with their self-perception as good people.
• Example of Behavior:
  • “Everyone drinks underage at college; it’s not a big deal.”
  • “I only used the fake ID because the bar wouldn’t let me in otherwise.”
  • “There weren’t any public restrooms around—what else was I supposed to do?”

5. General Strain Theory (Robert Agnew)

Key Idea: Emotional or situational strain can lead to deviant behavior as a coping mechanism.

• Application to Tailgate Offenses:
  Tailgate settings can create pressure to fit in socially, leading individuals to engage in behaviors they might otherwise avoid. For example, someone feeling excluded might drink or use a fake ID to gain acceptance.
• Example of Behavior:
  • A student who feels left out at a tailgate drinks heavily to fit in, despite knowing the risks.
  • Someone frustrated by long restroom lines decides to urinate in public out of desperation.

Additional Factors Contributing to Tailgate Offenses

1. Social Pressures

• Peer Influence: Group dynamics at tailgates often encourage drinking and risky behavior, normalizing activities like underage drinking or using fake IDs.
• Cultural Expectations: College culture or event traditions may make individuals feel that drinking or partying is expected.

2. Situational Influences

• High-Energy Environments: Tailgates and similar events are often chaotic, reducing perceived accountability and making risky behavior seem less serious.
• Alcohol Consumption: Impaired judgment from drinking is a significant factor in tailgate offenses.

3. Cognitive Impairments

• Present Bias: Individuals prioritize immediate gratification (e.g., drinking, avoiding a long line) over the potential consequences.
• Groupthink: People may act differently in a group, assuming collective behavior will shield them from individual responsibility.

Real-World Examples of Behavior

1. Scenario 1: Underage Drinking
   A college student attends their first tailgate and drinks alcohol provided by friends. They rationalize, “Everyone’s doing it, and I don’t want to seem uptight.”
2. Scenario 2: Fake ID
   An underage person uses a fake ID to get into a crowded bar during a football game weekend. When asked about it later, they claim, “I just wanted to have fun with my friends.”
3. Scenario 3: Public Urination
   A fan at a game decides to urinate behind a car in the parking lot, frustrated by the long line for restrooms. They think, “It’s just for a second—no one will care.”
4. Scenario 4: Open Container
   A group of friends walks from one tailgate to another with open beer cans, assuming law enforcement is too busy to notice.

Pathways to Growth and Accountability

For first-time offenders, tailgate offenses can be a wake-up call to reflect on the choices made and the factors that influenced them. These moments provide an opportunity for accountability and personal growth.

1. Understanding the “Why”

• Reflect on the social, emotional, or situational factors that contributed to the offense.
• Identify patterns of peer influence or impulsivity that led to the behavior.

2. Taking Responsibility
3. Proactive Measures
4. Restoring Trust
5. Reframing the Experience

Final Thoughts

​Tailgate offenses often occur in moments of impulsivity or under the influence of social pressure. For good people, these mistakes provide an opportunity to reflect on the choices made, take responsibility, and learn from the experience. By addressing the root causes of the behavior and committing to personal growth, individuals can turn these moments of poor judgment into stepping stones toward maturity and better decision-making in the future.