(a) The alcohol awareness program for Youth is an alternative sentence that may be imposed upon youth under 21 years of age found guilty of violating section 65-b (fraudulent use of identification to purchase alcohol) or 65-c (underage possession of alcohol) of the Alcoholic Beverage Control Law. Furthermore, this program can be used as an alternative condition of dismissal for a youth under 21 years of age who has been charged with a misdemeanor other than section 1192 of the Vehicle and Traffic Law (driving while intoxicated or with ability impaired), where the record indicates that the consumption of alcohol may have been a contributing factor in the commission of the offense.

(b) The alcohol awareness program for youth is a valuable sentencing alternative for youths who may be at high risk of developing serious problems with alcohol and who have gotten into trouble with the law because of alcohol. By providing such youth with information vital to their well-being while also requiring investment of enough of their time to serve as a deterrent to alcohol and other drug use, the alcohol awareness program for youth is an important weapon in the fight against youthful alcohol abuse.

(c) The purpose of this Part is to set forth the application process, evaluation criteria, and administration procedures for establishing and conducting the alcohol awareness program for youth.