There are lots of young people who look forward to going to college. For many, this is their first chance to be out on their own. If they are in a different city or state from where their parents or guardians live, they might be eagerly anticipating going to some rowdy college events and doing some serious partying.

There is not anything wrong with that, provided that the parties don’t get too out of hand and they don’t interfere with the student going to classes and getting good grades. If a student parties too much, they will probably flunk out, and they will have wasted their money or their parents’ money.

There are some other potential partying dangers, though, and in this article, we’re going to talk about a particular one: fraternity and sorority hazing that can lead to alcohol poisoning and wrongful death. We’ll also cover what the law has to say about these instances.

Can Fraternity or Sorority Hazing Be a Crime?

In November of 2019, a University of Albany student died when members of the frat he was pledging ordered him to drink half a gallon of vodka in a very short time. The police found him unconscious some hours after he consumed the vodka. They rushed him to the hospital, but the medical team pronounced him dead when they got there, his blood alcohol level seven times the legal limit.

The police brought several frat members up on charges. They faced allegations that could potentially:

• Result in jailtime
• Get them expelled from the university

That’s not all, though. They also now face a personal injury lawsuit that the student’s parents are bringing against them.

There are definitely several laws that warn individuals not to pressure others into consuming excessive alcohol amounts or illegal drugs. Those charges might include reckless endangerment and also criminal negligence if they don’t get the afflicted individual medical attention when they see they are in distress.

What Might the Consequences Be?

Even if the sorority or fraternity members who forced an individual to consume drugs or drink dangerous alcohol amounts do not have prior criminal records, they can face jail time if the legal system holds them liable. A jury will need to determine:

• How culpable each of them is
• Whether they behaved as they did out of ignorance or whether it was malicious

It’s true that these sorority or fraternity members are typically young adults, so they might not have thought about their actions carefully before they pushed an individual to drink to excess or do drugs. 

However, if they are age eighteen or over, they should not expect the court system to show leniency.

Their behavior might kill someone, as was the case with the University of Albany student. The perpetrators might be young, but they should still have known better.

Are Other Consequences Possible?

Even if the perpetrators of this sort of activity escape jail time, they might find themselves facing civil charges. If a student dies, their parents might bring a multimillion-dollar lawsuit against those responsible, and they will probably win.

The frat or sorority members who allowed things to get out of control will find their college days are probably over, and they will likely have to go to extreme measures to pay the civil penalties they could face. They will no doubt feel dismayed when they realize how their lives have changed, but they’re only getting what they deserve. If they bullied someone into consuming far more alcohol or drugs than was safe, they should pay for that behavior.

What Can Colleges Do to Prevent This Sort of Problem?

Excess alcohol and drug consumption can happen at any college party, but sororities and fraternities are notorious for taking things too far. They want to embody the wild college lifestyle, but they should still know where to draw the line.

College administrators who allow Greek organizations like frats and sororities on campus need to monitor these parties to make sure they don’t get out of hand. Even if no one dies, these events are usually rife with underage drinking and drug use. Rapes and sexual assaults stemming from such events are not uncommon.

There is nothing wrong with frats and sororities, in theory. Colleges simply need to keep a close eye on them. If a party shows any signs of getting too rowdy, they need police or campus security to break it up before something tragic occurs.