Century Council Blog
In the News: Mom Loses 3 Children In Crash, Forgives Driver
This heartbreaking story highlights an issue that many prosecutors across the country grapple with every day – what is the most effective punishment for someone convicted of DUI? Suspensions, fines, educational classes, and community service are just some of the tools used by prosecutors, and The Century Council has spent years researching behavioral attitudes of drunk drivers and the effects of the sentences imposed on them (You can view more of our work here).
We will soon release Hardcore Drunk Driving Prosecutorial Guide: A Resource Outlining Prosecutorial Challenges, Effective Strategies, and Model Programs in the hope of aiding prosecutors around the country when deciding how to sentence drivers convicted of DUI, and to keep drivers such as Gabriel Del Risco off our nation’s roadways. Since 1997, with the founding of The National Hardcore Drunk Driving Project, The Century Council has released several updated sourcebooks to fight the problem more effectively and assist legislators, highway safety officials, law enforcement officers, judges, prosecutors, community activists, and treatment professionals in developing programs to reduce and eliminate drunk driving.
View the story at the source, justnews.com, here.
Tribute to Kevin Quinlan
Kevin Quinlan was a founding and key member of the Coalition to Fight Hardcore Drunk Driving which is a collaborative effort to create synergy between various organizations' with similar goals and initiatives. The Coalition, formed in 2000, includes the Automobile Association of America (AAA), the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), and The Century Council.
The Coalition performs a valuable service to States and communities, and their respective legislators by assisting in the passage of these key legislative items. This assistance can take several forms: providing testimony in support of key legislation, testimony in opposition to legislation, meeting with key legislators to enlist their support of key legislation.
Kevin's knowledge and presence in the legislative community were significant factors for The Coalition has being highly acclaimed for its collaboration in legislative efforts in the following areas: Administrative License Revocation (ALR), zero tolerance laws, BAC test refusal and ignition interlock, in many states across the country.
Please read the Congressional Record Statement honoring Kevin Quinlan, below:
January 15, 2009 - Extension of Remarks - Rep. Shelley Berkley
Tribute to Kevin E. Quinlan
Madame Speaker, as co-chair of the Congressional Stop DUI Caucus, I rise today in tribute to one of the nation’s top traffic safety officials, who passed away suddenly.
Kevin E. Quinlan was the Chief of the Safety Advocacy Division of the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). Mr. Quinlan was with the Safety Board for nearly 20 years, serving as the Alcohol and Drug Program Coordinator and Chief of the Safety Recommendations Division. He was instrumental in promoting State action on Safety Board recommendations to reduce fatalities, injuries, and crashes in all modes of transportation. Mr. Quinlan authored five major studies for the Board. Prior to his work with the NTSB, Mr. Quinlan served in the U.S. Army for 29 years, receiving the Legion of Merit and Meritorious Service Medal. He has an undergraduate degree from Boston University and graduate degrees from William and Mary, the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, and the U.S. Air Force Air War College.
Mr. Quinlan loved to travel and was skiing in Vermont when he suffered a fatal heart attack. He was well-respected and admired by everyone in the traffic safety community. He was a mentor to countless traffic safety advocates and an inspiration to the thousands of people who lost loved ones to the preventable crime of drunk driving. One of his greatest passions was the fight to stop drunk driving. His expert testimony led to the passage of many effective countermeasures across this nation. His work has saved countless lives and I ask that my colleagues join me in honoring him today.
Inaugural Honors ServiceNation
The Century Council encourages America's youth to lead healthy and active lifestyles and partnering with the Artists and Athletes Alliance is just one way in which we have done so! We were honored to join the Alliance in hosting their Inaugural Honors ServiceNation event held at Café Milano in Georgetown, DC on January 19, 2009. Big names in attendance included Jennifer Lopez, Marc Anthony, Jorja Fox, and Isaiah Washington, pictured below.
photo credit: Logan Mock-Bunting/Getty Images
Dr. Wolf: Greetings from Planet Slacker
Your underachieving teen isn't unmotivated. Like me, they may just have a hard time doing things they don't want to do
'He just doesn't try in school. His teachers have always said he's bright enough. We've tried everything - punishment, rewards, everything. Nothing seems to work. I see his future falling away from him. I just don't know how to get him motivated."
It's a question I often get from parents: How do I motivate my teen?
Yet for the great majority of teenagers who don't put much effort into their school work, the main challenge isn't motivation. In my experience, teens who appear to be slacking - "Yeah, what's wrong with working at Billions of Burgers?" - usually do want to do well in school.
So what's the problem? I have some personal insight.
Congratulations, Joy Fawcett!
Since 2007, The Century Council and the National Soccer Hall of Fame have been partners working to motivate young people to lead healthy and active lives. The Girl Talk program partnered with the National Soccer Hall of Fame for their 2007 induction ceremonies which included the induction of female players Mia Hamm and Julie Foudy. This was a historic event as it was the Soccer Hall of Fame’s first time inducting an all female class and we were thrilled to be a part of it!
Since then, The Century Council continues to reach young people all over the US to encourage kids to live healthy, alcohol-free, and active lives.
Last night yet another woman was inducted into the Soccer Hall of Fame - two-time World Champion Joy Fawcett. The Century Council congratulates Joy on her accomplishment!
Meet Dr. Anthony Wolf
Dr. Anthony Wolf is a practicing child psychologist and the author of numerous books including the bestselling and widely acclaimed, Get out of my life but first could you drive me and Cheryl to the Mall, A Parents' Guide to the New Teenager. He is often quoted in the national media, has had a regular column in CHILD Magazine, and currently writes a bi-weekly column on parenting teenagers for the Toronto Globe and Mail. He has appeared on many TV shows including The View, The Today Show and CBS This Morning, and is being featured in a PBS television special on tweens. He is a frequent and widely sought after lecturer for both parents and professional audiences, known for his humor and very practical advice.
Dr. Wolf is also one of The Century Council's National Advisory Board members, bringing his many years of experience to our organization. He has written many insightful advice articles directed at our Girl Talk audience helping girls to tackle some of their toughest problems and questions, as well as parenting advice articles directed towards parents of kids. He has spoken at many Century Council events, including last year's Take Your Daughters and Sons to work day, alongside Nickelodeon's Donna Sabino.
Throughout the year, we will be posting articles by Dr. Wolf that might be of interest to parents. Check out his latest story in the Toronto Globe and Mail, "Raising Teens: Reasonable Resolutions".