The pressure of high school is immense. There is a lot of pressure for kids to perform well academically, athletically and maintain an active social life. Many kids are influenced by their peers and by what they perceive to be popular amongst the greater high school population throughout the country.

Last week, multiple high school students were arrested in Virginia for underage drinking. The arrests occurred after a high school basketball game, including one at a McDonalds where a fight allegedly broke out. These arrests follow a recent trend in arrests related to underage drinking throughout the region.

Accusations of underage drinking can cause damage to a student's reputation, consequences at school and with their sports teams, as well as at their jobs. An underage drinking arrest could also have adverse effects on a student's college admission application. Charges of underage drinking can cause sometimes undue stress to a student who is already struggling to manage the hectic lifestyle of a teenager.

Sometime teachers and sports coached will pressure students into taking accountability for their actions by pleading guilty to a crime. Taking accountability doesn't always mean a person faced with underage drinking in Virginia has to plead guilty.

A student and their parents may want to seek help from a criminal defense attorney who can help negotiate a fair penalty that will not hurt the student's future goals. An attorney can help assess the manner in which the arrest was made to make sure all proper procedures were followed and police officers didn't overstep their bounds.

Source: Washington Post, "McLean, Langley students arrested for drinking," Emma Brown, Feb. 15, 2012