Last year, the Secretary of State's office used a two pronged approach — the hologrammed driver's license and Operation Straight ID — to crack down on underage drivers possessing fictitious and fraudulent Illinois licenses and identification cards.

The high-security license features a two-sided hologram that makes the document virtually tamper proof. Operation Straight ID is designed to help local authorities do a better job of spotting and confiscating false licenses and IDs.

Today, hundreds of kids are going to flea markets in Indiana and Missouri where they can buy an ID card —with the name of any state they want on it — for as little as $10.

The Secretary of State's Department of Police is investigating the large-scale distribution of "look-alike" licenses and IDs through both flea markets and storefront operations.

During 1994, Secretary of State Police conducted more than 246 criminal investigations related to fraudulent or fictitious licenses and IDs, compared with 243 cases during 1993. Although the number of cases remained constant, more than 76 percent of these investigations now involve counterfeit licenses and IDs manufactured in states bordering Illinois.

In a recent case, two college students from Indiana would come periodically to Illinois State University (ISU) in Normal to sell fraudulent Indiana driver's licenses to about 30 people for $50 each.

The students — from Butler University in Indianapolis — and one ISU student were arrested and charged with making false licenses and conspiracy to make fraudulent licenses. Each of the charges is a Class 4 felony carrying a one- to three-year prison term.

We push hard on these cases because making fake licenses and IDs is not just a prank. It is a ticket to tragedy because too many minors use them to drink and then drive.

In 1993, drivers under age 21 made up 8 percent of the driving population in Illinois, but they were involved in 20 percent of all fatal crashes and 13 percent of all fatal alcohol-related crashes.

With the need to identify fake driver's licenses and state ID cards becoming even more important, an Operation Straight ID national symposium is being held May 30-31 in Hillside to address the growing problem of fake identification and what can be done to prevent counterfeiting.

The symposium, co-sponsored by the Secretary of State's office and the Illinois Department of Transportation, is designed for policymakers from motor vehicle bureaus, law enforcement officers and public health officials. Issues to be addressed include:

• What security features are states adding to driver's licenses?
• What role does the federal government play in curbing fake IDs?
• How big a role do fake IDs play in underage drinking?
• What are the latest techniques for counterfeiting driver's licenses?
• Do graduated licenses and other interventions deter teenagers from drinking and driving?

The symposium is a project of Operation Straight ID, which is funded by a federal grant administered through the Illinois Department of Transportation.

Under Operation Straight ID, the Secretary of State's office provides free training seminars for retail liquor employees and law enforcement officers. The 90-minute seminars address fake ID laws and penalties, security features in driver's licenses and ID cards, and how to detect fake IDs.

In 1994, 223 seminars were held for more than 3,600 people. In addition, 8,000 Straight ID videotapes were distributed to retailers and police agencies for in-house training.

Anyone interested in attending the national symposium may write to Paul Froehlich, Secretary of State's office, Department of Police, 605 Maple St., Joliet, IL 60432, or call 815/740-7185.

May 1995 / Illinois Municipal Review / Page 19