To the Editor:
In response to Emily Johnson's assertion that there is no empirical evidence that the prospect of arrest serves as a deterrent to making a Good Samaritan call ("Short Answer," May 18), the facts show that her belief is completely untrue. In a Student Assembly survey conducted last term, 74 percent of Dartmouth students reported that the prospect of arrest was a very or extremely significant factor deterring them from calling in for their friends, while 42 percent reported hesitating to make a Good Samaritan call because the person appeared too intoxicated.
In an informal poll of fraternity presidents at an Inter-Fraternity Council meeting, every president reported members of his house hesitating to call in a Good Sam due to the specter of legal issues. Whether one blames Dartmouth's culture, Hanover Police or both for this issue is up for debate. Whether the prospect of arrest acts as a deterrent is not.
David Imamura '10
Spokesman, Dartmouth Student Assembly
