The Jackson County Sheriff's Office now says the accident that killed three Jackson County teens was fueled by alcohol. While Undersheriff Tom Finco says those teens made bad decisions, he admits they aren't the only high school students who have made not so great decisions involving alcohol.

"We are seeing a larger number of young people being arrested with minor possession of alcohol," Finco says.

In fact, that number is quite a bit larger. At this time last year, 65 Jackson teens had been arrested for minor possession of alcohol, this year that number has climbed to 94. Jackson teenager Caleb Bannister says he's not surprised by the rising number.

"People ask me to drink, and I have the choice if i want to or not," Banister says. Sandy Atkins is a middle school teacher in Jackson who says the influence of alcohol is even felt in her classroom. "Middle school students experiment with all kinds of things- alcohol being one of them," Atkins says.

The solution to the problem, according to the Jackson County Sheriff's Office, is parenting.

"You have to establish those lines of communication between you and your child so that they know, you know where they're going and you know what they're doing," Finco says.

Sandy Atkins agrees saying her son was a drinker before he became of-age and she had to take some drastic measures to be a good parent, and she recommends other parents do the same.

"I don't care if they're 6 feet tall or 250 pounds, you have to get on a step stool, put your finger in their face and say if you live in this house, this is the way it's going to be," Atkins says.

The Jackson County Sheriff's Office is stepping up patrols and making their presence known at local hang outs. They say that should send the numbers back down.