When you purchase anything—whether it’s as big as a house or as small as a laptop—you expect it to be yours forever. After all, the U.S. Constitution ensures that your property is protected. Only guilty people should have their assets taken away.

You might be surprised by the most common crimes in Utah. The good news is the Beehive State is a fairly safe place to live, especially when it comes to homicides. In 2020, it ranked in the bottom ten for murders. 

In Utah, the government has the right to take away your property that was used in a crime in a process called asset forfeiture. For example, if you are charged with trafficking drugs, the vehicle you used to transport illegal substances can be taken away. In most outcomes, that vehicle is no longer yours. It’s the government’s. 

Domestic violence is a big problem in Utah. About one in three people have experienced it. That includes both women and men. If you know 600 people — the assumed average according to research — you probably know 200 people who have been victims of domestic violence.

If you are charged with a crime, that does not mean all hope is lost. The United States Constitution has given you the right to defend yourself, so you are not considered guilty from the get-go.

When you think of theft, you might imagine someone stealing physical property–a car, money, or merchandise. There’s another type of theft that’s sometimes forgotten until it happens to you.

We tend to think of police officers as the good guys, defending the streets from lawbreakers. They have an important job to do, though it’s often stressful, dangerous, and thankless. Police officers are part of the reason we feel a sense of security and safety on a daily basis. For that, they deserve our respect.

When a loved one is arrested, it’s difficult for everyone in the family, but it can be a nightmare for the one behind bars. Fortunately, there are some simple things you can do to support inmates in Utah to make their days a little brighter.