Sexting has become a common practice among adults in the U.S. That is when you use electronic communication — usually your cell phone — to send sexually explicit messages, photos, or videos to someone else. In one study, 88% of adults said they have done it at least once in their life. In many instances, it may be a harmless activity, but if you’re not careful, you may be charged with a sex crime in Utah.

In Utah, it is perfectly legal to go out in public spaces and protest virtually any issue you can imagine. This extends to every side of the conversation, whether your views are liberal, conservative, or anywhere in between. However, that doesn’t mean you can necessarily do whatever you want. Here is what you need to know about the laws surrounding protesting in Utah.

Sex crimes in Utah are more common than you might think. In 2023, there were about 4,970 cases reported to the state Bureau of Criminal Identification. When you apply this number to the population of Utah (3.418 million), that is 145.4 cases per 100,000 people. 

While the Beehive State isn’t known for violence, the one violent crime that is higher than the national average is rape. If you live in Utah, you likely know a rape survivor. Almost 20% of women and 6.5% of men in the state are statistically likely to be victims of rape in their lifetime.

When you hear the word intimidation, it might bring to mind a bully threatening to steal your lunch money if you don’t comply with their wishes. On a more frightening note, it could be someone in a gang threatening to inflict serious bodily harm. While this scenario can be scary for the victim, it can also be criminal in the state of Utah. In fact, it’s the seventh most common crime in the Beehive state.

If you are accused of committing a crime in Utah, you may have thought the only question in determining your guilt or innocence is whether or not you did it. However, it may surprise you to know that it’s a little more complicated than that. Your intent — the reason you allegedly did it — can be the difference that puts you behind bars.

While Utah isn’t exactly known for alcohol, it is perfectly legal to drink here as long as you do so responsibly. This means you are at least 21 years old, you aren’t causing any problems, and you don’t get behind the wheel of a motor vehicle when you are intoxicated. That last one is especially important. Not only can you get charged with a DUI or driving under the influence, you can seriously hurt someone.

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.

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.