Show Punishment too harsh or not Adriana Herrera Community Reporter Are child rapists andor andor and or molesters in Utah receiving harsh enough punishments ments for their crimes Many students agree that the current punishments are just not enough We Ve continuously hear of repeat offenders molesting or raping young children in the Salt Lake area We wonder when it will end and why these pedophiles only seem to get a slap on the wrist Utah codes state that the Legislature of Utah determines that the sexual exploitation of minors is excessively harmful to their social mental physiological and emotional development Minors cannot intelligently and knowingly consent to sexual exploitation Are the victims and their families getting justice Should they be allowed to determine the offenders' offenders fate According to the Utah Department of Corrections rape of a child in Utah is a first-degree first felony punishable by mandatory imprisonment for no less than six years Sexual abuse of a child not amounting to rape or object rape is considered a second-degree second felony Many students do not agree with letting the victims of child rape or molestation and their families choose the fate of the perpetrator Students like Tyson Walker think that the families should at least have an opinion on what happens to the perpetrator but not a final say students found it most reasonable for the punishment to tobe tobe tobe be a few years in jail with rehabilitation or psychotherapy According to Utah code any person convicted of child abuse may be ordered to participate in treatment or therapy under supervision until the court courtis is satisfied with the results The offender may also be ordered to pay for some of the therapy depending on what the extent that he or she can afford If the convicted offender is unable to pay for the therapy the court may order an agency to pay for forthe forthe forthe the costs The offender then has to complete public service work to compensate for the cost of treatment |