Attorney General Praises Children's Justice Centers

Apr 03, 2008 by Jeff Robinson

(KCPW News) Only a few days after the shocking murder of a 7-year-old girl in South Salt Lake, Attorney General Mark Shurtleff joined Salt Lake County Mayor Peter Corroon at the Children's Justice Center in the Avenues this afternoon to recognize the people who are working to prevent these kinds of tragedies. Shurtleff said when children are abused, counselors at these centers make it easier for them to explain what happened so they can recover quicker.

"Back in the day, when they had to be interviewed at police stations and hospitals and those sterile environments, they couldn't really start that healing process," said Shurtleff. "Here they come, walk in here, and the healing begins immediately."

Shurtleff also said the justice centers are important so that children don't have to re-live their experiences in the courtroom.

Susanne Mitchell, director of the Avenues center, said the average age of the victims they see is just 10. She noted that the abusers usually know their victims, as it's been reported in this week's death of Hser Nay Moo.

"Our statistics do show that the majority of cases are suspects offending on children who are not strangers," she said. "Most cases, the suspect is known to the child. Sometimes, it's a crime of circumstance where someone's alone with the child, they get a bad idea and they act upon it. It's not all pre-meditated."

Another Children's Justice Center serves Salt Lake County residents in West Jordan. Mayor Corroon says the two combined helped 3,400 people last year. There are 14 centers across the state, all designed to look like single-family homes. April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month.

Email to a friendPosted in KCPW Newsroom. Copyright 2008 KCPW