To the editor:

As me, my mom and my sisters gather signatures on a petition to stop the sexual predator transitional housing in Lawrence, the most common response is, “Could I please sign it twice?” Or, “You bet I will sign and I don’t usually sign petitions.” A few do say, “Where are we going to put them?” but usually end up signing.

So what do we do with them? We’re not going to pretend to have all the answers. Maybe, separate housing on existing prison grounds? Keeping them in mental institutions is what data shows is best for sexual predators. Lifetime monitoring is a choice. Ultimately, it needs to be stricter sentencing, initially, instead of after the fact. We plan to try to tackle this issue. The laws should be stricter beforehand, like Florida just did. Sexual offenders and predators need to be kept away from schools, parks, libraries, churches and any other place children congregate. Many states already have this in place, but not Kansas. We also want to rectify this.

But first, Leroy Hendricks, a sexual predator, is coming to Lawrence and we need to stop this from happening now! We need to better regulate the 63 registered sex offenders already living here first. Do it for our children. Protect our most precious commodity and let them know we want to protect their rights, not the sexual predators’ rights. Who, in our opinion, should have no rights? Who is strong enough to stand up with us and get this issue under control? Will it be you?

Kelli Duncan,

Lawrence