Sexual offenders should spend life behind bars

We all know the story of Shasta Groene. We collectively held our breath, waiting for word that she and her brother, Dylan, had been found.

When details of Shasta's unimaginable ordeal began to surface, we were horrified. We were grateful to be able to hold our children close and know that they are safe. We wondered (and still do) how a monster like that could be walking among us, waiting for the right moment to strike at his next victims. That beast has a 25-year history of sexual crime and is a Level III sex offender. I think outrage and shock might begin to touch the surface of our reaction.

As a community, as a country, it is time we let our leaders and lawmakers know where we stand on sexual crime — our current sentencing laws are not enough to keep sexual predators off the streets. The people run our government and if each of us raises our voice, we can make a difference and protect our children. The people of the state of Florida did just that and the Jessica Lunsford law was passed. For convicted sexual predators, a minimum 25 years to life in prison, lifetime supervision for less than life sentences and a tracking device to be worn for life.

You can view the Idaho sexual offender registry at www.isp.state.id.us/identification/sex_offender. I urge you to view this site, then begin writing to your federal and state officials to your federal and state officials and tell them to change our current sexual predator laws! The addresses for those officials are published in the Daily Bee under "Where to Write," or you can e-mail me at prestonid@imbris.net and I will send them to you.

I cannot think of a better cause to motivate any of us. We can make a difference and put children first. Together, we can make our voices heard and bring about critical changes in our existing laws.

ROSE PRESTON

Sandpoint