The Luverne Journal has a responsibility to bring you the news, be it good or bad, every Thursday. It is unfortunate that this issue we must focus on the bad.

In this edition of the Journal there are several stories about those who prey on the innocent that represent our future - namely, our children. One of the responsibilities of a small town newspaper is to keep the public in our area informed. The recent slaying of Jessica Lunsford in Florida thrust sex offenders and pedophiles back into the national spotlight. A crime against a child strikes at the underlying beat of a parent's heart. As cases become public, parents inevitably ask one question - could it happen to my child? The horrible answer is - it could.

With the stories, you will also find a picture and information on all convicted sex offenders that currently reside in Crenshaw County. This list is up to date as of Wednesday, May 11 and can be viewed on the Alabama Department of Public Safety's website (www.dps.state.al.us). We do this as a public service. It is your right to know if you are living near or around a convicted sex offender.