Our community was struck recently when our beloved family business, The Shortstop, was broken into. The front door shattered, reverberating fears and anxieties amongst us. Now, we find ourselves in a world where safety feels like a luxury - a notion that is both disturbing and unacceptable. The cause? Repeated "walk outs" from Mohican Young Star Academy, a facility that houses young offenders. Yet, the root of the problem is shockingly simple: the doors there are never locked.

Established facts about the relationship between offender release and local crime rates necessitate immediate redressal of this issue. In a study by the Bureau of Justice Statistics, about 68% of released prisoners were arrested for a new crime within three years of release from prison, and 77% were arrested within five years (Bureau of Justice Statistics, 2021). Use of an unlocked door policy, in light of such statistics, raises terrifying prospects for communities living nearby.

We request that Mohican Young Star Academy be legally mandated to lock their doors, preventing offenders from exiting at will and threatening community safety. Maintain the dignity of Loudonville, OH - our home that currently lives in fear due to abysmal security at the Academy. Let our families walk down streets without the overwhelming feeling of vulnerability. Stand up for us - for our safety and for the right to peace in our hometown.

Please join us and sign this petition to mandate locked doors at Mohican Young Star Academy. Together, let's keep our community safe.