Some not-so-nice neighbors are living near The University of Memphis -five miles or less to be exact.
Currently, there are almost 50 registered sex offenders living around The U of M in the 38104, 38111, 38117 and 38122 zip codes.
Their crimes range from prostitution and possession of child pornography to statutory rape and sexual battery.
"It's scary to know that people like that are so close to us," said Jamie Monie, a junior journalism major. "You really have to be cautious out here."
Several other students share her safety concerns.
"I feel safe on campus, but this is certainly something to be concerned about - that's a lot of people," said Rhonda James, a freshman interdisciplinary studies major.
Campus police maintain a log of registered sex offenders enrolled in classes or volunteering on campus. The log is available for public view in the Zach Curlin dispatch office.
There are currently no registered sex offenders in attendance at The U of M. The last registered offender graduated in 2004.
Human Resources states that there are no sex offenders employed on campus, nor have any, to date, applied for employment at The U of M. However, applicants for certain faculty, independent contractor and temporary positions do not have to apply through human resources, so their criminal status is unknown.
Because of these relaxed hiring practices, sexual offenders can easily gain access to students.
One such instance occurred in the fall of 1994 when Ronald Preston Quintana was arrested and charged with evading arrest and criminal trespassing. Quintana was hired as a temporary employee and paid by The U of M to be a male model for an art class. Quintana had been spotted in several buildings throughout campus exposing himself to students before he was captured. A background check would have revealed that Quintana had two prior arrests for public lewdness.
Although they may not be sitting next to students in the classroom, many U of M students still feel that these offenders are too close for comfort.
"I'm not comfortable with these people being so close to campus, but realistically, they're everywhere," said Brandon Ford, a graduate student. "There is nowhere in Memphis you can go without being within 100 yards of a sex offender."
According to Derek Myers, deputy director of police services, students should not be overly concerned about the offenders in the area.
"It's not like any of these people live across the street from The University," he said. "Nor in the immediate area."
Jonathan Ellis, a freshman engineering major, disagreed with Myers' take on the situation.
"This is serious," he said. "They (university police) ignore things until it hits home."
Myers added that all suspicious activity would be investigated and that there has not been a forced sex offense reported in two years.
According to Ford, The U of M provides students with adequate security.
"If the police continue to make their presence known and people take advantage of Tiger Patrol, everything will be fine," he said. "It's also up to the students to exercise common sense and good judgment."
To find out if there are registered sex offenders in your area, visit www.tbi.state.tn.us
