A group of concerned citizens is hopeful a petition will help persuade the National Parole Board not to send convicted sex offender Marcellus Jacob back to Whitehorse when he's released on parole next month.

'What we want to do is be proactive,'Judy Hartling, one of the residents behind the petition and a former Crown prosecutor, said in an interview today.

In 2002, Jacob, 21 at the time, was sentenced to seven years in federal custody for the brutal sexual assault of a local woman he raped and sodomized at knife point for five hours after he broke into her home.

After serving two thirds of his sentenced, Jacob will be released on parole in late October. Conditions of his parole include residency among others, psychological counselling, no-contact orders and reporting any relationships with women.

His pre-release decision by the National Parole Board notes that the local Salvation Army's Adult Resource Centre (ARC) half-way house has turned him down for living there; however, Hartling noted that should the ARC change that decision, the petition will make it clear the community doesn't want him here.

The petition provides a brief description of the crime and goes on to state 'for the protection of the community,' residents don't want Jacob to reside in Whitehorse.

She's been informed by the parole board that when Jacob's residency is considered for his parole, the petition would be one of many factors looked at for where Jacob will be told to live.

Among the concerns of those leading the petition are that the resources needed for counselling and programming for Jacob are not available in the Yukon and that in the territory, there are the triggers which led to Jacob's crime. Among them are his friends, his knowlege of where to buy drugs and alcohol and that the Yukon could bring back memories for him.

'You (Jacob) are hoping to return to the area where you not only committed the index offence, but where your victim resides,' the pre-release report notes.

'Many of the negative influences of your youth can be found in that community and it is suggested you are setting yourself up for failure by returning to this location.'

Hartling also pointed to the concern over his suspension from the National Maintenance Sex Offender Program.

'Program reports suggest you (Jacob) have gained significant awareness of your risk factors but, given your continued use of THC and your recent suspension from the sex offender maintenance program, your internalization of programming and motivation is suspect,' the report reads.

Also of particular concern is that Jacob is listed at a high risk to reoffend, Hartling said.

'Nobody's safe from him,' she argued.

Forty residents signed the petition in Valleyview during a community barbecue. Additional copies of the petition are set to be picked up from The Deli and Super Valu stores.

Hartling was unsure of the number of signatures on the petition at the two stores.

After they're picked up, the petition will be sent to the National Parole Board.