Sex offender program under scrutiny

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — A state task force head says a federal court considering lawsuit challenging the Minnesota Sex Offender Program expects the state to address continuing concerns about its constitutionality.

In an interview with The Associated Press, former Minnesota Supreme Court Chief Justice Eric Magnuson says the state has already moved to implement some of the changes his task force proposed in December for creating less-restrictive alternatives to the state's high-security treatment facilities in St. Peter and Moose Lake. More proposals will come later this year.

Magnuson says lawmakers shouldn't make the mistake of thinking the federal court will step in and fix everything, so they don't need to act. He says the last thing a state should want is for a federal judge to take control over one of its operations.

Copyright 2013 The Associated Press.