A case arguing that Minnesota's Sex Offender Program is unconstitutional is now a class action lawsuit. There are 600 offenders in the program. U.S. District Judge Donovan Frank ruled that considering each case separately would be a drain on resources.

Nancy Johnston has officially been named the new executive director for Minnesota’s Sex Offender program. The Mankato Free Press reports she will permanently oversee the treatment facilities in St. Peter and Moose Lake. Johnston took over as interim director when Dennis Benson retired in June.

Minnesota could better use technology to monitor sex offenders once they're released to the community, members of a task force said Thursday, the Star Tribune reports. The panel is trying to come up with reforms for the state's costly and controversial system for civilly committing sex offenders to treatment lockups after prison.

Clarence Opheim is about to be the first patient released from the Minnesota sex-offender facility in St. Peter. He could move to a halfway-house as soon as Saturday. The convicted pedophile has spent the past 19 years in the sex-offender program. Republican leaders are concerned and don't want the 64-year-old released, even though a three-judge panel says he has completed treatment.