Appellate Court Deems Minnesota Sex Offender Program Constitutional

In Minnesota, sex offenders are often detained indefinitely, even following the end of their prison sentence, as a way to ensure public safety. Civil rights advocates have been fighting the current system for years, saying it's unfair to those who have served their time.

A federal judge declared the program unconstitutional in 2015, but on Tuesday this week, the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals reversed that decision, saying the program serves a "legitimate interest" for Minnesotans.

Here & Now's Robin Young speaks with Emily Piper, commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Human Services, which oversees the sex-offender program.