Sex offenders seek computers back

St. Peter, Minn. (AP) — Four people being treated in Minnesota's sex offender program in St. Peter and Moose Lake are suing to get their computers back.

The inmates have filed a lawsuit in Nicollet County say the state's removal of their personal computers violates their rights.

Staff members say it has become too hard to search the computers for material the inmates aren't supposed to have. Nancy Johnston is the deputy administrator of the sex offender program at St. Peter. She says in an affidavit that computer searches in the past have found things like pornography, names of children, maps of the St. Peter facility grounds and other restricted items.

In one case, Johnston said a weapon was found hidden in a computer casing.

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Information from: The Free Press, http://www.mankatofreepress.com