A person who is convicted of serious crimes of a sexual nature typically fights an uphill battle in the courts. Even an accusation of sexual misconduct can cause devastating effects on a person's life. If convicted, it can nearly impossible to remain an active member of a community. Recent news has given hope to truly reformed offenders, though.

The Minnesota Sex Offender Program that was started in the early 90s is releasing its first civilly committed offender. He was committed to the program as a sexually psychopathic personality in 1993 after he completed his jail sentence, and was detained indefinitely in a prison-like setting while receiving voluntary treatment.

Recently, a panel of judges approved the man's provisional release. The decision has set precedence for sexual criminals. In nearly 20 years, no member of the program has been permanently released.

According to reports, the man had made great strides in dealing with various addictions and exhibited significant progression in counseling.

The man will be released to a halfway house, but will be supervised constantly through the use of location tracking devices. He will continue to receive outpatient treatment and must submit to random drug and alcohol tests. Depending on his progression in the new environment, experts will later determine if he should be eligible to move on to increased independent living.

For now, his release means many things. First, the fact that someone has finally been released from the program gives hope to others that if they are serious about their rehabilitation, there is a light at the end of the tunnel. It also serves to acknowledge that a person can succeed in the right place, with the right support, even if that person has committed a very serious crime.

The program also provides a chance for former prisoners to be reintegrated into a society from which they likely feel very isolated. With the support and supervision offered under the terms of this man's release, he may be able to succeed.

This move exhibits the motivation that may be necessary for current patients to work hard and believe in the treatment they are receiving. Instead of locking up sex criminals and throwing away the key, this supports the idea that counseling and treatment for substance abuse may be a significantly more effective measure than aggressively long jail sentences.

Source: MPR, "Sex offender wins provisional release," Rupa Shenoy, Feb. 3, 2012