A group of plaintiffs filed a civil suit on Monday, October 17th arguing that the civil commitment process for some sex offenders in Massachusetts has violated state law. In a civil commitment, sex offenders deemed “sexually dangerous” may be held at the Massachusetts Treatment Center after the completion of their prison sentences. The DOC is required to release detainees when they are no longer deemed dangerous, but the plaintiffs in the lawsuit allege that they were detained past this date. The lawsuit seeks an end to the practice of keeping detainees past their ordered release date as well as $5 million in damages. Read more about the lawsuit and the plaintiffs on the Boston Globe.