Prison Transfers On Hold But Other Moves Planned

PHOENIX (AP) _ Arizona is planning to send more inmates to private prisons in Oklahoma while its transfers to an Indiana prison where a riot occurred remain on hold. <br/><br/>Arizona Department of Corrections

Tuesday, August 14th 2007, 8:37 pm

By: News On 6

PHOENIX (AP) _ Arizona is planning to send more inmates to private prisons in Oklahoma while its transfers to an Indiana prison where a riot occurred remain on hold.

Arizona Department of Corrections says it plans to send approximately 900 inmates to the private Great Plains Correctional Facility located in Hinton, Oklahoma, starting in September.

The Arizona inmate population at the Diamondback Correctional Facility in Watonga, Oklahoma, will increase to more than 2,100 by September from the current 1,600.

Arizona had halted transfers of inmates to a privately operated prison in New Castle, Indiana, just before an April 24th riot involving Arizona and Indiana prisoners.

Arizona and Indiana officials continue to discuss a possible resumption of transfers there.