A North Carolina agency says it will temporarily suspend operations at three minimum custody facilities and move correctional officers and other staff to neighboring prisons to address what it calls staffing challenges.The N.C. Department of Public Safety says in a news release on Tuesday that it's making the move with the Division of Adult Correction and Juvenile Justice to better utilize available staff and make state prisons and communities safer.
The news release says operations will be suspended at Hoke Correctional Institution, Tyrrell Prison Work Farm and Odom Correctional Institution to deploy staff to prisons with high officer vacancy rates.
Information provided to The Associated Press in April 2018 showed North Carolina's understaffed prisons remained dangerous for employees just months after four workers were killed in an escape attempt.