(AP) — The Mississippi Department of Corrections says it will soon restart the transfer of inmates from county jails into state prisons and from one prison to another. The practice has been on hold for about two months because of the coronavirus pandemic. The department said in a news release Friday that transfers will be done in a “limited, controlled and safe manner,” beginning in mid-June. Mississippi has about 18,000 prisoners in custody. As of Friday, 28 inmates and 17 employees had tested positive for COVID-19. Advocates for inmate safety have questioned whether Mississippi is doing enough testing for the highly contagious virus.
