JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — The Justice Department will investigate whether prisoners at two Hinds County jails are protected from violence committed by other inmates and staff.
In a statement Tuesday, federal authorities said the investigation will focus on the Hinds County Detention Center in Raymond and the Jackson Detention Center in Jackson.
The Justice Department said it notified attorneys for the county Board of Supervisors and the sheriff, who the department said pledged to cooperate.
The Raymond facility has been hounded by problems, including a fight in March that left one inmate dead and several others injured.
Authorities said the fight was gang related.
"We have not prejudged this matter, and will seek cooperation from county officials and other stakeholders during the course of the investigation," Jocelyn Samuels, acting assistant attorney general for the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division, said.
After the fight earlier this year, the Hinds Board of Supervisors declared an emergency at the facility, which allowed the county to speed up money for repairs by bypassing some bidding requirements. The board also ordered the purchase of new radios for jail staff and improved camera systems to monitor inmates.
In 2012, one of the three pods at the Raymond jail was destroyed by inmates after a disturbance that lasted about 10 hours.
Hinds officials could not immediately be reached for comment.
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