Women prisoners moved back from Virginia

More than half of the Iowa inmates who were transferred out-of-state lastyear due to prison overcrowding are now back in Mitchellville. Inmates filed suit against the state last year due to cramped conditions atthe women’s prison, so officials moved 100 inmates to a Virginia prison.That also drew protests as it kept Iowa children from easily visiting theirmothers. Corrections spokesman Fred Scaletta says it’s not known if moreout-of-state transfers will be needed.On Monday, 56 Iowa inmates were flown back to the state on a U-S Marshal’sService plane. The 44 Iowa inmates who remain in Virginia should be broughtback to the Iowa lockup in December. Scaletta says the original transferwas made because the Mitchellville prison was overcrowded.Scaletta says the populaton at the women’s prison is now “stable” asadmissions have dropped while releases have increased.