Experts to study Delaware prison health care after riot

DOVER, Del. (AP) -- Delaware officials are hiring independent experts to review inmate access to health care and the prisoner grievance system in the wake of a deadly inmate riot and hostage taking last year at the state's maximum-security prison.

The outside reviews are in response to recommendations in an independent review of the February 2017 uprising at James T. Vaughn Correctional Center.

REPORT: Prison security concerns unheeded before deadly riot

Claire DeMatteis is an attorney hired to oversee Delaware's prison reform effort. She says that while there's no direct link between problems with the health care system or grievance process and last year's riot, they have been the subject of inmate complaints and lawsuits for years.

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Officials plan to release an interim report Thursday documenting their progress in implementing the 41 recommendations contained in the review ordered by Gov. John Carney.