Eight prisoners have been injured in stabbings at a prison in the United States amid tensions between gangs and a shortage of correctional officers.
The stabbings occurred Friday at Northwest Correctional Complex in Tiptonville, Tennessee, a local newspaper reported. The prison has been put on lockdown.
Correction officials say no prison staff was injured, but eight prisoners were transported to area hospitals.
Several prison workers have said they are concerned about safety because of a severe manpower shortage. The shortage occurred after the state switched correctional officers from a traditional 40-hour-work week to a 28-day schedule to save USD 1.4 million in overtime costs.
Meanwhile, the state agency expanded executive positions at higher salaries at its central office.
