A troubled St. Louis jail has closed after years of criticism about its conditions.
The final detainees at the Medium Security Institution were driven Thursday to the City Justice Center in downtown St. Louis. The Medium Security Institution, generally known as the workhouse, has been the target of activists for years, who say it is inhumane because of problems such as sweltering temperatures and pest infestations.
Mayor Tishaura Jones had vowed to shut the jail down in her first 100 days in office. Public Safety Director Dan Isom said detainees might be moved back to a single unit of the workhouse if the City Justice Center becomes overcrowded.
