The federal prison system has started supplying pepper spray to cooks, counselors and other civilian workers at some of the country's most violent institutions.
The action comes 21 months after a fatal attack by an inmate on an unarmed correctional officer in Pennsylvania.
U.S. Sen. Bob Casey Jr. said Tuesday that civilian workers at all 18 high-security federal prisons were added to a pilot pepper spray program that previously covered only high-security correctional officers.
Correctional officers and workers at six medium-security prisons and 24 detention centers and jail units were also included in the expansion.
The Pennsylvania Democrat says the federal Bureau of Prisons has made progress but should still do more to protect prison workers.
