Hundreds of inmates transferred from St. Louis to out-of-state jails

(AP) - Hundreds of inmates facing federal charges have been transferred from St. Louis to out-of-state jails, leaving relatives desperately trying to reconnect. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports officials have been reducing the inmate population at the St. Louis Medium Security Institution, also known as the workhouse. Before the workhouse was emptied in June, the city had about 200 federal detainees. Another 100 or so were moved out of the St. Louis County jail. A federal official says dealing with the shortage of jail space close to St. Louis has been ``challenging.'' Inmates from St. Louis are now being housed in Indiana and Kentucky.