The U.S. Department of Justice will launch an investigation into allegations that the state Department of Correction has provided inadequate medical care to inmates. Federal officials confirmed Wednesday that a five-month inquiry the justice department concluded recently has moved to the next step in a process that could lead to court action against the DOC.

"(Tuesday) morning, the preliminary inquiry turned into an investigation," U.S. Department of Justice spokesman Eric Holland said. "Because it's an ongoing investigation, we can't comment further."

The inquiry stemmed from a series of articles in a Wilmington newspaper forwarded to the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice in Washington.
Articles highlighted inmate suicides and AIDS-related deaths over the last four years, allegations by inmates of poor medical treatment and a no-bid, $25.9 million contract awarded last year to St. Louis-based Correctional Medical Services to provide medical care to prisoners.

Gov. Ruth Ann Minner said the state would cooperate with the federal government in its review of the DOC.