Turkish delegation visiting SC prisons in Columbia

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — A delegation of prison officials from Turkey is visiting South Carolina this week to tour two of the state’s prisons.

Corrections Department officials say the delegation is in town Wednesday to tour the Camille Griffin Graham and Broad River prisons in Columbia.

Officials say the Turkish Interior Ministry has sent 10 district governors to a program at the University of South Carolina for leadership training. The program aims to give the participants a broader perspective into American culture and government structure.

The agency has previously hosted delegations from Iraq and Afghanistan. South Carolina officials said their agency is a good model for Afghan’s prisons because the agency has learned to operate effectively with little funding, and for Iraqi prisons because the systems are similar in size and organization.