Attorney general: US to continue using private prisons

Attorney general Jeff Sessions is backing the government's use of private prisons such as the Idaho Correctional Centre, run by the Corrections Corporation of America (AP)

US attorney general Jeff Sessions has signalled his strong support for the government's continued use of private prisons, reversing an Obama administration directive to phase out their use.

Mr Sessions issued a memo replacing one issued last August by Sally Yates, the deputy attorney general at the time.