Strip-search incident reviewed

State corrections officials said Friday that they were investigating whether guards at a Southern California prison improperly watched video of female inmates being strip-searched.

The investigation arose after the husband of an inmate, during a visit earlier this month to the California Institution for Women in Chino, noticed about six male and female guards gathered around a video monitor in the reception area for prison visitors.

The black-and-white monitor showed women being searched by female guards in a nearby room typically used for visitation.

Under corrections department rules, strip-searches are to be performed in private and are not allowed to be watched on a video monitor. Female inmates must be searched by female guards.