The federal government offered welcome news this week when it announced it will look at health care in Delaware prisons.

Delawareans should be wary of reading too much into this. This is not a full-scale investigation, and there is a long way to go before the issue is resolved.

The Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Department of Justice said it will conduct a formal inquiry after The News Journal reported problems with medical care in the prisons. The reports contained a disturbing list of complaints including inadequate treatment and conditions that contribute to dangerous diseases such as HIV infections.

A preliminary federal examination could lead to a wider investigation, or it could show that the problems are not as serious as critics suspect and that some inmates allege.

Inmates as well as state government officials would benefit from a thorough inquiry and widespread dissemination of the results.

That way officials, inmates and residents of Delaware would understand what needs to be done to make sure inmates receive adequate medical care.

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