State prosecutors from various regions are once again appealing to Congress to enact legislation that would grant state prisons the authority to disrupt cellphone signals used by inmates. These prosecutors assert that these devices enable prisoners to plan acts of violence and commit criminal activities.
The 22 prosecutors, comprising entirely of Republicans and led by South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson, have penned a letter to House Speaker Kevin McCarthy and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer. In this letter, they emphasize the necessity for Congress to enact legislation that grants states the power to establish a cell phone jamming system. The primary objective behind this system is to safeguard inmates, guards, and the general public.
Wilson's office has stated that they intend to contact Democratic state prosecutors, emphasizing that the matter at hand is not a partisan one.
The attorneys have submitted a letter to The Associated Press, wherein they mention a few criminal incidents that were supposedly orchestrated by inmates using unauthorized cellphones. These incidents involve a drug conspiracy in Tennessee and a double homicide that was allegedly ordered by an inmate from Indiana.
In addition, reference was made to a gang-related siege that occurred in 2018, lasting over seven hours at a prison in South Carolina, resulting in the tragic loss of seven inmates. A chilling account from one inmate depicted the horrifying scene of bodies piled on top of each other, resembling a grotesque stack of wood. Authorities responsible for corrections attributed the orchestrated violence, which marked the most severe prison riot in the United States in the past 25 years, partly to the presence of illicit cellphones.
The prosecutors argued that the prevention of inmates' access to contraband cell phones would serve as a crucial measure in thwarting the occurrence of significant drug trafficking, deadly riots, and other criminal acts.
Prosecutors are advocating for a modification in a long-standing federal communications law that presently prohibits state prisons from employing jamming signal technology to render illicit cell signals useless. This alteration is crucial in order to counteract the methods used to transport phones, such as concealing them within hollowed-out footballs, smuggling them in through corrupt employees, and occasionally even dropping them via drones.
The endeavor to crack down on illegal cellphones within state prisons has persisted for several years, spearheaded by South Carolina Corrections Director Bryan Stirling. He has been leading a nationwide campaign among corrections directors to advocate for the utilization of advanced technology in order to combat the proliferation of contraband phones.
In 2021, a significant triumph was achieved when the Federal Communications Commission embraced a regulation enabling state prison systems to seek permits for the purpose of detecting and disabling illicit cell signals, individually and in partnership with mobile network providers. Although South Carolina took the initiative to apply for this technology, Stirling informed AP on Tuesday that no progress has been made regarding the state's application.
Stirling mentioned that federal prisons possess the capability to disrupt cell signals within their confines; however, they have refrained from implementing this measure thus far.
CTIA, a wireless industry group, is against the use of jamming technology due to its potential to disrupt lawful phone calls. Nevertheless, as stated in a 2020 FCC document, CTIA informed the commission that it has been successfully working with its member companies to terminate service to unauthorized devices in accordance with court orders they have obtained.
Calling combating contraband phones “a serious issue,” CTIA officials said in a statement to the AP that the “wireless industry remains committed to working with corrections officials and policymakers at all levels of government to implement effective solutions that combat contraband phones while protecting lawful communications.”
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has yet to provide a response to an email inquiry regarding the renewed efforts to implement jamming technology.
In the past, the issue of jamming legislation has been brought up in Congress, however, no bills pertaining to this matter have been enacted or even discussed in a hearing. U.S. Senator Tom Cotton, a Republican from Arkansas, reintroduced a similar proposal during the previous Congress in August.
“We’re not going to stop advocating,” Wilson told AP on Tuesday. “I can only hope that at some point, Congress is going to take note.”
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