Allow Cell Phone Jammers in Prisons

The Attorney General has appealed to the FCC to grant permission for the installation of cell phone jammers in penitentiaries.

The federal agency is being called upon by Georgia's Attorney General to lift its ban on cell phone jammers, enabling state officials to use these devices to effectively block contraband phones in correctional institutions.

The use of cell phone "signal jammers" in prisons and jails is currently prohibited by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). The office of Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr asserts that this ban is applicable to both state and local governments. In a letter sent to FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel on Tuesday, Carr requested that the ban be reconsidered.

The letter reveals that contraband mobile phones are often introduced into prisons, endangering the safety of inmates and correctional officers alike. In Georgia, a total of 8,074 such devices were seized in 2023, and 5,482 have been confiscated in 2024 to date.

In March, the Georgia authorities disclosed the outcomes of Operation Skyhawk, a prolonged investigation that examined the presence of contraband in the facilities operated by the Georgia Department of Corrections.

Authorities successfully seized 273 contraband cell phones from the facilities and arrested 150 individuals, which included eight employees of the GDC who were immediately relieved of their duties. Drones played a significant role in the transportation of contraband into the facilities.

A spokesman for U.S. Senator Jon Ossoff, a Democrat from Georgia, remarked that in response to the inquiry about his position on the request, he has co-sponsored legislation with Iowa Republican Senator Chuck Grassley focused on combating contraband in federal prisons.

During 2022, Ossoff directed a bipartisan investigation that spanned ten months concerning the U.S. Penitentiary Atlanta, which is now designated as FCI Atlanta. The findings revealed a critical need to eliminate the presence of illegal cell phones in correctional institutions.

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