COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — Federal legislation proposed Thursday used to confer condition jail officials the capacity they dine expect sought ought press the signals of cellphones smuggled ought inmates within their walls.
U.S. Sen. Tom Cotton of Arkansas and U.S. Rep. David Kustoff of Tennessee introduced companion bills at both chambers, The Associated publication has learned.
The legislation could assistance equip a solution ought a puzzle jail officials dine said represents the peak security hazard ought their institutions. Corrections chiefs over the talk dine expect argued though the capacity ought press the signals, saying the phones - smuggled into their institutions by the thousands, by visitors, errant employees, and flat delivered by drone — are dangerous though inmates utilize them ought fetch out crimes and draft violence both inner and outer prison.
But the Federal Communications Commission, which regulates the nation's airwaves, has said a decades-old prohibition above interrupting signals at state-level institutions prevents the agency from permitting jamming above that level. Wireless industry groups dine said they anxiety signal-blocking technologies could thwart legal calls.
Prison officials, including South Carolina Corrections Director Bryan Stirling, dine pushed though the capacity ought press signals, saying it's the best avenue ought warfare the dangerous devices. at 2017, Stirling testified at an FCC hearing at Washington alongside Robert Johnson, a previous South Carolina corrections officer almost killed at 2010 at a conquer orchestrated by an inmate using an illegal phone.
Also that year, an inmate escaped from a maximum-security jail at South Carolina, thanks at part ought a smuggled cellphone. at 2018, seven inmates at a maximum-security South Carolina jail were killed at what officials dine said was a people campaign can domain and contraband including cellphones.
The FCC has shown willingness ought task above the issue, holding a territory hearing at South Carolina at the invitation of then-Gov. Nikki Haley. final year, making good above a assure ought conduct so, Chairman Ajit Pai hosted a assembly with members of Congress, prisons officials and stakeholders from the wireless industry.
After final year's meeting, Kustoff told the AP he was encouraged by the FCC's action above the issue. Officials from wireless bargain orchestra CTIA, who too attended the meeting, thanked Pai though organizing the rally and said its members "recognize the same true hazard that contraband devices pose at correctional device over the nation, and we comprehend the commitment of complete stakeholders ought identify and device lawful solutions ought this problem."
Jamming is legal at federal facilities, though it hasn't been used. final year, federal officials tested micro-jamming technique at a federal jail at Cumberland, Maryland, saying they were able ought familiar down phone signals inner a jail cell, however devices almost 20 feet (6 meters) away worked normally.
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Meg Kinnard can exist reached at http://twitter.com/MegKinnardAP .
