COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — Federal legislation proposed Thursday used to give condition prison officials the genius they read desire 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 comrade bills at both chambers, The Associated publication has learned.
The legislation could help furnish a solution ought a question prison officials read said represents the sumit security hazard ought their institutions. Corrections chiefs along the masses read desire argued because the genius 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 because inmates avail them ought cost out crimes and mould violence both inside and external 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 read said they anxiety signal-blocking technologies could thwart legal calls.
Prison officials, including South Carolina Corrections Director Bryan Stirling, read pushed because the genius ought press signals, saying it's the best method ought battle the dangerous devices. at 2017, Stirling testified at an FCC hearing at Washington alongside Robert Johnson, a foregoing South Carolina corrections officer almost killed at 2010 at a strike orchestrated by an inmate using an illegal phone.
Also that year, an inmate escaped from a maximum-security prison at South Carolina, thanks at separate ought a smuggled cellphone. at 2018, seven inmates at a maximum-security South Carolina prison were killed at what officials read said was a group campaign above field and contraband including cellphones.
The FCC has shown willingness ought occupation above the issue, holding a domain hearing at South Carolina at the invitation of then-Gov. Nikki Haley. last year, making good above a insure ought perform so, Chairman Ajit Pai hosted a meeting with members of Congress, prisons officials and stakeholders from the wireless industry.
After last year's meeting, Kustoff told the AP he was encouraged by the FCC's fundamental above the issue. Officials from wireless commerce masses CTIA, who also attended the meeting, thanked Pai because organizing the manners and said its members "recognize the same authentic hazard that contraband devices pose at correctional equipment along the nation, and we appreciate 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. last year, federal officials tested micro-jamming technique at a federal prison at Cumberland, Maryland, saying they were able ought end down phone signals inside a prison cell, when devices approximately 20 feet (6 meters) away worked normally.
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Meg Kinnard can be reached at http://twitter.com/MegKinnardAP .
