The Utilization of Cell Phone Jamming Technology in Detention Centers

[Perfect Jammer]

A congressman from Tennessee asserts that it is necessary to prohibit inmates from utilizing illegal cell phones for the purposes of orchestrating attacks, operating drug trafficking operations, and overseeing criminal enterprises.

Representative David Kustoff (R-Tenn.) intends to propose legislation in the upcoming congressional session that would permit the use of cell phone jamming technology within state prisons.

cell phone jammer possess the capability to obstruct cell phone signals; however, their use has been prohibited in state prisons due to the 1934 federal Communications Act, enacted prior to the advent of cell phones.

Representative Kustoff conveyed to his congressional colleagues during the introduction of comparable legislation last year, "This technology is designed to safeguard inmates, ensure the safety of correctional officers, and protect the general public." He further emphasized that "State attorneys general nationwide have identified contraband cell phones in prisons as one of the most significant threats to public safety confronting prison administrators at present."

Correctional experts indicate that inmates nationwide have utilized contraband cell phones to engage in perilous criminal activities while incarcerated. For instance, Kustoff reported that in Tennessee, an inmate employed a cell phone to orchestrate a drug transaction involving the shipment of methamphetamine to his girlfriend.

On Wednesday, State Senator Jackson informed lawmakers and Tennessee Department of Corrections Director Frank Strada that Representative Kustoff is assessing the level of interest in the proposed bill among the leaders of the state's prison system. Strada expressed his complete support for the initiative.

Strada stated, "Disabling a cell phone will effectively render it inoperable, akin to a brick, within a prison environment. I am confident that I represent numerous correctional officers at the state, federal, and local levels who view jamming as a significant aid in our correctional facilities."

Throughout the years, state legislators have enacted laws aimed at prohibiting the possession of banned cell phones within prisons. Notably, a bill was introduced in 2021 by former Senator Paul Ross (R-Kingston) and former Representative Brandon Ogles (R-Franklin), which proposed classifying the possession of a cell phone by an inmate in a correctional facility as a Class E felony.

Representative Kustoff intends to present the cell phone jamming legislation during the upcoming congressional session. He informed state lawmakers that additional members of Congress from Tennessee have endorsed the bill. Over the years, Representative Kustoff has advocated for similar measures, with his most recent effort occurring last year; however, that bill did not progress beyond the committee stage.