Attorney General Sunday Joins Coalition in Urging Congress to Enable ‘Jamming’ of Contraband Cell Phones in Prisons

Attorney General Dave Sunday joined a bipartisan coalition of 26 state attorneys general calling on Congress to pass H.R. 2350 and S. 1137, federal legislation allowing states to deploy cell phone ‘jamming’ systems in prisons. 

“Jamming” involves the interruption of cell phone signals, which would disable non-emergency calls. The legislation regards contraband phones — devices that incarcerated individuals are not permitted to have. The legislation would not impact individuals’ usage of landline phones at prisons.

Cell phones are typically smuggled into prisons and commonly used by incarcerated individuals to direct drug trafficking efforts, concoct escape plans, or coordinate acts of violence.

“The reality is that some incarcerated individuals continue with their criminal activities while behind bars — be it orchestrating a drug or firearms trafficking organization or intimidating a witness in their case to not cooperate with authorities,” Attorney General Sunday said. “This legislation will help keep our communities safer by eliminating crimes aided by the use of contraband cell phones.”

The bill was introduced by Tennessee Congressman David Kustoff and Arkansas Senator Tom Cotton.

The coalition sent a letter urging congress to pass the bill. In the letter, the coalition highlights how inmates exploit contraband phones to: 

• Direct drug trafficking operations; 
• Orchestrate violence inside and outside prison walls; 
• Run sophisticated fraud schemes preying on vulnerable citizens; 
• Intimidate witnesses and terrorize victims’ families; and 
• Plot escape attempts endangering law enforcement and the public. 

Federal law currently bans states from using cell phone jamming technology, leaving correctional facilities defenseless against an escalating threat.

A 2020 survey of 20 state corrections departments uncovered 25,840 contraband cell phones in a single year, a stark reminder of the scale of the crisis, according to the letter. 

Led by Tennessee Attorney General Skrmetti and the Attorneys General of Georgia, North Carolina, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, the Attorneys General of Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Connecticut, Florida, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Mississippi, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Dakota, Northern Mariana Islands, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Texas, Virginia, and West Virginia stand united in calling on Congress to act decisively and pass this critical legislation in 2025.

Original source can be found here.