The Attorney General has formally asked the FCC to consider permitting the use of cell phone jammers in prison environments.
The Attorney General of Georgia is pressing the federal agency to revoke its ban on cell phone jammers, which prevents state officials from deploying these devices to curtail the use of contraband phones in correctional facilities.
At present, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) prohibits the use of cell phone "signal jammers" in correctional facilities such as prisons and jails. The office of Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr has confirmed that this ban extends to state and local governments. On Tuesday, Carr sent a letter to FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel, requesting a reevaluation of the ban.
The letter highlights that contraband mobile phones frequently find their way into correctional institutions, posing risks to the safety of inmates and correctional officers. In Georgia, authorities confiscated 8,074 contraband phones in 2023, and have seized 5,482 in the current year of 2024.
In March, the findings of Operation Skyhawk were released by officials in Georgia, marking the conclusion of a months-long investigation into the issue of contraband within the state's Department of Corrections facilities.
Authorities have seized 273 contraband cell phones within the facilities and arrested 150 suspects, which includes eight employees of the GDC who were immediately dismissed from their positions. Drones were utilized to aid in the smuggling of contraband into the facilities.
When inquired about his position regarding the request, a spokesperson for U.S. Senator Jon Ossoff, a Democrat from Georgia, noted that he has joined forces with Iowa Republican Senator Chuck Grassley to co-sponsor legislation intended to combat contraband within federal prisons.
In the year 2022, Ossoff undertook a ten-month bipartisan investigation into the U.S. Penitentiary Atlanta, now called FCI Atlanta. The findings emphasized the importance of addressing the issue of illegal cell phones within the prison system.