The tough life in prison: "Smuggled cellphones flourish in prisons"
USA Today has this:
Thousands of illegal cellphones are being smuggled into prisons, where inmates, including some on death row, use them to threaten victims, conduct drug deals, plot escape and seek legal help, prison officials say.
The phones, most operating on prepaid accounts bought by relatives and friends, often are not caught in searches at visitor entries.
"States are struggling with this," says Eric Schultz, spokesman for the American Correctional Association.
In South Carolina, more than 1,000 phones were confiscated last year, corrections spokesman Josh Gelinas says. In McCormick, S.C., smugglers have used a makeshift launcher to shoot phones and drugs over 12-foot prison fences for inmates to pick up. . . .
posted by John Lott at 2:41 PM
4 Comments:
I was considering asking how, but the launchers took the raunchers out of the equation, do to speak...
I would think that it is a simple matter of scanning for EMF, that would eliminate the necessity for intrusive searches, shall we say.
If in fact, purses, baggage, or whatever was checked for weapons, one would think that Cell Phones would be disallowed.
A breakdown of Security? Perhaps not.
The technology exists to jam cell signals and if you keep cell technology in mind, signals can be blocked in certain areas of a prison as well. As far as 12 foot fences, you'd think they'd have a fortified zone that secured a large area in front of the fences. May be a minefield and a moat too? :) On one hand is would seem that prisons haven't kept up with technology, on the other hand may be they need to simplify and return to the idea of a penitentiary. No weights, no TV, no radio, or other technology. Just a cell, a bunk, and three squares. Infractions get varying lengths of solitary. Is that too harsh John?
Cell phone jammers.
They're common in Japan, and I've been in a few places here where they're in use.
I do not think it a matter of technology. It is simply a matter of the Guards willingness to execute the functions of their employment.
All sorts of contraband enter secure facilities on a daily basis. Rules exist to prevent this, but they (the rules) only work if the employees work.
Then again, most prisons are understaffed, have crappy work hours, and the rules of engagement, are in the prisoners favor.
To put it this way... If we were under the pressure to ensure a safe work enviornment, where we would not be killed due to an overwhelming annoyed prison population, would we not somehow seek a means to depressurize the stress levels of the inmates?
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