It’s one of the biggest problems Arkansas prisons face. Prisoners are finding ways to illegally use cell phones.
Wendy Kelley, Director of Arkansas Department of Correction, claims cell phones are a huge contraband problem. This bill, sponsored by U.S. Senator Tom Cotton, would keep cell phones from getting any signal in housing areas.
"It would be a game changer, there’s no doubt about it," Kelley said.
The gamechanger, is a bill with a goal of preventing contraband cell phone use in prisons. The Cell Phone Jamming Reform Act would give state and federal prisons the authority to jam cell phone signal inside prison walls.
"It wouldn’t receive signal and it wouldn’t be able to send out a signal," Kelley said.
Prisoners use cell phones for drug operations, business deals, and to communicate with the outside world.
"They have money that’s transferred that buys drugs or other contraband in the facility, they can transfer money for criminal enterprises outside the facility, as you know we've had K2 issues the last couple of years," Kelley said.
Numbers show the problem has been getting worse. According to ADC, in 2018 there were 1,637. In 2017 there were 1,558. In 2016 there were 946.
“I’m sure there are cell phones we haven’t caught," Kelley said.
Even though technology exists to jam signals currently, the Federal Communications Commission doesn't allow it.
"There have been deaths caused by them and it’s a growing problem and the technology exists to block signals in those areas," Kelley said.
Wireless companies have expressed worry that signal blocking technology would stop legal calls too. If this bill passes, prison officials could jam cell use in housing areas. In Arkansas, they'd implement this in the five maximum security prisons.
"That would take care of 95 percent," Kelley said.