Wendy Kelley, director of the Arkansas Department of Corrections, claims that cell phones are the main smuggling issue. The bill, proposed by US Senator Tom Cotton, will prevent cell phones from receiving signals in residential areas.
The game changer is a bill aimed at preventing the use of smuggled mobile phones in prison. The Cellular Disorder Reform Act will authorize state and federal prisons to disrupt cell phone signals on prison walls. Kelly said: “No signal will be received and no signal will be sent.” Prisoners use mobile phones for drug transactions, commercial transactions and communication with the outside world.
The numbers indicate that the problem has worsened. According to ADC data, there were 1,637 in 2018. There were 1,558 in 2017. There were 946 in 2016. Kelly said: “I’m sure we didn’t answer the phone.” Mobile cell phone jammer can effectively block the signal, but the Federal Communications Commission does not allow it.
Kelly said: “The deaths caused by them are an increasingly serious problem and there are technologies to stop the signals in these areas.”
Wireless companies have raised concerns that signal blocking technology will also stop legitimate calls. If this law is passed, prison officials may disrupt the use of cells in residential areas. In Arkansas, they will do so in five high-security prisons.