Georgia Attorney General files FOIA request with FCC to ban cell phone jammers
The Georgia Attorney General has initiated a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) inquiry with a federal agency pertaining to the restriction of cell phone jammers in the state's prisons.
This week, Attorney General Chris Carr's office announced that Carr has initiated a FOIA request directed at the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in response to the agency's ongoing refusal to allow state and local law enforcement to jam the signals of contraband cellphones in correctional facilities. Carr's request aims to obtain all inter-agency communications related to his letter dated June 4, 2024, which called for the FCC to permit the use of cell phone jamming technology in prisons and jails. He is also seeking all records concerning the FCC's denial of the State's request and information on the application of jamming devices in certain federal prisons.
Carr expressed in a press release, "Law enforcement is hindered in its efforts to tackle the issue of contraband cellphones due to a policy that is no longer relevant, which the federal government has shown no inclination to change or reconsider. The solution is quite simple: by blocking the signals of these illegal phones, we can help eliminate the violent crimes that are directed from correctional facilities and enhance our public safety strategies. If the Biden administration is unwilling to assist us, they should allow our officers to carry out their duties without interference."
Currently, the FCC prohibits the deployment of cell phone "blockers," and this prohibition is applicable to state and local governments as well. Despite this, contraband cell phones are utilized in correctional institutions throughout the country to plan and execute violent attacks and other criminal activities, which poses a serious risk to correctional personnel, visitors, inmates, and the public at large.
The incarcerated head of the infamous "Yves Saint Laurent Squad" street gang made use of a contraband cell phone to commission a hit that culminated in the death of an 88-year-old veteran from Georgia. In North Carolina, a gang leader similarly ordered the kidnapping of a prosecutor's father via an illegal cell phone while behind bars. Moreover, in California, prison gangs have taken advantage of contraband cell phones to engage in drug trafficking and to orchestrate murders within the prison system.
In his correspondence from June 2024, Carr points out that the FCC's prevailing policy is based on a statute that has been established for many years. He continues, “The provisions of 47 U.S.C § 333 do not inhibit the FCC from modifying its approach to permit state agencies to implement cell phone jamming devices in correctional facilities. In reality, the United States Bureau of Prisons has acknowledged the potential benefits of such jammers and is authorized to utilize them in several federal prisons, including at least one situated in Georgia.”
In January 2023, Carr, together with 21 fellow attorneys general, urged Congressional leaders to support legislation that would authorize states to implement a cell phone jamming system in correctional facilities.
The Carr’s Gang Prosecution Unit has formed a partnership with the Georgia Department of Corrections (GDC) to investigate and prosecute individuals currently serving time who are accused of engaging in criminal gang activities, as well as discussions concerning the packaging and delivery of contraband items to a GDC facility.
