Tim Griffin announced he has co-led a multistate letter urging the Federal Communications Commission to approve a proposal allowing correctional facilities to use jamming technology to combat the growing problem of contraband cell phones in prisons.
The letter, addressed to Brendan Carr, was co-led by Chris Carr and signed by attorneys general from 21 other states.
Griffin said contraband cell phones pose a serious public safety threat, allowing inmates to coordinate crimes both inside and outside prison walls.
“The problem of contraband cell phones in prisons is not new, and these devices are consistently used to orchestrate crimes,” Griffin said. “The FCC’s proposal is a major step in the right direction for keeping citizens and corrections personnel safe.”
According to Griffin, the Arkansas Department of Corrections identified 230 incarcerated gang leaders in maximum-security facilities who were caught with contraband cell phones in more than 538 separate incidents. The inmates were associated with known threat groups including the Bloods, Crips, Aryan Circle, White Aryan Resistance, and Gangster Disciples.
Investigations revealed the phones were used to coordinate illegal activities such as drug trafficking, drone drops into prisons, witness intimidation, and the movement of money and gang operations across Arkansas and the United States.
Griffin said similar cases have been documented nationwide, with inmates using contraband phones to facilitate violent crimes including murder, child sexual exploitation, kidnapping, drug trafficking, and financial crimes such as wire fraud and identity theft.
Attorneys general from Alabama, Alaska, Florida, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, and West Virginia joined the effort.
Griffin said the proposed FCC rule would give correctional facilities a critical tool to improve safety and disrupt criminal networks operating behind bars.
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