Georgia's Attorney General, Chris Carr, is seeking the intervention of the FCC to halt illegal prison phone calls. He is part of a larger coalition, having signed a letter in January 2023 alongside 21 other Attorneys General, urging Congress to address this significant problem.

Carr conveys in his letter to the FCC that the persistent use of contraband cell phones for planning violent acts and engaging in criminal activities calls for a reconsideration of the FCC's ban on jamming devices in state and local correctional facilities. He argues that this prohibition limits vital law enforcement tools, endangers the safety of correctional officers, and contributes to the escalation of criminal enterprises within the prison environment.

Brad King with the Baldwin County Sheriffs Office emphasized that this situation is not confined to the prison itself. It is undoubtedly a public safety concern, King stated during an interview with WMAZ-TV.

Since 2023, Georgia's prisons have seen the seizure of over 13,000 contraband cell phones. Carr indicates that jamming would hinder the radio frequency connection between a mobile phone and a nearby cell tower, making such devices nonfunctional.

According to Sheriff Joel Cochran of Washington County, cell phones provide inmates with substantial leverage. He indicated, "These devices allow them to contact witnesses, harass victims, or coordinate with drug traffickers for transactions. This situation illustrates the serious risks associated with what is often regarded as a simple phone."

The early 1990s saw the FCC enact a ban on cell phone jammer, as Carr observes, years before inmates began using illicit cell phones to plan and engage in unlawful and hazardous activities. He argues that this regulation has lost its relevance to public interest and notes that the U.S. Bureau of Prisons is currently permitting the use of jamming devices in various correctional facilities, including at least one in Georgia.

The Federal Communications Commission has permitted the testing of signal jammers in prisons. Nevertheless, a key issue is to ensure that these devices operate exclusively within the prison premises and do not interfere with the communication of first responders outside, as highlighted by Inside Towers.

King expressed concern that inmates with mobile phones are perpetrating scams to obtain money from community residents, creating a situation devoid of evidence. "The challenge lies in the fact that they are using burner cell phones, which complicates our ability to track these cases effectively," King stated.

In his correspondence, Carr emphasizes that the technology would ensure that inmates do not have unauthorized access to individuals outside the prison facility.

Cochran stated that the crux of the issue lies in the public safety risks that affect both prison staff and other inmates. "These facilities are their homes. It is vital for them to have a safe environment to live in. We also want the public safety staff in these facilities to be able to perform their roles safely," Cochran expressed to WMAZ-TV.