Source: Tom's Guide US | Keywords: cell, phone, jamming, prison, break | Themes: Smartphones, Business, 3GSM
Time to go back to the two tin cans and string.
Planning a prison break? You'd better hope that a cell phone isn't part of your elaborate escape plan, as the senate just passed a bill that could soon allow the use of frequency jammers in prisons.
The bill, called Safe Prisons Communications Act of 2009 (S.251), allows states to petition the FCC for the authority to jam cell signals in prison areas, reported WBAL. The bill will now be considered by the House of Representatives.
Currently, the FCC does not permit cell phone jamming of any sort.
If stamping out cell phone usage in a prison sounds unnecessary, a surprising number of mobile devices manage to find their way into prisoner hands – some of which are used for illegal operations.
"I and all Marylanders were shocked and dismayed to hear about this new organized crime practice of using cell phones in prison to conduct criminal activities in communities on the outside while criminals enjoy a lavish lifestyle on the inside," said Senator Mikulski, a co-sponsor of the bill. "This bill protects citizens. It provides another means to stop the use of illegal cell phones by allowing prison on a case-by-case basis to use cell jammers. It will help make our neighborhoods safe and give prisons another necessary tool they need."
According to WBAL, corrections officers in 2008 confiscated 847 illegal cell phones in Maryland, 2,809 in California and 1,861 in Mississippi.
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or they could step up on the cavity searches :@
bend over and caugh !!!!
Shoving a phone up your ass has got to hurt.
or they could step up on the cavity searches :@
They should simply use a very strong electromagnet in the searches. If you have anything electronic on, it will be rendered useless. If you have any piece of metal... it will hurt. Like hell.
So, it's a preemptive and dissuasive method!
The good news is that that scene in the Dark Knight will never happen IRL.
if the jamming is not done properly, I can see a lot of complaints from the legitimate cell owners in the area...
to the Electromagnet Theory: you could kill someone who has a pacemaker/defibrillator by doing that; it would be easier and safer to have them walk by a fluoroscopy camera when you suspect something;
now if they could start with the same thing in movie theaters...
Like internet "piracy" they will find another way around it!
I'm sure Scofield will find a way round it
Most federal prisons are outside of cellphone range anyway.
They should simply use a very strong electromagnet in the searches. If you have anything electronic on, it will be rendered useless. If you have any piece of metal... it will hurt. Like hell.So, it's a preemptive and dissuasive method!
Until you take it to someone with a metal plate on their skull.
Yeah, it probably makes no difference if they can or not... Somehow, I doubt that the "criminal organizations" these people belong to really look to them for help organizing criminal activity WHILE THEY'RE IN PRISON, but most Americans have no problem believing that only because the media says so... How much help could they possibly be, they're locked up FFS. Besides, they probably got the cellphone from either a guard or a lawyer...
Until you take it to someone with a metal plate on their skull.
They don't hide the cellphones on their person why do that when your room can do it much better.
They have gone so far in some area's to use cell phone sniffing dogs ionno how the hell they train those.
Until you take it to someone with a metal plate on their skull.
most modern implants are titanium or stainless steal... not really succeptible to magnatism.
Clearly, IBM_rational_geniusboy was a name chosen completely at random. As the story said, the issue isn't that convicts are being used by cohorts on the outside, but that they are using their outside contacts to conduct business - which absolutely does happen.
As the story said, the issue isn't that convicts are being used by cohorts on the outside, but that they are using their outside contacts to conduct business - which absolutely does happen.
The fact that they got them in the first place seems like a bigger problem. What's stopping them from getting small pistols?
now if they could start with the same thing in movie theaters...
Yeah, because movie goers are just like fucking criminals. No private person or entity, strike that; no one(except for the FCC) has any right to interfere with radio frequencies in the U.S. and cellular phones have to be capable of dialing 911 and making other emergency calls. If any place or person were to interfere with the operation of a cellular phone, that business or person would be in very serious trouble.
On another note, the "jamming" idea is utter bullshit. I am not saying that I disagree with the idea, as no prisoner should have access to a mobile phone. What I am saying is that those devices(cellular jammers) can be easily thwarted. If the prison uses a jamming device that only blocks certain frequencies, a multi-band phone might find a frequency that works. 3G data devices(those that allow voice and data at the same time) might still operate on the data side while the voice side is blocked, which makes this "all for not".
Also, chances are the devices will not cover all areas of the prison that prisoners have access to, so they will simply take their phones to a place that is not blocked and make their calls. If a prisoner really wants to make a call, they could take a BlackBerry, gain access to the engineering screen, and see if he or she can find a tower that works on a frequency not being blocked.
Chances are, since this is the legislators playing a hand in this, something will be missed or screwed up. Since most politicians know nothing about electronics, they will put so many restrictions that it will cause more harm than good.
They don't hide the cellphones on their person why do that when your room can do it much better.They have gone so far in some area's to use cell phone sniffing dogs ionno how the hell they train those.
Everything has a particular smell, including cellular phones. Even a human nose can smell a cellular phone(it cannot sniff it out, but you can smell it up close if you try). Dogs have very sensitive noses and they can easily sniff out the devices no matter how you try to mask the scent.
I'm against this because criminals always find a way around the system. It could end up backfiring if for instance a prison is taken over by inmates & prison personel are unable to call authorities in time from their personal cellphones. If hard lines are cut what else do you have?
"The fact that they got them in the first place seems like a bigger problem. What's stopping them from getting small pistols? "
Because half the time it's the guards that are bringing them in... they don't want the prisoners to have guns they could use against them.
I thought that it only happens here in Brazil.. Well, here the frequency jammers were installed in some prisons, but now they are outdated and have very limited action. With new technologies emerging the prisoners keep talking. So I think the best way still is to do a good inspection of visitors.
Clearly, IBM_rational_geniusboy was a name chosen completely at random. As the story said, the issue isn't that convicts are being used by cohorts on the outside, but that they are using their outside contacts to conduct business - which absolutely does happen.
Here's just one exapmle to prove your point:
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/n [...] 730608.ece
r0x0r: Either that guy is the real-life McGuyver, or you're one gullible fool for believing that story... But hey, you provided a link to a story, so it must be true...
Moreover, what role does this guy even play in the smuggling? Why wouldn't his "associates" have just cut him out of the business altogether, since he does nothing but call people?
He's in prison, so he can't do any of the following:
Manufacture
Traffic
Deal
Kill anyone who runs off with product or money
Launder Money
But... He can make a bunch of phone calls on a modified electric razor... Yeah, that story couldn't possibly be bullshit...
Yeah, because movie goers are just like fucking criminals. No private person or entity, strike that; no one(except for the FCC) has any right to interfere with radio frequencies in the U.S. and cellular phones have to be capable of dialing 911 and making other emergency calls. If any place or person were to interfere with the operation of a cellular phone, that business or person would be in very serious trouble.On another note, the "jamming" idea is utter bullshit. I am not saying that I disagree with the idea, as no prisoner should have access to a mobile phone. What I am saying is that those devices(cellular jammers) can be easily thwarted. If the prison uses a jamming device that only blocks certain frequencies, a multi-band phone might find a frequency that works. 3G data devices(those that allow voice and data at the same time) might still operate on the data side while the voice side is blocked, which makes this "all for not".Also, chances are the devices will not cover all areas of the prison that prisoners have access to, so they will simply take their phones to a place that is not blocked and make their calls. If a prisoner really wants to make a call, they could take a BlackBerry, gain access to the engineering screen, and see if he or she can find a tower that works on a frequency not being blocked.Chances are, since this is the legislators playing a hand in this, something will be missed or screwed up. Since most politicians know nothing about electronics, they will put so many restrictions that it will cause more harm than good.
I commonly lose phone service in my area, and it worries me. I live around many retired couples, and what happens when someone has a heart attack and no can call 911? It's quite disturbing.
I also believe we should NOT jam ANY frequency.
And yes, politicians are idiots.
We need to actually do something about exactly how they get communnication devices in the firt place.
r0x0r: Either that guy is the real-life McGuyver, or you're one gullible fool for believing that story... But hey, you provided a link to a story, so it must be true...Moreover, what role does this guy even play in the smuggling? Why wouldn't his "associates" have just cut him out of the business altogether, since he does nothing but call people?He's in prison, so he can't do any of the following:ManufactureTrafficDealKill anyone who runs off with product or moneyLaunder MoneyBut... He can make a bunch of phone calls on a modified electric razor... Yeah, that story couldn't possibly be bullshit...
Mob bosses usually AREN'T part of or involved directly with the process of drug smuggling/selling. They usually provide the capital that makes the deals. So if he is providing capital for people in his gang, he can be anywhere in the world, so long as the right people get the money. His people handle stuff on the outside, he provides the money, everyones happy. And sure, people can double cross him, but that's a risk you take even if you are on the outside. At least if they double cross him they can't kill him. So he's probably safer in prison.
What the hell I live in Maryland? Damn MS13... I guess they'll have to call collect.
He can make a bunch of phone calls on a modified electric razor... Yeah, that story couldn't possibly be bullshit...
"with the phone he powered using an adapted electric razor..."
Go look at what inmates in prison are capable of making with only the most mundane of items.
Another 2 examples for you:
http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepa [...] mpire.html
http://news.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=681660
Shoving a phone up your ass has got to hurt.
I bet you don't find any of the Blackberry/iPhone/Sidekick varieties in prison. I have a feeling they are all the slim-line, micro phones.
Just in case anyone was ever interested in taking care of unwanted noise in places such as a movie theater, restaurant, public bathroom...
http://www.cell-phone-jammers.com/
@anamaniac
You need to visit those retired couples in your neighborhood and have them teach you the basics of landline calling. Especially if they have rotary phones.
Cell phones need power to operate, they could just disable or remove power outlets. Why do they have power outlets in the first place?