WASHINGTON, D.C. – A group of U.S. Senators led by Jim Risch (R-Idaho), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), and Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) introduced new legislation Thursday aimed at curbing the use of contraband cellphones in correctional facilities.
The proposed Cellphone Jamming Reform Act would give both state and federal prisons the authority to use cellphone jamming technology. Supporters of the bill say the measure is intended to reduce the ability of inmates to engage in illegal activity while incarcerated.
“Idaho has seen firsthand the grave danger contraband cellphones pose to the public, correctional officers, and inmates,” Senator Risch said in a statement. Senator Crapo called the bill a “commonsense fix” to prevent inmates from coordinating further crimes while serving their sentences. Senator Cotton cited ongoing safety concerns, claiming contraband phones allow inmates to threaten witnesses, coordinate drug trafficking, and facilitate escapes.
The bill is co-sponsored by several Republican senators, including Bill Cassidy (La.), Shelley Moore Capito (W.Va.), Lindsey Graham (S.C.), Bill Hagerty (Tenn.), Cindy Hyde-Smith (Miss.), and James Lankford (Okla.).
According to the release, contraband cellphone use remains a persistent issue in both federal and state prisons, with reports of phones being used to conduct illegal business, arrange violent attacks, and orchestrate escapes. A 2024 incident in Idaho was highlighted, in which a contraband cellphone was used to help coordinate the escape of a reputed gang member. During the incident, three Idaho Department of Correction officers were ambushed and two were shot. Officials later confirmed a smuggled cellphone had been used to plan the escape.
Critics of cellphone jamming have previously raised concerns about the potential for unintended interference with communications outside prison grounds. The Federal Communications Commission currently prohibits non-federal entities from operating jamming equipment, which this bill seeks to change by allowing limited use in secure correctional settings.
The legislation has been introduced amid ongoing national discussions about prison security and the role of emerging technologies in law enforcement.
