State prison officials and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) met in the country’s capital on Wednesday to discuss cell phones that are banned in prisons.
South Carolina Commissioner of Corrections Bryan Stirling attended the meeting and represented SC
Sterling said this is the first time that prison officials, the Federal Communications Commission and the Department of Justice have met to discuss solutions to the prison cell phone problem.
One solution that Sterling has opposed for years is to insert a cell phone into a prison, but this is illegal.
“We remind and warn consumers that using portable signal jammer or similar devices that intentionally interfere with, obstruct or interfere with radio communications such as cell phones, police radars, etc. violates federal laws, GPS and Wi-Fi,” the FCC said on its website.
Sterling said: “I believe that micro-interference or interference usually works. If the industry wants to provide us with other solutions, we are willing to listen to their opinions and hope to cooperate with them.”
Sterling said that 6,200 mobile phones or parts were found in prisons in South America last year.
Sterling believes that this is a global problem, because prisoners continue to commit crimes in prison, which is dangerous.
He said that he is ready to provide alternative products for mobile phone jammers with the help of the mobile phone industry.
Overall, Sterling said that Wednesday’s meeting was “very fruitful”.
At the meeting, Representative Mark Sanford also said that the meeting was “a step in the right direction.”
The prison authorities of Mississippi, Tennessee and Indiana also participated in the meeting.