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Bryan Stirling, speaking to Congress as the director of corrections for South Carolina, has been a leading advocate for the legislation and discussed the impact on public and staff safety. Photo Credit (all): Lilliana Coronado
Correctional Leaders Push for Cell Phone Jamming Reform By Kat Balster Contraband cell phones continue to represent one of the greatest threats to safety inside correctional facilities. The illegal devices endanger the well-being of staff and inmates, while also allowing crime to spill beyond prison
Department of Corrections who was recently elevated to U.S. Attorney for South Carolina, emphasized that regular, legal communication wouldn’t be impacted and noted the expense that contraband phones pose to the inmates. “A contraband cell phone call can cost [an inmate] $7,000 to $8,000, while a legitimate phone call costs $0.05 a minute. You can talk to your family for 15 minutes every day for 25 years before you would reach that amount,” Stirling stated during the press conference announcing the introduction of the bill on Capitol Hill. “Having the ability to jam cell phone communications in a prison environment will create a safer workspace for the staff and a safer environment for the inmate population to engage in rehabilitative and education programs crucial to successful reentry into our communities,” said Frank Strada, commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Corrections, in the same presentation.
The Scope of the Crisis
Bryan Stirling and Lt. Francisco Collazo—a correctional officer at Lieber Correctional Insitution near Charleston, S.C., who was threatened by inmates after a routine contraband sweep—stood before Congress to support the proposed legislation.
walls into communities. The growing use of contraband cell phones not only endangers lives but also disrupts rehabilitation and education efforts that are critical to successful reentry. To combat this escalating threat, correctional leaders are throwing their support behind the Cell Phone Jamming Reform Act of 2025 (H.R. 2350/S. 1137). The bipartisan bill would authorize state correctional facilities to deploy targeted signal-jamming technologies—a capability already available to the Federal Bureau of Prisons but currently prohibited for state systems.
Leaders Rally Behind Congressional Action On March 26, directors from South Carolina, Tennessee, Idaho, and Georgia joined Rep. David Kustoff of Tennessee and Sen. Tom Cotton from Arkansas to advocate for the legislation. Their message was clear: Every day without the ability to use cell phone
Despite intense security measures, contraband cellphones remain widespread. A 2021 survey by the Correctional Leaders Association (CLA) found that corrections departments in eight states — Alabama, California, Florida, Louisiana, Ohio, South Carolina, Tennessee and Texas — intercepted approximately 30,095 illegal phones in a single year. The increase to an already staggering number has been alarming. Between 2022 and 2024, Florida reported confiscating 19,111 phones, while Georgia confiscated 41,551 and Alabama seized 12,785. Contraband phones fuel a wide range of crimes from within prison walls. Inmates have used them to orchestrate murder plots, coordinate drug trafficking, extort victims and intimidate witnesses. High-profile incidents include an inmate-led escape in Arkansas organized with a cellphone and an incarcerated North Carolina gang leader’s plan to kidnap a prosecutor’s father. Federal prisons have already moved to address the issue. Facilities like USP Florence in Colorado and FCC Coleman in Florida have installed micro-jamming technology capable of precisely targeting prison housing units without disrupting outside communications.
About the Proposed Bill The Cell Phone Jamming Reform Act would amend the Communications Act of 1934 to permit
“Having the ability to jam cell phone communications in a prison environment will create a safer workspace for the staff and a safer environment for the inmate population to engage in rehabilitative and education programs crucial to successful reentry into our communities.” - Frank Strada jamming is another day incarcerated criminals can endanger the public. Bryan Stirling, then-director of the South Carolina 10 | www.correctionalnews.com | may - june 2025
state correctional facilities to deploy the same signaljamming technology now used in federal facilities. The bill addresses potential FCC concerns by including
Stirling
Bryan P. Stirling, one of the nation’s longestserving and most respected corrections leaders, has been appointed as the United States Attorney for the District of South Carolina. He was sworn in April 28 at the U.S. District Courthouse following his nomination by U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi. Stirling spent more than a decade leading the South Carolina Department of Corrections, where he transformed reentry programs, reduced recidivism to the lowest rate in the country and became a national voice on prison safety and contraband prevention. He has been a strong advocate for the legislation supporting cell phone jamming reform.
“It has been the privilege of a lifetime to lead the men and women at the Department of Corrections and help transform the agency into a place where incarcerated people are returned to society safely with real second chances,” Stirling said. “I look forward to continuing to serve the people of South Carolina and pledge to uphold the high standards set by those who came before me.”
safeguards to prevent interference with emergency services, authorized communications and the public. The measure has broad bipartisan support, with more than 30 state attorneys general, dozens of correctional directors and public safety organizations endorsing the effort.
Current Status and Next Steps H.R. 2350 and S. 1137 were introduced in Congress in March 2025. Correctional leaders and supporters are urging Congress to hold hearings in the House Energy & Commerce Committee and the Senate Commerce, Science & Transportation Committee where the bills have been referred. They are also advocating for, at a minimum, creating a pilot program to further demonstrate the effectiveness of micro-jamming systems. If passed, the legislation would mark a major victory for prison and public safety, providing corrections professionals with a critical tool to prevent crime and protect both those inside and beyond the perimeter. As Strada stated to Congress, “This bill will greatly reduce the hazards of contraband and create a safer workspace for all.”