There are a number of interesting aspects to this deployment of new communications technologies in the Oregon state prison system. First, MP3 players will be able to receive text messages and photos. Also, for the first time, inmates can be contacted from the outside by phone. Family and others can leave a voice mail of up to three minutes on the prison payphone system. Wouldn’t a secure prison cell phone solution that uses a single […]
Prison Cell Phones
289 posts
A good article below about the forensic value of a confiscated contraband prison cell phone. One clarification, however: A SIM card is not the same as a microSD card – referred to in the article as a data card. The microSD card used in most smart phones is similar to a USB storage device for your PC in that it is used to store user determined data such as documents, pictures, media, etc. A Subscriber […]
An interesting article about the deployment of technology in prison to address the cost of providing health care to prisoners in Texas. The use of video visitation and VoIP technology allows access to low-cost, face-to-face mental health consultations over mobile devices nationwide. The Texas prison system’s adoption of electronic health records (EHR) and telemedicine helped reduce state spending by about $1 billion over the past decade, streamlining patient care for inmates and reducing taxpayer expenditure […]
This article discusses the TDCJ’s decision to investigate the viability of managed access contraband cell phone jamming. California, Mississippi and Maryland are also testing the technology. The impact of smuggled contraband cell phones in prisons has been significant. As the article states, “A couple of years ago, there were long lines at the pay phones—hours long. By this year, no one was using them, there were so many smuggled cell phones.” Update (3/15/13): Final testing […]
A few years ago, as a consultant to Securus, I was responsible for the development and launch of a brand new line of business for Securus focused on the profitable delivery of integrated justice information combined with unique analytical and heuristic tools to facilitate the investigative process of criminal investigators at the federal, state and local level. The service was called “Electronic Dragnet” and its purpose was to enhance detectives’ crime fighting efforts and increase […]
A fascinating article about how contraband cell phones facilitate the prison black market economy. An economy in which even some of the guards are participants. As the article states, “a $20 basic phone earns the guards that sell it an easy $400 to $500…But if you use the phone and sell time off of it to the other inmates, you’ll make your money back in one month.” As we have written before, wireless airtime is […]
An article about the deployment of email and other electronic services via kiosks in prisons in Singapore. The problem with the use of kiosks is that you create the same access, prisoner movement, and queuing issues that currently exist with prison payphones. The meshDETECT secure prison cell phone is a much more efficient and cost effective means to deploy and deliver electronic content to detainees. Corresponding with family members electronically, instead of using pen and […]
On March 1, 2012 the FCC issued a public notice seeking comments “on concerns and issues related to intentional interruptions of Commercial Mobile Radio Service (CMRS or “wireless service”) by government authorities for the purpose of ensuring public safety.” (GN Docket No. 12-52) As the notice states, “While the important function that wireless service plays in protecting public safety is undisputed, some commentators, including some law enforcement personnel, have raised concerns that wireless networks can […]
This is an interesting article about the failure of a prisoner RFID tracking system trial conducted in an Australian jail. It is unclear from the article what caused the signal interference issues between the prisoner bracelets and the guards’ duress alarm bracelets that led to the decision to drop the trial. However it seems the program had problems from the beginning, so perhaps the main issue was vendor program and technology management related rather than […]
An imprisoned terrorist in India is using a contraband cell phone and a custom built encrypted VoIP network to secure his communications with his organization. The VoIP network runs on GPRS (mobile data service on 2G or 3G cellular communication system), and was created by the terrorist’s own tech team. The technical significance of this approach is the use of the data transmission capabilities of the cell phone to transmit encrypted voice conversations that cannot […]