As this article shows, the effort to keep contraband, such as cell phones, out of prisons and jails is extensive.The irony is that there is little effort to address the demand side of the equation. As the article states, “visitation and phone privileges are the two things inmates fear losing more than anything else. They’re also the privileges corrections officers are most reluctant to take away, leery of eliminating what may be a prisoner’s main incentive to behave himself.” Prisons can offer a secure cell phone solution to reduce the demand for contraband cell phones and at the same time add another privilege that can be used to control behavior.

The visiting room at the Maryland Correctional Training Center bustles with activity.

Inmates and the people who’ve come to visit them sit separated by a high brick wall, catching up on the latest news from home or perhaps just enjoying seeing each other again.

Inmates are allowed two visits per week, as long as they behave, said Capt. Steven Myers as he stands along the side wall of the room.

Visitation and phone privileges are the two things inmates fear losing more than anything else, Myers said. They’re also the privileges corrections officers are most reluctant to take away, leery of eliminating what may be a prisoner’s main incentive to behave himself.

But the visits can also pose another problem for the prison’s staff.

The wall, built by inmates in the prison’s masonry program, keeps prisoners from switching shoes with a family member under a table, or the many other methods of sneaking contraband into the prison, Myers said.

Contraband consists of anything a prisoner isn’t allowed to have, with some of the most common items being cellular phones, tobacco products and drugs, said Erin Julius, a spokeswoman for the Division of Correction.

Prisoners enter from one side of the visiting room and wind their way around the brick wall to the chairs on their side. Visitors enter from the other side of the room and take a seat across from them.

The high wall between prisoners and visitors, built by inmates in the prison’s masonry program, cuts down on the flow of contraband, Myers said.

Touching is mostly forbidden during visits, with the exception of one quick embrace per person per visit.

The wall between them is so high that just their heads visible over it. Any hands reaching across to exchange items would likely stand out to the handful of corrections officers who carefully scan the room.

To make doubly sure, inmates are led into a small room after their visit and strip-searched for any illicit materials.

In another part of the prison, a specially designed chair can scan prisoners’ body cavities to check for contraband.

X-ray machines scan inmates’ belongings, and facilities have specially trained dogs that can sniff out cellular phones, Julius said.

Cell phones are a particular source of consternation for corrections officials.

According to a report from the state’s Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services, Maryland prisons confiscated 1,128 cell phones in fiscal 2010.

Gov. Martin O’Malley’s office recently announced that the state had received a $350,000 federal grant to reduce the number of cell phones in Baltimore prisons.

The funds are targeted to increase staffing to crack down on gang members and other criminals who use cell phones to continue their criminal activity inside jails, and to ferret out prison staffers who help inmates get phones.

“Too many inmates are using contraband cell phones to harass witnesses and victims and orchestrate crimes behind prison walls, defying prison rules and law enforcement,” said U.S. Sen. Ben Cardin, D-Md., in a press release.

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This article discusses funds awarded by the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) of the U. S. Department of Justice to Maryland to reduce smuggled contraband cell phones in Baltimore prisons. It is interesting that the funds are not being used to purchase wireless signal jammers (the usual strategy for funds granted to address the contraband cell phone problem), but to hire DPSCS investigators and State’s Attorney staff. Of note is that there is no mention of any initiative to address the demand side of the problem.

Governor Martin O’Malley today announced that Maryland has received $350,000 in federal funds to intensify the effort to tackle the problem of cell phones in Baltimore prisons. The competitive federal grant is designed to fund “innovative strategies for confronting emerging or chronic systemic issues.”

The Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services (DPSCS) is receiving the funds from the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) of the U. S. Department of Justice. Maryland has become a national leader in developing strategies to fight illegal cell phones in prisons. Many of these efforts focused on close partnerships linking prosecutors, prison intelligence unit investigators, and forensic cell phone data extraction and analysis, all efforts cited as “innovative” by BJA when awarding the grant.

“Protecting and improving public safety in our neighborhoods and communities is the most important obligation we have as public servants,” said Governor O’Malley. “The use of cell phones by inmates is a significant threat to public safety and these additional funds will bolster our efforts to combat illegal cell phone use inside our prisons and protect our neighbors and families in communities across Maryland. I appreciate the steadfast commitment of our Congressional delegation and their efforts in helping secure the grant funding.”

The grant will be used to fund the placement of a dedicated part-time assistant state’s attorney in Baltimore City, two investigators in DPSCS’ Internal Investigative Unit, and one support staffer. Their goal will be to reduce prison corruption and gang activity through enhanced prosecution, investigation, and inter-agency cooperation.

The funds will also bolster ongoing coordinated efforts between Baltimore City State’s Attorney Gregg Bernstein and DPSCS to proactively prosecute inmates not only for the possession of cell phones, but to prioritize cases to pursue violent gang members who use cell phones to further criminal enterprises. It will also target corrupt prison staff who enable inmates to acquire cell phones.

“For too long, criminals have continued to operate out of prison through smuggled cell phones,” said Senator Barbara Mikulski. “With this important federal investment, Baltimore prison wardens will have another tool to combat illegal cell phone use on the inside and protect our neighbors and families on the outside. As Chairwoman of the Senate subcommittee tasked with funding crime preventing programs, I am pleased to have put money in the federal checkbook to make our neighborhoods safer and give prison officials the tools they need.”

“Too many inmates are using contraband cell phones to harass witnesses and victims and orchestrate crimes behind prison walls, defying prison rules and law enforcement,” said Senator Ben Cardin. “This grant will crack down on cell phone use in our prisons, reducing crime and ultimately increasing safety on Baltimore’s streets.”

“In too many instances, the use of cell phones and other contraband enables incarcerated defendants to continue their criminal activity, often with violent results,” said Baltimore City State’s Attorney Gregg Bernstein. “This grant provides much-needed assistance in our efforts to combat these criminal enterprises. We thank Governor O’Malley and GOCCP for their innovative work on behalf of our city and citizens.”

This grant is the latest development in the State’s innovative and aggressive efforts to tackle this issue, including training its own cell phone sniffing K-9 Units, investing $1 million into prison entrance security technology, and developing correctional intelligence efforts and cell phone data extraction and analysis capabilities. In 2009, the DPSCS opened lines of communication with the Baltimore City State’s Attorney’s office to improve cell phone investigations and prosecutions. That includes training of DOC staffers by the State’s Attorney’s office in ways to build stronger cases leading to more prosecutions and convictions.

The more intense focus on cell phone interdiction has paid off, with a 75% increase in interdicted phones found in FY2011vs FY2007 statewide, with 882 cell seized Baltimore City’s corrections facilities. More importantly, the number of cell phones found has likely leveled off in the last two years, meaning fewer are getting in from a high of over 1,600 in 2009.

Source

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