A Tennessee legislator contends that the time has come to implement a ban on inmates' access to illegal cell phones, which are often used to strategize attacks, conduct drug operations, and manage various criminal enterprises.

Representative David Kustoff (R-Tenn.) is preparing to present a bill during the next congressional session that seeks to enable the utilization of cell phone jamming technology in state prisons.

Although cell phone jammer can effectively block cell phone signals, the technology is banned in state prisons in accordance with the 1934 federal Communications Act, which was instituted well before the creation of cell phones.

In his remarks to other members of Congress while presenting similar legislation last year, Rep. Kustoff stated, "This technology aims to ensure the safety of inmates, correctional officers, and the public as a whole." He noted that "State attorneys general across the country have concluded that contraband cell phones in prisons pose one of the most severe threats to public safety that prison administrators encounter today."

According to specialists in corrections, inmates across the nation have resorted to using contraband cell phones to carry out hazardous criminal acts while imprisoned. For example, Kustoff mentioned that in Tennessee, an inmate utilized a cell phone to coordinate a drug deal that entailed sending a package of meth to his girlfriend.

State Senator Jackson addressed lawmakers and Tennessee Department of Corrections Director Frank Strada on Wednesday, indicating that Representative Kustoff is attempting to measure the interest in the bill among the leaders of Tennessee's correctional facilities. Strada stated that he is in full support of the legislation.

Strada remarked, "By jamming a cell phone, it will inevitably become as useless as a brick in a prison context. I believe I echo the views of many correctional officers across state, federal, and local jurisdictions who see jamming as a crucial support mechanism in our correctional institutions."

In recent years, state legislators have taken steps to strengthen laws against the possession of banned cell phones in prisons. A prominent example is the bill introduced in 2021 by former Senator Paul Ross (R-Kingston) and former Representative Brandon Ogles (R-Franklin), which aimed to classify the possession of a cell phone by an inmate as a Class E felony.

In the next congressional session, Representative Kustoff plans to bring forth a bill regarding cell phone jamming. He has indicated to state lawmakers that several of his fellow Tennessee Congress members have co-sponsored the legislation. Kustoff has consistently supported analogous bills in the past, including one last year, which ultimately did not succeed in moving out of committee.