CDCR Does Not Need Cell Phone Jammers!

[phillydjdan]

In this thread http://forums.radioreference.com/ca...272755-cdcr-cell-phone-blocking-antennas.html users discuss the cell phone jammers that the CDCR is installing in some prisons. I am starting this thread to take my opinions about theses systems (and their necessity) out of the original thread and into the Tavern, as my views are not "on-topic". Specifically, I take issue with them needing this kind of technology at all, since proper security measures properly used by prison staff would prevent them from needing any such devices. In response to my statement, user kma371 wrote:

Heres a fact you dont know. Attorneys cannot be searched when they come into see their clients (thank your government for that). So there is nothing stoppimg some scumbag attorney giving their client a cell phone in a private room, who then conceals that phone in their rectum.

OR, nothing will stop some prison guard who's getting paid $500 from an inmate to smuggle him/her a cell phone. Happens a lot. How do you think Charles Manson got two cell phones in one of the most secure prisons in California?

So its possible to do and it does happen. Tools or tactics can't prevent that. The only tool that will is cell phone jammers which makes the phone useless.

While I respect his point of view, I will respond by saying this:

I get that attorneys are exempt from searches, however, if the staff members were thorough enough, they would give said prisoners body cavity searches and run them through metal detectors or X-Ray devices upon leaving the legal visit. If the guard misses a cell phone in an X-Ray, he needs to be fired.

As for the guards bringing contraband in, where I'm from, the guards are searched before they enter the facility. I have a friend who is a prison guard, and everyday he gets it. I would assume all states/counties would have the legal authority to do this. And if the guard did not like it, they can always go work for the sanitation department instead!

Discuss...

 

[kma371]

In this thread http://forums.radioreference.com/ca...272755-cdcr-cell-phone-blocking-antennas.html users discuss the cell phone jammers that the CDCR is installing in some prisons. I am starting this thread to take my opinions about theses systems (and their necessity) out of the original thread and into the Tavern, as my views are not "on-topic". Specifically, I take issue with them needing this kind of technology at all, since proper security measures properly used by prison staff would prevent them from needing any such devices. In response to my statement, user kma371 wrote:



While I respect his point of view, I will respond by saying this:

I get that attorneys are exempt from searches, however, if the staff members were thorough enough, they would give said prisoners body cavity searches and run them through metal detectors or X-Ray devices upon leaving the legal visit. If the guard misses a cell phone in an X-Ray, he needs to be fired.

As for the guards bringing contraband in, where I'm from, the guards are searched before they enter the facility. I have a friend who is a prison guard, and everyday he gets it. I would assume all states/counties would have the legal authority to do this. And if the guard did not like it, they can always go work for the sanitation department instead!

Discuss...

With over 15,000 illegal cell phones recovered last year in California, its obvious your theory of more thorough searches isn't good enough.

Making a cellphone useless by using cell phone jammers is 100 times more effective than a search. Plus its less intrusive than a cavity search.

Oh, by the way, the cell phone jammer system comes at NO COST to taxpayers.

Seems to me you fail to understand the logic.

 

[phillydjdan]

15,000?! What are they giving them to any inmate who orders commissary???

 

[kma371]

15,000?! What are they giving them to any inmate who orders commissary???

You wanted to discuss this and that's your comeback?

Ladies and gentlemen...don't feed this troll.

 

[phillydjdan]

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (Android; Mobile; rv:23.0) Gecko/23.0 Firefox/23.0)

yes that is my response. you cant tell me in good conscience that 15,000 cell phones are making it into california prisons and the staff is doing all they can! either more than half the staff members are corrupt, or just dont care at all. thats how i see it. there are far bigger problems in the prison system than a jammer can solve.

 

[Clarkcomm]

I looked and many of their prisons are trunked 800 systems, wouldn't these jammers have an effect on the quality of the radio system?

 

[kma371]

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (Android; Mobile; rv:23.0) Gecko/23.0 Firefox/23.0)

yes that is my response. you cant tell me in good conscience that 15,000 cell phones are making it into california prisons and the staff is doing all they can! either more than half the staff members are corrupt, or just dont care at all. thats how i see it. there are far bigger problems in the prison system than a jammer can solve.

Yes they are doing all they can and its not good enough! There are currently 11 CDCR K9's that detect cell phones. Think of the hundreds of thousands of dollars that took to train them.

Correctional officers are over worked and under paid. They don't have the man power to thoroughly check everybody. Some officers barely make anything. Of course there is motivation for them to smuggle a cell phone into the prison for $500-1500 per phone because that's what it takes to feed their family.

It is a problem and they are trying to fix it with blocking cellphones. So what is your point anyway? You don't think this is a good resolution to the problem? Oh wise one due to tell us your perfect solution!

Bottom line this is a great resolution to the problem at no cost to taxpayers. That will be all I have to say because you are too stubborn to see the other side of things.

 

[mmckenna]

Not sure how this exactly figures into the discussion, but take a look at how prisoners are provided with the ability to make telephone calls.
The phone service is usually provided by an outside vendor. That vendor, up until recently, was allowed to charge very high per minute rates for those phone calls. Even calling "collect" was a huge cost.

So, figure in your cell phones. Yes, a security risk and a fundamental issue with prisons. But worse, cut into the money that is being made off prisoner telephone calls and it adds to the pain that the prisons feel.

Not saying it's all connected, but consider all the facts.

What I'd like to know is: If the prisons are not paying for the cell phone jamming, then who is?

 

[mmckenna]

I looked and many of their prisons are trunked 800 systems, wouldn't these jammers have an effect on the quality of the radio system?

No. Some 3G services are on the 800MHz band, but it's separated from the LMR portions of the band. The cell phone jamming systems are very tightly controlled and filtered to prevent interference with these system.

Good question, though.

 

[Clarkcomm]

I knew they were close and I read of some of the less expensive models being used by criminals to interfere with 800 systems.
Thank you for responding to my question.

 

[mmckenna]

I knew they were close and I read of some of the less expensive models being used by criminals to interfere with 800 systems.
Thank you for responding to my question.

Yes, the cheap ones are indiscriminate and broad banded. They don't have any sort of filtering to protect other radio services. This is why the FCC outlaws them, and has a 800 number you can call to report their use. Same thing for GPS jammers.

 

[GrumpyGuard]

Ignorance is Bliss

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (Android; Mobile; rv:23.0) Gecko/23.0 Firefox/23.0)

yes that is my response. you cant tell me in good conscience that 15,000 cell phones are making it into California prisons and the staff is doing all they can! either more than half the staff members are corrupt, or just don't care at all. that's how i see it. there are far bigger problems in the prison system than a jammer can solve.

This is a growing problem not only for CDCR, but for the County Jails as well. You spoke in one of your post's that the guards should do cavity searches of each inmate. These searches can only be performed by a physician. You also said that each inmate should be x-rayed before leaving visiting. This again can only be performed as a medical procedure. All inmates are striped searched prior to leaving the visiting area. Most of these inmates have real good muscle control and can keep the contraband well secreted. Unfortunately we hire humans to run our prisons and with that comes greed and other self important reasons to compel one to bring in items of contraband. CDCR does not require a complete clothed body search of any employee entering or exiting the secure perimeter. Although each employee must open any bags, backpacks or briefcases prior to entering the facility.

By placing managed access technology in each facility the CDCR is reducing the value on these contraband cell phones. You as a non-correctional employee have your views on what you think should be done in a correctional setting and you are entitled to them. But please educate yourself on the subject prior to making statements our sharing an opinion. Just remember that no one knows how ignorant someone is until they open their mouth. Here is a place to start your education http://www.cdcr.ca.gov/Regulations/Adult_Operations/docs/Title15-2013.pdf This is the rules and regulations that must be followed. In it you will find where each rule is referenced in either the penal code or the Department Operations Manual.

I understand that you have your opinion and there is nothing I nor KMA371 can tell you that will change that. Enjoy your blissful existence with your rose colored glasses.

The job of correctional employees is not to punish the inmate population, as the courts have already given them the punishment of confinement. The job of a Correctional Officers (these men and women are Peace Officers in the state of Ca.) is to ensure the inmate population follow the rules and regulations of the CDCR. The state of California has not hired a Prison Guard in over 35 years.

To all of the Correctional Officers, Corrections Officers and Deputies working inside stay safe. This also goes for the LEO's who work the streets.

 

[poltergeisty]

The way I see it a simple search after the attorney visits the prisoner would be the solution here. It would also prevent contraband like drugs.

 

[jrholm]

The way I see it a simple search after the attorney visits the prisoner would be the solution here. It would also prevent contraband like drugs.

But how do I find the six balloon's of heroin he swallowed during his visit? Cut him open?

 

[GrumpyGuard]

The way I see it a simple search after the attorney visits the prisoner would be the solution here. It would also prevent contraband like drugs.

How do you think a simple search after the attorney has left will prevent the contraband from coming in?

The 15,000 phones were found in a number of ways, such as K9 searches,( these dogs are not allowed to sniff the inmates, so the phone have to be in there cells for the dogs to do their jobs), clothed body searches at random times during the day, just plane dumb luck as the inmate is caught with the phone while talking on it. Now lets talk about the ones that were not found and the danger that comes with each cell phone, from drug deals to murder. Facebook and twitter posts, hits made on staff, and the list goes on and on. For each way staff finds these and other items of contraband inmates and their associates find ten other ways to get the contraband in.

 

[radioman2001]

Average citizens who are only wishing to travel are subject to being X-rayed as well as the average person travelling down many city streets in NYC.. Why shouldn't anybody going in or out of a prison, where your rights have been suspended be allowed.

 

[gmclam]

Jammers are NEEDED

15,000?! What are they giving them to any inmate who orders commissary???

What difference does it make how or when they get them? The fact of the matter is there are a SIGNFICANT number of phones in use that NEED to be disconnected. Obviously the "existing system" is not working. Jammers will get the job done.

If there happens to be a riot or other situation where jammers are interfering with legal communication, then I'd say temporarily turn them off. But that will still leave them jamming 99.9%+ of the time.

 

[GrumpyGuard]

Average citizens who are only wishing to travel are subject to being X-rayed as well as the average person travelling down many city streets in NYC.. Why shouldn't anybody going in or out of a prison, where your rights have been suspended be allowed.

Because the courts have ruled that x-ray machines are a medical diagnostic tool, not a custody ans control tool.

 

[kma371]

Why shouldn't anybody going in or out of a prison, where your rights have been suspended be allowed.

Ha that's funny. These guys have more rights in prison than out of it

 

[Duster]

Ha that's funny. These guys have more rights in prison than out of it

Haven't we been saying this for years, KMA? LOL