Everything I've read says that the prisons are 100% for cell blocking technology, but they can't convince the FCC to allow it. This has been a constant argument for a few years.

It's not the guards wanting to play on their phones. They probably can't have them either, and would gladly give them up to make their job safer...or most would.

quote:

Originally posted by chongosuerte:
Everything I've read says that the prisons are 100% for cell blocking technology, but they can't convince the FCC to allow it. This has been a constant argument for a few years.

It's not the guards wanting to play on their phones. They probably can't have them either, and would gladly give them up to make their job safer...or most would.

When local LE or an alphabet agency or whomever needs to secure an area, or deploy a Stingray in the course of an organized crime investigation, or monitor cartel business near the border towns or in East L.A., surely they don't need FCC permission first? Or do they?

As you likely know, even if just in an investigatory manner, a Femtocell could be deployed just to monitor every call that leaves the building, and it would be trivial to cross check those outgoing phones against ones allowed in the building, and nothing gets "jammed".

A dude or three to monitor the gizmo, they could intercept, monitor, spoof, shunt, and otherwise to any damn call they please, without the inmates ever knowing at the time. Thwart the associated crime, bust the guys using the phones, confiscate phones, repeat.

I'm mostly amazed it isn't happening already. It's not like monitoring random citizens, these are convicted criminals who are currently incarcerated. It's like they aren't even trying that hard. And letting incarcerated criminals still be criminals defeats the purpose.

FFS, if we're going to lock up the so-called bad guys, can't we at least do it effectively?

Our county prison has a no cell phone policy for all (includes police coming in). Only exception is if allowed by the warden there for business (he does a few admin that are all secluded and separated from blocks in the offices). The prison also gets zero reception since it's all block and steel. Only place would be near a window and it's still spotty (allowed phones in booking at one time). Even our radios won't work in the booking area and no radios in the mainside of the prison are allowed (also no guns, mags, tasers, knives, batons).