March 31, 2025
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
LANSING, Mich – Michigan Department of Corrections Director Heidi E. Washington joined 31 other state corrections directors in a request for congressional action to allow technology which would interrupt cell phone service in correctional facilities, jails, and detention facilities across the country.
The technology, known as signal jamming or micro-jamming, helps to stop prisoners from using contraband cell phones to organize violent crimes such as sex trafficking, domestic abuse, and murder by ensuring the phones are unable to access service signals. A 2020 survey of 20 state correctional departments uncovered 25,840 contraband cell phones in a single year.
“Corrections departments across the country are not only seeing an increase in contraband cell phones but also an increase in sophisticated crimes being committed when prisoners have access to them,” MDOC Director Heidi E. Washington said. “Signal jamming is a common-sense solution to this growing problem, and when implemented, will help stop organized crime and save lives in our facilities and beyond our walls.”
Correctional departments have employed various technologies to detect and disrupt contraband cell phones at significant cost to taxpayers and with varying degrees of success over the years. Signal jamming has proved to be more cost effective than other technologies and could be an impactful public safety solution for states.
Signal jamming technology is currently prohibited for state facilities by Federal law. Recently introduced legislation, H.R. 2350 and S. 1137 would allow for the ban to be lifted while also avoiding the potential for emergency signals to be blocked. The bills have bipartisan support.
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