The Attorney General is advocating for the Federal Communications Commission to allow the implementation of cell phone jammers in correctional institutions.

In a recent appeal, Georgia's Attorney General has requested that the federal agency abolish its ban on cell phone jammers, which currently hinders state officials from using such devices to eliminate contraband phones in prisons.

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has established a prohibition on the use of cell phone "signal jammers" in correctional institutions, including both prisons and jails. Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr's office has stated that this ban is also relevant to state and local government entities. On Tuesday, Carr formally appealed to FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel for a reconsideration of this prohibition.

According to the details provided in the letter, the infiltration of unauthorized mobile phones into prisons poses a serious threat to both inmates and correctional staff. In Georgia, officials have reported the seizure of 8,074 contraband phones in 2023, with 5,482 already taken in 2024.

In March, officials from Georgia unveiled the results of Operation Skyhawk, which was a thorough investigation conducted over several months concerning contraband in the Georgia Department of Corrections facilities.

In a recent operation, authorities confiscated 273 contraband cell phones from the facilities and arrested 150 suspects, including eight GDC employees who were subsequently terminated. Drones were employed to assist in the delivery of contraband into the facilities.

Upon being asked about his viewpoint on the request, a representative for U.S. Senator Jon Ossoff, a Democrat from Georgia, pointed out that he has partnered with Iowa Republican Senator Chuck Grassley to co-sponsor legislation aimed at addressing the issue of contraband in federal prisons.

In 2022, Ossoff led a comprehensive bipartisan investigation over a period of ten months into the U.S. Penitentiary Atlanta, presently known as FCI Atlanta. The investigation's findings indicated a pressing need to abolish illegal cell phones in prisons.