Managed access (corrections)

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Managed access is managing cellular network access from contraband phones within a corrections facility. [1] Managed access differs from cellular jamming technologies, which are outlawed in the United States. [2] [3] A managed access system functions like a femtocell or low-power cell tower which passes calls to cellular carriers; however, only communications from approved devices and emergency calling are allowed. [4] [5] The managed access signal appears as an extension of nearby commercial cellular signals; once a phone connects to the network its identifying information is compared with approved devices and communications are accepted or denied. [6] [7] Managed access networks work with commercial cellular signals including 2G, 3G, 4G/LTE, and WiMAX. [5]

Contents

In 2010, the Mississippi Department of Corrections tested the first managed access system at Parchman Mississippi State Penitentiary; during one month the system blocked more than 216,000 texts and 600 phone calls. [8] In 2013, the FCC recommended that prisons be allowed to manage their own network access without having to seek approval from the agency, saying that the process of inspecting the systems is "time-consuming and complex" and "discourages their use". In a 2016 op-ed, FCC Chairman Ajit Pai requested that the reforms proposed in 2013 aimed at loosening regulations on managed access and other solutions used to prevent the use of contraband cell phones should be enacted. [9]

As of 2016, only California, Maryland, Mississippi, South Carolina, and Texas had tested managed access systems. [1]

Drawbacks

Managed access systems are unable to stop the use of contraband devices using Wi-Fi to connect to the internet. Deployment of managed access systems requires FCC approval [1] and may require consent from cellular network carriers. The devices can also cause interference outside of the prison if they are not properly implemented. [6]

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A dirtbox is a cell site simulator, a phone device mimicking a cell phone tower, that creates a signal strong enough to cause nearby dormant mobile phones to switch to it. Mounted on aircraft, it has been used by the United States Marshals Service since at least 2007 to locate and collect information from cell phones believed to be connected with criminal activity. It can also be used to jam phones. The device's name comes from the company that developed it, Digital Receiver Technology, Inc. (DRT), owned by the Boeing company. Boeing describes the device as a hybrid of "jamming, managed access and detection". A similar device with a smaller range, the controversial StingRay phone tracker, has been widely used by U.S. federal entities, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

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Robert Johnson is a retired South Carolina Department of Corrections Captain and United States Air Force veteran. He was a guard at the Lee Correctional Institution in South Carolina, where he oversaw efforts to stop contraband cellphones and drugs.

References

  1. 1 2 3 David Goldman (April 7, 2016). "FCC Wants to Stop Prisoners from Making Cell Phone Calls". CNN. Retrieved December 31, 2017.
  2. ↑ "NC Public Safety Secretary Erik Hooks Responds to Observer's Prison Investigation". The Charlotte Observer. June 9, 2017. Retrieved December 31, 2017.
  3. ↑ "Ala. DOC Focuses on Managed Access to Stop Contraband Cell Phones". CorrectionsOne. April 12, 2015. Retrieved December 31, 2017.
  4. ↑ Mike Cason (April 12, 2015). "Alabama Prisons Planning System to Block Inmate Cellphone Calls". AL.com. Retrieved December 31, 2017.
  5. 1 2 William Jackson (September 5, 2013). "Prisons Get a New Way to Stop Inmates From Using Cell Phones". GCN. Retrieved December 31, 2017.
  6. 1 2 "Managed Access Systems Can Prevent Contraband Cellphone Use". National Institute of Justice. July 31, 2017. Retrieved December 31, 2017.
  7. ↑ Willard Shepard (November 6, 2017). "Ex-Corrections Officer Works to Disconnect Inmates' Cell Phones". NBC Miami. Retrieved December 31, 2017.
  8. ↑ Carol McKinley (October 11, 2011). "Smartphones in Prison: New Contraband Allows Inmates to Make Money". The Daily Beast. Retrieved December 31, 2017.
  9. ↑ Ajit Pai; Nikki Haley (April 5, 2016). "Cellphones Are Too Dangerous for Prison: Nikki Haley and Ajit Pai". USA Today. Retrieved December 31, 2017.
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