In a follow-up to last week’s eNews, the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation held a hearing on the proposed Safe Prisons Act of 2009 that would amend the Communications Act of 1934 so that the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) could grant state or local penal officials a waiver that would allow them to jam cell phone signals emanating from within prison walls. The majority of witnesses before the Committee pointed out the growing severity of the cell phone problem within prisons, where these modern conveniences can be used for ongoing criminal activities, witness intimidation, and engineering of escapes. Witnesses included the bill’s sponsor Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchinson of Texas; Texas State Sen. John Whitmire; Richard Migron, president-elect of the Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials – International; Gary Maynard of the Maryland Public Safety and Correctional Services; and John Moriarty of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. A witness opposed to the proposed jamming was Steve Largent, president and CEO of CTIA— the Wireless Association® representing the cell phone industry. The organization certainly does not condone using phones for criminal activities, but it is concerned that jamming is too Draconian a measure and will result in massive interference with legitimate calls. The association contends that other measures such as specially trained dogs can be used to control problems.The complete list of witnesses and a link to an archival webcast of the hearing can be found on the Committee website.
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