Signed into law yesterday, Senate Bill 26 by Senator Alex Padilla (D-Pacoima) aims to eliminate the smuggling and possession of cell phones in California prisons. The law imposes penalties for both smugglers and inmates. It also facilitates the deployment of managed access technology to prevent illicit cell phones from sending or receiving communications within the secure perimeter of a prison. The new law takes effect immediately.
"Cell phones in the hands of inmates are a clear and present threat to the safety of correctional officers, victims, and the public," said Senator Padilla in a press statement.
The law says that any person who possesses a cell phone with the intent to deliver it to an inmate is guilty of a misdemeanor, punishable by six months in jail and a fine of up to $5,000 per device. An inmate caught with a cell phone will be subject to loss of good time credits.
The bill generated strong support from the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR), as the CDCR has long been addressing the rampant problem of cell phone use in California’s prisons. The law also facilitates the CDCR’s use of technology designed to identify unauthorized cell phone signals and block the transmission of calls, texts, and emails.
Photo: CDCR website
The need for stricter cell phone regulation in prisons became apparent as the number of cell phones confiscated in our prisons exponentially grew. In 2006, prison officials confiscated 261 cell phones in California prisons. In 2010, 10,761 phones were confiscated.
