South Carolina Grand Juries Call for Cellphone Signal Jamming in State Prisons Amid Organized Crime

South Carolina state officials, including Attorney General Alan Wilson, are urging Congress and the FCC to allow state prisons to jam cellphone signals to combat widespread criminal activity facilitated by contraband cellphones within the prison system. Multiple grand jury reports detail how inmates have used illegal phones to orchestrate serious crimes such as methamphetamine trafficking, money laundering, and child sexual abuse from behind bars. Despite existing state laws criminalizing cellphone possession and significant investment in managed access systems designed to disable unauthorized phones, officials describe the current approach as ineffective and slow, likening it to a "whack-a-mole" game. Federal prisons can block signals entirely, but state prisons are restricted by federal regulations, creating a gap that allows prisoners to continue running criminal enterprises. Officials highlight cases including two brothers running a meth ring with a Mexican cartel, an inmate accumulating $1 million through illicit activities, and an inmate orchestrating child abuse, illustrating the urgent need for policy change. While bipartisan support exists for allowing jamming technology, legislative progress has stalled, prompting calls for immediate action to enhance public safety.