California state prisons confiscates over 4,130 contraband cell phones

We've heard plenty of news at how criminals in jails have managed to smuggle in cell phones from the outside. From training birds to remote controlled helicopters, it seems that there is still a need to be connected while being incarcerated. The Los Angeles Times is reporting that California state prisons have a bit of a problem with contraband cell phones – they've confiscated over 4,130 this year alone. That's more than all seized in the previous three years combined with the problem still growing due to budget cuts. Not only is this alarming, but inmates have been using these mobile phones to participate in criminal activity – such acts include planning of escapes, coordination of smuggling other contraband into prisons, and restraining order violations. There was supposed to be a proposed legislation two years ago which would have made it a  crime for inmates to possess cell phones in prison, but the state's budget problems prevented it from happening. Dogs are being used to sniff out cell phones under Operation Disconnect – resulting in the increase of confiscations. There is also a federal bill being set into motion that would allow the use of wireless signal jamming within a prison. We'll have to wait and see if California's budget crisis will allow for such a thing to become a reality.

source: The Los Angeles Times via Textually