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| Jerry Brown toughens law on cellphones in prison |
| By sacbee.com - David Siders |
| Published: 10/07/2011 |
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Gov. Jerry Brown signed legislation Thursday making it a misdemeanor for prison guards or visitors to smuggle cellphones to inmates, a bid to reduce inmates' ability to organize gang activity and other crimes from behind bars. Senate Bill 26, by Sen. Alex Padilla, D-Los Angeles, toughens penalties for inmates caught with cellphones and subjects the smugglers to as much as six months in jail and a fine of $5,000 per device. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger vetoed similar legislation last year, saying it was too soft on inmates and those who smuggle phones. Brown, a Democrat, also issued an executive order instructing the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation to increase physical searches of people who enter prisons and to find a way to interrupt unauthorized cellphone calls. Brown said in his order that prison staff discovered nearly 10,700 contraband cellular devices in 2010, and 7,300 in the first half of this year. "When criminals in prison get possession of a cellphone, it subverts the very purpose of incarceration," Brown said in a prepared statement. "They use these phones to organize gang activity, intimidate witnesses and commit crimes." The bill was one of dozens Brown announced signing Thursday, with hundreds more to process before a Sunday deadline. Read More. |
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I commend the Governor however it is a felony here in Florida. With that being said it does not seem to be a deutrrent for Inmates that use them nor the people who bring them in. I have learned alot from my Inmates and who brings them in along with other contraband. I know Inmates would have no problem assisting us here in the Correctional arena if someone else could do some of there time. I am the Security Threat Coordinator and Intelligence officer. I have been around these Inmates going on 20 years. Now a little batering with us will go along way to decrease this problem we are facing with contraband. I also strongly believe that Inmates should be transferred in the opposite direction of there family's when caught with this contraband. I would entertain any ideas you have out there. I can be reached at South Bay Correctional in the Inspectors office or my E-mail lbeheshti@geogroup. P.S. - I don't worry about Marijuana, K-2 spice has now arrived.