Preventing Unauthorized Cell Phone Use in Prisons Audrey McAfee ...

Corrections Technology Association Conference
Daytona Beach, Florida - May 23, 2011
Preventing Unauthorized Cell Phone Use in Prisons
Audrey McAfee
Director of Management Information Systems
Mississippi Department of Corrections

Presenters
Audrey McAfee - Director of Management Information Systems
Mississippi Department of Corrections
Tim Murphy - VP Managed Access Systems
Tecore Networks – Columbia, MD
Andrew Merrill - Major Account Executive
Global Tel-Link (GTL)

Phones, Phones, Phones

In the news …
“The phones have been implicated in a number of crimes inside the
prisons and outside, including homicides”.
“They can be used to plan escapes,” says ____ _____, the
department’s investigations coordinator. “They can be used to
intimidate witnesses, as well as victims.”
“The protest, which started last Thursday, was organized by inmates
using contraband cell phones”
“Officials worry that besides intimidating people, the phones can be
used to help drug lords and gang members continue to run their
businesses even from behind bars”.

In the news …
“The protest, as well as the role cell phones and text messaging have
had in its organization, have drawn the attention of national and
international media”
“An NBC2 Investigation found ______ DOC has seen a 486 percent
increase of inmates with phones since 2008”.
“They would make a phone call, and put a hit on people” - said David,
a former inmate”.
“Murder suspect ____ ____ was helped in his prison escape by a
cell phone that may have been provided by an employee of a state
prison vendor”

In the news …
“Two prison employees and two prisoners have been charged
following an investigation into how prisoners were obtaining cell
phones and tobacco products”
“The _____Department of Corrections is reviewing how best to cope
with a problem that is growing nationwide: Prisoners gaining
access to cell phones”

Discussion Issues
Safety
Civil Liability
Loss of Revenue
Additional costs associated with cellular
phones
Solutions

1200
1000
800
600
400
200
0
Increase in Unauthorized Cell Phone Usage
State
Facilities
Confiscated Cell Phones
Calendar Year 2007 v. Jan - June, 2010
Private
Facilities
Regional
Facilities
CWC
2007
2010 (Jan- Jun)

Cell Phone Confiscations and Related Arrests
Cell Phone Related Arrests
Cell Phones
Confiscated
YEAR Staff Civilians TOTAL Statewide MSP
2007 15 7 22 930 131
2008 20 12 32 2,214 448
2009 8 5 13 3,597 1,108
2010 4 2 6 4,233 1,177
TOTAL 47 26 73 10,044 2,864

Costs associated with Investigation
Searches
Travel
Equipment
Telephone records
Salaries
Overtime
Hours writing reports

Costs associated with Prosecution
(What is it costing the local counties?)
Pre-trial meetings with attorneys (prosecutors)
Costs to District Attorney’s Office to prosecute
cases
Time and money incurred by the Circuit Courts
Transportation to and from court
Security details to escort inmates to court,
depending on security levels
Ties up the Criminal Justice System

Results

Results

Impact: Increased Risk to Public Safety
Cell phones can be used to plan an escape
Cell phones can be used to continue to operate a
criminal enterprise
Cell phones can be used to “call in” a hit to civilians or
public officials
Cell phones take away the DOC’s ability to monitor
and record phone conversations

Impact: Increased Risk to Correctional Staff
Can be used to corrupt staff
Can be used to notify others of movement,
plans, routes and impending searches
Can be used to order “hits” on staff
Can be used to expose the integrity of the
facility

Impact: Increased Risk to Inmate Population
Can be used to order assaults
Can be used to communicate with other inmates for
criminal behavior
Can be used by gang leaders to provide orders and
direction for other members
Provide inmates with unlimited and uncontrolled
access to the outside

How do inmates get cell phones?
Correctional staff
Visitors
Staff not conducting proper searches
Associates tossing them over the fences
Contract workers
Volunteer workers

How do inmates get cell phones?
Potato gun confiscated in South Carolina that was being used to launch
contraband, particularly cell phones, into a prison from long distances

How do inmates get cell phones?
Officers at the Winston-Choctaw County Regional Facility, located in
Louisville Mississippi found this basketball filled with the pictured cell
phones and accessories. The ball was in the recreation yard with only
its weight to distinguish it from state issued balls.

Finding a Viable Solution
Detect and prevent entry into prisons
Add extra detection equipment
Increase searches
Make possession a felony conviction
Increase stigma for staff caught smuggling

Finding a Viable Solution
Remove cell phones when found
Implement cell phone detection system
Use trained canine to sniff out phones
Take away goodtime credits for guilty
offenders

Detection Equipment

MDOC Wall of Shame

May 21, 2008 Mission
Assigned
MSP K-9 Assigned to train
dogs to detect cell
phones.
K-9 Officers along with
Jake and Taz
Mission Results:
2008 – 50 phones
2009 – 120 phones
MSP K-9

Managed Access, the Optimal Approach
The MDOC, through inmate telephone
vendor, Global Tel* Link, has
contracted with Tecore Networks to
deploy the Intelligent Access Network
Controller (iNAC) “Managed Access”
system to prevent unauthorized cellular
communication in the Mississippi State
Penitentiary.
Now, a person trying to use the illegal
cell phone will hear:
“The cellular device you are using at
the Mississippi State Penitentiary has
been identified as contraband and is
illegal to possess under the criminal
statute, 47-5-193. The device will no
longer function.”

iNAC Operation

Many Stakeholders in the
Solution

Why Managed Access?
Legal, FCC-approved and carrier-approved
Contraband communications disrupted
Authorized and 911 calls permitted
No officer involvement required
Cell phones and SIM cards rendered useless
Device and call information available for
forensic analysis

Legal & Regulatory Compliance
Works as a private system under FCC authority
and in coordination with network signals, and
does not violate federal law
iNac can let 911 calls go through, even from
contraband phones, if desired for public policy
FCC and major national carriers agree that iNAC
Managed Access works within current legal and
regulatory framework
NTIA Report on Jamming Released in January
Reaffirmed that Managed Access is the best
method of addressing the problem.

Parchman, MS - Operational
iNAC System in
Parchman covers Seven
facilities across multiple
operators and
technologies
GSM 850, 1900
CDMA 800, 1900
RF tailored to cover the
area through RF
distribution
Sectorized
approach carrying
all carriers signals

System Deployment – Parchman
First deployment in mainland U.S., presently
operational
Spectrum leases signed between Tecore and
carriers
AT&T, Cellular South, T-Mobile and Verizon
Operational August 6, 2010
“Managed Access” is supported by the FCC
and major carriers as a viable solution

Parchman Operation: Call and SMS Data

Total Calls and
Messages Stopped
31-Jul
1-Aug
2-Aug
3-Aug
4-Aug
5-Aug
6-Aug
7-Aug
8-Aug
9-Aug
10-Aug
11-Aug
12-Aug
13-Aug
14-Aug
15-Aug
16-Aug
17-Aug
18-Aug
19-Aug
20-Aug
21-Aug
22-Aug
23-Aug
24-Aug
25-Aug
26-Aug
27-Aug
28-Aug
11,854
9,104
5,153
4,776
5,037
4,665
216,320
5,058
10,655
communication
8,454
4,235
attempts 13,013 blocked in
13,594
1 8,972 month
10,427
11,244
8,990
6,565
7,967
8,455
7,688
7,881
10,274
7,424
5,046
4,155
3,938
4,677
3,051
3,968
Parchman
Communications Data
216,320
communication
attempts blocked
in 1 month
1,000,000
since installation

Investigative and Safety Impact
Since deployment of the Managed Access
system, internal crimes and investigations
have decreased by more than 10%
How do you measure the benefit from less crime?

Summary
Cellular contraband in a corrections environment
creates serious safety and financial problems for
both the facilities and our communities.
Cellular contraband management needs to be a
top priority – But it CAN be managed.
There is no single solution. Effective control
includes:
Changes to security procedures and penalties
Use of new technologies for both prevention
and removal

Questions