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 Attorney General Lynn Fitch issued the following statement. 

Attorney General Lynn Fitch joined a coalition of 22 state attorneys general in a letter to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) supporting a new rule that would allow correctional facilities to use cellphone jamming technologies to disrupt cellular transmissions coming from contraband cellphones.

"Contraband cellphones are a problem in prisons in Mississippi and all over the country," said Attorney General Lynn Fitch. "These phones pose a real threat, allowing criminals to conduct criminal activity while sitting behind bars and coordinate violence within correctional facilities. I am encouraged that the FCC is addressing this important issue and giving states the tools to combat this security risk."

The current FCC interpretation of federal rules prohibits the use of jamming equipment, even in highly controlled environments like correctional institutions. This blanket restriction fails to account for the unique security needs of these facilities. Inmates routinely use smuggled phones to coordinate criminal enterprises, intimidate witnesses, and orchestrate violence both inside and outside prison walls. These activities compromise the safety of correctional staff, other inmates, and the public.

The proposed rulemaking would empower correctional administrators to implement jamming systems that disrupt unauthorized wireless communications within prisons, without affecting legitimate service outside the facility. This targeted approach balances the need for security with the preservation of lawful communications.

In addition to Attorney General Fitch, the attorneys general of the following States also signed on to the letter sent by Arkansas: Alabama, Alaska, Georgia, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, and West Virginia.

Earlier this year, General Fitch and a coalition of 30 state attorneys general, wrote to the leadership of the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate in support of legislation introduced by Senator Tom Cotton (S. 1137) and Representative David Kustoff (H.R. 2350) that would give States the authority to implement cell phone jamming in correctional facilities.