Maryland Attorney General Anthony G. Brown joined 31 attorneys general in urging Congress to pass H.R. 2350 and S. 1137, which would allow states to use cell phone jamming technology in prisons to prevent inmates from using contraband phones for criminal activities. The coalition argues that these devices would enhance public safety by disrupting illegal communications without interfering with emergency services.
Per the news release distributed Wednesday, March 26: “Attorney General Anthony G. Brown today joined a bipartisan coalition of 31 attorneys general calling on Congress to pass H.R. 2350 and S. 1137, federal legislation allowing states to deploy cell phone jamming systems in prisons. The bill aims to disrupt inmates’ ability to orchestrate crimes from behind bars using smuggled cell phones.
“Contraband cell phones are not just a security risk—they are a direct threat to public safety, allowing dangerous individuals to orchestrate violent crimes, traffic drugs, and terrorize victims from behind bars,” said Attorney General Brown. “Maryland correctional officers and law enforcement are fighting a growing battle against these illicit communications, and we need every tool available to shut them down. This legislation is a critical step to preventing prisons from becoming command centers for crime, and Congress must act now to give states the authority to protect our communities.”
Cell phone jamming technology involves devices that transmit signals on the same radio frequencies as mobile phones, disrupting communication between the phone and the cell tower, effectively disabling mobile phones within the jammer’s range. The coalition’s letter to Congress highlights how inmates exploit contraband phones to:
• Direct drug trafficking operations
• Orchestrate violence inside and outside prison walls
• Run sophisticated fraud schemes preying on vulnerable citizens
• Intimidate witnesses and terrorize victims’ families
• Plot escape attempts, endangering law enforcement and the public
Cell phone jamming technology literally “hangs up on the phone” on these dangerous communications; however, federal law currently bans states from using cell phone jamming technology, leaving correctional facilities defenseless against this escalating threat. Carefully designed to avoid disrupting emergency signals like 911, H.R. 2350 and S. 1137 would grant states the authority to deploy targeted jamming systems within prisons.
“This is not a partisan issue—it is a matter of public safety,” the letter stresses—noting the bipartisan urgency of the issue. A 2020 survey of 20 state corrections departments uncovered 25,840 contraband cell phones in a single year, a stark reminder of the scale of the crisis. In Maryland, a massive contraband smuggling case involving Roxbury Correctional Institution in Hagerstown, including the use of a contraband cell phone to facilitate a complex identity fraud scheme, was prosecuted in 2023.
In addition to Attorney General Brown, the attorneys general of Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Dakota, Northern Mariana Islands, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Texas, Tennessee, U.S. Virgin Islands, Virginia, and West Virginia stand united in calling on Congress to act decisively and pass this critical legislation in 2025.”