Cellphone jammers not enough to block calls from prisoners(0)

The utilization of cellphone jammers within the country's penitentiaries falls short in preventing incarcerated criminals from transmitting messages to individuals outside the confines of the prison.

This is the view of senior prison officials who tell the Sunday Express that even though the jammers (which they say are operational) are used to block signals from cellphones within the prisons, other interception technologies are needed for the system to be effective.

The utilization of cellphone jammers is prevalent, however, their optimal efficiency is achieved when integrated with complementary technologies like Wi-Fi jammers. This practice has been successfully implemented in other jurisdictions, yet its proper implementation is yet to be realized here.

Within the prison, there will be individuals in possession of cellphones and tablets, but they will not have the capability to place phone calls. Nevertheless, they can still communicate by utilizing the device's data or, if they have access to a hot-spot device or a Wi-Fi box, they can make calls through social media platforms like WhatsApp, Facebook, and Instagram. Hence, the challenge of maintaining communication with the outside world persists. Communication remains ongoing.

“In other jurisdictions, you will see the cellphone jammers being used with other interception devices to determine the frequencies used by these devices, and then target those specific frequencies. If this is not done, then it’s almost like spinning top in mud,” a senior source in the Prison Service explained yesterday.

Furthermore, as per the Sunday Express, the signal blockers employed and operated within the confines of the Prison Service are under the management of a third party.

In response to recent inquiries, Acting Prisons Commissioner Deopersad Ramoutar chose not to address the specific questions regarding the functionality of the cellphone jammers. He deemed this information as privileged and clarified that it does not fall under the jurisdiction of the Prison Service.

According to additional senior officials, as reported by the Sunday Express, they are still functioning.

Among the illicit items confiscated at the Maximum Security Prison in Arouca, officials uncovered a Wi-Fi box.

As part of the search operation, law enforcement conducted meticulous searches, resulting in the discovery and seizure of a bag in a particular cell situated near the toilet area. The bag contained 53 grammes of marijuana, as well as cellphones and the Wi-Fi box.

Within a separate enclosure, authorities uncovered and apprehended a satchel holding 104 packs of cigarettes and marijuana, amounting to a total weight of 241 grams.

Two inmates asserted ownership of the confiscated items.

Concerns were voiced by prison officers on Friday regarding the presence of drones flying over prisons. A senior officer stressed the urgency of addressing this issue, referring to it as a potential "ticking time bomb."

A single drone that manages to evade our detection could have severe consequences. It could potentially transport dangerous weapons like knives or guns, creating a highly precarious situation. Although we have successfully confiscated prohibited items like cigarettes, marijuana, phones, and chargers, the failure to intercept even one drone poses a significant risk to the prison and the entire country.

The officers obtained information that pointed them towards the cells within the B Division of the prison.

According to Ramoutar, the Prison Service has recognized a surge in the prevalence of drones being employed around correctional institutions, particularly over the past year, leading them to take necessary actions.

With the support of multiple divisions within the National Security portfolio, he mentioned that the majority of the items that were dropped over prison walls were intercepted before they could be accessed by the inmates.