Steve Metzer
Tulsa World Capitol Bureau Staff Writer
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OKLAHOMA CITY — Oklahoma officials say they hope the federal government will make a change soon to allow states to jam cellphone signals inside prisons.
Cellphones have long been banned in lockups, but inmates have found myriad ways to smuggle them in, and they’ve been linked to crimes ranging from phone scams to gang-orchestrated drug trafficking and murder.
The Federal Communications Commission is scheduled to vote Sept. 30 on a regulatory framework to allow non-federal operation of radio frequency jamming in the “limited context” of correctional facilities.
Such a rule shift has been stalled in the past by concerns about how jamming might not be sufficiently contained, but a lengthy FCC report released recently outlined how “micro-jamming” technology and other advances may now have made the time right to allow states to take more control.
In Oklahoma, officials have tried various strategies, including outfitting inmates with ankle bracelets designed to detect cellphone use, but contraband phones have remained a serious problem. So far in 2025 alone, more than 4,000 phones have been found in prisons.
Oklahoma Department of Corrections Interim Director Justin Farris said cellphones in the hands of inmates undermine order, compromise investigations and put lives at risk both inside and outside of prisons. If states are given clearance to jam signals, he said it would help to weaken gang networks and overall violence.
“We believe the FCC’s proposal is a historic and necessary step to help secure our facilities effectively,” Farris said in a release.
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Oklahoma U.S. Sen. James Lankford and Arkansas Sen. Tom Cotton introduced the Cellphone Jamming Reform Act of 2025 earlier this year to give states more power to control cellphones in prisons. In a statement, Lankford said the measure followed years of work with the FCC, the Department of Justice and Oklahoma prison and law enforcement officials.
“(It) simply allows state and federal prisons to use cellphone jammers to ensure they have the tools they need to combat illegal activity in a prison,” he said.
In the past, wireless communication providers have called for caution, arguing that other strategies, such as selectively controlling access to cellular networks by managed access systems, would pose fewer risks of interfering with legitimate communications.
In its report, the FCC said collaboration with stakeholders, including wireless providers and 911 systems, would be key in moving forward to solve a shared problem that has remained exceptionally challenging and complex over time.
“It may not be a silver bullet, it may not be the right fit for every facility, but there are certainly lots and lots of facilities around this country where this type of solution will and can make a significant difference,” FCC Chairman Brendan Carr said in a media statement. “Every single day that goes by, we’re leaving the American public exposed, and we’re going to close that loophole.”
If the federal change in policy is adopted, Farris said the Oklahoma Department of Corrections would collaborate with public safety partners and others to ensure that jamming would not interfere with communications outside prisons.
In a statement, Gov. Kevin Stitt said it only makes “common sense” for the state to do everything it can to prevent inmates from using cellphones.
“This is a top priority to protect the safety of our staff and maintain order inside our facilities,” he said. “I fully support the FCC’s effort to lift these restrictions so ODOC can better crack down on illegal devices and keep our prisons secure and inmates safe.”
steve.metzer@tulsaworld.com
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Steve Metzer
Tulsa World Capitol Bureau Staff Writer
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