Contraband Interdiction System in South Carolina: An Impact Analysis of a New Federal Communications Commission Policy

• In Event: Latest Research on Institutional Corrections and Contraband Management

Abstract

In 2020, the South Carolina Department of Corrections (SCDOC) experienced one of the deadliest prison riots in U.S. history, which they believe was coordinated by contraband cellphones. To combat this problem, the agency became the first prison system in the country to receiving Contraband Interdiction Systems authorization from the Federal Communications Commission. This allows the SCDOC to leverage existing technologies to capture identifying information from cellphone transmissions (including IMEI and IMSI) and and work with wireless carriers to quickly, permanently disable these devices. Through a project funded by the National Institute of Justice, we use an interrupted time series design to evaluate this policy and its impact in South Carolina. We examine several critical outcomes related to safety and security (e.g., cellphone transmissions, legitimate phone system usage, contraband recoveries, and infractions) and provide recommendations for policy and future research.

Authors

• Rochisha Shukla, Urban Institute

• Sarah Aukamp, Urban Institute