Facebook to Help Calif. Prisons Control Inmates' Use of Contraband Cellphones by Closing Accounts
Due to a state budget crisis, officials in California have been reluctant to pay the price of prosecuting incarcerated offenders who violate prison rules against having a cellphone.
Hence, the contraband devices have proliferated. At last report, some 10,000 were confiscated in 2010, compared to less than 300 in 2006. Among inmates caught with cellphones in recent years is notorious “Helter Skelter” spree killer Charles Manson. He got slapped with an extra 30 days on his life sentence due to the violation of prison rules, as detailed in an earlier ABAJournal.com post.
Now, following complaints from hundreds of victims that they are being contacted by offenders on Facebook, via contraband cellphones, state prison officials are trying a new tactic. They announced a new program Monday, in which administrators of the social networking site will shut down California inmate accounts being accessed while they are incarcerated, reports Reuters.
In some states, it is legal for inmates to access Facebook, and their accounts will not be affected, the article notes.
Related coverage:
ABAJournal.com: “Unable to Prevent Inmate Cellphone Smuggling, Calif. Ponders Plan to Jam Prison Cellphone Calls”
