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Gov. Kay Ivey has awarded a $149,658 grant to the Alabama Department of Corrections for a program to address the proliferation of contraband cell phones in prisons and jails throughout the state.
“Cell phones create a number of security concerns in correctional facilities and are often used to foster violence and enable criminal enterprises,” Gov. Ivey said. “Reducing their usage will make these institutions safer for both correctional officers and inmates.”
The ADOC reported a 60 percent increase in cell phone confiscations from 2019 to 2022. This grant will help fund the department’s new Digital Forensic Unit program, which will use technology and strategic collaboration to identify evidence of criminal activity. The unit will have access to forensic tools that can extract data from locked or encrypted cell phones.
The Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs is administering the grant from funds made available by the U.S. Department of Justice.
“ADECA joins Governor Ivey in support of the Alabama Department of Corrections as they confront this challenge head-on,” ADECA Director Kenneth Boswell said.
ADECA administers a wide range of programs that support law enforcement, victim programs, economic development, water resource management, energy conservation and recreation.
