Policy & Reform
Policy & Advocacy: Monitor-Not-Block, Scamming, Legal Path & Cost Model
This GPS research document argues that Georgia's current approach of blocking cell phones in prisons via Managed Access Systems (MAS) fails to prevent phone-based fraud, citing numerous high-profile scam operations originating from Georgia prisons totaling millions in losses. The document proposes a 'monitor-not-block' approach that would leverage existing MAS infrastructure and AI monitoring to detect criminal activity in real time, noting that Georgia already allows personal phones in 13 Transitional Centers under existing statutory authority (O.C.G.A. 42-5-18), and that the marginal cost of monitoring over blocking is only ~$90-100 per inmate per year while potentially saving $73.5 million annually through recidivism reduction.
All Data Points
45 verified data points extracted from primary sources.
50+ indicted in Autry SP jury duty scam Case detail
Over 50 people were indicted in a jury duty scam originating from Autry State Prison, including 15 corrections officers.
$3.5 million stolen by single inmate at Telfair SP Case detail
A single inmate at Telfair State Prison stole $3.5 million through phone-based fraud.
Calhoun SP wire fraud: $464,920 stolen from 119 victims Case detail
A phone-based scam from Calhoun State Prison resulted in $464,920 in documented losses from 119 identified victims across 6+ states.
$500,000+ Iowa romance scam from Calhoun SP Case detail
Over $500,000 was stolen in Iowa romance scams traced to Calhoun State Prison, using drone-delivered phones. Robert 'Bo' Nnanwubas impersonated federal agents targeting healthcare workers.
$560,000+ extorted from 440+ military members in sextortion ring Case detail
Over $560,000 was extorted from more than 440 military members in a sextortion ring operated from a Georgia prison using contraband phones.
None of the major scams stopped by MAS Finding
None of the documented major phone scam operations from Georgia prisons were stopped by the Managed Access System (MAS). All were discovered after the fact.
Calhoun SP highest contraband rate in state Statistic
Calhoun State Prison has the highest contraband rate in the state with 62 mentions in GDC press releases, despite having a Trace-Tek MAS system installed.
62 mentions in GDC press releases
Jackson and Riddle convicted January 9, 2026 Case detail
Joey Amour Jackson and Lance Riddle were convicted on January 9, 2026 for conspiracy to commit wire fraud. They used contraband phones and VOIP to spoof police numbers nationwide from Calhoun State Prison.
Scam escalated to sexual exploitation Case detail
The Calhoun SP jury duty scam escalated to sexual exploitation, with female victims instructed to undress in Target restrooms. One victim stated: 'I panicked. They had my information.'
Victim quote from Calhoun SP scam Quote
I panicked. They had my information.
VOIP bypasses carrier blocking Finding
VOIP technology bypasses carrier-based blocking used by MAS systems, allowing inmates to continue making calls even when phones are identified. By the time a phone is blocked, the damage is already done.
Phones replaced faster than blocked Finding
Contraband phones are replaced faster than they can be blocked, through drone delivery and staff smuggling, rendering the blocking approach ineffective.
Georgia allows phones in 13 Transitional Centers since July 2016 Policy
Since July 1, 2016, all 13 Georgia Transitional Centers (~2,344 residents) allow personal cell phones. Residents buy their own phones and use them freely. Staff can search at any time under a signed waiver. Records are maintained of phone numbers, S…
Commissioner Homer Bryson quote on TC phone policy Quote
we believe it is important that they begin learning the responsible use of technology.
TC residents up to 1/3 more likely to succeed in crime-free life Statistic
GDC research shows Transitional Center residents are up to one-third more likely to succeed in a crime-free life compared to other released inmates.
33%
GDC tried restricting TC phones in May 2022, reversed Policy
When GDC tried restricting Transitional Center phones in May 2022, backlash forced a reversal. Personal phones are currently allowed again.
UK 50+ prisons with in-cell phones, 39% less reoffending Statistic
Over 50 UK prisons have in-cell phones with all calls recorded, resulting in 39% less reoffending.
39% vs. prisons with in-cell phones
Finland Smart Prison model expanding to all 15 closed prisons Policy
Finland's Smart Prison model allows personal devices with monitored internet, email, and video access, and is expanding to all 15 closed prisons.
Norway 20% recidivism vs US 43% Statistic
Norway guarantees 30 minutes per week of phone access and has a 20% recidivism rate compared to the US rate of 43%.
20% vs. US recidivism rate (percent)
Connecticut free calls: +128% volume, $12M savings, $30/inmate/month Statistic
Connecticut implemented free prison calls resulting in a 128% increase in call volume, families saving $12 million per year, at a cost of $30 per inmate per month.
128% vs. dollars saved by families per year
Tecore iNAC pre-authorized device routing capability Quote
Tecore iNAC MAS system: 'Pre-authorized device activity is passed on to commercial network(s).' The system already distinguishes authorized from unauthorized devices, meaning the modification from blocking to monitoring is a configuration change, no…
MAS hardware installed at 35 Georgia facilities Statistic
Managed Access System (MAS) hardware is already installed at 35 Georgia correctional facilities.
35 facilities with MAS
O.C.G.A. 42-5-18 does not absolutely prohibit phones Legal fact
O.C.G.A. 42-5-18 is titled 'Items prohibited for possession by inmates; warden's authorization; penalty.' The key language is 'without the authorization of the warden or superintendent or his or her designee.' The statute does not absolutely prohibi…
No new legislation needed for monitor-not-block Legal fact
Implementation of the monitor-not-block approach requires no statutory amendment and no legislative action. The Commissioner issues a policy directive, wardens formally authorize registered devices, phones are logged (IMEI, SIM, carrier), MAS routes…
AG Chris Carr opposition quote Quote
AG Chris Carr, running for governor in 2026, stated: 'Prisoners with contraband cell phones are ordering murders.'
Commissioner Oliver opposition quote Quote
Commissioner Oliver stated: 'A contraband cell phone can be used as a deadly weapon.'
Monitored access costs ~$583-646/inmate/year Statistic
Monitored phone access costs approximately $583-646 per inmate per year.
$583.00 vs. dollars per inmate per year (high estimate)
Current blocking costs ~$443-556/inmate/year Statistic
Current phone blocking via MAS costs approximately $443-556 per inmate per year, net of kickbacks.
$443.00 vs. dollars per inmate per year (high estimate)
Monitoring premium ~$90-100/inmate/year over blocking Statistic
The marginal cost premium for phone monitoring over blocking is approximately $90-100 per inmate per year.
$90.00 vs. dollars per inmate per year (high estimate)
5% recidivism reduction would save $73.5 million/year Statistic
Even a 5% recidivism reduction from monitored phone access would save $73.5 million per year, dwarfing the estimated $5-7 million marginal cost of the monitoring approach.
$73.5M vs. percent recidivism reduction needed
Family contact reduces recidivism 13-25% Statistic
Family contact through phone access reduces recidivism by 13-25%.
13% vs. percent recidivism reduction (high)
Drone operators paid $4,000-5,000 per drop Statistic
Drone operators delivering contraband to Georgia prisons are paid $4,000-5,000 per drop.
$4,000 vs. dollars per drop (high)
Drones carry 10 pounds, make 4 drops per night Statistic
Contraband delivery drones carry 10 pounds and can make 4 drops per night.
10 pounds per load vs. drops per night
Prison contraband tobacco markup: $50 to $800-2,000 Statistic
A 6oz can of tobacco that costs $50 on the street sells for $800-2,000 inside Georgia prisons.
$50.00 vs. dollars low prison price
Marijuana sells for $10,000/pound inside prison Statistic
Marijuana sells for $10,000 per pound inside Georgia prisons.
$10,000
Contraband phones sell for $800-1,200 inside Statistic
Contraband phones sell for $800-1,200 inside Georgia prisons but are fragile in drone drops.
$800.00 vs. dollars high price
Mixed 10-pound drone drop worth $67,000-93,000 Statistic
A mixed 10-pound contraband drone drop is worth $67,000-93,000 inside Georgia prisons.
$67,000 vs. dollars high estimate
283 drone incidents in 2024, 600% increase since 2019 Statistic
There were 283 drone incidents at Georgia prisons in 2024, representing a 600% increase since 2019.
283 drone incidents vs. percent increase since 2019
Georgia already contracted with LEO Technologies Finding
Georgia has already contracted with LEO Technologies for AI-based phone monitoring. LEO Technologies uses AWS cloud with speech-to-text, semantic analysis, and machine learning capabilities. The system has solved cold homicides, prevented suicides, …
Blocking gives a phone number; monitoring gives a criminal case Finding
The document argues that blocking contraband phones only provides a phone number, while monitoring provides actionable intelligence sufficient to build criminal cases.
Three-phase advocacy strategy proposed Policy
GPS proposes a three-phase advocacy strategy: Phase 1 is a single-facility pilot, Phase 2 is data publication, and Phase 3 is system-wide expansion. No legislative action is needed at any point, as warden authorization under O.C.G.A. 42-5-18 is suff…
GPS summary argument for monitor-not-block Quote
For an additional $90 per inmate per year — less than the price of a single contraband phone — Georgia can switch from a system that produces no intelligence and record violence, to a system that catches scammers, intercepts hit orders, prevents sui…
MAS cannot see phone content Finding
The Managed Access System (MAS) cannot see the content of calls or messages made on contraband phones; it can only identify and block device signals.
WiFi workaround demonstrates inmate adaptability Finding
Inmates have found WiFi workarounds to bypass MAS blocking, demonstrating that blocking approaches face persistent adaptability from the target population.
Marginal cost of monitoring system: $5-7 million Statistic
The estimated marginal cost of implementing the monitor-not-block system across Georgia prisons is $5-7 million.
$5M vs. million dollars (high estimate)
Sources
3 cited sources backing this research.
Primary
Press release
GDC Press Releases
Primary
Gps original
Georgia Prison Scamming and The Case for Monitor-Not-Block
Primary
Legislation
O.C.G.A. 42-5-18
Key Entities
Organizations, people, facilities, and other named entities referenced in this research.
Autry State Prison
[facility]
Calhoun State Prison
[facility]
Chris Carr
[person]
Commissioner Oliver
[person]
GDC
[organization]
Georgia Transitional Centers
[facility]
Homer Bryson
[person]
Joey Amour Jackson
[person]
Lance Riddle
[person]
LEO Technologies
[organization]
O.C.G.A. 42-5-18
[legislation]
Robert 'Bo' Nnanwubas
[person]
Tecore iNAC
[organization]
Telfair State Prison
[facility]
Trace-Tek
[organization]
Related Topics
Research topics that draw on data from this collection.
Communications & Technology
Georgia has built a $50 million contraband technology apparatus to block illicit cellphones—yet record deaths, soaring violence, and a flood of recovered phones reveal a system that enriches private vendors and the state rather than ensuring safety. While the Department of Corrections collects $8 million per year in phone-call kickbacks, families are forced to pay outrageous commissary markups and communication fees that push them into debt, making them the hidden financiers of a broken prison system.
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Facility Conditions & Infrastructure
Georgia’s prison infrastructure is in a state of critical decay, with only three of 35 facilities fully air-conditioned and deaths from violence surging past 100 in 2024. Overcrowding, understaffing, and years of deferred maintenance have converged with a $634 million emergency spending infusion that lacks clear accountability. The physical conditions documented—from broken cooling systems and doubled inmate capacity without expansion to undisclosed causes of death—constitute a systemic failure that endangers both incarcerated people and staff.
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Recidivism & Reentry
Georgia’s public narrative touts a low three-year felony reconviction rate of 25–27%, but this narrow metric masks a deeper crisis: the state releases 14,000–16,000 people annually with minimal reentry support, contributing to a national five-year rearrest rate of 76.6%. With nearly one in three incarcerated people over 50, spiraling healthcare costs, and a parole system that achieves a 72% successful completion rate, Georgia faces a stark choice between investing in evidence-based reentry or absorbing the escalating fiscal and human costs of system failure.
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Reform Models & Programs
The Georgia Department of Corrections spends nearly $2 billion annually but operates a system virtually devoid of evidence-based rehabilitation, feeding people at 15% of national standards while hundreds sit in solitary for years with untreated mental illness. National models—from Pennsylvania’s Little Scandinavia unit to California’s court-mandated reforms—show that modest investments in programming, independent oversight, and compassionate release dramatically reduce violence and recidivism, yet Georgia continues to pour record sums into more beds and staffing without accountability.
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