Contraband In Corrections

On February 11, 2016, more than fifty current and former correctional officers were indicted for accepting bribes to smuggle contraband into correctional facilities across Georgia (Federal Bureau of Investigation [FBI], 2016). Some of the contraband smuggled into the facilities by the correctional officers include: drugs, weapons, and cell phones (FBI, 2016). Contraband is defined as excess personal property or anything that is exported or imported into a correctional facility that is prohibited by law or the correctional facility (York, 2016). In other words, contraband is anything that inmates are not allowed to have in their possession. The two types of contrabands are hard contraband and soft contraband. A hard contraband is anything that
There is nothing worse than trying to gain control of an inmate high on drugs. A simple piece of chewing gum can be used to prevent locks from operating properly. Cellphones can be used to aid an escape, expand criminal enterprises and conduct criminal activities from behind prison walls. A prison staff of the Orange County Jail brought tool, maps, and photos of the surrounding areas that led to three inmates escaping (York, 2016). Staff members and inmates have been injured physically and even killed because of contraband. “In 2011, correctional officers experienced two hundred and fifty-four work-related injuries due to assaults and violent acts” (Konda, Tiesman, Reichard, & Hartley, 2013, para. 1). There were one hundred and thirteen work-related correctional officer fatalities in 2011 (Konda et al., 2013). Per information provided by the United States Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics, “correctional officers and jailers have one of the highest rates of injuries and illnesses, often resulting from confrontations with inmates” (2015, para. 2). In December, 2010, inmates in prisons across Georgia used cellphones to organize a work detail strike (Federal Communications Commission [FCC], 2011). Whenever contrabands are transported inside correctional facilities by staff the gateway to corruption
While it is true that contraband policies and other preventative strategies have intercepted some contraband, it is still impossible to stop the transportation of contraband completely. The correctional facilities across the nation go above and beyond to curb the introduction of contraband in their facilities. The introduction of contraband compromises the integrity of staff, the security and safety of the institution, staff, public, and inmates. The contraband policy at correctional facilities sends out a clear message to violators, protects the security and safety of the institution, the community, and deters future violators. “As corrections professionals figure out ways to combat the war on contraband, the offenders and their connections in the outside world seem to find ways to stay one step ahead” (London, 2016, p.