Inmates Use Contraband Cellphones to Protest

By: Katie McCollum
In a New York Times article published on December 12, 2010, "Inmates in Georgia Prisons Use Contraband Phones to Coordinate Protest", Sarah Wheaton describes how in at least seven Georgia prisons, inmates have used contraband cellphones to organize a nonviolent strike this weekend. They demanded better living conditions and to compensated for work done in the prison. They said that they would not perform chores previously done, work for the Corrections Department’s industrial arm or shop at prison commissaries until their checklist of demands are addressed properly. They also wanted things like better food, more opportunities for education, and changes to sentencing rules. Groups and gangs that were known to originally not exactly cooperate, joined together last Thursday to get the job done. Cellphones are becoming an immediate scare to officers in that criminals could use them to connect to the outside world and/or accomplices to help them escape or plan hits. The action of taking their cigarettes away recently has had a major cause in starting this protest. It was said that "10 percent of all inmates had phones." Several facilities went under a lockdown, according to local news reports, and officers are considering it now a riot. The Department of Corrections has not publicly acknowledged the protest. Conferences are being developed on the outside of those working with inmates or family members of inmates to try and help meet demands.