Confiscated cell phones in prison. (Source: betanews)

The U.S. House of Representatives approved the Cell Phone Contraband Act of 2010 (S. 1749) on Tuesday which is a bill that prohibits the use of wireless devices like cell phones by Federal prisoners.

According to Sen. Diane Feinstein (D-California), those in federal prisons have used cell phones to lead criminal business inside and outside of the prison, including drug operations, credit card fraud, and gang hits. Clearly defining cell phones as contraband will eliminate this abuse of cell phone use.

The bill was introduced in October 2009 and the Senate approved it in April of this year. Now that it has passed through the House of Representatives, this cell phone bill only needs to be signed by President Barack Obama to become law.

Cell phones, up to this point, have been banned from prisons, but not clearly identified as contraband through law. Most cell phones are smuggled into federal prisons', and when prisoner's are caught with them, they are rarely punished. Feinstein noted that a corrupt correctional officer in the state of California recently made approximately $150,000 in one year by selling cell phones at $500 to $1,000 a piece to prisoners.

But that is all about to change if the President signs this bill. Any prisoners caught with a cell phone or anyone caught smuggling a cell phone to an inmate will be punished with one year in prison, according to the latest reports.

Smuggling cell phones in personal items. (Source: blogspot)

In addition, cell phone signal jamming in and around prisons has been petitioned by state governments as a precautionary move in case some prisoners manage to smuggle wireless devices in despite the new potential law.

Even cell phone representatives seem to be on board with the new bill, despite the fact that they could lose some business in the process.

"CTIA and the wireless industry are pleased that the House joined the Senate in passing this important piece of legislation which would prohibit the possession or use of cell phones by federal prisoners," said Steve Largent, CTIA Wireless Association President and CEO. "We strongly oppose prisoners having access to contraband phones and believe inmates, and anyone who supplies them with a device, should be severely punished."

Turning this bill into law will prohibit prisoners from involving themselves in criminal-related activities, but Rep. Bobby Scott (D-Va.) notes that not all prisoners are using cell phones for this purpose. According to Scott, some prisoners are legitimately trying to call home to their families, and use cell phones because they are forced to call collect at an increased cost to the recipient of the phone call.