Contraband, including drugs and weapons, poses a significant risk in correctional environments, where the potential for violence and drug abuse is high. Incarcerated individuals may engage in smuggling drugs and weapons, organizing escape attempts, or arranging for crimes to be committed after acquiring contraband.
This page contains links to publications, agencies, and multimedia resources related to contraband detection and control.
Contraband Detection and Control
Unauthorized items in correctional facilities, such as drugs, weapons, and cell phones, pose significant security risks, including violence and the facilitation of further criminal activities. To address these challenges, investments are being made in developing technologies and setting standards to detect various forms of contraband, thereby enhancing security within prisons and jails.
Controlling Contraband in Jails and Prisons: What COs Need to Know
The article underscores the pivotal role of corrections officers in preventing the smuggling of unauthorized items, which pose significant security risks within correctional facilities. It highlights the necessity for innovative thinking as smuggling methods evolve, requiring officers to adapt and think outside the box to detect and manage contraband effectively.
Detecting and Managing Cell Phone Contraband
This technology brief is part of a series of documents that focus on contraband in corrections. This document specifically focuses on the detection and management of cell phones. Additional documents provide information on contraband, including the types of associated technologies and products used to detect contraband on people, in vehicles, and in an environment. This series aims to offer foundational insights from use cases, highlight challenges of contraband detection, compare illustrative products, and discuss the future of contraband detection and management.
Detecting and Managing Drug Contraband
This article emphasizes a multilayered approach to detection at entry points, incorporating technologies like X-ray scanners and chemical detection devices, complemented by facility-based drug treatment programs.
Prison Contraband: Prevalence, Impacts, and Interdiction Strategies | National Institute of Justice
A 2021 study across six states found that prisons recovered an average of 34 weapons, 31 cell phones, and 28 controlled substances over a 12-month period. Both staff and visitors were identified as sources of illicit items, with staff violations reported more frequently; facilities employed various strategies to prevent, detect, and remove contraband.
