Governor Kay Ivey announced that the Alabama Department of Corrections has been awarded a $149,658 grant for a program to combat the proliferation of contraband cell phones in jails and prisons.

“Cellphones pose many safety concerns in correctional facilities and are often used to incite violence and enable criminal activity,” Ivey said. “Reducing that use will make these facilities safer for both correctional officers and inmates.”

ADOC reported a 60% increase in mobile phone seizures from 2019 to 2022. Ivey's office said in a news release that the grant will help fund the department's new Digital Forensics Unit program, which uses technology and strategic collaboration to identify evidence of criminal activity. This unit has access to forensic tools that can extract data from locked or encrypted mobile phones.

The Alabama Department of Economic Community administers grants from funds provided by the U.S. Department of Justice.

“ADECA joins Governor Ivey in supporting the Alabama Department of Corrections in meeting this challenge head-on,” said ADECA Director Kenneth Boswell.