You may be surprised to hear that despite being a physician tech enthusiast who has a blog, Twitter and Facebook accounts, and a MacBook, I do not own a smartphone. I’ll tell you why.
I’ve previously described the challenges and rewards of working as a correctional psychiatrist, but I did not go into any detail about electronics in correctional settings. Since the overriding objective of jails and prisons is to maintain a secure environment, all staff members give up certain conveniences that we’ve all grown accustomed to on the outside.
Today, so many electronic gadgets are capable of making phone calls and connecting to the internet. In the hands of inmates, such devices could allow escapes to be planned, the coordination of gang activity, and the running of illegal businesses from within the prison walls. Because either careless or corrupt actions of staff can result in electronics being possessed by prisoners, staff cannot bring in their own devices.
Cell phones of all types are very high on this list of banned items. In fact, cell phones have become one of the major contraband items in prisons around the world. In “shakedowns” where surprise searches of inmate property are conducted,
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