Grant To Fight Cell Phones In Baltimore Prisons
BALTIMORE (AP) -- Maryland public safety officials say they'll use a $350,000 federal grant to intensify the fight to keep cell phones out of prisons in Baltimore.
Gov. Martin O'Malley announced the grant from the Bureau of Justice Assistance on Tuesday, noting that the state's efforts have focused on partnerships between prosecutors and prison investigators and links to forensic cell phone data extraction and analysis.
The grant will pay for a part-time assistant state's attorney in Baltimore, two investigators in Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services' internal investigative unit and one support staffer. Their goal will be to reduce prison corruption and gang activity through enhanced prosecution and investigation. They will also target prison staff who enable inmates to acquire cell phones.
(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
