CHARLESTON, South Carolina (Reuters) – Prisoners in the state of South Carolina caught with banned cell phones, which are often tossed over a prison fence to them, can face solitary confinement and loss of visitation and canteen privileges.

But those caught updating their status on their Facebook page, by cell phone or any other means, might soon be looking at 30 extra days behind bars and a $500 fine.

Representative Wendell Gilliard, a Democrat from Charleston, has introduced a bill that would make it unlawful for an inmate to be a member of any internet social-networking site, and would provide a penalty on conviction for the offense.

Other state legislators seem to think it's a good idea. The bill has 12 co-sponsors.

Gilliard said on Wednesday in an interview with Reuters that he's had e-mails from constituents and chats with prison guards about inmates on Facebook.

Earlier this month, a local newspaper detailed the profiles of South Carolina prison Facebookers such as Anthony "Tony" Enriquez, 34, serving life without parole for murdering a man he robbed of a pack of cigarettes.

The newspaper quoted a friend of Enriquez's victim who was shocked to find the killer on Facebook.

Gilliard said those and other stories prompted him to act. He expects the legislation to be debated and pass quickly, he said.

"It presents problems with the innocent people on the outside," Gilliard said. "The inmates have been using social networking to put coded messages out about where money is to be found, who turned them in, wanting revenge. It's putting innocent people's lives at stake."

"I was taught that crime does not pay," he said. "I don't think it's comfortable for people on the inside to do networking on the outside ... We can never let our constituents think that the criminals have the upper hand."

"The goal of the bill is to stop the inside from coming out. Victims have rights, too."

In March of 2010, Facebook yanked the account of Tennessee death row inmate Nikolaus Johnson.

"Being imprisoned and having a Facebook account isn't against our policies, but providing others with a password to access an account is a violation of our Statement of Rights and Responsibilities, which governs our relationship with users," Andrew Noyes, public policy communications manager at Facebook, said in statement then.

"Since this individual does not have Internet access, someone else is maintaining the profile. Thus, the account was disabled."

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20110210/od_nm/us_facebook_prisons_odd

Here's a thought, why ARE they allowed to be on social networking sites in the first place? I know that security in most prisons is very lax or relaxed or retarded, whatever the term is, but this is just nuts.

While I don't have an issue with them using computers, they have no business social networking. Wanna know what their status is? PRISON. That's their status. They can reconnect when they get out.

In the case of Facebook, I really don't mind inmates having accounts (provided that they are monitored, and treated as privileges.) I can't argue against an inmate using it to update their loved ones on the outside what's going on, and vice versa. Again, it should be considered a privileged and monitored, but if the prisoner is generally well behaved, then let them have it.

Maybe OK for non-violent offenders as a privilege that they can lose but if you’re in there because you hurt someone you shouldn’t be allowed anywhere near a computer let alone a cell phone. The exception I would make for computer access would be if that’s how they were doing their own legal research, etc. but heavily monitored.

IA....inmates shouldn't be social networking with people on the outside. Part of the premise of prison is to isolate convicts from society. Them having access to things like Facebook (where they can just update their status or blog what's on their mind....as if they're on an extended vacation) just makes a mockery of the whole thing.

alan smithee wrote:

Maybe OK for non-violent offenders as a privilege that they can lose but if you’re in there because you hurt someone you shouldn’t be allowed anywhere near a computer let alone a cell phone. The exception I would make for computer access would be if that’s how they were doing their own legal research, etc. but heavily monitored.

ITA with this. I'd be okay with non-violent offenders having access to facebook, but not for violent offenders.

No way! Non-violent offenders can be just as powerful (if not MORE powerful) when it comes to technology.

Embezzlers? Scammers? Hell no. I'd rather give a convicted armed-robber access to the internet so he can check his Myspace rather than hand an insurance frauder the chance to do more damage...