Nevadans Most Likely to Be Subject to Mobile Wiretaps Likely Number of wiretap authorizations per 500, 000 people, 2013 Nevada
Four states account for half of the nation’s wiretapping activity, according to a new report from the Administrative Office of U.S. Courts. Nevada leads the nation in the number of wiretaps when population is factored in, according to the annual list of where federal and state judges have authorized law enforcement to monitor phone communications as part of criminal investigations in 2013.
California, New York, Nevada and Florida lead the nation in the number of mobile wiretap authorizations. California dwarfs the rest of the nation with about 26% of the reported authorizations in 2013, more than doubling New York with 12%, and Nevada and Florida trailing with about 6% each.
When we factor in population, Nevada leads the nation with 38 mobile wiretaps for every 500,000 people. Most Nevada wiretaps (187) were sought by officials in Clark County, home to Las Vegas; federal prosecutors in the state obtained authorization for 26 more, though only one was actually installed.
Nevadans Most Likely to Be Subject to  | Mobile Wiretaps Likely  | Number of wiretap authorizations per 500, 000 people, 2013  | Nevada  | 38 2  | Colorado  | 12.4  | MORE THAN 10 PER  | California  | 11.7  | 500 000 PEOPLE  | New York  | 10.7  | Arizona  | 9.5  | Georgia Kentucky  | 9.2  | Georgia Kentucky  | 7.8  | 6.8  | Maine  | Missouri  | 6.4  | 5 TO 10  | 6.1  | New Jersey  | 5. 4  | Ne braska  | New Tennessee Mexico  | 5 3  | 5.3  | New Tennessee Mexico  | Connecticut  | 5. 1  | Florida  | 5.1  | 4.8  | Alabama  | 4.6  | Maryland  | 3.5 3.7 4.3 4.2 4.2 4.3  | Illinois  | Wyoming  | Louisiana  | Pennsylvania  | Mississippi  | 3.5  | Arkansas  | 3 2  | Texas  | 2.9  | Kansas  | 2.7  | Alaska  | 2.7  | Delaware  | 1 TO5  | 2.7  | West Virginia  | 2.4  | Indiana  | 2 2 .2 2  | Oklahoma  | 2  | North Carolina  | Virginia Oregon  | 2.2  | 2.0  | Virginia Oregon  | 1.9  | Iowa  | New Hampshire  | 1.9  | Idaho  | 1.6  | 1.3  | Massachusetts  | Ohio  | 1.2  | South Carolina  | 1.0  | 0. 7  | Utah  | 0 5  | Rhode Island  | Minnesota  | 0.4  | LESS THAN 1  | Michigan Wisconsin  | 0. 3  | Washington Michigan Wisconsin  | 0. 1  | Washington Michigan  | 0.1  | Hawaii Montana North Dakota, South Da kota and Vermont made 0 requests  | Note: Includes requests for porta able devices sonly (cell phones and digital pagers).  | Does not fino lude DC or Pue rto Rico  | Source: United States Courts  | PEW RESEARCH CENTER 