Prepaid cell phones, criminally convenient.

Prepaid cells phones bring images of Jason Bourne and other spy characters to mind. A phone that is disposable, untraceable and cheap, what more could a man on the run ask for. These phones are in integral part of these movies but in real life are these handy cell phones aiding criminals? Most definitely. While they may not be the only people using these types of cell phones they are a tool used by criminals. The lure of being untraceable is something that irresistible for people in those situations. I think that regulating these phones by having to register would be a smart idea, at the very least having to show a valid ID. I realize these IDs could also be fake but at least it might slow down some people.
When answering this question the topic of legal uses came up in discussion. Legal uses? I had to pause and think for a moment to try and fathom a reason people would use a non contract phone, for legal reasons. I came up with the following reasons:
- Can't afford a plan phone
- Don't want to enter a 2-year contract (most phone companies require this)
- Lost/broke current phone, using until replacement comes
That was all I could think of. I thought this was a pitifully small list so I decided to Google legal reasons to use a prepaid phone. These are some additional reasons I found:
- Low credit score
- Travelers
- Don't need a credit card
- Save for emergencies
- Reporters use them to keep sources confidential (Police could use this for witnesses and other business as well)
These reasons do seem pretty important to me once i consider them. Many people are less fortunate than i am and could not afford or obtain a contract phone like i have. I feel it would be unfair to these people to take away their chance to have a cell phone. I think the best solution to this would be having ID needed to purchase and to register the phones.