Much has been written about the USA Patriot Act, and the controversy that surrounds this far-reaching legislation has also generated a great deal of confusion and uncertainty about its impact and importance in the war on terrorism. As Professor Kam C. Wong notes in this important contribution to the literature: "There is little scholarly research on the legislation, implementation and impact of the Act". Undoubtedly, few Americans are actually aware of most of the details in the Act, or its implications in a free society. The events of September 11, 2001 in attacks on the World Trade Centre and the Pentagon prompted a unique response by Congress in passing a series of wide reaching laws, expanding the powers of law enforcement and the judiciary. Of particular concern to many are the requirements of public and private organisations to provide information in connection with homeland security that is considered intrusive and in violation of privacy rights. Ultimately, it will be many years before the actual impact of the Patriot Act can be assessed. In this new and important book, Professor Wong provides a critical analysis of the legislation and its capacity for abuse.

In this short book, Etzioni, the well-known and respected public intellectual and communitarian thinker, charts a middle course, or third way 'between those who are committed to shore up our liberties but blind to the needs of public security, as well as those who never met a right they are not willing to curtail to give authorities an even freer hand.' This book will prove a useful guide for citizens looking for a thought provoking, well-reasoned and sober analysis of one of the hot button issues of our time.

The USA Patriot Act One is of the most controversial and possibly one of the most misunderstood laws Congress has ever enacted. For many Americans, it is synonymous with an egregious and unjustifiable suspension of the Bill of Rights. Others, troubled but more cautious, identify the Patriot Act with the grant of unprecedented powers that put civil liberties at some risk. Many who reject these concerns nonetheless accept their underlying assumption —that the Patriot Act does indeed give the federal government a package of powerful new search and surveillance tools.In Rethinking the Patriot Act, Stephen J. Schulhofer explains the act's most important provisions and reviews the best information currently available to gauge their usefulness and their effects in practice. Contrary to conventional wisdom, Schulhofer argues that much of the Patriot Act was essential, and some of it, if not essential, was reasonably defensible. In fact, the act includes provisions —seldom noticed —that add new protections for certain civil liberties, extend new benefits to certain immigrant groups, and provide new remedies for violations of individual rights. Nonetheless, Schulhofer concludes, many of the act's new powers are far too broad, and even where the case for broad powers is strong, they were typically conferred with little effort to assure transparency and accountability.

Reproduction of the original: The Right to Privacy by Samuel D. Warren, Louis D. Brandeis

The California State Senate Office of Research examined the USA PATRIOT Act & assoc. Fed. powers that the gov't. acquired to protect the country against domestic terrorism following the attacks of 9/11. The office has looked at these issues from the perspective of members of Muslim communities in CA. The office discovered that a broad cross-section of these communities find the force of these new powers to be aimed against Muslims innocent of any connection to terrorist acts or known terrorist intentions. Contents: The PATRIOT Act -- An Overview; Selected Patriot Act Sections; The Roundup of Muslim Immigrants; Fed. Enforcement & the CA Connection: State & Local Issues; Foreign Students & Scholars; Conclusion; Stories; US-VISIT Fact Sheet.

Takes the reader behind the Patriot Act to show the drama that led to the bill being passed and the effect it had in the development of our country.

"Unveiling the USA Patriot Act" provides an exhaustive exploration into one of the most controversial legislative acts in recent U.S. history. Enacted in the wake of the September 11 attacks, the USA Patriot Act was heralded by some as a necessary tool for preventing further terrorist activities, while others criticized it as an overreach that threatened foundational American civil liberties. This book meticulously dissects the Act, examining its provisions, implementation, and its broader implications for individual rights. Key elements of the book include: Historical Context: A primer on the socio-political climate post-9/11, setting the stage for the rapid enactment of the USA Patriot Act. Legislative Breakdown: An in-depth analysis of the key provisions of the Act, demystifying its legal jargon and detailing its various sections. Security vs. Liberty: An exploration of the core debate surrounding the Act, weighing the need for heightened security measures against potential infringements on civil liberties. Real-world Ramifications: Case studies and real-life accounts of how the Act has been employed, spotlighting instances of both successful security operations and alleged overreaches. Judicial Responses: Insights into how the judiciary, particularly the Supreme Court, has responded to challenges against the Act, shaping its interpretation and application. Comparative Analysis: A look at how the USA Patriot Act stands in relation to similar legislation in other countries, offering a global perspective on the balance between national security and civil liberties. The Future of the Act: Speculations and informed predictions on the potential evolution, amendments, or repeal of the Act, in light of shifting political and social landscapes. "Unveiling the USA Patriot Act" is a meticulously researched work, balancing objective analysis with personal narratives, legal debates with societal implications. It serves as an invaluable resource for legal scholars, historians, policymakers, and anyone seeking a deeper understanding of the complex interplay between national security and individual freedom in the post-9/11 era.

A Brookings Institution Press and the Computer Ethics Institute publication Can we safeguard our nation's security without weakening cherished liberties? And how does technology affect the potential conflict between these fundamental goals? These questions acquired renewed urgency in the wake of the 9/11 attacks. They also spurred heated debates over such controversial measures as Total Information Awareness and the USA PATRIOT Act. In this volume, leading figures from the worlds of government, public policy, and business analyze the critical issues underlying these debates. The first set of essays examines the relationship between liberty and security and explores where the public stands on how best to balance the two. In the second section, the authors focus on information technology's role in combating terrorism, as well as tools, policies, and procedures that can strengthen both security and liberty at the same time. Finally, the third part of the book takes on a series of key legal issues concerning the restrictions that should be placed on the government's power to exploit these powerful new technologies. Contributors include Zoë Baird (Markle Foundation), James Barksdale (Barksdale Group), Bruce Berkowitz (Hoover Institution), Jerry Berman (Center for Democracy and Technology), Beryl A. Howell (Stroz Friedberg), Jon Kyl (U.S. Senate), Gilman Louie (In-Q-Tel), David Luban (Georgetown University), Richard A. Posner (U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit), Marc Rotenberg (Electronic Privacy Information Center), James Steinberg (Brookings), Larry Thompson (Brookings), Gayle von Eckartsberg (In-Q-Tel), and Alan F. Westin (Columbia University).

Argues that racial profiling by police officers, highway troopers, and customs officials is morally reprehensible and does not help catch criminals, but rather contributes to the moral decay of American society.