Home -> Law Blog Directory -> Criminal Law Blogs -> Crime & Federalism

Criminal Law

: Crime & Federalism

PATRIOT Act Used for Non-Terrorism Cases

The PATRIOT Act stands for: Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001. As it turns out, the PATRIOT Act isn't about terrorism at all:In the debate over the PATRIOT Act, the Bush White House insisted it needed the authority to search people's homes without their permission or knowledge so that terrorists wouldn't be tipped off that they're under investigation.Now that the authority is law, how has the Department of Justice used the new power? To go after drug dealers.Only three of the 763 "sneak-and-peek" requests in fiscal year 2008 involved terrorism cases, according to a July 2009 report from the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts. Sixty-five percent were drug cases...continue to full post

Full post as published by Crime & Federalism on September 28, 2009 (boomark / email).