Anti-Terrorist Actions and Civil Liberties
The battle against terrorism and organized crime has led some to advocate stricter police actions. One visible change that followed 9/11 was the enhanced airport security procedures, such as removing shoes for inspection. Determining the extent to which police and government should go in order to gather intelligence or conduct an investigation is a matter of ongoing debate.
Discuss what law enforcement should be doing to protect U.S. citizens from future attacks. How can law enforcement agencies identify terrorists living on U.S. soil? What methods should be used to monitor terrorist activities?
Should foreign suspects be brought to trial in the same manner as U.S. citizens? Should citizenship bestow more rights upon a suspect than a non-citizen would receive?
Is it permissible or desirable for the police to utilize drones as surveillance tools?
Sample Answer
The battle against terrorism is a complex and challenging one. Law enforcement agencies must balance the need to protect the public from harm with the need to respect individual rights and liberties.
There are a number of things that law enforcement can do to protect U.S. citizens from future terrorist attacks. These include:
- Gathering intelligence: Law enforcement agencies need to gather intelligence about terrorist threats in order to prevent them from happening. This can be done by monitoring social media, tracking financial transactions, and infiltrating terrorist networks.