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Criminal Law. PATRIOT Act, Its Pros and Cons Essay
Aimed at reinforcing state security and protecting people against terrorism, the USA PATRIOT Act was created by Congress and signed by George W. Bush (U.S. Government Publishing Office 1). Although inspired by the best intentions of protecting U.S. citizens from the terrorist threat, the PATRIOT Act has its disadvantages. Therefore, amendments should be made to it so that it could meet the needs of the American population better.
The increased control over people’s lives executed by the state government can be considered one of the greatest problems of the PATRIOT Act. Since any person can be investigated by the state officials on the ground of security reasons, the current postulates of the PATRIOT Act might be in discord with the Fourth Amendment, which guarantees the right to privacy (Cornell University Law School para. 3). Therefore, there is a consistent threat to the psychological comfort of American citizens.
Nonetheless, one must admit that the regulation serves its purpose impeccably. The PATRIOT Act does help improve the security rates in the United States, therefore, preventing instances of terrorism. Furthermore, the speed of responses to emergent threats has been increased significantly.
Works Cited
Cornell University Law School. n. d. Fourth Amendment. Web.
U.S. Government Publishing Office. USA PATRIOT Act. 2001. Web.
