Product Description

In the aftermath of September 11, 2001, national security concerns have been in the forefront of public consciousness and federal authorities. But with the speedy passage of the U.S.A. PATRIOT Act after 9/11, some citizens have criticized the government for unduly curtailing civil liberties under the veil of national security. Others argue that the gravity of the terrorist threat warrants the increased security measures that have been implemented.

This timely and balanced collection by leading experts on the trade-offs between national security and civil liberties is divided into six informative sections addressing the main issues of this crucial debate:

the history of civil liberties in wartime

domestic surveillance, with a particular focus on the controversial USA PATRIOT Act

racial profiling, including selections from the Supreme Court opinion that legitimized the internment of Japanese Americans during World War II

the use of torture in confessions

the designation of "enemy combatants"

PLUS recent developments, such as the Abu Ghraib prison scandal.

In addition to excerpts from important recent US Supreme Court decisions on these topics, this volume includes selections from such widely recognized and respected authors as Richard Cohen, Alan M. Dershowitz, Viet D. Dinh, David A. Harris, Nat Hentoff, Philip B. Heymann, Aryeh Neier, Christian Parenti, John T. Parry, Eyal Press, Chief Justice William Rehnquist, Stephen J. Schulhofer, Jay Stanley, Barry Steinhardt, Stuart Taylor Jr., Welsh S. White, Frank H. Wu, and John C. Yoo.

This intriguing collection of expert opinion from across the political and philosophical spectrums will inform average readers on this timely and critical topic and will be especially useful for undergraduate courses in political philosophy, political science, and criminal justice, as well as law school courses in criminal law and criminal procedure.