USA patriotic Act of 2001

Abstract

The country faced a lot of insecurity before the USA patriot Act was established in 2001. For example, the September 11 attack left people in the country under fear. The Act was established to improve security in the country increased. After the attack, the government changed rules governing several statutory in the country. The Act acts as guidance to citizens in the country and other statutory bodies. The act has a lot of advantages and disadvantages. Most people have criticized the Act as it is used wrongly.

Introduction

The USA patriotic Act was established in 20001 to curb terrorism activities in the country, and increase security. The act changed how various agencies operated. For example, the act changed the definition of terrorism and powers held by law enforcement agencies. Most people criticize the Act as it interferes with privacy rights of American citizens. This paper analyzes the advantages and disadvantages of the patriot Act. It also examines the description and implication of the patriotic Act to the citizens.

Description and Implication of the USA patriotic Act to privacy rights in United States

The USA patriotic Act also known as patriotic act was enacted by the United States government in 2001 to control terrorism in the country (Young, 2003). The Act was enacted after the September 11 attack in the country. The Act provides instructions that govern security if citizens in the country. The Act reduced restrictions on law enforcement agencies. It gave agencies more powers to search telephones, email communications and medical records. It also gave the agencies powers to search financial records and other records. In addition, the Act reduced restrictions on foreign intelligence gathering in the country (Young, 2003). Also, the Act gave the secretary of the treasury’s more powers to control financial transactions involving foreigners in the countries. The Act also allowed law enforcement officers and immigration agencies more powers to deport and detain immigrants suspected to be terrorists. It expanded the definition of terrorism and included domestic terrorism as part of the definition (Young, 2003).The USA patriotic Act of 2001 has an implication to the privacy rights in American.

The Act has implication on several industries. For example, it has implication on the use of internet, e-businesses and telecommunication. The Act affects the usage of internet, computer security and protection of various infrastructures (Young, 2003).In computer security, the Act develops the definition of computer trespassers. The activities carried out by computer trespassers are referred to as terrorist activities. The Act allows law enforcement officers to trap communication carried out by computer trespassers. This interferes with privacy rights of people using computers (Young, 2003).The Act also affects electronic commerce. Title three of the Act allows more actions to be taken to prevent money laundering and funding of terrorism attacks. This may affect money transfer and eCommerce activities in future (Ronczkowski, 2006).Also, government may be affected by the Act positively or negatively. The Act focuses on improving collection of data and sharing of information. The methods may increase government infrastructure in future and use of internet and the web in future (Ronczkowski, 2006).The Act will also help improve integrity of transactions between the government and citizens. The Act will also affect electronic transaction between the government and citizens. This is because citizens will not be willing to give private information (Ronczkowski, 2006).

Advantages of the USA patriotic act of 2001

The patriotic Act has several advantages to the citizens. The patriotic Act helps improve security in the country. The United States government enacted the Act after September 11 attack to control terrorism activities in the country. The Act increased security measures in the country so as to identify terrorists in the country (Ronczkowski, 2006). For example, the Act allowed law enforcement officers to detain and deport any person suspected to be a terrorist. It also authorized search and seizure on several items. The Act authorized law enforcement agencies to search financial records, medical, emails and telephone conversations. The search would help indemnify terrorist in the country. Hence, the Act provides security to the citizens (Ronczkowski, 2006).Another advantage is that the Act streamlines communication between various agencies that work together to control terrorism (Ronczkowski, 2006). Law enforcement agencies can work together with other agencies like immigration agencies, finance agencies to control terrorism in the country. The Act increased powers of various agencies (Ronczkowski, 2006).

For example, it gave law enforcement officers more powers to search various records so as to identify criminals. It also gave the secretary of the treasury more powers to control financial transactions involving foreigners. This is to control terrorism in the country and increase security (Ronczkowski, 2006).Moreover, the Act provides easier time to carry out investigations and surveillance (Mailman, 2002). The Act introduced new methods to carry out surveillance activities in the country. The Act allows officers to obtain surveillance information from American citizens and non American citizens residing in the country. The method allows officers to have relevant information to control terrorism in the country (Mailman, 2002). The Act increased the scope of wiretapping and surveillance instructions so as to prevent terrorism in the country. It increased funding to help victims of attack and the families. Funds for reconstruction of buildings and other infrastructure were also increased. Thus, the act has changed many agencies in the country to increase security in the country and allow the agencies to work together (Mailman, 2002).

Disadvantages of the USA patriotic act of 2001

Most people have criticized the patriotic Act (Ball, 2004). This is because the Act provides government agencies with more powers to monitor personal life of American citizens and immigrants. For instance, the Act has given law enforcement officers more powers to search and carry out surveillance activities in the country (Ball, 2004). The Act authorizes law enforcement officers to search finical records, emails, telephone, houses of American citizens and immigrants before notifying them. The law enforcement officers are allowed to search any person suspected to be a terrorist or to be involved in terrorist activities (Ball, 2004). Many people do not support search and seizure as authorized in the patriotic Act because it interferes with rights of the citizens indicated in the fourth amendment. The fourth amendment restricts law enforcement officers from searching citizens’ financial records, medical records, telephone and email without any warrant. The patriotic Act interferes with personal life of American citizens and any other person residing in the country. Also, the Act leads to discrimination in the country as immigration officers are allowed to detain and deport any person suspected to be a terrorist (Ball, 2004).

Conclusion

The patriotic Act has several advantages. The Act improves security in the country, ensure corporation and clear communication between agencies and increase funding. The act increases funding for victims of terrorism and infrastructure. Most people have criticized the Act because it interferes with privacy of the citizens. The Act authorizes search on various records. The Act has implication on internet use, computer security and electronic commerce and e government. It has negative impact on electronic commerce, computer use and internet use.

Reference

Ball, H. (2004).U.S.A. Patriot Act of 2001.ABC-CLIO

Mailman,S.(2002).Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism (USA PATRIOT ACT) Act of 2001: an analysis. LexisNexis Ronczkowski, M. (2006).Terrorism and organized hate crime: intelligence gathering, analysis, and investigations. CRC Press

Young, H.C. (2003).Understanding water and terrorism. Herbert Young