The Criminal Justice System After 9/11

622 Words2 Pages

September 11, 2001 was one of the most devastating and horrific events in the United States history. Americans feeling of a secure nation had been broken. Over 3,000 people and more than 400 police officers and firefighters were killed during the attacks on The World Trade Center and the Pentagon; in New York City and Washington, D.C. Today the term terrorism is known as the unlawful use of force or violence against persons or property to intimidate or coerce a government, the civilian population, or any segment thereof, in furtherance of political or social objectives (Birzer, Roberson). This term was clearly not defined for the United States for we had partial knowledge and experience with terrorist attacks; until the day September 11, 2001. At that time, President George W. Bush, stated over a televised address from the Oval Office, “Terrorist attacks can shake the foundations of our biggest buildings, but they cannot touch the foundation of America. These acts shatter steel, but they cannot dent the steel of American resolve.” President Bush stood by this statement for the United States was about to retaliate and change the face of the criminal justice system for terrorism.
Since September 11, 2001, the criminal justice system has improved its methods to secure our nation from terrorist attacks. These improved methods can be summed into four kinds of categories and actions. The first key action the department of justice took was protecting America through investigation and criminal prosecution. The next changes were legal which were made to enhance the counter-terrorism efforts and help with investigation and prosecution. Then there are the structural changes to the operations of agencies to enhance counter-terrorism efforts....

... middle of paper ...

...the previous Act. The last Act is the FISA Act of 2008 “The Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act”, which allows intelligence professionals to monitor terrorist communications, while protecting civil liberties of Americans, more quickly and efficiently. (USDOJ) These legal changes have allowed not only the investigation and prosecution of terrorists to be more proficient, but it has also help change the structure of the operations of agencies to enhance counter-terrorism efforts.

Works Cited

Birzer, Michael L., and Cliff Roberson. Police field operations: theory meets practice. Boston, MA: Pearson/Allyn & Bacon, 2008. Print.

"USDOJ: Fact Sheet: the Department of Justice Ten Years After 9/11." USDOJ: Fact Sheet: the Department of Justice Ten Years After 9/11. N.p., 11 Sept. 2011. Web. 12 Apr. 2014. .

Show More
Related

  • 9/11 Informative Speech

    1371 Words  | 3 Pages

    Host: On September the 11th 2001, the notorious terror organisation known as Al-Qaeda struck at the very heart of the United States. The death count was approximately 3,000; a nation was left in panic. To this day, counterterrorism experts and historians alike regard the event surrounding 9/11 as a turning point in US foreign relations. Outraged and fearful of radical terrorism from the middle-east, President Bush declared that in 2001 that it was a matter of freedoms; that “our very freedom has come under attack”. In his eyes, America was simply targeted because of its democratic and western values (CNN News, 2001). In the 14 years following this pivotal declaration, an aggressive, pre-emptive approach to terrorism replaced the traditional

    Read More

  • George W. Bush's Executive Order of Homeland Security

    947 Words  | 2 Pages

    The Executive Order Establishing Office of Homeland Security Council puts forth an agenda on countering terrorist acts; it is done to prevent untold a...

    Read More

  • Criminal Justice System In The 21st Century

    1507 Words  | 4 Pages

    Saint Augustine once said, “In the absence of justice, what is sovereignty but organized robbery?” The criminal justice system in America has been documented time and time again as being a legal system that borders on the surreal. We as Americans live in a country where the Justice Department has failed to collect on $7 billion in fines and restitutions from thirty-seven thousand corporations and individuals convicted of white collar crime. That same Justice Department while instead spending more than 350% since 1980 on total incarceration expenditures totaling $80 billion dollars. America has become a place where a 71-year-old man will get 150 years in prison for stealing $68 billion dollars from nearly everyone in the country and a five-time petty offender in Dallas was sentenced to one thousand years in prison for stealing $73.

    Read More

  • Essay On 9 11 Conspiracy

    2595 Words  | 6 Pages

    September 11, 2001 marked one of the most tragic events in United States history. As a way to assure the safety and wellbeing of U.S. citizens shortly after being attacked by al-Qaeda, President Bush stated, “Terrorist attacks can shake the foundations of our biggest buildings, but they cannot touch the foundation of America. These acts may shatter steel, but they cannot dent the steel of American resolve”. Although President Bush was seen a source of security during a time of need, many citizens felt that his words were not genuine and part of a dramatic story the government wanted its people to believe. Despite the side taken, both perspectives of the argument can agree that the U.S. was attacked by a series of coordinated suicide attacks by al-Qaeda. On that Tuesday morning, 19 terrorists hijacked four commercial passenger jet airliners. The hijackers intentionally crashed two of the airliners into the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center, one into the Pentagon, and the fourth into a field in rural Pennsylvania after passengers fought back against the terrorist to try and regain control of the plane. This is the story the government wants its people to believe. However, the truths about the attacks on 9/11 are much more frightening. On September 11th, 2001, the United States government betrayed its citizens by allowing the destructive attacks on the Twin Towers, WTC-7, the Pentagon, and Shanksville.

    Read More

  • Essay On Homeland Security

    971 Words  | 2 Pages

    Bellavita, C. (2009). Changing homeland security: The year in review - 2008. Homeland Security Affairs, 5(1) Retrieved from http://ezproxy.fau.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/1266212855?accountid=10902

    Read More

  • Intelligence in a Post 9-11 World

    1113 Words  | 3 Pages

    In this week’s assignment we will be looking at a number of significant issues that are or have confronted the intelligence community in a post 9-11 environment. We will quickly touch on the role the Global War on Terrorism has had on changes to the intelligence community’s position, procedures, and policies along with assessing how the intelligence community has directed it efforts when it comes to dealing with traditional military threats from other countries. It is inarguable that for the large majority of times, change is instituted to make a situation better, or to prevent a bad situation from arising. So too can be said about the countless changes in policy and practices that have affected the intelligence community since 9-11. Retrospectively assessing a few of these polices it can become difficult to see in its totality if they have helped the intelligence community or in a way weakened it.

    Read More

  • War on Terror

    2098 Words  | 5 Pages

    On september 11, 2001 there was an attack on America. Four airplanes were hijacked, two were crashed into the World Trade Center in New York City, the third crashed into the Pentagon in D.C. and the fourth got stopped by a passenger. It was the first terrorist attack on the U.S. soil. Thousands of lives were lost that day. This attach was the most devastating act of belligerence on U.S territory since the Civil War (Terrorism, 2011). This even had an enormous influence on America and its history. It led to numerous short and long term effects. On September 20, 2001, former president George W. Bush announced publicly that he declares “War on Terror”. After this announcement, our country has altered. To determine if an effect was positive or negative, determines on the view point of the person. Some of those effects include; USA Patriot Act, creation of TSA, the War, and issues soldiers have after combat and health problems of Ground Zero. However, if the effects were positive or negative, it still made a massive mark in our country.

    Read More

  • Homeland Security Synthesis Essay

    431 Words  | 1 Pages

    After the terrorist attacks on 9/11, the United States Intelligence community was forced to conduct major reforms. Issues in interdepartmental communication, intelligence gathering, and chain of command were addressed by reforms. According to some, these major changes have been ineffective in protecting the United States from terrorist attacks. To others; however, these reforms have been extremely helpful in the defense of the US. While many see civilians as having no direct contact with the intelligence portion of the federal government, the work that they do protects all citizens. Without the intervention of these federal departments, citizens would be defenseless on local, state, and federal levels from terrorist threats. Although no federal agency can completely protect its citizens, the reforms made by the US intelligence community have been effective, mainly in the areas of Homeland

    Read More

  • homeland security

    1048 Words  | 3 Pages

    After 9/11, the government took measure to upsurge the safety in aspects like aviation and borders, this included the 9/11 Commission Report. The 9/11 Commission report entailed various recommendations on terrorist attacks upon the U.S. It begins with the U.S. government ascertaining present or prospective terrorist sanctions. the 9/11 commission report is an uncommonly lucid, even riveting, narrative of the ...

    Read More

  • Eras of American Policing and Their Origin

    1541 Words  | 4 Pages

    Walker, S., & Katz, C. (2012). Police in America: An Introduction (8th Edition ed.). New York:

    Read More

  • Law Enforcement: Past Perspective

    2552 Words  | 6 Pages

    Wilson, J. (1978). Varieties of Police Behavior: The Management of Law and Order in Eight American Communities. American Journal of Sociology, 75(1), 160-162

    Read More

  • Evolution of Intelligence-Led Policing Post 9/11

    793 Words  | 2 Pages

    ...h this new act came new authorities granted to police agencies and departments, such as tapping phone lines and monitoring Internet activity. The reshaping of the federal government established the following agency, and its subordinate to combat the war on terrorism.

    Read More

  • Community Policing and the Longview Police Department

    2116 Words  | 5 Pages

    The communities, in which we live, work and raise our children demand the safest environment possible. A common approach to crime fighting is to respond after the event and incarcerate the offender. The results of this approach have been increasingly burdensome on law enforcement, th...

    Read More

  • Terrorism Essay

    2728 Words  | 6 Pages

    13 years after the attacks on the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and in Pennsylvania as well as the attacks in London in Madrid, terrorism is still one of the most contemporary issues, very much due to the fact that other terrorist attacks has followed since. 9/11 has changed the way people see the world and since then the word “terrorism” became a common term in the vocabulary of individuals.

    Read More

  • Terrorism In Americ The Turning Point Of Terrorism

    1687 Words  | 4 Pages

    These words were spoken by President George W. Bush after the the United States of America was rocked by the unexpected attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon on September 11th, 2001. This day undoubtedly marked a significant turning point in American history. After spending years transfixed by the Cold War mentality, America was facing a new threat: terrorism. Until the events of 9/11, America viewed terrorist groups such as Al-Qaeda as equally threatening as criminals such as arsonists,

    Read More

More about The Criminal Justice System After 9/11

Open Document