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American Problems Term Paper

Terror Results The new landscape that has developed within the criminal justice system in recent times has presented many challenges that are difficult to solve and present no real easy solution. The ever present threat of terrorist activities has placed this system in a unique situation where a balance between human rights and the protection of the citizens. In legal attempts to thwart terrorist efforts, advanced and debatable interrogation techniques have begun taking place. The purpose of this essay is to discuss the ethical dilemma that is present in finding and achieving this balance between what is right and wrong. This essay will suggest that there is not general right or wrong and that each case must be handled with reason and rational thought in order for the criminal justice system to maintain a useful place within society.

Background

The 9/11 attacks collectively spooked out everyone in America, despite the relatively little damage that was done. Terrorist attacks have great psychological impacts on the targeted populations often causing extreme and irrational reactions. A successful terror attack, in my opinion, should aim to do just that. The ability to successfully distract the target population in any terrorist attack is a useful objective that can disrupt any efforts to thwart or combat such attacks.

The many knee-jerk reactions that occurred shortly after the 9/11 attacks demonstrated the success of the attacks. Furthermore no one has been legally captured and charged with those crimes. IN many ways the criminal justice system has desperately failed by not bringing anyone to justice under its legal means. This is certainly a black...

The obvious failures by government on 9/11 have shown that weaknesses were not necessarily a legal problem but more of a leadership problem.
Changes to Legal System

9/11 demanded that some changes needed to be made. In haste it appears that some of the wrong changes were chosen. The United States Government was quick to legislate new laws that were meant to address some of the exposed weaknesses that were exposed in the attacks. As new waves of terror attacks began to hit both domestically and internationally, these new laws were soon revealed as limited in their effects.

The patriotic fervor was also felt at the individual level as well, as many people both within and without the legal system channeled their own powers in efforts to diminish the threats of terrorism. Unfortunately many rogue ideas have turned sour and extreme violations of the law certainly occurred.

Leadership

Domestic criminal justice systems no doubt take their leadership cues from the higher levels of government and society. As the national collective went to war soon after the 9/11 attacks, the criminal justice system followed suit, and began their own campaign to help make this country a safer place through their efforts. In many ways, the War on Terror has been a massive failure and the conduct of operations has been less than stellar if not a violation of many international crimes themselves.

Domestic terror interrogations that occurred after 9/11 were affected by the U.S. Governments practice of extreme…

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References

Millar, S. (2008). Extraordinary Rendition, Extraordinary Mistake. Common Dreams, 30 Aug 2008. Retrieved from https://www.commondreams.org/view/2008/08/30-5
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