ABSTRACT
After reading this chapter students should understand and be able to discuss:
The reorganization of federal criminal justice after the 9/11 attacks
The recent decline in death sentences and the growing disenchantment with capital punishment in America
The impact of 9/11 on American civil liberties and the criminal justice system
The increase in automatic weapons on the street and a surge in police officers killed in the line of duty by these weapons
The reordering of the FBI’s priorities since the so-called war on terrorism began
Court challenges to lethal injection as a cruel and unusual punishment
The prominence of white-collar crime in the new century
Reasons why compassionate release programs are gaining more support
The surprising continuity between the Bush and Obama presidencies in regards to the war on terror
The debate over the legality of medical marijuana
Why high profile crimes such as 9/11 often lead to the passage of “bad laws”
On 9/11, 2001, the United States and the world changed. No part of America’s social, economic, and legal fabric faced more challenges than its criminal justice system. O n 9/11, 2001, a concerted attack on America by 19 Arab airplane hijackers on 4 planes left almost 3,000 dead. 1 It was the second-bloodiest day in American history (next to the Civil War battle of Antietam 479in 1862). In the aftermath of the attacks, the criminal justice system faced reorganization and challenges unparalleled in its 200-plus-year history. Then Attorney General John Ashcroft said that he expected the Justice Department and federal law enforcement to undergo a “wartime reorganization” to prevent future terrorist attacks. Ashcroft recommended shifting many law enforcement responsibilities from the FBI to state and local authorities. In effect, local law enforcement was expected to be ready to act as first responders to future terrorist attacks, while the FBI was expected to make the dramatic and historic conversion from apprehending bank robbers and drug dealers to placing more emphasis on anti-terrorism efforts.