re: #6 Charles Johnson

One thing that would make me more comfortable with the use of the data would be if these anti terror tools remained strictly anti terror tools.

An oft quoted stat is that anti terror (as of a year or so ago) was about 15% of usage. 85% for other kinds of crimes. The FBI has been seen as abusing even the expanded powers, just ask the ACLU.

There have been plenty of Inspector General reports published about the act. Some point to government abuse of it, and others highlight that the Patriot Act is often invoked for reasons unrelated to terrorism.

One report shows that of the 143,000 national security letters issued between 2003-2005, the FBI said it referred 53 cases for prosecution. (.pdf) None were for terrorism.

The law also grants so-called “black bag” or “sneak and peek” searches in which the authorities may delay notifying a property owner that an area has been searched. In 2010, less than 1 percent of the 3,970 such searches were terror-related. About 76 percent were drug-related.

wired.com

Mission creep or quick jog?