The Patriot Act

School Library Journal

Gr 7 Up-The introduction focuses on the question posed by free-speech advocates and the government regarding the Patriot Act: how do we balance security and liberty? The first chapter discusses how the act was negotiated and how it became law. Money laundering and computer crime, and border protection and victims' funds are highlighted as the most important provisions of the act. Following chapters raise issues related to government wiretapping, Internet surveillance, and secret searches, and discuss "snooping through library records," government limitations on rights of immigrants, and detention of noncitizens. "The Changing Role of the FBI" defines enhanced efforts to counter terrorism since 9/11, and "The Ongoing Debate" discusses the renewal of the act and the concerns of civil-liberties activists. The organization of the text is logical, with bulleted subtopics and occasional boxed information. The material is clear and unbiased. Black-and-white captioned photos are dull, but do not distract from the text. A good book for students who need a concise overview of this complicated act and its impact on American citizens.-Pat Scales, South Carolina Governor's School for the Arts and Humanities, Greenville Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.