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Newsbrief:
Wiretaps
Up,
Drug
Investigations
Behind
Most,
Feds
Report
6/7/02
State and federal wiretapping
increased 25% last year, with nearly four out of five approved wiretaps
being used in drug trafficking investigations, the Administrative Office
of the United States Courts reported on May 23. The office publishes
the annual Wiretap Report, outlining the number and nature of state and
federal wiretap applications, as required by federal law.
According to the report,
state and federal law enforcement agencies applied for 1,491 wiretaps last
year. All were granted, adding fuel to the notion that judicial review
of wiretap applications is little more than a rubber stamp. Since
1991, when the office began keeping records, only three applications out
of 12,661 have been turned down by judges.
"Drug-related crimes" accounted
for 78% of all wiretaps, far above any other criminal category. Homicide
and assault accounted for 3.5% of wiretaps, racketeering for 4.7%, and
gambling for 5.5%.
Lest potential criminals
rest too easy thinking that the number is relatively small, the office
of the courts noted that the figure does not include two other categories
of wiretaps. Wiretaps related to foreign intelligence and counterterrorism
investigations, which are conducted under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance
Act (FISA), are not included. Neither are wiretaps where one of the
parties consents to being recorded. That is commonly the case when
an undercover officer or an informant is participating in the conversation.
-- END --
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Issue #240, 6/7/02
Editorial: Time for Action | Feds Move to Seize LA Cannabis Resource Center, Hunger Strike Underway | Medical Marijuana Supporters Turn to Civil Disobedience, Direct Action | Rave Regulation Bill Passes California Assembly on Unanimous Vote, Heads for Senate | Cops Jockey for More Drug War Funds in Wake of FBI Revamp | Hot Topic: Adolescent Drug Treatment Abuse Conference Begins in St. Petersburg Tomorrow | Newsbrief: Wiretaps Up, Drug Investigations Behind Most, Feds Report | Newsbrief: New Mexico Governor Commutes Sentence of Raped Prisoner | Newsbrief: Fort Worth Police Chief Dares to Cut DARE | Newsbrief: Afghan Opium Harvest Estimated at 3,000 Tons | Newsbrief: Buds in Bhutan | Media Scan: Arianna Huffington | Grant Program: Tides Foundation RFPs for Latin America, Prop. 36 Implementation and Overdose Prevention | New DRCNet/StopTheDrugWar.org Merchandise Out -- Discounted Purchase Available | The Reformer's Calendar
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