The underlying issue probably requires a reformulation of the Constitution to resolve.
The problem is that the police can investigate anyone for any reason. Arresting them is harder, but not that hard. You have no redress for this; investigations and arrests that don't lead to a conviction (or indictment) can waste an infinite amount of your time. The Constitutional protections (however weak these days) only prevent you from being punished without a trial. If no charges are filed, you can effectively be punished without the Constitution mattering.
I'm not sure what the solution is -- I'm not a lawyer or political scientist or whatever -- but something seems not right.
(I've been investigated before; it really wasn't as bad as people say. I thought the agents were extremely competent and professional, which is not quite what you hear from the average Reddit commenter. Some things need to be looked at in detail before being dropped on the floor; asking the person suspected can be a good way to decide whether or not to continue the investigation.
I think I've posted the details to HN before, but I'm not sure how to filter that out from my many other comments :)
More transparency and punishment for abuse of power would go a long way.
Law enforcement releasing details about investigation statistics would do much more good for the country than keeping it secret in effort to prevent criminals from learning how to avoid law enforcement.
The problem is that the police can investigate anyone for any reason. Arresting them is harder, but not that hard. You have no redress for this; investigations and arrests that don't lead to a conviction (or indictment) can waste an infinite amount of your time. The Constitutional protections (however weak these days) only prevent you from being punished without a trial. If no charges are filed, you can effectively be punished without the Constitution mattering.
I'm not sure what the solution is -- I'm not a lawyer or political scientist or whatever -- but something seems not right.
(I've been investigated before; it really wasn't as bad as people say. I thought the agents were extremely competent and professional, which is not quite what you hear from the average Reddit commenter. Some things need to be looked at in detail before being dropped on the floor; asking the person suspected can be a good way to decide whether or not to continue the investigation.
I think I've posted the details to HN before, but I'm not sure how to filter that out from my many other comments :)