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You Be the Judge
Civics/Government
Benchmark 2, Indicator 2
Describes how citizens' responsibilities
require subordination of their personal rights and interests
for the public good (e.g., justice, fairness, equity).
Benchmark 2, Indicator 3
Knows core civic values inherent in the
founding documents have been the focus for unity in American
society (i.e., free speech, religion, press, assembly, and
other basic civil rights).
Benchmark 2, Indicator 4
Explains the importance of share political
and civic values and beliefs to the maintenance of a government
by constitution in a divers American society (i.e., freedoms
and responsibilities within the Bill of Rights, civil rights
amendments and other documents related to our government by
constitution).
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Our Constitution guarantees us "due process"
of law in the 14th amendment and protects our invasion of privacy from
unnecessary searches by our government. However, these rights are not
absolute. In order to find and prosecute criminals who threaten public
safety and our general welfare, the police must be allowed to invade our
privacy in certain circumstances. When and how this invasion of privacy
can be done is the source of constant debate and a few cases go all the
way to the Supreme Court because they serve as tests for this balance.
The court must then weigh the importance of our rights to due process
and an assumption of basic privacy with the ability for police to conduct
investigations and also protect themselves from potential danger.
The following cases ask you to decide two things. First,
tell us if you think the police acted within the Constitution - if so,
click 'YES'. Second, tell us if you think the action by the police should
be protected in the Constitution (in your opinion). Again, the first box
is what you think the Supreme Court would say, the second box is for what
you would say. Once you have clicked all the buttons next to what you
would say, click the submit button to see the results of the survey so
far!
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