The authors of this report' conclude that police surveillance and record keeping for political reasons exist on a vast scale. Local, state and federal agencies, joined by private and quasi-private groups, coordinate their surveillance and share information, misinformation, and opinions. This "intelligence" activity remains largely uncontrolled, and poses a grave threat to constitutional rights of freedom of expression, due process, and privacy. Police surveillance and dossier-keeping have had a serious impact upon the poor, upon Blacks, Hispanic people, and other ethnic and cultural minorities. Surveillance indeed has been used to inhibit or stifle lawful attempts to seek redress for grievances or to effect social change.
NARMIC