Government

Supporters claim it's been instrumental for security investigations and terrorist arrests, while critics counter that it gives the government too much power and undermines democracy. Let's take a look at what the Patriot Act is, what people say about it, and whether it's really working.

By Ed Grabianowski

E-mail is now protected from secret government searches thanks to a recent U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruling. Read about this landmark e-mail privacy ruling.

By Jacob Silverman

A virtual border fence uses a complex network of cameras and radar to detect illegal border crossers. Find out how a virtual border fence system works.

By Jacob Silverman

The U.S. Marshals Service is the oldest law enforcement agency in the nation. Learn about famous U.S. Marshals and the duties and history of U.S. Marshals.

By Ed Grabianowski

Spies have shaped foreign policy, altered the course of wars and left a deep (though usually hidden) impression on world history. It's a tense and often deadly job.

By Ed Grabianowski

Would you be more willing to vote if you could sidestep the nuisances of finding the correct polling location and standing in line for hours increase voter participation? E-voting could make it possible.

By Kevin Bonsor & Jonathan Strickland

When the FBI announced two years ago that it no was longer using its Carnivore Internet surveillance software, it seemed like a victory. Find out why the techniques employed in the new ISP-based surveillance approach may be even more evasive.

By Julia Layton

A U.S. soldier is about to deploy to Iraq for his third tour of duty. While he's gone, his wife may be deported to Guatemala while his son is left in limbo. What's behind immigration laws?

By Jacob Silverman

The Darfur region of Sudan has been in a state of crisis since 2003. Whether what's going on in the African province qualifies as genocide is a point of international debate.

By Julia Layton

Babies are born when they want to be, even on airplanes midflight over the ocean. When birth happens 30,000 feet in the air, citizenship - among other things - gets a little tricky.

By Kristen Hall-Geisler

Instead of "Democrat or Republican," the more pressing question has become "accurate count or complete debacle?" With e-voting, the entire setup is electronic, not just the actual casting of the vote.

By Julia Layton

Experts say the U.S. government is designed so a coup d'état would be highly unlikely ever to occur. But deep political polarization can precipitate one, so does that mean a coup is marginally more possible?

By Joanna Thompson

The FBI's Top Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list has been an unqualified success since its inception in the 1950s. Learn how they choose its members.

By Julia Layton

In an interview, New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin reportedly answered a question about flooded vehicles with the statement, "You guys in New York can't get a hole in the ground fixed, and it's five years later. So let's be fair." Learn why, or whether, the WTC memorial project is behind schedule.

The idea behind 9-1-1 is pretty simple: Give people a single, easy-to-remember number to call to receive help during any life-threatening situation. Learn how 9-1-1 got started and how it works.

By Julia Layton

Despite plenty of Hollywood films about the CIA and its spies, many people still don't know what the agency actually does. In this article, we'll take a look at the history of the CIA and the scandals that have rocked it through the decades.

By Caroline Wilbert

Find out what the FBI does, how it started, and what it takes to become an FBI agent. We'll also take a look at some of the tools and techniques used by the FBI and learn about J. Edgar Hoover.

By Ed Grabianowski

To a typical kid, the only thing cooler than a firetruck is a person who rides in one. Take a closer look at what it takes to become a municipal firefighter and examine different elements of their training.

By Cameron Lawrence

The ACLU has worked to defend fundamental rights such as freedom of speech, freedom of religion and the right to privacy for 80 years, but not without controversy. Read about fascinating facts and history-changing decisions the ACLU has been party to.

By Ed Grabianowski

Although much of FEMA's recent press has been negative, for more than 20 years the agency has been a powerful force in helping Americans prepare for, deal with and recover from some of the worst disasters in history. What type of aid does FEMA provide?

By Ed Grabianowski

The foster care system is a relatively recent solution to the problem of parents being unable to care for their children. Separate and very different from adoption, foster care is usually meant to be a temporary situation. Find out how the system works and how people become foster parents.

By Tom Harris

In an election year, political conventions take over the U.S. media, with political-party platforms and propaganda. But what real purpose do the conventions serve? And have they outlived their usefulness?

By Ed Grabianowski & Kathryn Whitbourne

Just about every U.S. president of the past 80 years has released his memoirs. But they don't all take the same format. We'll look at the variations and why -- apart from historical record -- former presidents feel compelled to put pen to paper.

By Katherine Neer

The FCC is the government group that reacted to Janet Jackson's Super Bowl exposure and to indecency violations by Bubba the Love Sponge. Learn about the FCC's obscenity criteria.

By Robert Valdes

A caucus, like a primary, is held to determine the party's nomination for president. Those candidates face their first big test during the Iowa caucuses. Why is it such an unusual piece of the election process?