Louis J. Freeh Ed Rubenstein

In the following excerpt from his testimony before a Senate Appropriations Subcommittee, Louis J. Freeh argues that government support of the FBI’s “Innocent Images” program in which undercover agents pose as children or sexual predators has enabled law enforcement to successfully target online sexual predators. However, Freeh maintains, to effectively pursue those who exploit children on the Internet, law enforcement must be allowed to access encrypted communications and obtain Internet subscriber identities. Moreover, he claims, a nationwide database of DNA profiles and a national sex offender registry are necessary to quickly identify suspects. At the time of his testimony, Freeh was director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. He retired in May 2001.

As you read, consider the following questions...