Seeing it from outside the American judicial system looks really scary.
Maybe I'm making a generality of a few fringe cases but since 9/11, and the rise of TSA and several horror stories of Police abuse I abandoned my project to one day visit this great country.
Exactly how I feel. I've come to see the U.S. as one of those unsavoury places which is best to avoid. I rather pay extra on my flight tickets than get better deals with transit flights in the U.S. It's sad really.
Bill Clinton once said "There is nothing wrong with America that cannot be cured by what is right with America", and at the time I agreed with that. It has been a while since I do not believe this anymore.
As someone that hasn't visited the U.S. yet, I think there are risks, but not as bad as to prevent me from visiting.
I believe the likelihood of having a serious run-in with the law in the U.S. as similar to having an accident when doing an "extreme" sport - you have to be aware of the possibility when doing it and accept them, but they're not so bad.
The most likely scenario, from what people who visited experienced: you will be treated a bit roughly at customs/inmigration (fingerprints, questioning your motives) and then you'll be free to have a nice time.
Do your homework and have your visa and papers and travel schedule and hotels in advance, and you'll be fine. It's still one of the least friendly countries to enter (and that's validated by people I know that have visited 100+ countries, I've visited 50+ myself), but I think it's worth it and I'll visit someday.
I had exactly the same thoughs today earlier, before seeing this article. "horror stories" was exactly the words in my mind. To be a prosecutor in the US is a political career, and they go nuclear to sentence the highest number of people they can, with the maximum charges they can, doesn't matter the situation, all out war, to get some press. to make things even better, the jail sistem is private, to build and run jails is a business. There was a guy who the cop befriended and pretended to be his good friend for 2 years, just to convince him to bet some money on football, then the cop sent the SWAT to arrest him for betting , and the Swat guys killed the man in his house. It was on HN i think. Being a third world foreigner and not so white as I am, It becomes easier to abandon the dream of ever stepping the foot on the country. Is a Pity, I really would like to see the girls in the California beaches and Las vegas.
Maybe I'm making a generality of a few fringe cases but since 9/11, and the rise of TSA and several horror stories of Police abuse I abandoned my project to one day visit this great country.