This work investigates the extent and implications of domestic police surveillance practices within the United States during the mid-20th century. The authors, including journalists Paul Cowan, Nat Hentoff, and Nick Egleson, synthesize investigative reporting and legal analysis to document how government agencies monitored political activists and private citizens. They argue that these surveillance activities fundamentally challenged constitutional protections and the right to privacy.

Experts recognize this text as a significant historical document regarding the evolution of American police surveillance. Readers frequently note the dense, investigative nature of the prose, which serves as a primary source for understanding the political climate of the period.