Criminal Justice: Homeland Security Methodology, Essay Example

The purpose of this study is to present information that can help answer specific questions regarding the effectiveness or thesuccess of Homeland Security policies.  The underlying costs of policy implementation and also how well these implementations have affected the overall security of the United States should be examined.  For this reason, the variables of increasing costs of security measures and their ability to diminish the threat level can help to determine whether these programs provide the risk prevention necessary to legitimize further funding.  By analyzing both the costs and the results of policy implementation a more effective strategy for the establishment of Homeland Security policies can be created.

In order to examine these variables, a meta-analysis will be used that can help to focus the research in an efficient manner.  By reviewing various studies that are related to the subject of Homeland Security and the implementation of its policies a more coherent argument can be made through the analysis and discussion of quantifiable data that has been gathered from these studies.  This will be achieved by establishing a data set that can be analyzed in regards to the effectiveness of these strategies.  In outlining the problem and providing specific information to support it a well-developed framework for approaching the issue can be established.

In order to obtain literature on whether or not there have been improvementsin Homeland Security since 9/11 a search for research related to various counterterrorism (CT) based programs was conducted through online databases, such as google.  The search was focused on the intentions of strategies that were implementing CT based programs within the United States.  Furthermore, information related to understanding the capacity of local law enforcement agencies to implement CT based policieswas also accounted for.  In searching for information, the primary sources that were regarded were journals from academic databases.  Furthermore, the outcome of these implementations was associated with the variables of cost and preventionwithin the articles that were analyzed.  Another important factor that was analyzed within this research was whether there was an increased capacity of these agencies to use funding resources to implement their goals provided by the implementation of these programs.In analyzing the information, I attempted to establish whether there was a direct correlation between increased funding and the ability of local departments to implement effective CT strategies.

In researching the question of whether or not Homeland Security efforts have improved since 9/11 three importantvariables that effect whetherthese policies and their implementations were considered.  The research focuses on the question of whether these three basic areas that have been effectively promoted in applying CT policies in local law enforcement agencies.  These variables include training of local law enforcement agencies, availability of funds through grants and funding, and the ability to communicate are all essential elements to the implementation of effective CT practices.The research questions whether the implementation of these priorities at the various levels government has helped to provide the capabilities necessary for them to combat terrorist threats.  The question of whether major strategic challenges faced by the government, Department of Homeland Security, and other Federal agencies post 9/11when allocating resources to the various levels of government and providing them with the ability to secure the necessary funds was also established.

Inclusion of information for research will be associated with relevance that the collected data has to question at hand.  The criteria for research being included, therefore, specifically dependent upon the relevance that the information has to the question of homeland security.  The levels of success before and after increased funding can help to provide a basis for understanding the outcome of these policies.  Furthermore, analysis of the funds that were allocated, and for what purposes, can help to establish a more relevant understanding of the actual use of these extra sources of funding.  Finally, sources that indicate the success of interdepartmental programs should be included as well.  This can help to determine the underlying success of the programs.

The implementation of security policies is an important focus of this research.  Methods that are used, including the gathering of intelligence, the ability to follow through with threats, the ability to reduce those threats, the protection of locales, education of the public, and the ability to respond to emergency situations are important variables and the concern that they present for local law enforcement should, therefore, be analyzed.  Furthermore, analysis of the capacity for the funding that has been provided to help these local agencies carry out their intended CT strategies can help to provide insight into their effectiveness.By doing so, a better understanding of the annual cost of CT programs can be used in order to determine the effectiveness of these strategies.

The question of how failures in the implementation of these strategies should, furthermore, be understood in regards to how this failure can be attributed to the complexity of local agencies.  This is due to the impact that funding, and the costs of these implementations has the potential to increase.  This would be evident in the rising cost of programs despite the ineffectiveness of their implementation.  This is important to consider in the case of a steadily increasing budget for CT efforts despite a lack of evidence for their effectiveness.

The research examines the costs of implementing these programs against the overall capacity of local agencies to deter threats.  Whether this information will indicate a need to prioritize efficiency in the way that funding is allocated is, therefore, an important consideration.Whether or not the implementation of these programs has the ability to increase the capacity of local agencies to provide deterrence and respond to threats in addition to mitigating the costs is an important question in regards to this research.  Through careful analysis of the various costs and associated risks that are represented in the research, a better idea of the capacity of CT efforts and the effectiveness of these strategies present important insight into the capabilities of CT programs and can help to determine whether they are an efficient and effective means of combating terrorist threats within the United States.

References

Dancs, S. (2011). Homeland Security Spending since 9/11. Brown, 1-9.

Davis, L.M., Pollard, M., Ward, K., Wilson, J.M., Varda, D.M., Hansell, L., Steinberg, P. (2010). Long-Term Effects of Law Enforcement’s Post-9/11 Focus on Counterterrorism and Homeland Security. Safety and Justice, 1-177.

Marion, N., Cronin, K. (2009). Law Enforcement Responses to Homeland Security Initiatives. The Southwest Journal of Criminal Justice, 6(1) 4-24.

Waxman, M.C. (2009). Police and National Security: American Local Law Enforcement and Counterterrorism After 9/11. Journal of National Security Law & Policy, 3(377), 377-407.