Critical Releases in Homeland Security: March 4, 2015

From the thesis abstract: "Since 9/11, many local police agencies have been chipping away at important community policing programs in order to meet new homeland security responsibilities. With this in mind, the current study set out to answer the question: Do newly acquired homeland security responsibilities require police agencies to reduce or eliminate community policing programs, or can homeland security mandates be effectively integrated into an agency's already established community policing philosophy? In order to answer this question, the study looked at 720 municipal law enforcement agencies from all 50 states that responded to a variety of community policing and homeland security questions in both 2000 and 2007 Bureau of Justice Statistics Law Enforcement Management and Administrative Statistics surveys. These agencies incorporate most major U.S. police departments as well as a representative sample of smaller agencies. The study provides strong evidence that since 9/11, police agencies have significantly reduced the attention given to community policing, while at the same time substantially increasing their focus on homeland security. The study also strongly suggests that police agencies that instead integrate community policing and homeland security not only excel in counterterrorism preparedness, but they also enjoy lower crime rates. This supports the idea that community-oriented counterterrorism is a viable policing strategy and should be implemented as a preferred organizational practice."

From the thesis abstract: "The groupthink psychological phenomenon prevalent in the homeland security enterprise is a significant threat to the United States. Homeland security is vulnerable to groupthink because its leaders frequently share similar backgrounds, work histories, and world-views. This similarity minimizes the chance of outside perspectives being introduced to the decision-making process, which insulates leadership from external ideas. This research project asks, 'Has groupthink influenced the homeland security enterprise and if so, what are the implications of this phenomenon?' It examines case studies of decisions made by government in-groups to determine if the antecedent conditions and symptoms of groupthink are present and if the resulting fiascos are caused by groupthink. Furthermore, it analyzes Irvin Janis's original remedies, which have successfully alleviated groupthink in the past, and it offers recommendations to mitigate this phenomenon. Leaders who wish to alleviate groupthink should promote a culture in which employees are encouraged to play the role of devil's advocate by offering alternatives to organizational decisions and commonly held assumptions. Homeland security can reduce groupthink by employing Janis's remedies and encouraging critical thinking, innovation, and imagination to bolster the national security of the United States."

From the thesis abstract: "Prisons have long been recognized as an environment ripe for radicalization. In some cases, individuals radicalized while in prison have later committed acts of terrorism. While many countries employ deradicalization programs in their prisons, the United States relies on the timely reporting of terrorism-related intelligence from prison officials, in hopes of disrupting the terroristic acts. In 2011, California Governor Jerry Brown enacted a law that prospectively directed thousands of convicted persons to county jails instead of state prison. Inmates can now spend decades in the county jails, where the possibility of traditional prison radicalization may now occur. Evidence indicates that many jails are not prepared to identify and report this activity. Jails typically have no programs or measures in place to counter radicalization. This thesis examines the programs in the federal Bureau of Prisons, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, and the Los Angeles County jail system. Data from these entities was collected and examined for 'smart practices' that could be employed in county jails. Recommendations are made that will assist county jail personnel with developing a program to ensure the timely, accurate, and lawful reporting of radicalization efforts that may take place in their facilities."

From the executive summary: "New technologies in cars have enabled valuable features that have the potential to improve driver safety and vehicle performance. Along with these benefits, vehicles are becoming more connected through electronic systems like navigation, infotainment, and safety monitoring tools. The proliferation of these technologies raises concerns about the ability of hackers to gain access and control to the essential functions and features of those cars and for others to utilize information on drivers' habits for commercial purposes without the drivers' knowledge or consent. To ensure that these new technologies are not endangering or encroaching on the privacy of Americans on the road, Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) sent letters to the major automobile manufacturers to learn how prevalent these technologies are, what is being done to secure them against hacking attacks, and how personal driving information is managed. This report discusses the responses to this letter from 16 major automobile manufacturers[.]"