Advanced search Help
Searching for terms: EXACT: "CHDS Outstanding Thesis Award Winners and Nominees" in: series
Clear all search criteria
Only 2/3! You are seeing results from the Public Collection, not the complete Full Collection. Sign in to search everything (see eligibility).
-
What's In a Name: A Comparative Analysis of the United States' REAL ID Act and The United Kingdom's National Identity Scheme
From the thesis abstract: "Since September 11, 2001, many governments have considered developing national identity management systems. Beyond identification, politicians and proponents of these systems have touted such system benefits as combating terrorism, preventing identity theft, facilitating travel, and combating illegal work and benefit fraud. For these reasons, the United States and United Kingdom both considered variations of these systems. While the United Kingdom passed the Identity Cards Act of 2006 and spent several years developing a national identity management system before ultimately scrapping the scheme in 2010, the United States sought to secure further the existing means of identification--driver's licenses and identity cards--through the passage of the REAL ID Act. Both measures met with widespread resistance. What does an examination of resistance to nationwide identity management schemes in the United States and United Kingdom reveal about the nature of national identity management systems and identity cards, and what does this resistance tell policymakers and security officials who promote such schemes? Through a comparative analysis of the REAL ID Act implementation and the National Identity Scheme, this thesis shows that Anglophone, common-law nations experience the same inhibiting factors, whether or not they attempt to implement a national identity management system or an identity card on a national scale."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.); Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security
Jefferson, Karrie Ann
2015-12
-
Quantifying a Negative: How Homeland Security Adds Value
From the thesis abstract: "Currently, fire department performance is measured in terms of tangible loss reduction, meaning lower dollar losses of tangible structures and contents equate with greater performance. This metric is flawed because it ignores the unmeasured performance of a fire department that saves nearby at-risk properties and businesses. Therefore, this thesis proposes a new metric: the saved ratio metric. It includes damages and business losses that may have occurred but did not, thanks to the suppression actions of an effective fire department. The saved ratio is defined as the ratio of the value that was saved at an incident versus the value of what was at risk. The total value of what was saved is defined as the total amount of what was at risk minus the total amount of what was lost, and total at risk is quantified using a new network model of at-risk property. Adjacent at-risk property is cast into a network model whereby structures are nodes and adjacency or direct contact is represented by links. Three major conclusions can be drawn from this study. First, the methodology of the real estate and economic industries can be used to quantify tangible and intangible value for structure fires. Second, network theory can be used to map the potential spread of a fire, allowing the user to identify which structures were saved or lost. Third, it is possible to estimate the return on investment added to the community from a fire suppression response model."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.); Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security
Saylors, Eric
2015-12
-
Department of Homeland Security's Pursuit of Data-Driven Decision Making
From the thesis abstract: "Lack of management integration is hindering the Department of Homeland Security's ability to conduct oversight and perform accurate assessments of its mission support functions. The DHS Under Secretary of Management and the Department's Management Directorate have been tasked with creating a 'unity of effort' aimed at integrating the department's management functions via technology strategies that capture data and use it to make informed decisions. This thesis explores these strategies as the Department makes strides towards removing itself from the GAO's [Government Accountability Office] classification of DHS as high-risk--a categorization due in part to DHS's inability to integrate the disparate management information systems in existence during its creation in 2001. The author conducted interviews with past and present senior executives in an effort to comprehensively explore the various strategies used to accomplish the goal of implementing true data-driven decision-making. The result is identification of impediments and facilitators associated with the ability to drive enterprise-wide change. These findings are then applied against a change management analytical framework, Leavitt's Diamond. Recognizing that change cannot happen in a vacuum, the findings are analyzed across the dimensions of Leavitt's Diamond to determine which strategies are most consistently aligned. Ultimately, the results of this thesis are considerations for how the Management Directorate can position and mature its technology strategies in accordance with other organizational dynamics."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.); Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security
King, Robert C., III
2015-12
-
Team Communication: The Social Identity Approach to Collaboration
From the thesis abstract: "This research applies the social identity approach to organizations and the public sector leaders who are instrumental in building the collaborative capacity of their respective groups. Collaboration at all levels of government and with the agencies within those levels of government has been elusive. Traditional studies on collaborative public management have focused on the need for collaboration and failures that occur without collaboration. Past studies in leadership communication have largely ignored the role of social identity in individual behavior. This research blends the social identity approach, collaborative public management, and leadership communication in order to alleviate these issues. The analysis of this research proposes that the social identity approach to organizational behavior gives insight into individual member behavior and thus the behavior of groups and the organization itself. Communication techniques are filtered through the social identity approach in order to identify those techniques that have the greatest chance of creating an identity that is more open to collaboration."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.); Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security
Sedam, Michael W.
2015-12
-
Implementation of Policies to Bridge the Gap Between Police Officer Line of Duty Deaths and Agency Resiliency
From the thesis abstract: "Law enforcement agencies in the United States experience line of duty deaths on a regular basis, but unfortunately too many agencies do not have a line of duty death policy. This thesis focuses on locating agencies with viable and effective line of duty death policies to assist other agencies in policy implementation. The research found agencies with proactive policies to help guide leadership and subordinate personnel through the many aspects of such tragic events. For comparative analysis, five law enforcement agencies and three fire departments with varying degrees of line of duty death experience were selected. This research examined formal and informal, as well as written and unwritten, line of duty death policies in use by law enforcement agencies and fire departments across the United States and identified viable examples of policies and procedures. This thesis recommends that the St. Petersburg Police Department and other law enforcement agencies without a line of duty death policy take steps to create and implement a policy to enhance resiliency, readiness, and effectiveness."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.); Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security
Hubbard, Patrice Nicole
2015-12
-
Texas Should Adopt Homeland Security Standards for High-Speed Rail
From the thesis abstract: "A private corporation is proposing a high-speed intercity passenger train system to operate between Dallas and Houston using Japanese technology and methods. This project brings with it an array of unique and unprecedented homeland security issues. Train bombings in Madrid and London and attacks on high-speed trains elsewhere raise questions about the security of such transportation. A modern high-speed rail system is a network of potential vulnerabilities, and terrorist groups have identified public transportation as desirable targets. Should the State of Texas require homeland security standards for high-speed rail? A review of the literature reveals the number and consequences of terrorist actions against passenger rail in general and intercity high-speed trains in particular. In addition, it suggests that this writing is the first in its specific application. This thesis places the project in historical and geographical context and reviews potential vulnerabilities using a framework developed by the Argonne National Laboratory. Furthermore, it includes a fault tree analysis and an options analysis through which possible approaches are identified and analyzed. Finally, this thesis finds that the State of Texas should require homeland security standards and provides recommendations for action in the areas of law enforcement, cybersecurity, intelligence, privacy, screening, psychological and mental health effects, and community involvement."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.); Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security
Polunsky, Steven M.
2015-12
-
Killing Barney Fife: Law Enforcement's Socially Constructed Perception of Violence and Its Influence on Police Militarization
From the thesis abstract: "Police militarization is a complex subject with significant homeland security implications. Efforts to implement militarization reform without a clear understanding of the issue could negatively impact law enforcement's ability to respond to emerging threats from terrorism, homegrown violent extremism, and armed criminals. Conversely, unfettered militarization of domestic policing could result in abuse of authority and loss of public confidence. This thesis proposes a nuanced definition of police militarization based on existing literature. The research then examines the correlation between violence and police militarization. A statistical analysis of crime data found an inverse relationship between levels of reported violence and militarization. However, the research discovered a strong nexus between perceptions of violence by the police and efforts to militarize. Social identity theory was used to explain why isolated acts of violence against police officers are perceived as attacks on the law enforcement community and lead to deep social divisions between the police and the public. This socially constructed reality of violence, which is reinforced by the media and training, has a powerful effect on police attitudes and behavior. The conclusion is that police militarization has been influenced by violence, and appropriate levels of militarized capabilities are needed to protect both the police and the public."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.); Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security
Hanley, Matthew D.
2015-09
-
Learning to See the Opportunities in Crisis and Catastrophe: A Decision Maker's Guide to the Issue-Attention Cycle
From the thesis abstract: "Emerging problems often surprise lawmakers and agency officials and result in rapid, reactive governance. The political attention an issue receives may or may not be sufficient to resolve the emergent problem and in many cases may be an over-reactive auto-response dictated by public opinion and issue salience. This thesis examines the emergence of congressional post-crisis attention and uses statistical analysis to demonstrate the primary characteristics that influence the emergence of attention pertaining to a crisis. Furthermore, this thesis has established a repeatable model whereby an emerging crisis can be evaluated by its characteristics to predict the likely reaction of government. This thesis uses quantitative methods to simplify the complexity posed by future crises in an effort to avoid sporadic governance. Recognition of the potential for reactiveness in decision making may be the key step to creating a culture of controlled, proactive agenda setting. The merits of this research transcend the organizational or political future of a single entity or specific stakeholder. Ideally, this work will provide an alternate method to observe and study the dynamics of emerging crises and episodic attention, providing an opportunity to analyze, comprehend, and then react differently."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.); Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security
Kimrey, Christopher M.
2015-09
-
Risk Unbound: Threat, Catastrophe and the End of Homeland Security
From the thesis abstract: "Threat and catastrophe highlight the impossibility of providing perfect security, and demonstrate the limitations of risk-based security practices. This thesis presents an argument in three parts. First, the dangers homeland security agencies confront are increasingly beyond the reach of measures for control. The character of security risks is complex and volatile, while worst-case possibilities--not merely probable accidents and disasters--are particularly relevant to domestic security agencies and organizations. Second, the security response to such unbounded risks has been the creation of unconscionable maps--tools and concepts that presume a greater degree of knowledge, uniformity, and control than is available. Finally, there is a body of knowledge and capability better suited to security uncertainties, and homeland security agencies must find ways to cultivate these capacities. Contrary to current security practices, national adaptability is more desirable than perfect knowledge, control of crisis, or national uniformity."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.); Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security
Anderson, Jacob S.
2015-09
-
Additive Manufacturing: Preparing for the Reality of Science Fiction
From the thesis abstract: "Historically, policymakers have had difficulty addressing issues raised by emerging technologies. Whether it is inadequate legislation due to a general lack of awareness, or overregulation from a perceived threat, emerging technologies seem to repeatedly confuse those responsible for ensuring their safe incorporation into society. Despite decades of experience with similar issues, this trend continues to this day. What lessons can be drawn from different approaches to policy development for other emerging technologies to help policymakers avoid these failures for additive manufacturing technologies? A structured focus comparison of three emerging technologies, unmanned aerial systems, autonomous vehicles, and additive manufacturing, revealed characteristics of emerging technologies--such as a low price point for market entry and rapid evolution--that tend to surprise policymakers. This thesis recommends organizations make a concerted effort to engage early and often in the policy development process, and that they carefully consider each stakeholder's level of involvement. It is also recommended that the Department of Homeland Security leverage existing mechanisms, such as the Centers of Excellence partnerships and the Strategic Foresight Initiative, to engage nontraditional partners in addressing issues raised by additive manufacturing technologies"
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.); Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security
Windle, William A.
2015-09
-
Role of North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) in Military Cyber Attack Warning
From the thesis abstract: "For more than fifty years, North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) has been responsible for conducting aerospace warning and control missions for the defense of North America. In accomplishing those operations, Commander NORAD is responsible for making the official warning to both the president of the United States and the prime minister of Canada if North America is suddenly under aerospace attack. Now, with the dramatic increase in worldwide cyberspace events, NORAD has begun examining its own potential role within this new domain. Would involving NORAD in the military cyber attack warning process, leveraging its unique and proven binational structure, provide any advantages to both nations? To analyze this question, this thesis briefly traces NORAD's warning mission history, discusses the basic concepts involved with cyber attacks, identifies key U.S. and Canadian military cyber organizations, and examines significant U.S. and Canadian cyberspace government policies. It then proposes three potential new courses of action for NORAD, identifying advantages, disadvantages, and proposed solutions to implementation. The thesis ends by recommending NORAD advocate for unrestricted cyberspace national event conference participation. This would be a realistic, achievable first step offering significant improvement in both NORAD's cyber attack situational awareness, as well as improving overall operational responsiveness."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.); Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security
DeGering, Randall R.
2015-09
-
How Critical is Critical Infrastructure
From the thesis abstract: "The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) holds the statutory mission to protect the nation's critical infrastructure, which is the systems and assets that are nationally significant, and whose losses would result in debilitating consequences to the safety and security of the United States. Based on a meta-analysis of government policies, the current critical infrastructure protection (IP) efforts may be misdirected even though it is the cornerstone mission of the department to prevent terrorism and enhance security. It is likely that the facilities DHS works to protect from terrorism are not the most likely targets for attacks. The manner in which facilities are designated as critical infrastructure may have stemmed from shared experience of many in senior leadership as military strategists rather than from identifying the targets of extremists. Even when a facility is destroyed, the consequences may be more complex than the mission of protecting a single facility against all threats and hazards. These findings can justify reducing the scope of the current IP mission and refining the focus through a risk-based methodology for evaluating only the infrastructure that would cause debilitating impacts on the safety and security of the nation."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.); Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security
Riedman, David A.
2015-09
-
Ultra-Marathoners of Human Smuggling: Defending Forward Against Dark Networks That Can Transport Terrorists Across American Land Borders
From the thesis abstract: "National legislation requires America's homeland security agencies to disrupt transnational human smuggling organizations capable of transporting terrorist travelers to all U.S. borders. Federal agencies have responded with programs targeting extreme-distance human smuggling networks that transport higher-risk immigrants known as special interest aliens (SIAs) from some 35 'countries of interest' in the Middle East, North Africa, and Asia where terrorist organizations operate. Yet ineffectiveness and episodic targeting are indicated, in part by continued migration from those countries to the U.S. southwestern border since 9/11. Should an attack linked to SIA smuggling networks occur, homeland security leaders likely will be required to improve counter-SIA interdiction or may choose to do so preemptively. This thesis asks how SIA smuggling networks function as systems and, based on this analysis, if their most vulnerable fail points can be identified for better intervention targeting. Using NVivo qualitative analysis software, the study examined 19 U.S. court prosecutions of SIA smugglers and other data to produce 20 overarching conclusions demonstrating how SIA smuggling functions. From these 20 conclusions, seven leverage points were extracted and identified for likely law enforcement intervention success. Fifteen disruption strategies, tailored to the seven leverage points, are recommended."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.); Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security
Bensman, Todd
2015-09
-
Systems Fragility: The Sociology of Chaos
From the thesis abstract: "This thesis seeks to examine the concept of community fragility in emergency management from a systems perspective. Two questions are studied. First, can community fragility be qualitatively measured? Second, does this concept hold value for the emergency management field? Using literature that addresses fragility in four areas of complex systems--ecosystems, social systems, socio-technical systems, and complex adaptive systems--we create a theoretical framework focused on the emergency management field. This theoretical framework is then assessed through a multi-case analysis, examining three diverse large-scale events that have occurred in the United States in the past decade. Assessing each fragility factor from the theoretical framework for each case study reveals that the framework is sound. These findings allow for the development of a causal prediction model illustrating how community fragility factors can be used in the emergency management field to not only improve overall outcomes after disaster, but to also build less fragile systems and communities in preparation for future disasters."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.); Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security
Hodges, Lori R.
2015-03
-
Less You Know: The Utility of Ambiguity and Uncertainty in Counter-Terrorism
From the thesis abstract: "Terrorism is a complex issue without any clear or simple solutions. Much of the problem space around counterterrorism is amorphous, and most of the vast literature attempting to impose clarity on terrorism studies fails to do so. This thesis takes a different approach by exploring how ambiguity and uncertainty might be leveraged as a tool for Western liberal democracies in the fight against terrorism. Strategies of Cold War nuclear deterrence are examined and specific instances of the advantages of uncertainty are identified. Ambiguity and uncertainty are defined and described in detail, and examples of how they might be used are discussed. This thesis concludes that greater terror threats warrant greater use of strategies employing uncertainty on the part of one's enemies and oneself."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.); Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security
Schumacher, Justin M.
2015-03
-
Mission Command: Retooling the Leadership Paradigm for Homeland Security Crisis Response?
From the thesis abstract: "Homeland security leaders faced with managing a crisis event, such as a terrorist attack, will invariably be exposed to tremendous decision-making pressure. Typically, these leaders are working within the confines of hierarchically configured response organizations. Crisis response is complex, requiring flexibility and the collaboration of multiple homeland security response partners to be effective. Mission command and the tools used to communicate a leader's intent provide an alternative approach to hierarchical leadership norms. Decentralization of mission authority and promotion of self-initiative can increase the tempo of decision making and execution. The intent of this thesis is to examine the applicability of mission command for use in managing homeland security crisis response. Several perspectives are considered. First, the origins of mission command and the efforts by a military organization to implement this ethos are reviewed. Second, parallels between both the military and the homeland security response environments are examined. Finally, implementation challenges, implementation examples using the wildland fire experience, and opportunities for implementation within the homeland security enterprise are considered."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.); Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security
Cocker, Philip A.
2015-03
-
Preempting Mass Murder: Improving Law Enforcement Risk Assessments of Persons with Mental Illness
From the thesis abstract: "Across the United States, mass murder events have been on the rise for nearly a decade. This thesis found that persons with serious mental illness perpetrated a statistically significant number of these events. Currently, law enforcement agencies are often the first--and in many communities the only resource--available to assist and assess mentally ill persons in crisis. This thesis investigated the current state of law enforcement training as it relates to assessing dangerousness and the risk for violence among persons with serious mental illness. It found that there is very little training and no risk assessment tool or guide currently available to assist law enforcement officers tasked with assessing mentally ill persons for dangerousness. Subsequently, this thesis examined alternative methods and models for assessing risk, including clinical violence risk assessments, and it conducted summary case studies. These included cases in which mentally ill persons committed acts of mass murder and cases where law enforcement successfully intervened and prevented mentally ill persons from carrying out planned violence. As a result of this research and analysis, a field risk assessment guide has been developed and recommended for adoption to aid law enforcement officers in assessing the dangerousness of mentally ill persons."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.); Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security
Milby, John D.
2015-03
-
National Network of Fusion Centers: Perception and Reality
From the thesis abstract: "The National Network of Fusion Centers (the Network) is one of many organizational efforts the nation has undergone to help bolster its counterterrorism prevention and response efforts. Since its creation in the years following the 9/11 attacks, the Network has garnered both accolades and criticisms, resulting in an uneven opinion about fusion center functions and performance. The diverse opinions that are held of the Network appear at times to be based on perceptions incongruent with some of the realities of current Network operations and which lead to an undervaluation of its contributions. This research examined the points of opposition between supporters and critics of the Network and identified strategies employed by the Network to mitigate areas of concern, in order to define the relationship or gap between actual performance and the perception of performance of the Network held by external (to the Network) parties. This research employed a modified version of the multi-goal policy analysis method as a guide for the conduct of analysis. This study recommends a recalibration of these perceptions."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.); Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security
Klem, Nicholas
2014-12
-
Community-Oriented Counterterrorism: Incorporating National Homeland Security Mandates into the Local Community Policing Philosophy
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."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security; Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.)
Adcox, Kenith Roland
2014-12
-
Groupthink: A Significant Threat to the Homeland Security of the United States
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."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security; Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.)
Ricciuti, James E.
2014-12
-
Closing the Cyber Gap: Integrating Cross-Government Cyber Capabilities to Support the DHS Cyber Security Mission
From the thesis abstract: "Following the 9/11 terror attacks, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) was mandated to ensure the security of the nation's cyber-supported critical infrastructure, which is predominantly privately owned and outside of the control of the U.S. government. This thesis examines the development of the government's cyber-security policies and primary operational entities through their lawful authorities and capabilities. The thesis also examines and contrasts the effectiveness of DHS's technology-centric, cyber-security approach, the deterrent effect realized through law enforcement cyber operations, and the suitability and effectiveness of the utilization of military or intelligence agencies, specifically the FBI, National Security Agency or Department of Defense, to fulfill the nation's domestic cyber-security mission. Evidence suggests that DHS has consistently chosen to devote disproportionate budgetary resources to develop defensive technologies of questionable effectiveness, initiate redundant information-sharing programs, and develop cyber incidence response teams while not fully utilizing the U.S. Secret Service's legal authorities and capabilities in furtherance of the department's mission. Recommendations are offered to develop a whole-of-government cyber-security policy for an effective, integrated, cyber-security operation through the utilization of agency-specific authorities and capabilities, while protecting our nation's critical infrastructure and our citizens' civil liberties."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.); Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security
Lowery, Edward W.
2014-12
-
Risk, Politics, and Money: The Need for A Value-Based Model for Financing Public Health Preparedness and Response
From the thesis abstract: "Our federal, state, and local governments are not investing in the design and improvement of strategies for evaluating the costs associated with natural and man-made disasters and events. In this era of fiscal conservatism, one of the biggest challenges in designing and funding public health preparedness is deciding exactly how much to invest and determining the impact of those investments. This thesis developed a rigorous scientific model to evaluate the benefit of using value-based tools to enhance the effectiveness of public health preparedness programs. The key question that framed this research was: Are public health departments that use value-based decision-making more likely to demonstrate and document higher levels of preparedness competencies? Although this research failed to demonstrate a statistically significant relationship between preparedness competency and value-based decision-making [VBDM], there were some findings to indicate that VBDM may be useful in decisions that determine the financing of public health preparedness. The ability to analytically demonstrate the benefit of public health preparedness might prove beneficial in attracting additional public funding as well as private funding."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security; Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.)
Pilkington, William F.
2014-12
-
Florida Law Enforcement's Role in Agroterrorism
From the thesis abstract: "The 2005 Department of Justice's National Institute of Justice report Defining Law Enforcement's Role in Protecting American Agriculture from Agroterrorism was used as a framework for analyzing the State of Florida's capabilities for preparing and responding to an agroterrorism attack. A series of desired capabilities were developed from the report's conclusions and recommendations, and research was conducted to establish Florida law enforcement's current capabilities. From these two points of reference, gap analysis identified the deficiencies in Florida's capabilities. Research and analysis found Florida's preparation capability gaps revolve around a general lack of intelligence and information sharing focused on the agriculture sector. The key recommendation is creation of a state agriculture intelligence and analysis unit interacting with the fusion centers, critical infrastructure protection program, and the food and agriculture sector. Florida's response capabilities were found to be quite robust. Gaps found in the area of response could be closed with relatively minor policy and strategy enhancements."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security; Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.)
Burns, Benjamin E.
2014-12
-
Using Automatic Identification System Technology to Improve Maritime Border Security
From the thesis abstract: "Our coastal waters are the United States' most open and vulnerable borders. This vast maritime domain harbors critical threats from terrorism, criminal activities, and natural disasters. Maritime borders pose significant security challenges, as nefarious entities have used small boats to conduct illegal activities for years, and they continue to do so today. Illegal drugs, money, weapons, and migrants flow both directions across our maritime borders, as vessels can quickly complete these transits without detection. To what extent could Automatic Identification System (AIS) technology improve border security against the small vessel threat? This thesis provides an overview of existing AIS systems and reviews the maritime border security effectiveness and cost benefit impacts of potential AIS equipment carriage requirements. We compared and analyzed policy options and reviewed implementation issues and concerns. Our conclusions are that the Department of Homeland Security should implement a regulation for all vessels, regardless of size, to install and broadcast Class A or Class B AIS when conducting international voyages. The proposed regulation would expand the existing Small Vessel Reporting System to a mandatory program wherein mariners are required to preregister and file float plans prior to conducting an international voyage. This proposed action provides direct support to three of the five basic homeland security missions: prevent terrorism and enhance security, secure and manage our borders, and enforce and administer our immigration laws."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security; Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.)
Lindstrom, Tedric R.
2014-12
-
Opaque Communities: A Framework for Assessing Potential Homeland Security Threats from Voids on the Map
From the thesis abstract: "Opaque communities confound homeland security situational awareness and integration efforts, which generates pervasive threat perceptions that have often escalated into governmental interventions and violent confrontations. Governmental failures to effectively communicate with, and judiciously address past incidents involving opaque communities, have led to tactical response disasters; future inabilities to foster contact with such groups could present grave, unforeseen challenges to homeland security and surrounding community resiliency efforts. Utilizing a structured focused method, this thesis explores whether governmental entities adopt a common set of operational assumptions regarding threats emanating from opaque communities and, if so, whether alternative interactional frameworks for integrating such communities into homeland security efforts are available. This thesis presents case study analysis of interventions involving the opaque communities of the Branch Davidians at Waco, MOVE in Philadelphia, and FLDS [The Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints] YFZ [Yearning for Zion] Ranch in Eldorado and finds that ingrained default oppositional frameworks influenced governmental deliberations throughout each event. This inquiry concludes that targeted constructive communication strategies utilizing dedicated interlocutors knowledgeable about a given community will assist in preventing future unnecessary and costly official interventions."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security; Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.)
Speer, Matthew E.
2014-09
-
Farewell to Arms: A Plan for Evaluating the 2001 Authorization for Use of Military Force and Its Alternatives
From the thesis abstract: "On September 14, 2001, Congress passed the 2001 Authorization for Use of Military Force (AUMF). Over the past 13 years, the AUMF has served as the primary legal foundation for the use of force against terrorist organizations and other counterterrorist operations. Since its passage, threats facing the United States have evolved and new groups have emerged. Yet, Congress has failed to reexamine the statute. This thesis examines whether the AUMF serves as the proper foundation for addressing current terrorist threats or whether an alternative legal tool is more appropriate. To conduct this examination, it details and applies a methodology, or analytical framework, for assessing the status quo application of the AUMF and its potential alternatives. This thesis evaluates and ascertains the best among proposed courses of actions for the future of the AUMF by analyzing the evolution of terrorist threats, constitutional concerns, the consequences of altering the legal structure upon which national counterterrorism strategies rely, international legality, and precedent. Ultimately, this thesis recommends that Congress both sunset the AUMF and implement a tailored approach to force authorization, one that balances constitutional protections and security, while providing a foundation for crafting future force authorizations."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.); Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security
Kirschbraun, Jessica Lynn
2014-09
-
Should We Stay or Should We Go Now? The Physical, Economic, Geopolitical, Social and Psychological Factors of Recovery from Catastrophic Disaster
From the thesis abstract: "'Should we continue to build there?' is a question asked after other past disasters; it is especially more poignant as local, state and federal governments deal with pre-disaster mitigation funding and post-disaster emergency management funding issues. The goal of this research is to develop a way of answering that question through a better understanding of the social, economic, and cultural problems and opportunities of rebuilding. As a result, shortcomings in the assumptions of existing response and recovery plans can be identified, and current community planning can consider future catastrophic events. Through pre-identification of physical, social, and political limitations other communities have faced, proactive land use, response, and recovery planning decisions could be implemented that increase the chance that communities can successfully emerge from disaster. This study investigates examples of past catastrophic disasters and the positive and negative experiences as those communities struggled to return to normalcy. The end result of the research is an assessment that identifies the economic, geopolitical, and social factors of recovery following a catastrophic disaster. The research used historical case studies and their challenges with recovery. Based on the case study findings, an analysis was created of the current economic, geopolitical, and social factors in the City of Seaside, Oregon, following a Cascadia Subduction Zone earthquake and tsunami to identify future recovery challenges."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security; Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.)
Perino, Charles S.
2014-09
-
Immigration Adjudication Reform: The Case for Automation
From the thesis abstract: "A bill that has passed the United States Senate, S. 744, proposes a 'Lawful Prospective Immigrant' (LPI) status and a 'path to Citizenship' for an estimated 11--12 million undocumented immigrants in the United States. United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is the agency that would be responsible for processing applications for LPI status or other immigration benefits authorized by immigration reform legislation or administrative relief programs introduced by the White House. Current agency receipts of applications for immigration benefits range between 6 and 7 million per year. Depending on the eligibility criteria for new immigration benefits, agency receipts could triple. The operational impact of these legislative or executive actions on USCIS could bear significant national security risks. This study evaluates whether the implementation of automated tools would mitigate external operational impacts on USCIS. Two existing automated systems are studied. The Secure Flight system, operated by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), and the Automated Continuous Evaluation System (ACES) as utilized in the Joint Reform Effort (JRE) were selected for their complexity, maturity, and similarity to immigration adjudications. This analysis demonstrates that automated tools can improve the quality of immigration adjudications by supporting a comprehensive assessment, including accuracy, timeliness, completeness and validity. Further, automation would improve the agency's operational responsiveness when external factors such as policy changes affect workloads. These factors thereby improve national security by supporting the agency's mission to uphold the integrity of the immigration system and to prevent and intercept illicit actors from entering or remaining in the United States."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security; Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.)
Sanford, Abigail J.
2014-09
-
Eyes of the Storm: Can Fusion Centers Play a Crucial Role During the Response Phase of Natural Disasters Through Collaborative Relationships with Emergency Operations Centers?
From the thesis abstract: "Through the maturation of the national network of fusion centers, processes and capabilities originally designed to detect and thwart terrorist attacks are now applied to disaster responses. The fusion process, which involves the synthesis and analysis of streams of data, can create incident specific intelligence. The sharing of this information can enhance the operating picture that is critical to key decision makers and the discipline of emergency management. This thesis examined three case studies of fusion center disaster responses through a collaborative-based analytical framework. The resulting analysis of the case studies identified the crucial role played by fusion centers in responding to disaster events in a collaborative effort with emergency operations centers. This thesis concludes that fusion centers offer the greatest impact through enabling information sharing throughout the response phase. The specific benefits of the sharing of information directly influence executive briefings and the deployment of resources. This thesis also modeled a collaborative response. The research determined that the depth and breadth of these relationships involving cooperative responses must be proportionate to the incident and include a level of redundancy. Through a system design model, overconnectivity through efficiency was shown to increase the likelihood of fracturing cooperative relationships."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.); Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security
Coyle, Timothy P.
2014-09
-
Now Is the Time for CVE-2: Updating and Implementing a Revised U.S. National Strategy to Counter Violent Extremism
From the thesis abstract: "The United States (U.S.) national strategy countering violent extremism (CVE) has yet to be updated and currently does not provide the necessary national framework to best combat self-radicalization and violent extremism (VE) in the United States. If people subscribe that the need for an updated strategy is evident, then the question is 'What are the necessary and effective components of the national U.S. CVE strategy that best prevent self-radicalization and VE in the United States?' This research examined the concepts and strategies surrounding extremism and self-radicalization in the U.S., the United Kingdom (UK) and Australia. Through this analysis, multiple findings and recommendations were made. One such finding was the identification of overarching elements that, if implemented, would increase the effectiveness and applicability of the U.S. CVE strategy. These elements include: 1) identifying the federal agency in charge of administering the U.S. CVE strategy, 2) developing a more robust and actionable national CVE framework, 3) refocusing the federal government on support and not local engagement of CVE, 4) requiring all CVE related terms be defined in every document, and 5) requiring regular evaluations and updates of the U.S. CVE strategy. The details of these and other findings are contained in this thesis." A 14 minute, 32 second interview on this thesis is also available at the following link: [https://www.hsdl.org/?abstract&did=866917]/
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.); Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security
Davis, Thomas J.
2014-09
