The Ethics Of The Homeland Security

The Government Accountability Office has pointed out that the important practice of effective risk management is a challenge for the Congress and the administration. Risk management is a strategic process of helping policymakers to make decisions about assessing risk, and having limited allocating resources in taking actions under conditions of uncertainty (GAO, 2008). However, with the policymakers recognizing the risk management, it helps them to make informed decisions, while Congress and the administration have charged federal agencies to use a risk-based move to prioritize resource investments. In addition, the federal agencies often do not have enough comprehensive risk management strategies that merge well with the program, budget, and investment decisions (GAO, 2008). Between combing the approach of risk management, the process of decision-making is very difficult for any organization. In addition, it has been reported that the GAO says it is particularly difficult for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to be given its diverse set of responsibilities. Homeland Security is responsible though for all hazards in the homeland security risk from natural disasters, industrial, and terrorist attacks. Experts have provided the history of natural disasters with the extensive historical data used to assess risks (GAO, 2008).

The Department of Homeland Security has one mission, yet utilizes numerous instruments and zones of ability to perform our objective of securing the country. In spite of the fact that our obligations are fluctuated, we are united in a typical reason - 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. As a recently shaped office, we are in a time of significant move. We're setting up an establishment of national arrangements and activities that will further secure our country notwithstanding advancing outside patterns that incorporate differing security dangers and expanding worldwide association (U.S. Division of Homeland

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Risk Lexicon (2010) states that “risk is a key organizing principle for homeland security strategies, programs, efforts, and activities” (p. 1). This means that risk management is a decision making tool that allows for the DHS to intelligently and efficiently make planning choices based on threat level priorities. Some of the choices that are made using risk management are where to allocate both physical and financial resources, types of training initiatives for a specific threat, technological initiatives and strategic planning for risk mitigation and asset defense.

The evolution of homeland security concept has been connected with several strategic documents. There are 2014 Quadrennial Homeland Security Review, 2010 National Security Strategy and the 2011 National Strategy for Counterterrorism. There are also strategic documents that provide specific guidance to DHS entities and include the 2010 Quadrennial Homeland Security Review, the Bottom-Up Review, and the 2012 Department of Homeland Security Strategic Plan. Prior to issuance of these documents, national and DHS homeland security strategic documents included the 2002 and 2007 National Strategies for Homeland Security and the 2008 Department of Homeland Security Strategic Plan. All of these documents have varying definitions for “homeland security” and varying missions derived from these

The ability of the Department of Homeland Security to effectively manage risk is vital to national security. Risk in general, is something that is permanent but because this is known, strategies can be used to mitigate situations as they present themselves. Government managers must manage risk in a complex environment taking into consideration the diverse missions and multiple objectives of public agencies (Hardy, 2014). The role of risk management within the homeland security enterprise was managed by best and worst case scenario planning. This is something that is inevitable as we are faced within a definite variety of threats. One way to grade or rank threats is through worst-case analysis. As this analysis can be used for worst-case scenarios the federal government cannot leave out lower ranking situations (Roberts, 2007). Since the Department of Homeland Security is charged with managing risk within the enterprise, a basic equation is used to help figure out different variables and how they would be affected.

Homeland security in United States comprises of complex and competing requirements, incentives, and interests that need to be managed and balanced effectively to achieve the desired national objectives. Security, resilience and safety of the country are endangered by different hazards such as cyberspace attacks, terrorism, manmade accidents, pandemics, natural disasters and transnational crimes which are part of external risks affecting homeland security. Internal risks such as projects costs, workforce management and acquisition operations also affect the security. Internal and external risks impact the country in diverse ways such as human death, environmental degradation, injuries, economic loss, among other negative impacts. Department of Homeland Security and other involved partners should be in a position to manage and understand the different risks to security. The security state current is dynamic and relying on past cannot completely inform decision making (CRS, 2007). Risk management therefore is a process of analyzing, communicating and identifying risk and avoiding, accepting, controlling or transferring the risk to acceptable limits considering benefits and costs of measures taken with the aim of ensuring improving security decisions.

Risk management is applied in numerous ways by various agencies and organizations within the U.S. national security apparatus. One manner in which risk management is utilized by the Department of Defense is to mitigate vulnerabilities to personnel during military operations. Whether or not to recruit and deploy a double-agent is a primary focus of risk management within the CIA’s Counterespionage Group. Moreover, evaluating security threats to U.S. embassies and other diplomatic facilities is an application of risk management within the U.S. Department of State. Not surprisingly, risk management is also found throughout the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The five primary missions of DHS are: terrorism prevention and security enhancement; border security; immigration law enforcement; cybersecurity; and disaster resiliency (Department of Homeland, 2012, p.2). The concept of risk is inherent to varying degrees in each of these missions. In order to achieve the subordinate goals and objectives associated with each mission, risk management is utilized by DHS to assess subjects such as threats, vulnerabilities, asset criticality, and budgetary matters. Thus, risk management is an essential component in DHS activities such as terrorism prevention, critical infrastructure protection, and resource allocation

Risk management can be very beneficial to providing security of the homeland. Examining how risk management is used by the homeland security enterprise will be the primary focus. A team effort to protecting the homeland security enterprise is essential. The team effort mentality, according to DHS (2010) the Quadrennial Homeland Security Review (QHSR) refer to as the homeland security enterprise—that is, the Federal, State, local, tribal, territorial, nongovernmental, and private-sector entities, as well as individuals, families, and communities. This is important to understand because safety and security of America depends on a cumulative effort. DHS has a huge role in risk management because the outcome can bring about prioritizing resources to protect the homeland. Lundberg and Willis (2015) stated that properly aligning capabilities to risks can save both dollars and

The creation of the Department of Homeland Security has improved emergency response dramatically over the last 15 years in many areas, however, other areas are still deficient. Even though DHS is making great strides the task is often daunting and challenging, some efforts have fallen short and possibly need to be discontinued. Effective homeland security requires a more decentralized approach in working with state, local and private sectors, which can be seen in immigration enforcement and Transportation Security Administration (TSA). Since 9/11 the DHS has taken monumental movements in thwarting terrorist

The six strategic challenges that the Department of Homeland Security has identified as “…prevailing challenges that pose the most strategically significant risk” are: terrorism, cyber terrorism, nuclear terrorism, biological concerns, transnational criminal organizations, as well as natural hazards (Department of Homeland Security. 2014). These six challenges all pose a threat to the safety of the homeland and because of that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS has to issue a review to Congress every four years. They talk about the threats that currently face the nation as well as the near future outlook of threats. Once the updated risks have been establishes the missions within homeland security regarding these threats include: “The prevention of terrorism and the enhance of security, the securing and managing of the nation’s borders, the enforcement and administration of the nation’s immigration laws, safeguarding and securing cyberspace, and the strengthening national preparedness and resilience (Week 3 Lesson).

The use of risk management has been seen nationwide by public and private organizations and even in nations abroad where the nation’s allies and assets are present. Many civilian and private organizations have come to rely on such tools as they have clearly been useful in many events since the idea has been put into effect. Risk management has provided an avenue of obtaining insight into the needs of an event and how many resources or what actions are necessary to take in response to one or before one occurs and preemptively position oneself for the best possible outcome. While organizations like FEMA the military and many private security firms use their own personal take on the matter it is a generally accepted methodology and tool that is seen homeland security manuals and publications. NIPP NIMS and CIRK have all made mention of the process of risk mitigation in some form or another and they make their process public for others to use as well

DHS enforces Homeland Infrastructure Threat and Risk Analysis Center. This center “has made efforts to inject imagination into risk assessments through processes such as red-team exercises. As a next step, there needs to be a systematic and defensible process by which ideas generated by red teams and through alternative analysis sessions are incorporated into the appropriate models and the development of new models” (n.d., 2010).

Risk Managements Issues- Overview Risk Management is a scientific approach to the problem of dealing with the pure risks facing an individual or an organization in which insurance is viewed as simply one of several approaches for dealing with such risks. In health care, risk management and quality care are at the head of ensuring organizational longevity and financial stability. Healthcare risk management is a diverse profession in a dynamic and evolving healthcare industry. Healthcare risk managers hold a wide variety of titles and work in a cross-section of organizations.

Risk management is very important in the homeland security enterprise since it is one of the core missions of the lead agency in charge of homeland security matters in the United States, which is the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) (Masse, O’Neil & Rollins, 2007, p. 1). The main mission of the DHS is to proactively identify threats to the homeland and to reduce the risks of those threats, which will hopefully prevent the threat from occurring (Masse, O’Neil & Rollins, 2007, pp. 1, 3). However, most of the times the risks cannot be completely eliminated; most of the times they can only be reduced (Masse, O’Neil & Rollins, 2007, pp. 1, 3). Therefore, preventing threats and reducing risks can only be accomplished through risk management, which is why it is so critical in the homeland security enterprise. Risk management can help identify homeland security priorities, it can improve resource allocation efficacy, and it can make grant funding programs more effective.

Risk management contributes in a number of ways by Homeland Security entities, both the 22 major components and partners, to support protection of the U.S. in today’s brackish waters where government and civil defense converge in the battle against terrorism. The very nature of Homeland Security is focused on reducing the risks of terrorism, therefore Homeland Security depends on Risk Management practices. Risk management is one of the main charges of the Secretary of Homeland Security (Napolitano, 2010). It’s no surprise that Homeland Security Doctrine (2011) professed these core risk management benefits: