Homeland Security-Policy Analysis - Essay Example

? Homeland Security-Policy Analysis Homeland Security-Policy Analysis The need for protection of the American people by the Bush administration on realizing the government’s laxity after the September 11 attacks that left over 3000 people dead saw the creation of the Homeland Security Act(HSA) of 2002, (Pub. L.107-296, enacted November 2002).This act of the United States Parliament saw the creation of a key department and its departmental head according to Fischer, Fischer, Halibozek and Green (2010). The Department of Homeland Security and the ministerial position is headed by the Secretary of Homeland Security. The act pointed out the major reason for the creation of the Homeland Department as the need to prevent radical assault in the U.S. Homeland Security Presidential Directive (HSPD) 12 – Policy for a Common Identification Standard for Federal Employees and Contractors There are several policies related to homeland security. One of these policies is the Homeland Security Presidential Directive 12. This policy is a general recognition standard for federal workforce and contractors. There are broad disparities in the value and security of recognition used to get access to secure amenities where there is the prospective for terrorist attacks. In order to eradicate these disparities, the United States Homeland Security Presidential Directive12 policy is designed to handle the following legal issues: Enhance security Enhance government efficiency Decrease identity fraud Protect individual privacy All these will be achieved through the creation of mandatory, government broad principles for secure and consistent identification given by the federal government to its workers and contractors. This directive policy authorizes a federal principle to implement secure and reliable forms of recognition. The Homeland Security Presidential Directive is based on the following policy legalities: The need to eradicate wide disparities in the quality and security of types of identification used to get access to protected federal and other amenities where there is possibility for terrorist attacks. Therefore, it is the mandate of this policy to improve security, enhance government efficiency, secure individual privacy and decrease identity fraud. This is enabled through establishment of mandatory, government extensive standards for secure and trustworthy identification forms provided for by the federal to its workers and contractors. To execute the above policy task, the secretary of commerce shall propagate in harmony with applicable law, a federal standard for secure and consistent identification forms not more than six months after the day of the directive in discussion with the state secretary, attorney general, defense secretary and the secretary of Homeland Security. It also involves consultations with the director of office of science and technology and the director of the office of budget and management (OMB) according to Alperen (2011). The secretary of commerce is mandate to review the legal standards regularly and inform the standard as suitable in discussion with the affected agencies. The reason for secure and consistent forms of recognition directive policy which refers to recognition that:; Is provided for based on sound principles for verifying given workers identity Is powerfully resistant to identity deceit terrorist explosion, counterfeiting and interference Can be swiftly valid electronically Is given only by the providers whose trustworthiness has been established by an executive accreditation process The standard for ensuring the above characters will involve graduated criteria, from less secure to more secure to guarantee flexibility in choosing the right level of security for every application. The standard shall not concern to recognition associated with state security systems. In a period of not more than four months following the dissemination of the standard, the heads of administrative departments and organizations shall have a program designed to warrant that identification given by the departments and organizations to federal workers and outworkers meets the standards. In not more than eight months after the dissemination of the standard the administrative department and organization heads shall maximum and promptly extend practicable. This require the application of identification by federal workers and outworkers that meets the standards in achieving substantial access to federally guarded amenities and logical access to federally guarded information systems. According to law, departments and agencies are mandated to execute this policy directive in a way reliable with progressing government actions, guidance and policies issued by OMB to guarantee compliance. In a period of not more than six months after dissemination of the standard, the administrative department and organizations heads shall make known various details to the assistant president for homeland security and director of OMB according to McEntire (2007). These include; those amenities and information system guarded by the federal and other federal purposes essential for security and for which exercise of the standard in circumstances not enclosed under this directive policy should be measured. Not more than seven months following the dissemination of the standard afore mentioned authorities shall make approval to the president concerning potential use of the standard for such supplementary federal applications. Subsequently, the directive policy shall be executed in a way steady with the constitution and applicable laws. These include the privacy act and the other laws defending the rights of the Americans. There should not thrive any directive of this policy that alters or hampers the capacity to carry out, the authorities of the federal departments and organizations to undertake their responsibilities. These include responsibilities carried out under the law and in line with the applicable legal systems and presidential directives as suggested by Nicholson (2005). This directive policy is not aimed at improving the internal administration of the federal government executive branch. However, it is not aimed at nor does it generate any right of advantage enforceable by law or in impartiality by anyperson against the United States, its departments, organizations officers, units, workers or representatives or any other individual. The Homeland Security assistant president should report to the president in a period of at least seven months following the dissemination of the progressive standard made to execute this directive. Thereafter the president shall report to president on such progress or any recommended changes periodically as appropriate. The policy for common identification standard for contractors and federal workers based on HSPD-12 has its legal basis encompassed under five strategic objectives. These include: Prevention of Terrorist Attacks The prevention of terrorist attacks refocuses on terrorist groups such al Qaeda and the radical Islamist movements which have been a threat to the United States. It also focuses on enhancing domestic intellect capabilities while safeguarding civil liberties through the strengthening of the policies legal basis. In such conditions the HSPD-12 is capable of keeping most risky and illegally used technologies out of hands of terrorists as suggested by Forest (2008). Decrease vulnerability to terrorism The Homeland Security Presidential Directive-12 policy legal perspective aims at generally reducing the vulnerability of the society to terrorism. This is achieved by concentrating in important infrastructure which are most likely to be attacked and reducing the possibilities for cascading effects across the United States and international economy. Build national awareness and homeland security This objective is aimed at ensuring that the country is aware of the effective ways of responding to and recuperating from terrorist attack or major disaster that may occur inevitably. Sustain homeland security This objective is aimed at building powerful homeland security that is in line with United States values along with sufficient funding and a suitable regulatory framework. Shape the global Environment to decrease the threat from terrorists This objective is intended to reverse growing anti-Americanism and seclusion. Also aimed at restoring the United States lost leadership in foreign countries and strengthen global non-proliferation efforts. The policy also aims at avoiding the emergence of weak states and prospective future safe asylums as well as wins the international battle of ideas. Following the above objective of the HSPD-12 policy, the home land security department is capable of establishing legal compulsory, government wide standard for safe and consistent forms of identification in order to ensure the country’s security. This form of identification is issued by the federal government to its workers and outworkers who are mandated to work towards achieving these objectives legally. However, changes can also be adopted in order to integrate federal policy and guidance in actualising the aims of HSPD -12 policy legal basis of protecting the individual. The prospective changes need to be based on the Homeland Security Presidential Directive 12 and 7 legal bases. HSPD-7 creates a state policy for the federal sectors and agencies to recognize and prioritize important infrastructure according to Marinik (2011). This way the HSPD-12 policy objectives help protect the country from terrorist attacks. As a result, the Interagency Security Committee has been introduced under this directive and it is in charge of establishing policy for the safeguarding of government amenities. The objectives of this directive policy are the method for attaining compliance with agency objectives for legal purposes such as protecting individuals, information and property. Homeland Security Presidential Directive Policy National Goal Based On Its Legal Basis The central government has the overall mandate of managing intimidation data and avoidance, whilst on the other hand the state and local government is the primary line of response in an authentic crisis. A deep-seated element of safety is information and for homeland security this means establishing policies with legal basis of safeguarding the state. Under such circumstance people can be tracked to definite addresses for example homes or businesses. It is therefore easier for homeland security department to ascertain the security of individuals in its policies because all this information can be stockpiled and exhibited in a programmed in a geographical information system (GIS) according to Goldstein (2010). Federal government has deployed GIS into a majority of bureaus and divisions for legal purposes. Homeland protection programs start with establishing and recognizing probable crisis management setbacks in its policies. These setbacks may include calamity events such as fanatic assaults, chemical/biological releases, epidemic spread and harmful substance leaks can be modelled and presented in a GIS. Such measures give agencies under the HSP-12 policy the duty to make all-inclusive assessments and develop alleviation plans. Homeland Security workforce on its legal basis can utilize GIS for both tactical preparation and for definite tactical operation during such disasters. Conclusively, the United States Homeland Security department is wide and very important department in the government. Following its significance in the country the Homeland Security department has several policies including the one discussed above. However, these policies are expressed in form of directives with the above discussed legal basis. It is within this legal basis that the department has been able to ensure protection of the individual from terrorism and other national disasters. References Alperen,M. (2011). Foundations of Homeland Security: Law and Policy. New York: John Wiley & Sons Fischer, R., Fischer,R., Halibozek, E.& Green,G.(2010)Introduction To Security. Oxford: Butterworth-Heinemann. Forest,J.J.(2008). Homeland Security: Public spaces and social institutions. Westport: Greenwood Publishing Group. Goldstein,M.L.(2010). Homeland Security: Greater Attention to Key Practices Would Improve the Federal Protective Service's Approach to Facility Protection. Pennsylvania: DIANE Publishing, Marinik,A. (2011). Feasibility of a Consolidated Security Credential for Persons Who Transport Hazardous Materials. Washington, DC: Transportation Research Board McEntire,D.(2007). Disciplines, Disasters, and Emergency Management: The Convergence and Divergence of Concepts, Issues and Trends from the Research Literature. Springfield: Charles C Thomas Publisher. Nicholson,W. (2005). Homeland Security Law And Policy.Springfield, IL: Charles C Thomas Publisher. Read More