Title: Not Safe Enough: Fixing Transportation Security
Abstract: This article explores the state of transportation security both before and after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. The author notes that before the attacks, transportation security in the United States was limited, citing that its main purposes were to detect and deter criminal activity (i.e., the role of transit police and subway surveillance cameras) and smugglers (i.e., the role of customs agents at ports). However, in the five years since the attacks transportation security improvements have made passenger aircraft much less vulnerable to attack while air and sea cargo undergo greater scrutiny. The author also notes improvements to transportation infrastructure and the training of law enforcement and transportation workers, along with a greater awareness of terrorist attacks in general. Yet, despite these developments, the author sees problems in the transportation security system that focuses on areas beyond front line personnel (e.g., checkpoint screeners, custom agents) to include management, funding, accountability, and, most importantly, system priorities. All of these areas are discussed in conjunction with aviation security, maritime security, and land transportation security. The author also offers suggestions to address systemic weaknesses in transportation security policy.
Publication Year: 2007
Publication Date: 2007-01-01
Language: en
Type: article
Access and Citation
Cited By Count: 2
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