Homeland security is perhaps the least understood of the important issues in American politics today. Created in response to system-wide coordination problems, it's unclear whether this new bureaucracy has made enough--and the right--changes to repel future terrorist attacks. Kettl shows how 9/11 stressed the political system and reveals what policymakers are doing well--and what the government is still struggling to solve.

In System under Stress, The Challenge to 21st Century Democracy, Third Edition, Donald F. Kettl looks at the latest stress to hit the system—the financial crisis of 2008. In his brief, gripping narrative, Kettl assesses how well the U.S. political system responds under extraordinary pressure—from 9/11, to Hurricane Katrina, to the Great Recession— and asks if the government is ready to face that next challenge. A well-known scholar, commentator, and writer in the areas of federalism and governance, Kettl asks the hard questions, makes a credible and persuasive argument, and crafts a readable case study that is fascinating and thought-provoking.

A good deal has been done to improve the safety of Americans on their own soil since the attacks of September 11, 2001. Yet there have been numerous setbacks. The Bush administration and Congress wasted at least six months in 2002 due to partisan disagreement over a new budget for homeland security, and as one consequence, resources were slow to reach first responders across the country. Most improvements in homeland security have focused on "refighting the last war"—improving defenses against attacks similar to those the country has already suffered. Not enough has been done to anticipate possible new kinds of terrorist actions. Policymakers have also focused too much attention on the creation of a department of homeland security—rather than identifying and addressing the kinds of threats to which the country remains vulnerable. While the creation of a cabinet-level agency focusing on homeland security may have merit, the authors of this study argue that the department will not, in and of itself, make Americans safer. To the contrary, the complexity of merging so many disparate agencies threatens to distract Congress and the administration from other, more urgent security efforts. This second edition of Protecting the American Homeland urges policymakers to focus on filling key gaps that remain in the current homeland security effort: identifying better protection for private infrastructure; using information technology to share intelligence and more effectively "connect the dots" that could hold hints to possible terrorist tactics; expanding the capacities of the Coast Guard and Customs Service, as well as airline transportation security; dealing with the possible threat of surface-to-air missiles to airliners; and encouraging better coordination among intelligence agencies. While acknowledging the impossibility of preventing every possible type of terrorist violence, the authors recommend a more systematic approach to homeland security that focuses

The September 11 attacks forcefully brought home the need to better protect the U.S. homeland. But how can this be accomplished most effectively? Here, a team of Brookings scholars offers a four-tier plan to guide and bolster the efforts under way by the Bush administration and Congress. There has been some progress in making our homeland more secure. But the authors are concerned that the Bush administration may focus too narrowly on preventing attacks like those of the recent past and believe a broader and more structured approach to ensuring homeland security is needed. Given the vulnerability of our open society, the authors recommend four clear lines of direction. The first and last have received a good deal of attention from the Bush administration, though not yet enough; for the other two, a great deal remains to be done: Perimeter defense at the border to prevent entry by potential perpetrators and the weapons and hazardous materials they may use Prevention by detecting possible terrorists within the United States and securing dangerous materials they might obtain here Identification and defense of key sites within the county: population centers, critical economic assets and infrastructure, and locations of key political or symbolic importance Consequence management to give those directly involved in responding to an attack that may nevertheless occur the tools necessary to quickly identify and attack and limit its damage Included are specific recommendations on how much more to spend on homeland security, how much of the cost should be borne by the private sector, and how to structure the federal government to make the responsible agencies more efficient in addressing security concerns. Specifically, the authors believe that annual federal spending on homeland security may need to grow to about $45 billion, relative to a 2001 level of less than $20 billion and a Bush administration proposed budget for 2003 of $38 billion. They also

Dr. Gus Martin’s Understanding Homeland Security, Second Edition is a thoroughly updated textbook offering much-needed insight into the complex nature of issues addressed by the homeland security enterprise. This comprehensive textbook addresses such subject areas as emergency management, terrorism, criminal justice administration, intelligence, armed conflict, and social environments. Martin’s pedagogical approach is designed to stimulate critical thinking in readers, allowing them to not only comprehend the fundamentals, but also evolve with the very dynamic nature of homeland security. The Second Edition introduces readers to homeland security in the modern era, focusing particularly on the post–September 11, 2001 world. Reviewing theories, agency missions, laws and regulations governing the homeland security enterprise, this book keeps readers on the forefront of homeland security.

After the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, and with the establishment of the Department of Homeland Security, the academic field of homeland security has grown exponentially. Today's students want to have a better understanding of the threats facing the United States, and what can be done to prevent future harm. Designed for the undergraduate introductory homeland security course, Homeland Security: Policy, Organization, and Administration is a comprehensive, yet easily understandable text for students seeking more knowledge about the field. It provides readers with the basic foundations and the current issues surrounding homeland security, as well as a look into the future of the discipline.

In response to the terrorist attacks of 11 September 2001, the United States embarked on a dramatic and sustained effort to reform and revitalize its homeland security policies and structures. This book offers an examination of the evolution of policy and the concurrent restructuring of existing agencies, as well as the creation of new bodies designed to counter the threat of transnational terrorism. Detailing the historical roots of US homeland security policy and its evolution in the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks, this book provides a unique overview of the emerging and existing agencies and bureaux at the national, state and local levels which are tasked with homeland security. Furthermore, by integrating the existing paradigms of contemporary security policy with the changing nature of threat and response, it provides an invaluable overview of existing and likely future security threats to the US homeland.