Assignment: Homeland Security Threats, Risks, and Vulnerabilities

 The list of references to the required reading are list below  

Without comprehensive, up-to-date, and validated risk assessments, there would be no basis or focus for planning and preparedness measures designed to prevent, protect against, respond to, and recover from terrorist attacks or other hazards. It is, therefore, important to understand how these concepts are defined, measured, and addressed before conducting risk assessments. There are important distinctions among the concepts of threat, risk, and vulnerability in the context of homeland security. Risk refers to the probability or general likelihood that an attack or disaster will occur in a given area, and it is a function of three variables: threat, vulnerability, and consequence. Threat refers to the presence of a specific hazard or the likelihood that a certain type of attack or disaster will occur in the area being assessed. Vulnerability highlights the weaknesses or gaps in preparedness or the likelihood that an attack would succeed. Consequence refers to the impact of an attack or disaster, both immediately after the event and long-term. Obtaining accurate and comprehensive information about these areas allows for better homeland security response.

To prepare for this assignment:

• Review the assigned pages of the article, "The Department of Homeland Security's Risk Assessment Methodology: Evolution, Issues and Options for Congress." Focus on the definitions and relationships among the concepts of threat, risk, vulnerability, and consequence.


• Review Chapter 3 of your course text, Introduction to Homeland Security. Reflect on various homeland security threats.


• Review the article, "The 9/11 Commission Report: Executive Summary." Focus on the description of how the threat of both domestic and transnational terrorism has evolved and affected the United States.


• Reflect on the state or region in which you currently reside. Identify three major homeland security threats that affect this locale.


• Think about the degree to which the selected locale is at risk for and vulnerable to the threats you identified.


• Consider the prevention and protection measures for which you would allocate resources and why.

The assignment: (1 page)

• Briefly describe your locale and three threats that might affect it.


• Explain the degree to which your locale is at risk for, and vulnerable to, the threats you described. Be specific.


• Based on the threats, risks, and vulnerabilities of your locale, describe specific prevention and protection measures for which you would allocate resources. Explain why you chose these measures. Be specific.

Support your  

Assignment with specific references to all resources used in its preparation. You are asked to provide a reference list only for those resources not included in the Learning Resources for this course.

Required Readings

Bullock, J. A. , Haddow, G. D.  & Coppola, D. P. (2013). Introduction to homeland security (5th ed.). Waltham, MA: Elsevier Inc.  

• Chapter 3, "Hazards"

Reese, S. (2009). Department of Homeland Security assistance to states and localities: A summary and issues for the 111th Congress. Retrieved from http://assets.opencrs.com/rpts/R40246_20090608.pdf

Note: You are only required to read pages 1–3 of this article.

Masse, T., O'Neil, S., & Rollins, J. (2007). The Department of Homeland Security's risk assessment methodology: Evolution, issues and options for Congress. Retrieved from http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/homesec/RL33858.pdf



Note: You are only required to read pages 6–7 of this article.

United States Government Accountability Office. (2008). Homeland security grant program risk-based distribution methods: Presentation to congressional committees - November 14, 2008 and December 15, 2008. Retrieved from http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d09168r.pdf

Note: You are only required to read pages 1–24 of this article.

Reese, S. (2005). Risk-based funding in homeland security grant legislation: Analysis of issues for the 109th Congress. Retrieved from http://fas.org/sgp/crs/homesec/RL33050.pdf

Note: You are only required to read pages 1–3 of this article.

  National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States. (n.d.). The 9/11 Commission report: Executive summary. Retrieved June 11, 2009, from the University of North Texas Libraries Web site: http://govinfo.library.unt.edu/911/report/911Report_Exec.pdf