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Terror, Security, and Money: Balancing the Risks, Benefits, and Costs of Homeland Security
In seeking to evaluate the efficacy of post-9/11 homeland security expenses--which have risen by more than a trillion dollars, not including war costs--the common query has been, "Are we safer?" This, however, is the wrong question. Of course we are "safer"--the posting of a single security guard at one building's entrance enhances safety. The correct question is, "Are any gains in security worth the funds expended?"
In this engaging, readable book, John Mueller and Mark Stewart apply risk and cost-benefit evaluation techniques to answer this very question. This analytical approach has been used throughout the world for decades by regulators, academics, and businesses--but, as a recent National Academy of Science study suggests, it has never been capably applied by the people administering homeland security funds. Given the limited risk terrorism presents, expenses meant to lower it have for the most part simply not been worth it. For example, to be considered cost-effective, increased American homeland security expenditures would have had each year to have foiled up to 1,667 attacks roughly like the one intended on Times Square in 2010--more than four a day. Cataloging the mistakes that the US has made--and continues to make--in managing homeland security programs, Terror, Security, and Money has the potential to redirect our efforts toward a more productive and far more cost-effective course.
In this engaging, readable book, John Mueller and Mark Stewart apply risk and cost-benefit evaluation techniques to answer this very question. This analytical approach has been used throughout the world for decades by regulators, academics, and businesses--but, as a recent National Academy of Science study suggests, it has never been capably applied by the people administering homeland security funds. Given the limited risk terrorism presents, expenses meant to lower it have for the most part simply not been worth it. For example, to be considered cost-effective, increased American homeland security expenditures would have had each year to have foiled up to 1,667 attacks roughly like the one intended on Times Square in 2010--more than four a day. Cataloging the mistakes that the US has made--and continues to make--in managing homeland security programs, Terror, Security, and Money has the potential to redirect our efforts toward a more productive and far more cost-effective course.
267 pages, Paperback
First published September 26, 2011
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About the author
John E. Mueller
28 books12 followersJohn E. Mueller (born June 21, 1937) is an American political scientist in the field of international relations as well as a scholar of the history of dance. [Wikipedia]
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
July 10, 2012
For anyone that isn't thoroughly convinced "Homeland Security" is incredibly wasteful, pick up this book and you will think otherwise. Well organized and concise data tables make for an easy read. The math is elementary, but apparently the bureaucrats at DHS haven't gotten around to using any of the simple formulas.
June 23, 2022
Despite being a little bit dated, the authors offer a compelling case on why money spent on terrorism after 9/11 is basically wasted.
The authors also do a good job exploring the political incentives behind budget appropriations to the fight against terrorism and conclude in a pessimistic note that waste is likely to continue.
The book doesn’t spend a lot of time discussing the psychology of fear as a driver behind spending devoted to the fight against terrorism, but it does refer to scholars like Cass Sunstein who did explore the issue.
I’d recommend this book to anyone interested in the history of the U.S. government budget, the fight against terrorism, or people looking for practical applications of cost-benefit analysis. Everyone else can probably skip it
The authors also do a good job exploring the political incentives behind budget appropriations to the fight against terrorism and conclude in a pessimistic note that waste is likely to continue.
The book doesn’t spend a lot of time discussing the psychology of fear as a driver behind spending devoted to the fight against terrorism, but it does refer to scholars like Cass Sunstein who did explore the issue.
I’d recommend this book to anyone interested in the history of the U.S. government budget, the fight against terrorism, or people looking for practical applications of cost-benefit analysis. Everyone else can probably skip it
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews