College of Criminal Justice - Open & Free Materials by Course: Security Studies

This first and only university textbook of human security is intended as an introductory text from senior undergraduate level up and includes chapters by 24 authors, from BC, Canada, and around the globe, that encompass the full spectrum of disciplines contributing to the human security field. It is based on the four pillar model of socio-political security, economic security, environmental security and health security.

• Open License: CC-BY-NC-SA

What is homeland security and why do we need it? What was unique about the 9/11 attacks that prompted the largest reorganization of the Federal government since the end of World War II? What is the difference between homeland security and national security? Why is critical infrastructure protection so critical? Why is emergency management an essential mission area within homeland security? What is the relationship between homeland security and DoD, National Guard, FBI, and State and Local law enforcement? Explore these questions and the events that made homeland security what it is today. Find out why homeland security is an unprecedented historical challenge requiring an unprecedented government response. Review the homeland security mission areas and understand not only what is being done but also why. Discover “who’s who and what do they do” within the Department of Homeland Security and the greater Homeland Security Enterprise.

• Open License: CC-BY-ND

From TRB's National Cooperative Highway Research Program, provides information, best practices, and guidelines for ways to “work smart,” by showing how emergency management can be better organized, understood, and worked into the agency within current resource constraints.

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From TRB's National Cooperative Highway Research Program, provides information and guidance on all aspects of response planning, assessment, and rapid restoration of service of bridge structures in extreme events. Extreme events resulting from natural or other disasters, such as fires, floods, earthquakes, tornados, and hurricanes, can damage bridge structures in ways that impact the safety of motorists and the public. The procedures currently employed for response planning, assessment, and rapid restoration of service of these structures to maintain safety do not always address the full range of needs for personnel, communication, coordination, data collection, assessment levels, and other factors associated with the different types and extents of these events.

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Provides valuable information about current and accepted practices associated with both physical and cyber security and its applicability to surface transportation.

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To improve screening of containerized cargo for nuclear and radiological material that might be entering the United States, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is seeking to deploy new radiation detectors, called advanced spectroscopic portals (ASPs). Congress directed DHS to request this National Research Council study to advise the Secretary of Homeland Security about testing, analysis, costs, and benefits of the ASPs prior to the certification decision.

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TRB’s Transit Cooperative Research Program (TCRP) Legal Research Digest 44: Legal Issues in Public Transit Emergency Planning and Operation synthesizes and assesses laws, regulations, and guidance from the transit and homeland security industries as a means to help transit agencies better understand their legal responsibilities with respect to emergency planning and operational issues. One of the goals of the report is to help transit systems remain in compliance with emergency planning and operations requirements and guidance.

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At the request of Congress and the Department of Energy, the National Academies convened a committee of experts to undertake a comprehensive evaluation of the U.S. grid and how it might evolve in response to advances in new energy technologies, changes in demand, and future innovation. The Future of Electric Power in the United States presents an extensive set of policy and funding recommendations aimed at modernizing the U.S. electric system. The report addresses technology development, operations, grid architectures, and business practices, as well as ways to make the electricity system safe, secure, sustainable, equitable, and resilient.

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For nearly eight decades, the world has been navigating the dangers of the nuclear age. [Since 1945,] efforts such as strategic deterrence, arms control and non-proliferation agreements, and the U.S.-led global counterterrorism have helped to keep nuclear incidents at bay. However, the nation's success to date in countering nuclear terrorism does not come with a guarantee, success often carries the risk that other challenges will siphon away attention and resources and can lead to the perception that the threat no longer exists. This report found that U.S. efforts to counter nuclear or radiological terrorism are not keeping pace with the evolving threat landscape.

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Overview of the state of the practice from agencies involved in finding new or innovative ways to improve flood management and response systems.

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Summarizes the presentations and discussions of the workshop which gave particular consideration to research opportunities, multisectoral collaboration mechanisms, community-engagement strategies, educational opportunities, and policies that speakers have found effective in implementing the core capacities and interventions of One Health principles to strengthen national health systems and enhance global health security.

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Created to improve transportation agency responses to a pandemic. The Playbook concentrates on what needs to be done, when and by whom. It briefly addresses planning for a pandemic. It summarizes effective practices currently used by transportation agencies based on interviews with state departments of transportation and transit agency leaders and operational personnel, supplemented with national and international research results.

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Designed to assist transportation organizations as they prepare for pandemics and other infectious diseases such as seasonal flu. Addressing decision-making challenges in pandemic response in the transportation context is a multi-dimensional task, involving not only transportation/transit organizations, but health organizations, emergency management agencies, and communications outlets as well. The guide is designed to outline broad guidance on dealing with pandemic preparedness planning, not detailed procedures. It provides information, tools, tips, and guidance on where to find up-to-date recommendations from federal agencies and other resources, prior to and during a pandemic.

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This book is a collection of open readings on Homeland Security for Public Policy 476 at Penn State University World Campus.

• Open License: CC BY

Summarizes the presentations and discussions from a workshop which discussed new approaches in social demographic theory, methodology, data collection and analysis, and practice as well as applications to the community of researchers and practitioners who are concerned with better understanding and assisting forced migrant populations. This workshop brought together stakeholders and experts in demography, public health, and policy analysis to review and address some of the domestic implications of international migration and refugee flows for the United States.

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An airport’s energy service from the grid may be vulnerable to increasing demands and costs and the potential for short- or long-term disruptions caused by natural and human-caused events. Developing an airport energy resiliency roadmap allows the airport to establish a baseline of its energy use, supply, and vulnerabilities; set goals and related strategies in concert with stakeholder input to address its energy resiliency; and prioritize and integrate the strategies into other airport planning processes, including funding plans. This report provides the step-by-step process for airport staff and stakeholders to develop a customized plan for their airport and to provide data to the airport’s decision-makers to generate support for the implementation.

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