Independent Agencies

A Look at Terrorist Behavior: How They Prepare, Where They Strike "The Sept. 11 hijackers traveled hundreds of miles to their targets. And Rudolph drove nearly 300 miles from Murphy, N.C., to bomb an abortion clinic in Birmingham, Ala. For local police departments searching for ways to stop terrorist acts before they occur, this does not bring much comfort. When looking at these attacks, officers might get the impression that there is not much they can do about terrorism other than improving physical security at high-risk targets. But were these infamous terrorists typical? Although we know a great deal about the behavior of traditional criminals, little information has been available about terrorists.

ANPR: Regulating Greenhouse Gas Emissions under the Clean Air Act-Main Document
"This advance notice of proposed rulemaking (ANPR) presents information relevant to, and solicits public comment on, how to respond to the U.S. Supreme Court's decision in Massachusetts v. EPA. In that case, the Supreme Court ruled that the Clean Air Act (CAA or Act) authorizes regulation of greenhouse gases (GHGs) because they meet the definition of air pollutant under the Act. ANPR website-more information

Policing Arab-American Communities After September 11
"The terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, changed the face of law enforcement in the United States. They also had a great impact on Arab-American communities. This study by the Vera Institute of Justice examines how the changes have affected policing in Arab-American neighborhoods. Many Arab-Americans were troubled by increased government scrutiny of their communities following the terrorist attacks. Indeed, some Arab-American communities said they were more afraid of law enforcement agencies-especially federal law enforcement agencies-than they were of acts of hate or violence, despite an increase in hate crimes.

Naturalizations in the United States: 2007
"This Office of Immigration Statistics annual flow report presents information on the number and characteristics of foreign nationals ages 18 years and over who were naturalized in the United States during 2007. Data were obtained from administrative records of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) of the Department of Homeland Security. These records consist of information from applications for naturalization." Access more complete data tables here

Emergency Management Education: A Status Report
This document is the 2008 FEMA Higher Education Program Report and it summarizes the current status of emergency management higher education in the United States. "The goal of this report is to assist the FEMA Emergency Management Higher Education Program, policymakers, educators, students, practitioners and other interested parties in understanding where higher education is today and where it is heading in the future. This report will examine current program status, program and student demographics, growth expectations, trends and challenges."

National War Powers Commission Report
Congress tasked the bipartisan Miller Center National War Power Commission with investigating the War Powers Resolution Act of 1973 and whether or not it is still appropriate in light of the current global security situation. In this report released today, after 13 months of study, the Commission recommends that Congress repeal the Act and create a new statute that provides a more appropriate relationship between the president and Congress on matters of war. More information

Serial Murder: Multi-Disciplinary Perspectives for Investigators
"In an effort to bridge the gap between the many views of issues related to serial murder, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) hosted a multi-disciplinary Symposium in San Antonio, Texas, on August 29, 2005 through September 2, 2005. The goal of the Symposium was to bring together a group of respected experts on serial murder from a variety of fields and specialties, to identify the commonalities of knowledge regarding serial murder. […] This monograph is a culmination of the input and discussion of the attendees on the major issues related to serial murder.

Best Practices to Address Community Gang Problems
"This report provides guidance for communities that are considering how best to address a youth gang problem that already exists or threatens to become a reality. The guidance is based on the implementation of the Comprehensive Gang Model (Model) developed through the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP), U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), and most recently tested in OJJDP's Gang Reduction Program.

Secure Border Initiative Fiscal Year 2008 Expenditure Plan Shows Improvement "The Fiscal Year 2008 Consolidated Appropriations Act required DHS to submit to the House and Senate Appropriations Committees an expenditure plan for the department's efforts to establish a security barrier along the borders of the United States, including pedestrian and vehicle fencing as well as other forms of tactical infrastructure and technology. As required by the act, we reviewed the plan and on April 7 and April 10, 2008, briefed staff of the House and Senate Appropriations Subcommittees, respectively, on our results. This correspondence transmits these results and the full briefing is reprinted in enclosure I.

Addressing the 2009 Presidential Transition at the Department of Homeland Security The National Academy of Public Administration prepared this report for the U.S. Congress and the Department of Homeland Security. Congressional leaders, concerned with the upcoming Presidential change and subsequent departure of important members of the DHS, wanted an independent assessment of the situation. This report strongly urges DHS to take concrete steps towards ensuring a "seamless transition" from one "leadership cadre" to another. The study group did find that DHS has taken significant steps to prepare itself for the transition but cautions that the agency must address important areas if this transition is to be completely successful.