HOMELAND SECURITY: Effective Intergovernmental Coordination Is Key to Success
Abstract
The proposed Department of Homeland Security will clearly have a central role in the success of efforts to enhance homeland security. Many aspects of a consolidation of homeland security programs have the potential to reduce fragmentation, improve coordination, and clarify roles and responsibilities. Realistically, however, in the short term, the magnitude of the challenges facing the new department will clearly require substantial time and effort and will take additional resources to make it effective. The recently released national strategy is intended to guide implementation of the complex mission of the proposed department and the efforts of other federal and non-federal entities responsible for homeland security initiatives. Appropriate roles and responsibilities within and between the levels of government and with the private sector are evolving and need to be clarified. New threats are prompting a reassessment and shifting of longstanding roles and responsibilities. Until now these shifts have been occurring on a piecemeal and ad hoc basis without benefit of an overarching framework and criteria to guide the process. The administration's national strategy recognizes the challenge posed by a complex structure of overlapping federal, state, and local governments-our country has more than 87,000 jurisdictions. There are also challenges in defining the appropriate roles and responsibilities of the private sector. The national strategy's initiatives often do not provide a baseline set of performance goals and measures upon which to assess and improve preparedness. Therefore, the nation does not yet have a comprehensive set of perfon%ance goals and measures upon which to assess and improve prevention efforts, vulnerability reduction, and responsiveness to dai%age and recovery needs at all levels of government.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Aug 22, 2002
- Accession Number
- ADA405726
Entities
Organizations
- United States Government Accountability Office