Joseph C Chang

The U. S. Coast Guard is determining how many facilities handle certain dangerous cargoes and whether, according to a risk analysis, requiring those facilities to biometrically verify the Transportation Worker Identification Credential of every person accessing a secure area of such a facility would be cost-effective. This report answers those questions.

The Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC) is designed to enhance security at U. S. ports. It demonstrates that the holder has passed a Transportation Security Administration security threat assessment and is required of anyone with unescorted access to a secure area at a regulated facility. This report provides the findings from an assessment of the TWIC program, along with the assessors' recommendations.

Homeland Security Operational Analysis Center researchers sought to establish a causal connection between surveillance technology and outcomes relevant to border security. The study demonstrated the promises and limitations of quasi-experimental statistical methods for evaluating the effects or effectiveness of different border-enforcement measures.