Throughout this course, you examined the responsibilities and functions of agencies at the federal, state, regional, and local levels within the context of homeland security. You have also considered how agencies seek to mitigate hostilities, threats, hazards, and consequences through coordinated activities and decision-making processes. In addition, you have examined skills utilized in the identification, evaluation, and resolution of complex homeland security policy issues. You will utilize this knowledge as you research and write your policy proposal.
Your paper must identify and formulate a policy response to a current homeland security issue, based on a synthesis of relevant literature, applicable theories, methods, evidence, and existing policies. Review the prior assigned readings to assist in the selection of a current homeland security issue that suggests the need for coordination among agencies at various jurisdictional levels. You must select a relevant theory addressed in the Martin (2015) text, or from a scholarly journal article, as the foundation for your policy proposal, and the theory must be addressed in your paper.
For this paper, you will assume the role of an analyst within the Department of Homeland Security. In this capacity, you have been asked to identify a current homeland security issue that would benefit from the creation of a new policy that would enhance coordination and collaboration among federal, state, regional, and local agencies.
The Policy Proposal must contain the following elements:
Introduction: Provide an introduction that states the basis for the policy proposal in response to a current homeland security issue. Briefly explain why a new policy response that enhances coordination among agencies at various jurisdictional levels is warranted.
Theory: This is a deductive research paper (not inductive). Accordingly, identify the chosen theory that serves as the foundation for your policy proposal. Please note this is a required written element. Justify your policy proposal through an explicit discussion of the theory you have selected. The purpose of this element is to facilitate a theoretically grounded policy proposal.
Literature Review: The purpose of the Literature Review is to establish an academic foundation for the policy proposal through a synthesis of the relevant literature. Please consult Literature Review (Links to an external site.) samples through the Ashford University Writing Center.
Prior to beginning work on the Literature Review, review the assignments in Weeks One and Two to refresh your understanding of how researchers utilize quantitative or qualitative methods to explore research questions. In addition, review the Annotated Bibliography you created in Week Three and select relevant resources to craft your Literature Review.
The Literature Review should include: A synthesis of the current literature as it relates to your policy proposal.
Resources: The Literature Review should include the methods and findings that lend support for the structure and implementation of your policy proposal.
Quantitative/Qualitative Findings: State the quantitative and/or qualitative findings that support your policy proposal. The purpose of this element is to facilitate an evidence-based policy proposal.
The Policy Proposal: Explain how the structure and implementation of your policy proposal provides an effective response to the chosen current homeland security issue. Include the following:
Explain the responsibilities and functions across agencies at federal, state, regional, and local jurisdictional levels that mitigate hostilities, threats, and hazards, and relate them to your chosen issue. Examine the functions and structures of specific federal agencies (DHS, and the Intelligence Community), along with their respective goals and mission statements. In addition, examine the role and objectives of law enforcement agencies at the state, regional, and local levels within the context of homeland security. Your proposal should emphasize coordination among agencies at different jurisdictional levels.
Examine the connections between complex policy issues, policy proposals, and skills necessary to implement policy. This prompt is integral for producing an effective, practical, and relevant policy proposal for your current homeland security issue. Specifically, your policy proposal should examine how the resolution of complex policy issues necessitates the ability to implement response mechanisms, which are facilitated in part through the application of relevant skills, indicated in training, technology, and techniques.
Analyze methods utilized by the most effective DHS and Intelligence response systems and clearly state why those methods effectively mitigate your current issue. Specifically, you should clarify how current effective methods may be utilized to implement your policy proposal and explain why certain response systems will be more effective than others in terms of implementation of your policy. For example, how would response systems mitigate hostilities, threats, hazards, and consequences associated with your selected homeland security issue?
Evaluate ethical and legal issues that may result from the implementation of your policy proposal. In addition, consider and address arguments for and against your policy proposal within the context of ethical and legal concerns. Analyze which response systems would most effectively address any ethical and legal issues.
Conclusion: Defend your policy proposal by succinctly emphasizing its potential benefits within the context of relevant theory, evidence, and literature. The conclusion is a critical element that reiterates the theoretical and evidentiary basis for your policy proposal.
Abstract: The abstract must be written after the completion of the policy proposal to ensure that it adequately reflects the content of the paper. A well-organized paper will provide the roadmap for creating an effective abstract. Please review the abstract from the Ashford Writing Center.
Content: The abstract must provide a succinct summary of your research paper and policy proposal, and explain how your policy is a theoretically grounded and evidence-based response to a current homeland security issue.
Format: Scholarly journal articles often include abstracts that you can refer to for examples in your own abstract. The abstract must be between 200 and 250 words.
