Selected Projects:
DHS PPBE Support and Program Analysis
United States Coast Guard Intelligence in the Near Future
DHS PPBE Support and Program Analysis
This IDA analysis developing outcome-based performance measures for border security; focused on the southwest land border with Mexico. Measuring the security of the U.S. borders with respect to threats such as illegal migration and drug smuggling has been a long-standing challenge. Successful illegal entry rates for migrants and drugs, the probability of apprehension, and deterrence rates are all examples of outcome-based performance measures. IDA is now working on relating those border security outcomes to enforcement investments. Establishing these relationships will enable DHS to evaluate effectiveness of manpower (agents and their distribution), technology, fencing, and prosecution programs.
United States Coast Guard Intelligence in the Near Future
This study, conducted for the U.S. Coast Guard's (USCG) Assistant Commandant for Intelligence and Criminal Investigations, identified key Coast Guard Intelligence missions, functions, customers, stakeholders, and tasks that were performed at various levels of the USCG Intelligence program; identified core capabilities and tools needed to perform these functions; identified different courses of action (COA) for effective delivery of intelligence to priority customers considering different resource levels; and evaluated these different COAs providing challenges, opportunities, pros/cons, and strategies for implementation.
Presentations, Articles, Publications:
PRESENTATION:Estimating “At-the-Border” Deterrencepresented at the Western Economic Association International (WEAI) 91st Annual Conference, June 29-July 3, 2016, Portland, Oregon, by IDA’s Sarah K. Burns.
PRESENTATION:Border Enforcement Studypresented at the Western Economic Association International (WEAI) 91st Annual Conference, June 29-July 3, 2016, Portland Oregon, by IDA’s Sarah K. Burns and John E. Whitley.
PRESENTATION:Estimating Deterrence using Border Patrol Consequence Reformspresented at the Western Economic Association International (WEAI) 2015, June 28-July 2, 2015, Honolulu, Hawaii, by IDA’s Sarah K. Burns.
PRESENTATION:Estimating Illegal Migrant Flow: The Repeated Trials Modelpresented at the Western Economic Association International (WEAI) 2015, June 28-July 2, 2015, Honolulu, Hawaii, by IDA’s Sarah K. Burns.
PRESENTATION:An Outcome-Based Approach to Border Security Performance Measurementpresented at the Western Economic Association International (WEAI) 2015, June 28-July 2, 2015, Honolulu, Hawaii, by IDA’s Sarah K. Burns.