Economics in a Global Environment

Evaluating the nations airport security systems (metal detectors and machines that allow security people to see what's inside carry-on luggage).

Transportation Security Administrative (TSA) Oversight of Checked Baggage Screening Procedures could be strengthened.

(GAO, 2004)

Although well-intentioned, much of the effort to enhance aviation security since September 11, 2001, has done little to make the skies significantly safer. Despite large amounts of taxpayers money and pas¬sengers time, little has been accomplished that actu¬ally increases aviation security.

(Heritage, 2006)

No single technology can totally address the problem of transportation security. Technology development has not reached a point where it can operate separately without a human operator.

(the Federal Aviation, 2006)

How to prioritized the use of checked baggage screening procedures and identified trade-offs in security effectiveness and operational efficiencies? Transportation Security Administrative (TSA) has prioritized standard and alternative checked baggage screening procedures based on legislative requirements and TSA officials judgment of the procedures effectiveness. Use of various procedures to screen checked baggage has involved trade-offs in security effectiveness, which vary by the type of procedure used and the circumstances of its use. It is TSA’s policy to use standard procedures whenever possible because TSA officials determined that these procedures provide the most effective detection of explosives.

(GAO, 2004)

How to report use of the procedures and ensured that standard procedures are used whenever possible? TSA cannot identify the percentage of checked baggage screened using standard versus alternative screening procedures because TSA records standard procedures in terms of the number of bags screened in its management information system, but records alternative procedures in terms of the number of occasions and hours of use. However, TSA officials estimated that a low percentage of checked baggage is screened using alternative screening procedures. (GAO, 2004)

What steps that took to reduce airports need to use alternative screening procedures and to establish performance measures to monitor their use? To assess the extent that standard screening