Risk Management for Border Security

In light of today's complex national security landscape, border security systems designed to track and facilitate the movement of people, goods and conveyances within and between countries must include risk management. Simply put, no current security system provides 100 percent awareness of impending threats. Risk management analyzes data in advance about people, cargo, conveyances and money to identify the level of risk. The goal is to make the physical border the last line of defense against possible threats by facilitating efficient resource management. 

Empowering Front-Line Personnel

By assessing risk, security efforts can focus limited resources on the entities that pose the highest risk.  For example, risk management provides immigration inspectors with risk information about travelers entering a country so they can make better decisions about entry. Customs officers can also use risk information about importers and the contents of cargo containers at ports of entry to determine if a physical inspection is necessary.

Essential Benefits

New systems, specific business processes and unique skill sets are necessary for the implementation of large-scale and effective risk management programs. Formalizing risk management programs can improve public safety and help governments allocate limited border security resources. They also play a pivotal role in facilitating legitimate trade and travel by focusing inspection only on those entities that pose the greatest risk to border security. To be successful, any planned government program to improve security while facilitating legitimate travel and trade must include a comprehensive risk management program.