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Letters & CommentsMatthew Allen
Matthew Allen is a scientist at Sandia National Laboratories. He is currently serving as an ASME Congressional Fellow at the Committee on Homeland Security, House of Representatives. The views of Matthew Allen do not necessarily reflect the views of any member or committee of Congress. Mr. Allen may be contacted at mallen@sandia.gov.
Reducing the Risk
ABSTRACT:
Since the establishment of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in 2002, the department’s mission has sometimes been difficult to understand.
Not until recently has the administration found the proper rhetorical tools that explain both the challenges the nation faces
with respect to terrorism and how the government is addressing those challenges.
The department has recently developed a methodology for calculating risk that describes risk as the product of threat, vulnerability, and consequence.
This methodology and the rhetorical concept of “reducing the risk,” more than any other aspect of homeland security policy,
may be critical in guiding the actions of policy makers for years to come
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