Rational approaches to policy analysis

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As had always been the practice with the problems you have for this course, your professor expects you to stay on message. I suggest this simple outline:

1. Overview - 100 words
2. The policy for analysis - 200 words
3. The rational approach theory - 200 words
4. Application of the theory, including public impact - 400 words
5. Analytical approach - 200 words
6. Likely limitations of the analytical approach for issue analysis - 300 words
7. Conclusion - 200 words

This should yield 5-8 pages which should cover what you need.
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Rational & Analytical Analysis of Public Policy

I am a member of one of America's many law enforcement and defense agencies - the US Customs and Border Protection (CBP). We are a primary arm of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is one of the most complex components of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) being the largest element whose primary mission after 2001 is to keep America safe from the threat of terrorism. This however, is only among the many of its myriad of responsibly as the CBP (2012) also, "has a responsibility for securing and facilitating trade and travel while enforcing hundreds of U.S. regulations, including immigration and drug laws." the main functions of the CBP can be divided into 3 main headings: trade, travel and border security, the latter being the most complex of all. Trade wise - the task is to secure that all the goods going in and out of America are legitimate, are not posing any dangers and threats to the US and have paid all appropriate fees and duties. Travel wise - the task is to ensure that the US continues its ability to let the flow of people into and out of America efficient while ensuring that individuals or elements, in particular terrorist, do not get access to or find their way into American territory. Border and security-wise, the task is nebulous and far reaching as this fall under the title of 'securing the homeland'. All American borders (air, land & sea), and across American territories, the task of the CBP is to ensure that the borders are secure, that within American towns and cities there are no possibilities of threats against the homeland. This means being able to patrol all borders and watch over all towns, cities and states, being on alert 24-7 and keeping on training for the latest technologies and approaches to enable the watch over America effective. The key word, according to CBP (2012) is 'vigilance'. Much of the motivation and function of this Federal agency can be surmised in its Mission Statement (CBP, 2012):

"We are the guardians of our nation's borders, we are America's frontline. We safeguard the American homeland at and beyond our borders. We protect the American public against terrorists and instruments of terror. We steadfastly enforce the laws of the United States while fostering our Nation's economic security through lawful international trade and travel. We serve the American public with vigilance, integrity and professionalism."

As an organization therefore, we function primarily because of the mandate of our government branch, through the power of the American constitution. This means we work with government policies and the American rule of law - these shape how we do our roles, how our organization is run, how we plan and function. In this paper, I will discuss a current policy that has made the public and concerned advocates question the way we handle a particular task - dealing with and processing illegal immigrants and suspected individuals being processed within our detention system.

Organizational Policy & Issue

I have, in a previous paper dealing with ethics, discussed this policy and issue previously. I am doing so once again so as to analyze the problem from another angle - that of policy analysis using particular approaches in public administration. In order for the organization to deliver on this task it has a security policy that determines the manner by which it will operate in the governance of the task. Because of the mammoth nature of the organization and the ...