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Results for costs of criminal justice (canada, u.s.)

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Author: Moens, Alexander

Title: Measuring the Costs of the Canada-US Border

Summary: A decade has passed since the United States suffered the most violent foreign attack ever carried out on American soil. The negative consequences from the terrorist attacks of 9/11 have led to a new “security-first” orientation within many branches of the US government. As a result, the Canada-US border experienced a variety of new security regulations which have made it more costly to trade and travel between the two countries. This so-called thickening of the border has damaged the economic relationship between Canada and the US. Though an assortment of policies, programs, and pieces of legislation have been introduced to alleviate border restrictions, progress has been modest. Meanwhile, the costs associated with border crossing have not significantly decreased while government spending on border security has markedly increased. Despite the introduction of goal-oriented border security programs, the implementation and operational costs have largely been ignored. We argue that the border needs to be thought of in ways similar to other public programs; are the set goals achieved, and are they being achieved in the most efficient ways? Given the ongoing American concern about security we may face a situation in which border programs and costs increase, while slowdowns at the border persist. The border crossing efficiencies gained from new programs must exceed the costs for true progress to be made. Some key findings from this study include: after ten years of post-9/11 border innovations, the costs associated with border crossing have not significantly decreased while government spending on border security has markedly increased. In order to develop performance-based and cost-effective border management policies, an outline of costs associated with the border is required; Canadian and American governments should provide detailed descriptions of costs and expenditures for specific border programs and new security measures. Furthermore, these costs/expenditures must be linked to expected outcomes and timelines. "Costs and Results" based evaluations should be undertaken on a year-to-year basis, and subsequently made public; and, In December 2011, the governments of Canada and the United States issued a joint declaration called Beyond the Border: A Shared Vision for Perimeter Security and Economic Competitiveness. While the vision provides specific benchmarks and timelines for measuring progress, it does not tie these guidelines to government expenditures, or reductions in border crossing costs. Either we will continue with incremental and uncoordinated programs, creating some improvements but not lowering the overall cost of the border, or we will begin to create a new border regime.

Details: Calgary, Canada: Fraser Institute, 2012. 49p.

Source: Studies in Canada-US Relations: Internet Resource: Accessed September 4, 2012 at http://www.fraserinstitute.org/uploadedFiles/fraser-ca/Content/research-news/research/publications/measuring-the-costs-of-the-canada-us-border.pdf

Year: 2012

Country: International

URL: http://www.fraserinstitute.org/uploadedFiles/fraser-ca/Content/research-news/research/publications/measuring-the-costs-of-the-canada-us-border.pdf

Shelf Number: 126248

Keywords:
Border Control (Canada, U.S.)
Border Security (Canada, U.S.)
Costs of Criminal Justice (Canada, U.S.)