Incrementalism in Public Policy

Introduction

The efforts for the security started by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) since September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks that demanded to screen all the checked baggage at all the airports from U.S.A (gao.gov, 2006). At that time it is stated that the TSA adopted two processes in screening the baggage. Firstly EDS that is explosive detection systems that detected the characteristics of explosives were used as the baggage moved along the conveyer belt. Secondly, ETD, that is the explosive trace detection systems were used whereby the Transportation Security Officer would swab baggage and then insert the swab into the ETD machine this helped to detect chemical residues that showed the evidence of explosives in the bag (Gao.Gov, 2006). Further to this security arrangement it was stated that TSA machines are running efficiently and safeguarding the security of the U.S.A as that was the intention. From the beginning of 2001 until June 2006, it is reported that TSA installed around 1600 EDS machines and around 7200 ETD machines were used to screen the checked baggage for explosives at around 400 U.S commercial airports (Gao.gov, 2006).

The updated story states that TSA plans to get rid of body scanners at almost all airports security lane by 2014 and hence this paper will suggest alternative security check methods employed by the TSA to secure U.S.A and to safeguard the interest of public as well. As there has been controversy that the X-Ray machines are causing high radio frequency waves which are harmful and on the other hand the scanners used for the routine body checks are offensive for passengers because they say that their privacy is abused (ProPublica, 2012).

The TSA Planning Methodology for Alternate Security System

In an article written by Michael Grabell dated Oct 19, 2012 updates the TSA news on removing the X-ray body scanners as already stated before from major airports and replace them with much safer machines as per the recommendations made by the radiation experts. TSA is determined to speed up checkpoints at the most busy airports in the U.S. This also means that some passengers will have to still go through X-ray scanners at the small airports. As also stated earlier, X-ray scanners have received lot of negative feedback from frequent flyers. They are not happy about the X-ray scanners because they emit a small dose of ionizing radiation which can lead to cancer (Propublica, 2012). Additionally, it has been stated that the “privacy advocates decried that the machines produce images, albeit heavily burred, of passengers’ naked bodies. Each image is reviewed by a TSA officer therefore slowing security lines” (Propublica, 2012).

Therefore now is the planning methodology for the replacement machines that are named millimeter-wave scanners which rely on low-energy radio waves as similar to the waves that are