Our Capabilities

Our primary objective in conducting research and analysis is to support decision makers with results and recommendations they can use as a basis for action. We employ a multidisciplinary team approach to address disparate stakeholders’ perspectives. We also come to problems from a systems thinking perspective, integrating policy, economic, technical, operational, and other factors.

Consistent with our original charter and the future needs of DHS, we continually enhance our core capabilities in business enterprise, workforce, policy, operations, program, and threat and risk analysis.

Our Programs

Forward Analyst Program: The Homeland Security Studies and Analysis Institute places analysts at DHS headquarters and within components to provide on-site analytic support. These analysts identify crosscutting issues and new analytical requirements, contribute to the knowledge base essential for other HSSAI tasks, and facilitate the interaction of DHS components. While giving immediate analytic support to decision makers at the highest levels, such analysts gain first-hand insight into the workings of the department.

Center for Response and Security Lessons Learned: The Homeland Security Studies and Analysis Institute provided rapid analytic support to DHS in response to wildfires in California, Hurricanes Ike and Gustav, and the department’s Vigilant Guard/Alaska Shield earthquake exercise. HAASI was able to capture and analyze data that would otherwise perish - data that can be used to improve the department's response operations.

The positive reaction to our identification and reporting of lessons learned and best practices led HSSAI to develop a permanent program, the Center for Response and Security Lessons Learned, to offer a comprehensive and coordinated approach to identifying, analyzing, and sharing lessons learned from emergency response and security events.

INSIGHT. INNOVATION.