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Analyzing the cost of screening selectee and non-selectee baggage
Julie L Virta1, Sheldon H Jacobson, John E Kobza
1Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, University of Illinois, Urbana 61801-2906, USA.
Risk Analysis : an Official Publication of the Society for Risk Analysis
|September 13, 2003
Summary
Screening only selectee checked baggage is more cost-effective than screening all checked bags. Increasing screening capacity for non-selectee bags raises costs and lowers security return on investment.
Area of Science:
- Security Operations
- Transportation Security
- Risk Management
Background:
- Federal mandates require 100% screening of checked baggage.
- Optimizing security device operation is crucial for system performance.
- Balancing screening volume and cost is a key challenge in airport security.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze the trade-offs between screening selectee-only versus all checked baggage.
- To evaluate the cost-effectiveness of different baggage screening strategies.
- To inform operational decisions for airport security devices.
Main Methods:
- Development of a cost model for a single baggage screening security device.
- Incorporation of device costs, baggage volume, and screening outcomes into the model.
- Analysis of a one-year operational period for cost calculations.
Main Results:
- Screening non-selectee checked bags increases overall annual costs.
- The cost per checked bag screened decreases when screening more bags.
- The cost per detected threat increases significantly when screening non-selectee bags.
Conclusions:
- Screening only selectee checked baggage offers a higher marginal security return per dollar spent.
- Expanding screening to non-selectee bags diminishes the efficiency of security investments.
- Operational strategies must carefully consider cost-benefit analyses for effective security.