ABSTRACT
Crises test the very fabric of our governing institutions. They threaten core societal values and require decision-makers to take action under conditions of great uncertainty and intense time pressure. While the public generally accepts that decision-making in crises often is centralized and information is confined to a key few, public trust in government is intrinsically linked to the ability to hold decision-makers accountable for the crucial decisions they make in crises. For reasons of expediency and effectiveness, the mechanisms set in place for exerting accountability under normal administrative conditions are often suspended in crises. But what happens in the aftermath of the crisis? Who is held responsible and by whom? How is this accomplished? The ability to hold top-level decision-makers and public servants responsible for their actions, or lack of action, in situations that matter most is a crucial part of the ongoing relationship of trust between governing institutions and those governed.
