ABSTRACT
There have been many efforts in the past to confront the uncertainties and vagaries of future threats, dangers, and catastrophes that emerge in public health, in the aftermath of disasters, in controlling crime and terrorism, and in protecting our material well-being. Agencies such as the World Health Organization (WHO), Centers for Disease Control, United Nations (UN), Interpol, and others have been struggling to develop means by which they can plan for these outcomes and reduce their negative consequences. In this chapter, we will examine the literature on risk analysis that provides the framework for the study of threats. We will then review case studies from three areas of interest (health, disasters, and crime) to review how relevant agencies have addressed these problems through a risk perspective. We will then conclude with a discussion of the merits of a common methodology for risk assessment that can be used across these areas, identifying what can be shared and what is unique to the specific areas of threat.
