City University of New York (CUNY) CUNY Academic Works All Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects 6-2017 Seaport Vulnerability to Criminal Networks: A Mixed Method Approach to Measuring Criminological Vulnerability in the Top 30 U.S. Container Ports Leonid Lantsman The Graduate Center, City University of New York How does access to this work benefit ou?y Let us know! More information about this work at: https://academicworks.cuny.edu/gc_etds/2009 Discover additional works at: https://academicworks.cuny.edu This work is made publicly available by the City University of New York (CUNY). Contact: [email protected] SEAPORT VULNERABILITY TO CRIMINAL NETWORKS: A MIXED METHOD APPROACH TO MEASURING CRIMINOLOGICAL VULNERABILITY IN THE TOP 30 U.S. CONTAINER PORTS by LEONID LANTSMAN A dissertation submitted to the Graduate Faculty in Criminal Justice in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy, The City University of New York 2017 © 2017 LEONID LANTSMAN All Rights Reserved ii Seaport Vulnerability to Criminal Networks: A Mixed Method Approach to Measuring Criminological Vulnerability in the Top 30 U.S. Container Ports by Leonid Lantsman This manuscript has been read and accepted for the Graduate Faculty in Criminal Justice in satisfaction of the dissertation requirement for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. 3/24/2017 Michael Maxfield Chair of Examining Committee 3/24/2017 Deborah Koetzle Executive Officer Supervisory Committee: Michael Maxfield Mangai Natarajan Jon Shane THE CITY UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK iii ABSTRACT Seaport Vulnerability to Criminal Networks: A Mixed Method Approach to Measuring Criminological Vulnerability in the Top 30 U.S. Container Ports by Leonid Lantsman Advisor: Michael Maxfield Seaports form a unique space for criminological examination. As the locus points for the majority of international and domestic trade criminal network access to a port can provide outsized benefits. While ports are physical spaces they are underlined by complex systems incorporating public and private agencies, companies and small entities. Underlying the administrative and logistical activity at the port is a jurisdictional web of public and private security regulatory agencies. The complexity of the environment creates vulnerabilities that criminal networks can use to gain access to ports. This dissertation developed a Seaport Vulnerability Framework (SVF), developed from the rational choice and situational crime prevention literature with a multi-disciplinary focus that allows security stakeholders to identify whether a port is at risk of utilization by criminal networks. The SVF is used to measure and analyze criminological vulnerability in the top 30 U.S. container seaports and in-depth in a case study at the Port of New York and New Jersey. Finally, I examine the implications of the SVF for port and maritime security policy and port security assessments in the U.S. and worldwide. iv Contents List of tables.............................................................................................................................................. xiii List of figures ............................................................................................................................................ xiv Abbreviations ............................................................................................................................................ xv Chapter Outline .......................................................................................................................................... 1 Chapter 1- Introduction ............................................................................................................................. 3 1.1 Problem statement ............................................................................................................................... 3 1.2 Definitions ........................................................................................................................................... 4 1.3 Maritime transportation system .......................................................................................................... 5 1.4 Shipping container transit ................................................................................................................... 5 1.5 Port security initiatives........................................................................................................................ 7 1.6 Limitations of current approach .......................................................................................................... 9 Chapter 2- Theoretical framework ......................................................................................................... 11 2.1 Seaports as crime places ................................................................................................................... 11 2.2 Seaports as crime generators ............................................................................................................. 14 2.3 Seaports as crime attractors ............................................................................................................... 14 2.4 Defensible space at seaports ............................................................................................................. 15 2.5 Seaports as “Risky Facilities” ........................................................................................................... 17 2.6. CRAVED products and services ...................................................................................................... 21 2.7 Supply chain security procedures ..................................................................................................... 23 2.8 Complicity with criminal networks ................................................................................................... 25 2.9 Criminal networks and seaport vulnerabilities .................................................................................. 26 2.10 Integrated theoretical approach to address seaport vulnerability .................................................... 29 Chapter 3 Seaport Vulnerability Framework ........................................................................................ 31 v 3.1 Overview ........................................................................................................................................... 31 3.2 Port security funding vulnerability ................................................................................................... 31 3.3 Physical vulnerabilities ..................................................................................................................... 32 3.3A Open structure .................................................................................................................................... 32 3.3B Spatial concentration of CRAVED products ...................................................................................... 33 3.3C Peripheral seaport companies............................................................................................................ 34 3.3D Vehicle traffic ..................................................................................................................................... 35 3.3E Small vessels in/near seaport harbor ................................................................................................. 35 3.3F Intermodal connections ...................................................................................................................... 37 3.3G Physical/Administrative security procedures ..................................................................................... 38 3.3H Illicit import/export markets .............................................................................................................. 39 3.4 Administrative vulnerabilities ........................................................................................................... 40 3.4A Port divergence .................................................................................................................................. 40 3.4B Automation/cyber security vulnerability ............................................................................................ 41 3.4C Vulnerable labor sectors and sector size ........................................................................................... 42 3.4D Interagency cooperation .................................................................................................................... 44 3.4E Historical presence of criminal networks ........................................................................................... 45 3.4F Organizational corruption .................................................................................................................. 46 3.4G Employee corruption .......................................................................................................................... 47 3.5 Logistical transport vulnerabilities .................................................................................................... 48 3.5A Container throughput ......................................................................................................................... 48 3.5B Export cargo vulnerability.................................................................................................................