Controlling mobilities in the EU is increasingly depending on information and information technology. Abolishing permanent border control between Schengen Member States has created the dilemma... Show moreControlling mobilities in the EU is increasingly depending on information and information technology. Abolishing permanent border control between Schengen Member States has created the dilemma of economic benefits versus security issues of the freedom of movement. The solution to this issue is often sought in the development and implementation of information technology. While expectations of information and information technologies are high, empirical research on how such border technologies are used in practice is scarce and subsequently little is known about to what extent the envisioned benefits are actually achieved. This dissertation aims to gain more insight in the use of information and information technology in controlling mobilities in intra-Schengen border areas by using a case study of the Mobile Security Monitor as carried out by the Royal Netherlands Marechaussee. Through extensive observations of border checks, focus groups with border patrol officers, interviews with Marechaussee staff members, discourse analysis of political debates and policy documentation and quantitative data, this dissertation aims to gain insight in the decision-making process on the political, organizational and street-level and the role of information and information technology therein. Show less
Dekkers, T.J.M.; Woude, M.A.H. van der; Koulish, R. 2018
In recent years immigration control has seen an increase in the implementation of risk assessment technology. According to proponents such technologies would lead to more objective decision-making... Show moreIn recent years immigration control has seen an increase in the implementation of risk assessment technology. According to proponents such technologies would lead to more objective decision-making compared to the discretionary decisions made by street-level bureaucrats. However, because empirical research on risk assessment technology is limited, it is not quite clear how risk assessment technology in migration control impacts the decision-making process and to what extent it does make the decision-making process more objective. This article aims to shine a light on this issue by making use of a case study of Amigo-boras, a smart camera system used by the Royal Netherlands Marechaussee for migration control purposes. Qualitative data shows that Dutch immigration officers are still able to exercise discretion in the execution of their tasks, placing doubt on claims to objectivity. This finding is confirmed in quantitative data based on a US case study. Although quantitative data on the decision-making process would be able to show if these doubts were justified, the RNM has no such data on the outcomes and selection process using Amigo-boras. This information gap raises new issues regarding the objectivity of the selection process and the individual accountability of RNM officers. Show less
Even though police organizations are increasingly making use of technology as part of the shift towards intelligence-led policing (ILP), the use of this technology in practice remains an... Show moreEven though police organizations are increasingly making use of technology as part of the shift towards intelligence-led policing (ILP), the use of this technology in practice remains an understudied subject. This article aims to shed some light on the practical use of technology in the context of immigration control by making use of over 800 hours of observation and 13 focus groups with officers of the Royal Netherlands Marechaussee (RNM), which is responsible for migration and border controls in the Netherlands. By applying the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) to the case study, this article will contribute to understanding which factors explain why technology is accepted, and therefore used, by RNM officers. It also offers a critical assessment of the TAM model in the light of immigration and border control. The results show that the factors perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, quality of information and timeliness of information that are part of the TAM for law enforcement officers are verified. This case study also calls for an expansion of the model to include ‘transparency’ as a critical factor. Show less
Dekkers, T.J.M.; Woude, M.A.H. van der; Leun, J.P. van der 2016
Most of the research on discretion focuses on the street-leveldecisions of law enforcement officials. By focusing on the micro level, thesestudies neglect the fact that decisions are not made... Show moreMost of the research on discretion focuses on the street-leveldecisions of law enforcement officials. By focusing on the micro level, thesestudies neglect the fact that decisions are not made within a vacuum but ratherwithin a broader political, legal and societal context. This article not only shedslight on the understudied area of border policing, it also aims to give insightinto the broader context that might influence the street-level decision-making ofDutch Border police officers. By means of a discourse analysis of over 250documents, the research shows how the social surround and the decision fieldof border security in the Netherlands develops over a period of 20 years. Theresults of the study not only show how Dutch border security is increasinglydirected at the criminal immigrant, but also the increased use of and belief inintelligence-based and technology-driven decision-making. Show less
Woude, M.A.H. van der; Dekkers, T.J.M.; Brouwer, J. 2015
