Security, at what cost? [electronic resource] : quantifying people's trade-offs across liberty, privacy and security / Neil Robinson ... [et al.].

Mode of access: Internet from Rand Corporation web site. Adobe Acrobat Reader required.

Title from PDF title page (viewed on January 14, 2010).

The heightened security environment in the United Kingdom today is resplendent with examples of government policy that must strike a delicate balance between strengthening security without jeopardising public liberties and personal privacy. The introduction of national identity cards and biometric passports, the expansion of the national DNA database and cross-departmental sharing of personal data raise a number of privacy issues. Human rights may also be suspended by the exercise of stop-and-search powers by the police or detention of suspects prior to a trial. However, much of the current civil liberties versus security debate is adversarial and little robust research informs these arguments. This report outlines the results of a study that sought to understand objectively the real privacy, liberty and security trade-offs of individuals, so that policymakers can be better informed about individuals' true preferences in this area, and the true nature of the balance between privacy and civil liberties may be understood.

Includes bibliographical references (p. 69-77).

Introduction -- Methodology -- Descriptive analysis -- Modelling of the stated preference data -- Key findings and discussion.