U.S. Pacific territories · Micronesia

Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands: Public Safety Research

ISPI research and analysis on public safety, typhoon preparedness, border security and federal policy gaps in Guam and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.

Research hub

ISPI research on Guam and the CNMI

Guam and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) are U.S. territories whose federal relationship is administered by the U.S. Department of the Interior's Office of Insular Affairs ↗. ISPI's research on the U.S. Pacific territories argues that their public safety needs fall into gaps between federal frameworks written for the states. This hub gathers that work.

Key issues in ISPI's research

Jurisdiction

Federal frameworks leave gaps

ISPI's PB-03 explains that Guam is an unincorporated territory whose residents are U.S. citizens but cannot vote in federal elections, and that each territory's status shapes which grant programs, federal agencies and emergency management frameworks apply.

Funding

Population formulas underfund territories

PB-03 argues that population-based federal grant formulas miss territories' real costs: wide maritime approaches to secure and higher costs for equipment, staff, training and logistics on isolated islands.

Typhoons

Regular exposure, underfunded hardening

PB-11 notes that Pacific territories face regular typhoon exposure while infrastructure hardening remains chronically underfunded; ISPI's Typhoon Bavi analysis looks at the warning-system side.

Continuity

Operating in place

PB-10 recommends that federal continuity rules recognize shelter-in-place and digital continuity as primary strategies for island and noncontiguous territory governments.