INDONESIA NATIONAL PUBLIC SECURITY INDEX (NPSI)

Security can be objective and subjective relative to risk and opportunity (Forbes-Mewett, 2022). The overly commonly used terminology “security” can be understood as both a feeling and a reality, whereas a feeling, we respond based on our subjective psychological reactions towards vulnerabilities (Schneier, 2008). For instance, a community may feel insecure despite low crime statistics, driven by perceptions of media framing, disproportionate exposure of crime related news, or prior experiences of violence. Conversely, another community may report a strong sense of safety even amid measurable risks, due to presence of social cohesion, or strong trust in local authorities. These discrepancies highlight that security as a feeling, may not always align with empirical reality yet it can powerfully shape behaviour and perceptions regarding security-related factors. As Forbes-Mewett (2022) elaborated that new security is not just about national security issues; it includes issues impacting citizen’s everyday lives. The meaning of “new security” transforms the previous limited understanding of securing the world (Forbes-Mewett, 2019; 2022). Security is inherently multidimensional and context-dependent, making it difficult to define, but clarity can be achieved through a shared understanding within specific applied domains (Brooks, 2010). Security can also involve social influences, such as education, employment, economic, cultural, and other social factors (Forbes-Mewett, 2022). Accordingly, this article proposes a contextualized understanding of security within the national and public domains, conceptualized and operationalized through the development of a measurable index to inform evidence-based policy and security governance.  We argue that the development of a comprehensive index is essential for capturing a representation of national public security, on that reflects the collective subjective perceptions of local populations (Inglehart and Welzel, 2005). The spectrum of security has significantly broadened, it no longer pertains solely to maintaining order from a single dimension but instead involves a multi-faceted approach. Areas of security that now require serious consideration include economic security, environmental security, political security, and social security (Buzan, et al., 1998).