In screening operations, what is the purpose of risk assessment during primary screening?

• A. Determine airline routes.
• B. Determine taxes on goods.
• C. Determine admissibility of travelers and goods.
• D. Schedule flights.

Answer: (C)

The main purpose of risk assessment during primary screening is to quickly decide who and what can be admitted at the border and who needs further inspection. It uses available data and observed factors to separate low-risk travelers and goods from higher-risk cases, so secure, efficient processing can happen. This helps officers move along travelers who pose little or no risk while flagging and routing higher-risk individuals or items to secondary screening for closer inspection. The other activities listed—determining airline routes, taxes on goods, or scheduling flights—aren’t the aim of the risk-based screening process at the border; those tasks pertain to operations, finance, or logistics, not admissibility decisions at the point of entry.