Protecting Vulnerable Targets

Abstract

This approach is based on the theory of situational prevention. The preventive mechanism is to identify and remove opportunities for specific types of terrorist action, thereby making it more difficult to carry through attacks. This may mean to increase the efforts needed to carry through a specific attack (e.g. by target hardening, control access to facilities, control weapons and other tools and substances), or to increase the risks for detection (e.g. by natural or formal surveillance). Some of the measures have had proven effects of reducing certain forms of terrorist attacks, such as hijacking of airplanes. However, protecting certain targets has sometimes led terrorists to attack other, less protected targets. This displacement effect is one of the main drawbacks of this strategy. Protective measures may also be costly and intrusive.