Target hardening explained

Target hardening, also referred to simply as hardening when made clear by the context, is a term used by police officers, those working in security, and the military referring to the strengthening of the security of a building or installation in order to protect it in the event of attack or reduce the risk of theft.^{[1] [2]} It is believed that a "strong, visible defense will deter or delay an attack".^[3]

In terms of business and home security, target hardening^[4] is one of the suite of protective measures that are included in crime prevention through environmental design.^[5] This can include ensuring all doors and windows are sourced and fitted in such a way that they can resist forcible and surreptitious intruder attack, adding hard barriers and landscapes that resist vehicle and pedestrian intrusion, adding fences, walls and hostile planting.^[6] All of these are greatly assisted by removing or pruning any trees or bushes that could offer suitable hiding places or could be used to climb to a higher level of the property.^[2] However, for a business, taking target hardening too far can send the wrong message out to potential customers.^[7]

In military or counter-terrorism terms, target hardening refers to ensuring strategic or tactical assets are secured against adversary attack.^[8]

Other more specific terms associated with target hardening include hostile vehicle mitigation^[9] and "blast hardening".^[10]

See also

• Armour#Other types
• Counter-terrorism
• Radiation hardening
• Aviation Security in Airport Development - A UK Department of Transport airport anti-terror target-hardening program.

Further reading

• Target Hardening at a New York City Subway
• Target Hardening the City of Orlando
• The Target Hardening Trap

Notes and References

1. Web site: Target Hardening . Business Crime Direct . 2007-11-30 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20071216001153/http://www.businesscrimedirect.org.uk/page.asp?pagekey=115 . 2007-12-16 .
2. Web site: Target Hardening . . 2007-11-30 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20060831001128/http://www.city.vancouver.bc.ca/police/crimeprevention/HSTarget.htm . August 31, 2006 .
3. Web site: Approaches to Target Hardening. 2007-11-30. Austin Peay State University. Tom O'Connor . https://web.archive.org/web/20070712144216/http://www.apsu.edu/oconnort/3440/3440lect06a.htm . 2007-07-12.
4. Web site: Operation GIBWATCH. Royal Gibraltar Police. 3 July 2017.
5. Cozens. P.. Love. T.. A Review and Current Status of Crime Prevention through Environmental Design (CPTED). Journal of Planning Literature. 6 August 2015. 30. 4. 4. 10.1177/0885412215595440. 55959202 . 3 July 2017.
6. Web site: Defensive plants, shrubs and trees (shrub fences) The Crime Prevention Website. thecrimepreventionwebsite.com. 3 July 2017.
7. Web site: Target Hardening . . Joseph Murrary . 2007-11-30 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20080914013430/http://www1.br.cc.va.us/murray/research/cpted/target_hardening/default.htm . 2008-09-14 .
8. Web site: Incident Management of Domestic Terrorism. Tom O'Connor. Austin Peay State University. 2007-11-30 . https://web.archive.org/web/20070713203405/http://www.apsu.edu/oconnort/3410/3410lect08a.htm . 2007-07-13.
9. Web site: Hostile vehicle mitigation Public Website. www.cpni.gov.uk. 3 July 2017. en.
10. https://archive.today/20130116093708/http://ammtiac.alionscience.com/ammt/iacdocs.do?AM003384 Designing Blast Hardened Structures for Military and Civilian Use (abstract)