Question

This is an Introduction to Homeland Security course question.

In a Homeland Security context, do you believe that the term “prevention,” differs in meaning from the terms “mitigation” or “preparedness?” What types of prevention activities can be conducted in advance of a terrorist attack?

Answer 1

In my view I do not think that the term “prevention” is much different from “mitigation” or “preparedness” that is because prevention is the sum total of activities like mitigation and preparation.

By preparing in advance about a future security situation such as what can happen? What will be the areas of concern and how they can be managed can ultimately provide us with a solution which can even stop the occurrence of such event.

To conclude I would say that mitigation and preparedness ultimately leads to lessening of the severity or may be ultimately preventing an entirely dangerous event.

The types of prevention activities can be conducted in advance of a terrorist attack are:

• Anticipation by looking at previous patterns and historical data will keep you ready and on toes to be ready about situation such as terrorist attack.
• Preventing such activities at its source, that is, by seeking out information and intelligence and disrupting terrorist activities.
• By keeping an eye on and gathering intelligence from the several countries that knowingly harbor terrorists as they are the source.
• By keeping a tap on terrorist organizations of the world who wish to attack us on our soil.
• By controlling the entry of foreign nationals in our country as in most of the cases of terrorist attack, foreigners were the people who gathered cruciel data to make that attack possible.
• By erecting defence measure at the locus of known or possible targets, such as dams, public buildings, mass assemblages of people etc.