Technology drives today’s world. It governs its dynamics, and it is thus normal that terrorism should be taken advantage of as well. We are living in a period that is very hard, terror threatens global society and cultures and has reached a global dimension, differently from the past. We have a global warning. Worldwide intelligence and law enforcement agencies warn of possible terrorist attacks in major cities.
The towns, today, are at the epicenter of crime and terrorism. Some of them are certainly more vulnerable than others. Not unexpectedly, municipalities are pursuing innovative solutions to ensure crime prevention and terrorism regulation.
Increased awareness, improved police and community outreach, and investment in new technology are likely to further boost neighborhood security in the times to come. These urban centers will introduce security: data-driven and problem-focused solutions to improve decision making and development to reduce vulnerability in environmental changes.
The US government created the Home Security Department in 2001. Since then, the domestic security sector has erupted. Various emergency management degree programs prepare students for government entry levels. It is one of the best management jobs for those who want to see justice in the world and focus on terrorism, emergency help and disaster relief.
The advances discussed in this article are only a small set of innovative developments that have improved our security in the ongoing war on terror. However, the following are the five ways where technology helps in defeating terrorism.
- Simulators for Security Training
Even if security staff trains to handle a situation, the real world always casts an unexpected thing. In fact, in the war on terrorism, troops must fight against secret groups without a clear mode of action. This is particularly true. The U.S. military uses computer simulators that provide a game-like experience to individuals and groups to better prepare the troops for the unpredictable.
In the war against terrorism, group simulators probably have made the greatest impact. Soldiers are seen in a room with virtual reality devices over their hands and tools including cannons, rifles and steering wheels. The hardware and the gear are attached in a simulator that feeds the simulation parameters to the soldiers and then reacts to the actions of the soldiers.
A team of soldiers, each in different roles, handle certain scenarios when they travel in a virtual convoy in one simulator called the Virtual Convoy Operations Trainer. When virtual terrorists put them into an unexpected combat situation, VCOT trains soldiers to communicate and work together. The Future Immersive Training Environment brings the war out, training soldiers for ground fighting. FITE simulates Middle East war zone colors, noises and even smells.
- Inspection Through Management Systems
The law enforcement agencies, as part of their work, use aerial photography and monitoring. If you have ever looked outside the aircraft window while on the flight, however, you know that when you look at it from the air, it can be difficult for you to sense anything on the ground. Maps and GPS also play an important role in in-flight tracking.
An innovative system called the inspection management system for critical infrastructures goes beyond a static map and GPS data. CIIMS features touchscreen-based mobile tablet devices. Through CIIMS, air traffic control staff will send information regarding on-the-ground operations in real-time and retrieve it. It means that both air and ground forces have access to critical information needed for swift crisis decisions.
- Registration of People through Electronic Tools
The conviction and criminal records from legal enforcement organizations around the world are held in archives. The same is being achieved for the individuals being interviewed by intelligence agencies like the US Federal Bureau of Investigation. Such databases contain images, signatures, retinal scans and DNA tests with detailed digital records. It is vital to get fast, reliable access to this information during a crisis where time is critical.
The U.S. Defense Department is committed to ensuring that soldiers are able to get the information they need to ensure that appropriate action is taken immediately when they are in the field. Soldiers must also be able to collect and process new information at the same pace in these servers. This is supported by a computer known as the Safe Electronic Enrollment Kit.
The SEEK II is an electronic handheld device that records the biometric information of an individual. The SEEK II can collect fingerprints, facial scans, and iris scans, which have been developed and marketed by Cross Match technologies. Soldiers can send these data to a nearby networked computer via a 3G wireless network or direct USB connection. From now on, the SEEK II requires more than any other tool to capture biometric data during operations around the globe, the Special Operations Forces.
- Screening Technology
Would you do anything else if you learned a criminal could target your home tonight? What if you understood who was, in fact, this robber? The US Homeland Security Department has a number of behavioral science projects to identify criminal intent before a crime occurs. The potential attribute testing technology was developed in one of these programs.
Like the above-mentioned backscatter-X-rays, FAST is a scanning tool that is used to identify possible risks easily by security personnel. Like a detector of lies, FAST measures your physiological responses. Unlike the lie detector, however, FAST does not need direct physical contact with the subject to be examined, and the like of the use of security cameras by airports and public buildings.
- X-ray Systems
In the wake of 11 September 2001, the U.S. terrorist attacks showed that terrorists could use commercial aircraft as powerful weapons. Fliers, therefore, had to withstand the inconvenience of stricter safety checks at airports to make them feel safer. The backscatter X-ray system is one of the technical innovations designed to accelerate and increase accuracy in such safety checks.
Conclusion
The safety measures start from the presumption of the absence and even predictability of many kinds of crime, radicalization, and terrorism. The huge increase in computing power and progress made in machine learning have provided for the detection of causal associations and triggers across huge amounts of data related to crime and violence. The use and storage of these data streams are important to the security of urban areas.