Criminal Justice
Critical Infrastructure
Communities
rely on critical infrastructure networks, systems, and assets that should be secured for a community’s social and
economic well being. Hence, collective responsibility is important in helping
to identify and control the risks that might affect such critical aspects in
the society. This can be done by identifying priorities of the community,
define clear goals, frequent evaluation of progress on effect of the
infrastructure since their establishments. It will help in sensitizing the
community on the importance of this infrastructure and thus involving them in
the progress plans for a better community. This paper describes how
professionals in this field can work with the local and national government to
protect critical infrastructure by hardening possibility of attacks in
vulnerable target areas.
The
Power and Lighting Company is one of the critical infrastructures, not only to
surrounding residents of Widens town but also to the whole state. In the twenty
first century, electricity is a basic aspect in the lives of people; other than
basic lighting and cooking in homes, it also relied upon to run critical
machines in hospitals that support life, lighting on the streets in town for
security. Communication lines and Internet services would go off without this
source of power. Power black outs have always been a loophole for crime
activities in this town, I have witnessed chaos, criminal activities including theft
in shopping malls when there is black out, major crime scenes of terrorism, and
bank robbers take advantage of this because security is undermined without
facilities such as the security cameras. The power and lighting company,
generates its electricity from geothermal power. A dry season where water is
scarce becomes a low season for the company’s business forcing them to ration
the power.
Installations
of power lines that were done years ago are now depreciated hence multiple
breakdowns that cause lapses in the power supply. This is the only company that
provides electricity for the whole state, thus working as a monopoly for this
part of the nation. I suppose the management of the power company has relaxed
knowing they have no competing company in the business, everything is under
their control hence cannot be easily wiped off the business; this undermines
the quality of services they offer to their clients. Power being an essential
in a community, it is prone to targets by malicious individuals therefore
efforts need to be combined to prevent this and reduce the vulnerability of
attacks. (Baker, 2009)
Mitigation
of these identified risks in the company would require partnering of major
administrative organizations which includes the local government, the local
community of people living in the identified vulnerable area; attack on this
company directly affects the community. To prevent the risks, there are several
approaches that can be used in such a circumstance, to protect critical
infrastructure. (Baker, 2009)
Upgrading
the equipment used by the power and lighting company is important. The power
generators at the company premises, the supply lines should be secured; systems
in the company offices that control supply must be professionally secured to
take care of the malicious computer wizards who might hack into the systems to
gain control. Other critical areas are the power transformers, transmitters,
and electricity lines that run in town and estates. This is the main target
that especially thugs use to cause black outs, the local government should
provide security for such equipment with help of locals who can call the
relevant authority in case they spot unusual activity. Back up facilities are
also important in case of failure. (Marks, 2013)
Federal
government should consult with local governments involving locals near critical
infrastructure to help identify the risks in time and work towards mitigating
them. These infrastructures are valuable aspects that should be properly
secured to benefit the nation as a whole.
References
Baker, G (2009). Vulnerability
Assessment Methodology: Journal of James Madison University.
Marks, K. (2013) Partnering
for Critical Infrastructure and Security: National Infrastructure
Protection Plan; Homeland
Security
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