Home Security Vulnerabilities Having Observed My Residence

Home Security Vulnerabilities

Having observed my residence from the outside so as to identify key security vulnerabilities or weaknesses, I now come up with an in-depth security vulnerability assessment of the said residence. Included in this assessment are recommendations on how the identified vulnerabilities or security weaknesses will be eliminated and/or minimized.

Vulnerability Assessment and Recommended Security Enhancements

Intruders more often than not 'case' homes before they attempt a robbery. What this means is that intruders scout for key vulnerabilities that would make a certain home their likely target. Having looked at my residence from an intruder's point-of-view, I was able to identify a number of key security vulnerabilities. In the section below, I revisit some of the vulnerabilities I spotted and make recommendations that would in addition to eliminating the said vulnerabilities also make my home more secure.

To begin with, the open bedroom window presents a perfect opportunity for an intruder to access the house and make away with something of value. Indeed, in the opinion of Capel (1997), being the most neglected venerable points, "the majority of all entries are made through windows." In the past, there are times I have left the front door unlocked while in the neighborhood. While my neighborhood is relatively safe, the likelihood of an opportunistic robbery cannot be ruled out. To eliminate this vulnerability, the first and most logical step will be to ensure that all doors and windows remain locked whenever am not in the house. Additional measures like double glazing can also be taken to further secure the windows. Double glazing according to Capel (1997) "is undoubtedly a deterrent as there are two panes of glass to penetrate instead of one." Hence for any intruder, this would provide an appropriate barrier against forced entry. Yet another consideration in this case is the reinforcement of my home windows using solid iron bars. This is more so the case for basement windows. However, the iron grills will be designed in a way that allows them to be opened from the inside. This is an important consideration as grills that cannot be opened from the inside can effectively trap occupants inside the house incase of a fire.

Poor landscaping is yet another major security vulnerability that needs to be fixed urgently. Currently, quite a number of tree branches around the compound are in dire need of pruning. Further, most plants around the compound and most particularly those ones near basement windows also need to be trimmed. Un-pruned tree branches and other un-trimmed plants can provide convenient concealment to intruders. In seeking to break into a house, intruders prefer to be either partially or fully concealed from public view. Possible entry points to my residence i.e. basement windows are well shielded by un-trimmed plants. From an intruder's point-of-view, this is a critical vulnerability. The most logical approach towards the elimination of this vulnerability has got to do with proper landscaping. In this case, plants near doors and windows will be pulled up as they can be used by intruders to conceal themselves as they attempt a break-in. Trees near the house will have their lower level branches pruned. Further, all shrubs and bushes in the compound will not be allowed to exceed a height of more than 3 feet going forward.

The other key vulnerability which I also need to fix has got to do with lighting. Defective bulbs would make a break-in after dark an easy undertaking even for the most inexperienced robber. Without adequate lighting, an intruder would be perfectly concealed from pedestrians, neighbors as well as those inside the house. In seeking to eliminate this vulnerability, I will make use of both my yard lights and the existing street lights. All defective lights will also be repaired. Further, depending on the design of my residence, additional lights will be installed so as to provide sufficient lighting around entry areas like windows and doors. To further make entry into my residence less likely, I will also consider installing lights backed up by motion-sensors. It is highly unlikely that any intruder would continue with his mission were the lights to suddenly shine on him. Thus lights backed-up by motion-detectors would come in handy as a worthy deterrent to any unwelcome visitor. Still on lighting, yet another important consideration is a photoelectric switch. Basically, a photoelectric switch automatically turns the lights on at dusk and then turns them off at dawn. This it does by sensing the fading daylight at dust and the incoming daylight at dawn. In my opinion, the photoelectric switch is an important component of a home security plan. With this tool, one does not need to worry about arriving home late as the lights will ideally be on when darkness sets in. This makes it hard for an intruder to tell when nobody is home.

Next, my leaving of enticements like valuables clearly exposed can be considered yet another serious vulnerability. In most cases, robbers break into a house for a good reason. As I have already pointed out elsewhere in this text, an intruder is likely to 'case' a given residence before attempting a break-in. After 'casing' my house, I am certain any robber would consider the same worth the risk. This is more so the case taking into consideration the other existing security vulnerabilities. Enticements would offer an intruder an extra reason to break in. It is important to note that even when basic home security measures have been put in place, an inappropriately exposed enticement may attract a more experienced and professional robber. In an attempt to ensure that would be burglars do not 'window shop' at my residence, I will see to it that no enticements are left in plain view.