The Top 7 Questions You Should Be Considering When Improving Home Security

The show above is a clear demonstration as to how security professionals should approach home security planning and risk analysis.

Many times I'm asked by various people how to properly secure their home. Initially, it can be very difficult sometimes to give advice as to how to provide adequate security for your residence. I feel in order for your home to be secure you must first realistically assess your risk tolerance, the nature of the threat and your vulnerabilities, and what you're willing to do to mitigate the threat. I do this by asking several questions:

1. What's security mean to you? Most people look bedazzled when I ask this. I firmly believe security is a mindset and not a result. If you live in a really nice neighborhood with no crime, you might feel secure with your door unlocked. However, in a bad neighborhood, that may not be ideal. So what makes you secure?
2. What can't you lose? Some people naturally reply "nothing". I have had some be very specific. This is an important question to ask because most people may not need to spend hundreds of dollars on elaborate security if the only thing they're afraid of losing is fairly replaceable if lost. That also depends on personal perspective. Losing my father's watch would be a terrible loss for me but not someone else. In sales, they call these first two questions "What's your pain?"
3. What's your terrain like? In other words, what's the nature of the environment you're securing? Is this a high crime area? Do people routinely talk to their neighbors? Are you visible during the day? Is your neighborhood well-patrolled by police? If not, why? Most people don't have a good answer for this last question, though, it may be the most important one. Does your property allow visitors inside without credentialing them? This question is especially important for those who live in housing developments with rental units. Are there ways your neighbors and others can naturally see your home unobstructed? You should see some recurring themes from previous articles.
4. What's the threat? In other words, who wants your stuff? How do they know your stuff or could know it? The threat identity question is the most important question you can ask yourself and anyone who asks for your advice. Figure out who is likely to attack the home and for what reasons (home invasions, stalker, burglars, etc.). You may have to get an accounting of the client or yourself (if it's your home). That means asking about prior domestic violence, violent crime in the area or the home, any overt threats made, attacks on homes nearby, shady people seen in the neighborhood. From there, use the third question about terrain to determine likelihood of an attack.
5. Just how vulnerable are you? Many people have two ways of assessing vulnerabilities and neither of them work - being overly optimistic or overly pessimistic. Homeowners think the way normal, law-abiding citizens do when they think of burglars. They assume burglars look for the same things they do. Often, they get these faulty ideas from television or vivid imaginations. Just because you might be able to climb a ledge and walk to your window two stories up with perfect agility doesn't mean a drug-addicted burglar will even care. So how does someone think like a criminal and find vulnerabilities? First, be realistic. Next, check for yourself. Crooks have experience so they already know what does and does not work. I'm not telling you to break a window but there's no harm trying to drive a wedge in a door or walking on the other side of your fence to see what a burglar would see. Walk around your neighborhood and ask yourself what house looks the easiest to hit. Then ask yourself why. Ask yourself what would the burglar do with your stuff. Will he pawn it? If so, then an inventory of all of your high risk items is necessary with serial numbers.
6. Next, what can you do to protect yourself? Most people's natural security reflex is to buy a safe and then an alarm. Good? Nope. Actually both are terrible in some cases though not all. I like safes and alarms. However, what good are both if you don't understand why they were made? An alarm cannot stop all burglars. Many bad guys will already plan for this and hit your house any way. Alarms are great for getting the cops there as soon as possible. Picking a reputable company to install and monitor it is absolutely key. Safes are designed to slow thieves down. No safe is impenetrable. Every safe has a weakness. Most consumer safes have the same vulnerability - you can transport them. You can pick them up and take them somewhere to be cracked later. So what should a homeowner with one do? Bolt it to the floor and buy a safe that doesn't have electrical locks. Trust me. Don't buy a big threatening dog either. Some dogs work but some don't. Don't gamble your property or your life hoping a canine will stop an attack. Guns are great against home invasions and other intruders. However, don't advertise them. Remember what I said about gun buy-back programs.
7. Finally, what are you willing to sacrifice to feel secure? The number one complaint about security always revolves around convenience. I don't care what you're protecting. Someone will complain about the inconvenience on their time, energy and money to have it. The toughest part of consulting anyone on home and personal protection is this part. People can't wrap their heads around giving up something to protect against a threat they may never see. Remind them (and yourself) threats don't engage us on our calendars. They may not come now or anytime soon. However, it is better to be prepared and be able to live your life securely and worry-free than to not prepare and lose things you hold most dear.

These questions are tough but necessary before you can advise anyone on how to properly secure their homes. I recommend giving them (and yourself) a few days to think about the first two questions as these will surely be the hardest. As you're asking these questions, don't be afraid to ask if you missed something. Finally and most importantly, give the client a chance to contribute - it's their security after all. If it's your house, get your entire household involved. The more stake everyone has in this process the easier it is to have a comprehensive security plan.

Do you have any suggestions on what other questions homeowners should be asking? Feel free to leave a comment or a question below.

Visualizing Mass Shootings in America (1982 - 2012)

Click on the map to enlarge

Here's what I like about this infographic. It not only let's you see data by location but also by mental illness, weapons legally acquired, venue, weapon type, race, gender, and year. Be sure to click on the map to enlarge it so you can see the graph.

Take a look at the actual data:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/pub?key=0AtIWtgxch7DtdERIVnowSkx4NGRjN3E4UjdWMHNRY3c&output=html

15 Things To Remember To Do When An Adult Goes Missing

A perfect example of what missing person's poster should look like.

When you proclaim to be a "security expert", people can ask you a litany of questions about a variety of security-related topics. They range from the mundane ("Can you tell me what the best lock to buy is for my backyard?") to the more serious. The other day a dear friend asked me about the latter. It's the toughest one to give a lot of good advice on.  However, he was a friend and so I gave him what little advice I thought was helpful. His question was "How can I find a missing adult?". This question is tough for a variety of reasons. One of those reasons is when looking for missing adults, you're doing what I call "chasing a ghost". Sometimes, when adults go missing, they hide better than my preschooler when I say it's time for a nap. Many do this for numerous reasons like drugs, domestic violence, stalkers, divorce, debt, etc. So what happens when you're a legitimate party concerned for their well-being and you need to find them?

1. Call the hospital emergency room. Some hospitals are cool. Others will make life difficult. Actually, that's an understatement. Since the inception of HIPAA, hospitals have treated medical information with higher security protocols than at Area 51. So how do you circumvent the inevitable "I can't tell you that"? Easy. You reply "Can you at least tell me if you have a John/Jane Doe fitting this description?" Be specific and be prepared to go there. You'll need to do this every day until you find your target.
2. Call the morgue. I know it's crappy to do. However, people die without identification sometimes. Our national health records are still woefully behind. So you'll have to call the morgue periodically. Ask them if they had any John/Jane Does fitting the description of your target with clothes you last saw them in. Be specific and be prepared for the worst.
3. Call the jail. It's crappy but it's necessary and realistic. Seriously, you and your spouse fight. They leave and have a beer or more. Cop pulls them over for DUI and he sits in a cell sobering up. Calling you is the last thing on his mind. It happens more than many people will admit. You want the numbers for the county jail and the police department's "lock-up". 
4. Compile a list of email addresses, social media account information, and cell phones used by the missing persons. Law enforcement will ask for this at some point and it's good for your own personal investigation as well. Just remember to forward whatever leads you have to the cops.
5. You need pictures. Find photos from social media, cell phones, cameras, USBs laying around, etc. What you want are FULL FRONTAL (not that frontal) face shots. You want people to see a face and a body as well. The picture should be clear and easily transferable to various media like newsletters, posters, cards, etc.
6. You need these picture ASAP. These are the first things the cops ask for. So have them ready.
7. Make your poster and distribute to places within a 10 mile radius. The poster is easy. Go to an office print shop and tell them what you need. Come back in an hour and you have a missing person poster.  What you want on the poster? Easy. It should resemble a "Wanted" poster. Full face shot with name, nickname, vehicle last seen in, medications needed (people are more prone to look if they know a person could be sick), contact info for you, and any sizable reward money you may have. Distribute this poster at gas stations, convenience stores, drug stores, and fast food places. You'll need to talk to management. That's great because now you can make face-time with the staff who may have seen him as well. Go to bars only if you're comfortable. Here's a link to a really cool template I use on occasion: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1_kVE6GaxBZTVXlVDH6PCjOSKooOsADUx_wpkX_EOY84/pub
8. Call their friends and family. Don't just call siblings and parents. Call extended family. Someone may have information but not be able to communicate that to siblings and parents. Treat these people like informants. Vet them and ponder their motivations. Never "burn" them. If they tell you something in confidence, it should remain there. You may need them later.
9. File a stolen vehicle report immediately. Why? Anyone who has ever worked as a police officer will tell you why. It's simple. Cops get briefed at the beginning of their shifts on newly reported stolen vehicles. They love looking for these because they are a guaranteed arrest. So they will be actively looking for our missing person's car. DO THIS ONLY IF YOU OWN THE VEHICLE AS WELL!
10. Physically walk your missing person's steps from the day they went missing back 24 hours. Sounds crazy but investigators do this at crime scenes. This is how the discover new clues they never saw before. Note where they could have gone, what could have caused them to go missing, and who would have saw them.
11. Go through their social media life for the past week and note new acquaintances, stressors, topics and areas of interest, and any place they would have gone before under similar circumstances. You should be looking at check-ins, reviews on favorite eating establishments, sentimental locations, any significant dates (death, divorce, birth), increased communication with certain people, and noted change in tone or attitude.
12. Create a checklist and do this again until you find them. This takes time. A lot of time. Be prepared to revisit these items daily. Annotate any leads in a notepad and revolve your day around following new leads and the checklist. You want to be systematic and thorough. Consider expanding your search on a weekly basis in 5 to 10 mile increments. Pick something that is manageable. Above all, remain calm and be patient.
13. Don't be afraid of the media. Seriously, call the press ASAP. Make your significant other matter to them. Mention veteran status, children, career aspirations, contributions to society, suspicious circumstances as long as they don't sound like a Univision soap opera, etc. Tell the truth. Never lie or embellish. You lie now and when you need them to believe you they won't.
14. Stay on the police and forward any significant leads to them. Let me be clear: "Leads are not significant if you're just calling the cops to tell them they suck". Remember what I said about being patient? You're not the only person who is missing someone. However, call them periodically and get to know who is working the case. Ascertain when you can expect contact from them. Ask them what steps they're taking. You don't want to double your efforts but you do want to close any gaps. If you're not making headway with them, remember everyone has a supervisor.
15. The keys to success in this game are persistence, patience, and diligence.

Lessons Learned By a Security Blogger Whose Office Had Been Burglarized

My office at 9:00 AM. I arrived to hear my office had been broken into over Super Bowl weekend.

There is a certain amount of irony one must acknowledge when his own office has been burglarized soon after posting articles talking about burglaries. Some would call it foreshadowing. I'll call it a great streak of luck. What? Yup. Good luck. Why? Mostly because of the lessons I learned. This wasn't my home office. It was the office where I work. Many times we prepare ourselves for the eventuality of being burglarized at home, but seldom do we think of our work. With that, we'll inherently learn lessons about issues we never considered.  So what did I learn?

1. You need an inventory of all the equipment they issued you at work. This inventory will be much like the inventory for your home but this should also encompass day when you were issued the equipment, number of items, serial numbers, and office responsible for accounting for the gear. Go through this list when you look for missing items.
2. Keep an inventory of personal belongings. Let me be clear: "Personal does not mean your lunch bowl". I'm talking about sentimental and expensive items like your iPad, laptop, DVD player, etc. See the lesson from above to consider what to annotate. You may want to keep this list at home or online. 
3. People will undoubtedly start to go crazy. Most people have never been the victim of a crime, so they often experience shock, sadness, and anger about being a victim. It happens and you could feel the same way. When you feel these emotions, remember people rob businesses and government agencies all the time. Sometimes, there is little you can do to prevent it except pay attention to what countermeasures failed you and which things worked. Then get to work and fix what's broken.
4. People will be tempted to play detective. Listen, it's great that you watched all of Perry Mason and Law and Order. However, you probably won't be able to solve this caper. Becoming distracted with how and why you were victimized, keeps you away from fixing what's broke with your security measures. Remember, the best thing you can do is give law enforcement exactly what they need (any video, scene protection, etc.) and think about what went wrong (did someone not lock a door, did someone not set the alarm, is this an inside job).
5. Protect the crime scene. The first thing people want to do when they hear they've been burglarized is find out what was taken. Sounds great. So you let them walk around and look inside drawers, open filing cabinets,turn on computers, etc.. You see no problem with this. Do me a favor - STOP your coworkers from entering the crime scene until law enforcement says they can. It'll impede operations but save the cops a lot of time in processing the scene.
6. Have a procedure in place. We have mechanisms for setting alarms and responding to false calls but no one ever has a procedure for an actual break-in. It's really simple. Write it out. Who needs to be notified? Who needs to know what? When do you need to call? Where should co-workers report for work? What's the impact on operations if the cops need inside? Who should have alarm codes? Who has a master key? What are your lost key procedures? Where are the list of emergency contacts for employees? The list could go infinitely. You get the idea, though. Make it simple, yet comprehensive.
7. Never assume it was anyone's fault other than the burglars? Seriously, don't be stupid and start blaming people for not setting the alarm. People forget things. The alarm code could be one thing. Let it go and work on who should be able to open and close your office. Opening and closing is a big responsibility. Ensure you're entrusting the code to someone who can deal with this added duty. Ensure the people you authorize are the only people allowed 24 hour access. Trust me. You'll thank me later.
8. After the burglary is not the best time to learn your security system sucks. Be intimately familiar with your system and monitoring station protocols. Don't assume anything with a monitoring station. Their procedures for validating the current security status of your facility could be incompatible to your facility. If your monitoring station calls the second floor about the security status of the third floor for which they have no discernible access, then this could very well be counterproductive.
9. If you share an office building with several other tenants, find out what the existing procedures are for lobby security after-hours. You may want to know why they leave the lobby unlocked during the weekend when no one is there. Just saying.
10. Cameras are WORTHLESS if you don't have someone monitoring them. The American population is in the neighborhood of 300 MILLION people give or take. You can catch these guys on tape and get them put in jail if the cops get them. Go ahead - pat yourself on the back. You did a great deed. Ask your security company what it costs to monitor your cameras. Now you have a 24 hour surveillance system that can track and notify authorities of a threat. If not, then you're giving cops video so they can maybe arrest the perpetrator who will more than likely sell what he took. Don't get me wrong - I LOVE cameras. But I HATE when people claim they "feel safer" because of the new cameras they got put in AFTER a burglary. 
11. Your window adjacent the door will get smashed. Remember what I said about concentrating on fixing crappy security measures? Get that fixed.

That's it for now. I would love to hear your war stories about being burglarized. Please post some of the comment section below.

Top 12 Awesome Way To Beef Up Your Home Security

As a continuation of my home security article previously, I decided to publish a list of tips to upgrade your home security. Have a look and let me know what you think.

Here are my suggestions for beefing up your home security:

1. Get to know your neighbors. Seriously. I know they're annoying and their kids tear up your yard. But they're "natural observers". They'll take greater interests in you and who is at your home. They may also alert you to suspicious activity and call the authorities. There also great for mail pickups when you're not at home.

You laugh but your nosy neighbors could be the best security system you have.

2. Be seen throughout your neighborhood. A person who is active and occasionally walks outside is unpredictable. When terrorists were planning to hit military bases, they chose Ft Dix in New Jersey over Dover Air Force Base. Why? Because Air Force cops don't follow a patrol "pattern". They were literally seen everywhere.

3. If you get a home security system, understand what it's there for. It sounds an alarm and calls the police. The burglar is still inside and may have already planned on that contingency. Does that mean don't get one? No. Get one. Just understand it may not stop a burglar from hitting your home. When you shop for one, understand the technology behind it and understand false alarms do happen and your locality may penalize you for them.

4. Buy a new lock on any newly constructed home. Don't install the lock yourself. Call a reputable locksmith. Next ensure you have a good door. What does that mean? The door should solid if wood and metal if not. There should very little spacing between the lock, the door, and the wall. Ensure you put a good lock on a good door.

5. Don't buy dummy cameras. They're useless and most pros will recognize it as such. Buy a real camera instead if you want one.

Either buy a camera system that works and one you monitor daily or don't get one at all.

6. Fences are bad and good. They can be a useful barrier if they are locked and not easily scaled. That being said, they can prevent natural observers from doing what they do best - observing and being a visual deterrent.

Getting a fence that is too high can be just as bad 
if not worse as getting a fence that is too short.

7. Don't advertise that you have a gun. What that says to a burglar is "I'll wait until I know you're gone and look for your guns to steal". Remember resale is $200.

Signs like this DO NOT keep bad guys away. 

8. Don't buy "no trespassing signs". They never stop a burglar. Ever.

9. If you have a sliding door, get it replaced by actual swinging doors or get a very sturdy lock for them. Ensure the slide is properly mounted to the floor.

This is a VERY sturdy deadbolt lock.

10. Check your windows. How long has your lock been there? Is it crusted over by paint? Is it rusted? Is it flimsy or accessible easily from the outside? If so, it's time for a new lock and a new window.

This lock is keeping NO ONE away. Consider getting a new window if needed.

11. Take expensive product boxes to a recycling center. No ifs and or buts.

Look. Someone got something really nice recently.

12. Don't advertise you're going out of town except to those who NEED to know. By need I mean, it is critical to sustaining your livelihood (they need to pick up mail, approve vacation time for your job, babysit your kid, etc.). The post office can collect your mail if needed. Here's a link - https://holdmail.usps.com/holdmail/

Six Ways Burglars Get Away With Your Stuff

Recently, I was asked to compile a list of way burglars break into homes. The idea behind this list is twofold:

• Demonstrate common burglar/intruder methodology 
• Show the futility in modern home security risk analysis 

Here's what I wrote:

Burglars act as most attackers do. What does that mean? They approach your home the same way any operational threat (bad guy) would whether they are hackers or home invaders. The first thing they do is reconnaissance. This could be as simple as a drive-by or a pretext to get inside of the residence. Some burglars use social media to get an idea as to when you'll be away and/or get an idea as to what kind of loot you have. Not all do. Most common thieves attack venues they know are not secure. Many times it's an inside job (disgruntled employees, relatives, friends of the family, etc.).

This man robbed an East Village Apartment he had been showing
for a real estate company he  was working  for at the time

      

What are they looking for? It depends on their expertise. Most amateurs will stay away from places with an alarm system, if they don't know the code. Professionals are savvy enough to either bypass the alarm or know the code. Stickers and signs can be counter-productive. They advertise to a bad guy you have something worth protecting. They also look for natural observers (nosy neighbors, kids playing at all hours, your activity, your interaction with your neighbors, mailmen, police who regularly patrol the area, and street traffic). They look for flimsy window locks and screen doors. They look for what's accessible from their point of entry. They look for cameras (sometimes - depends on expertise). They look for mail delivery. They also look for large product boxes. These advertise "we just bought a lot of expensive stuff" to prospective thieves. They look for moving boxes. This signals you just moved in and probably won't have an alarm set just yet. They look for proximity to neighbors and relative noise.

They won't all approach your home like this guy.....

Once they have all their particulars in order, they prepare a kit. Some guys already have one for every job. It'll consist of a crowbar or other heavy wedge. They'll have screwdrivers and hammers. They may have lockpicks. They'll have large bags and will likely use a van or other large vehicle. A pro may use a minivan. No one ever suspects a minivan.  

Burglary tools found on an alleged burglar.
You'll notice there are several lockpicks and door wedges.

After they have their kit and transportation, they may decide on a crew. Some guys have one and some don't. They also fit the profile.

Next begins the approach. They'll check doors and see if the door is loose. If there is sufficient spacing, the door has movement. What does that mean? Remember that crowbar? Some guys will also have a master key. When homes are often constructed, the construction company buys standard locks for every house they build in a development. Many times those homes have a key or specialize tool they use to set the lock. This key/tool is like a master key and can open most locks in that development. It's the reason many lock companies have steered away from this. Homeowners should immediately change the locks in any new development. They may also kick the door in. If they do this, the job is really rushed and time is of the essence more so than if they go in quietly. They may look for windows if the doors are not able to be breached. They stick to first floors. Second floor windows can be tricky. You don't have the benefit of leverage and your visibility to those natural observers is greater. If the windows fail, they go for sliding doors. In places like Florida, this is easy. Most people don't engage the slide lock and rely on a bar to keep the door from being pried. If they have time, they can try to wedge the door off the slides. There's also breaking the glass. That's why they look for items that within reach if that becomes an issue.

Sliding doors are a popular point of entry for most burglars

Once inside, the job is easy. They go for ANYTHING. Inside jobs always hit the things you hide or are personal to you. Though nothing is safe. If its in a safe, great. However, if the safe can be easily picked up, they'll just take the safe. They'll look for guns. Guns are an easy $200 in a gun buyback program. They'll also grab the usual stuff - TV's, games, jewelry, etc. Any identity stuff is also HUGE. They'll move this stuff into the vehicle. From there, they'll depart the scene and try to sell your goods.

Video: Choose Your Own Crime Stats

Folks, this will be my last post on gun control for a bit (I hope).  I found this video to be a great illustration of what's wrong with our current debate on gun control legislation.  Often, we allow Internet memes and populist angst to be our compass on things we want our government to legislate on.  We often do this without the scantest hint of sound research.  Our sources are biased and manipulate data for their own agenda.  I encourage you to do your own research and look for sources that are reliable and have a solid reputation for being unbiased.  Don't allow your ignorance on an issue to misguide you to a decision based on faulty logic and data exploitation.  When in doubt, remember Stalin relied on his own analysis of intelligence gleaned from the KGB to determine who was killed or imprisoned as an enemy of the state.  25 MILLION lives later we realized the folly in this logic (sort of).  Then Iraq happened and again, we trusted alleged manipulated data to make presumably very flawed decisions.  In a time of increased divisiveness and out of control vitriol-filled rhetoric, too much is at stake to get it wrong this time.

The Facts On The President's Gun Violence Executive Actions

We all knew this day would come. We've known the Vice President and his commission were working on recommendations to stymie the kind of acts of violence we've seen in places like Newtown, CT. There has been an enormous amount of rumor and hyperbole surrounding the commission's recommendations. Add in various conspiracy theories and cries for revolution and uprising and you have what I call a "perfect storm of biased and subjective opinions disguised as facts". Like the NOAA, we should name this storm - Logic Storm "Lunacy".

First, let's start with the 23 executive actions the President can take. You should know the President, while he cannot pass laws, he can write instructions for his executive agencies on how they can enforce existing laws. Contrary to what you read on social media or partisan-loyal sites, the President is NOT taking away guns. What he plans on doing is ASKING Congress to renew the assault weapons ban. We'll cover that at a later when we have his bill in front of us. You should know this bill has the same chances of survival in the House of Representatives as ice in a microwave.

Here are the actions the President will order (click here for a link to the pdf):

1. Issue a Presidential Memorandum to require federal agencies to make relevant data available to the federal background check system.
2. Address unnecessary legal barriers, particularly relating to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, that may prevent states from making information available to the background check system.
3. Improve incentives for states to share information with the background check system.
4. Direct the Attorney General to review categories of individuals prohibited from having a gun to make sure dangerous people are not slipping through the cracks.
5. Propose rulemaking to give law enforcement the ability to run a full background check on an individual before returning a seized gun.
6. Publish a letter from ATF to federally licensed gun dealers providing guidance on how to run background checks for private sellers.
7. Launch a national safe and responsible gun ownership campaign.
8. Review safety standards for gun locks and gun safes (Consumer Product Safety Commission).
9. Issue a Presidential Memorandum to require federal law enforcement to trace guns recovered in criminal investigations.
10. Release a DOJ report analyzing information on lost and stolen guns and make it widely available to law enforcement.
11. Nominate an ATF director.
12. Provide law enforcement, first responders, and school officials with proper training for active shooter situations.
13. Maximize enforcement efforts to prevent gun violence and prosecute gun crime.
14. Issue a Presidential Memorandum directing the Centers for Disease Control to research the causes and prevention of gun violence.
15. Direct the Attorney General to issue a report on the availability and most effective use of new gun safety technologies and challenge the private sector to develop innovative technologies
16. Clarify that the Affordable Care Act does not prohibit doctors asking their patients about guns in their homes.
17. Release a letter to health care providers clarifying that no federal law prohibits them from reporting threats of violence to law enforcement authorities.
18. Provide incentives for schools to hire school resource officers.
19. Develop model emergency response plans for schools, houses of worship and institutions of higher education.
20. Release a letter to state health officials clarifying the scope of mental health services that Medicaid plans must cover.
21. Finalize regulations clarifying essential health benefits and parity requirements within ACA exchanges.
22. Commit to finalizing mental health parity regulations.
23. Launch a national dialogue led by Secretaries Sebelius and Duncan on mental health.

There you have it.  There is no existing measure TODAY to take away your guns. The most prominent piece of these executive actions is mental health. Most of of the actions are meant to supplement existing law enforcement and mental health initiatives BOTH sides claim are needed. There is nothing overly invasive for private citizens in THESE actions. No black-booted thug army created. No UN-mandated confiscation plan. That is not to say the assault weapons ban won't be.

The Violence Policy Center, an anti-assault weapons non-profit think tank said in 2004:

Soon after its passage in 1994, the gun industry made a mockery of the federal assault weapons ban, manufacturing "post-ban" assault weapons with only slight, cosmetic differences from their banned counterparts. The VPC estimates that more than one million assault weapons have been manufactured since the ban's passage in 1994. The sad truth is that mere renewal would have done little to stop this flood of assault weapons.

Salon.com reminded us today the likelihood of such a bill passing through the GOP-controlled House of Representatives.  Though the article is harsh on the GOP one cannot ignore with a 33 vote deficit and a GOP House swollen with partisans, there is very little hope of a ban occurring during this term.

There is some language in the executive actions that will ruffle some folks' feathers such as proposing gun shows no longer be exempt from background checks.  This closes a significant loophole in existing federal law regarding background checks. There's also very broad language thus far as to providing mental health treatment to Medicare recipients. It's a nice tie-in for folks who presumably the President wants to buy-in to "Obamacare". Ironically, most active shooters have come from upper to middle class homes and weren't on any acknowledged public assistance.

Are there things in the President's current plans that I don't like?  

Yes.  

Do I think this will stymie the tide of most gun violence?  

No.  

Is that because I think this covers crimes like Newtown and not crimes that occur on streets in cities like Chicago where the weapons are already on the street and purchased through various straw purchases?  

Yup.  

Are there things I like?  

Yup.

  

Are they pertaining to mental health and putting additional resources in the hands of those who have to respond and mitigate these issues? 

Yup.

Do I think an assault weapons ban is feasible or worth pursuing?  

Not really. The bad guys already have these guns and tougher sentences do little in preventing these heinous acts.  

Are these actions a good start? 

Possibly. We'll have to wait and see, unfortunately. C'est l'vie.

OPINION: Why Everyone Has All The Wrong Ideas on School Violence

I have been asked by several people when I was going to write an article on school shooting in light of the Sandy Hook tragedy.  My reply was always the same - I won't comment or pontificate on it until all the children are buried.  I have decided now is the right time for several reason.  The biggest reason - I'm sick of hearing everyone prattle on about solutions I feel either won't work and/or are solely based on partisan politics.

Let's get to the heart of the matter.  This is NOT about gun control.  Sandy Hook has nothing to do with gun control.  I see you over there having a fit.  I know the "talking heads" on cable news says it is.  However, it's not.  Here's what we know. Adam Lanza was a law-abiding citizen until the moment he entered a school.  In other words, he and his mother did everything you're supposed to do as an armed citizen.  They went to the range, cleaned their guns, locked them up, got licenses, etc.  None of our existing laws or agencies could have stopped Adam Lanza.  Adam Lanza was, in my layman's assessment, insane.  No one can doubt that.  That's where lots of active shooters stray away from the rest of us - they're nuts (it's an academic term) and we're not.  In my opinion that places many of us to include our politicians in an un-winnable position.  You see, we mistakenly believe people like Adam Lanza will adhere to our cultural norms and values particularly those related to the preservation of human life.  Here's what we know about Adam Lanza- he immersed himself into a video game world where life is ended with no consequence at the push of a button.  Over time, I believe Adam Lanza came to believe life was meaningless and easily sacrificed for any reason the life-taker chose.  In his online world, it is speculated Adam Lanza wanted nothing to do with his human counterparts except to "kill" them virtually.  There is a profound disconnect with the rest of humanity there.  So what am I driving at.  We can't expect people who operate in one world (they function) yet live in another to adhere to the norms and values of this world.  Creating additional laws and other measures we think are deterrents will fail us.

Most troubling is the rhetoric in Washington, D.C.. Before I go there, let me assure you I love the Second Amendment and guns.  I am a proud gun owner and I believe you should have the right to defend yourself and loved ones when a credible threat is present.  You will get no arguments from me there.  That being said, there have been a number of laws and proposals presented by various partisans about how to do that.  I firmly believe many if not all will fail.  Here's why:

1. Arming teachers and having armed guards in schools is bad policy.  There's a belief that had one teacher been armed they could have stopped a mentally ill teenager armed with an AR-15 and wearing body armor.  That's a very dangerous and problematic conclusion to reach. Crazy people count on law enforcement and people with guns to confront them. They rehearse their response to this as much as they do the act themselves.  Announcing to the world, we have armed gym teachers will only increase the likelihood they'll show up wanting a fight.  Remember James Holmes both wore body armor as did the Columbine shooters.  Additionally, as long as you have open spaces to play and mass gathering locations (bus stops) publicly accessible, you will never be able to adequately protect our children.  What happens when students are away from the interior of the premises?  It is also prudent to note we're dealing with people who have INTIMATE knowledge of their target and the locations they are at.  They may also know your contingency plans.  Many will be students or former students possibly teachers or parents.  What happens when an armed teacher "snaps"?  Don't think its possible?  Teachers are under tremendous stress and are vulnerable to some of the same issues most active shooters face.  No is immune from crazy.  In small communities, they may know who the armed teachers and officials are and neutralize them first.
   
   There's the additional concern with what happens when a teacher practices poor weapons discipline and does something stupid like lose a gun, places it in a lockbox and leaves the key at home or forgets the combination, has a negligent discharge, or doesn't wear a retention holster.  I know what you're saying "highly trained shooters" don't make those kind of mistakes.  Tell that to military firearms instructors.  How do you admonish teachers who can't shoot that well?  Remember who we're talking about.  These are teachers - not soldiers or cops.  Will you make using a firearm a prerequisite for new teacher hires?  What would be an adequate curriculum?  How often should they practice?  How often will the state mandate they practice?  How many will you arm?  Will you teach them to clear rooms?  Will they lean to "shoot, move, and communicate"?  Will they be adequately prepared for more than one shooter?  What about other places where children congregate?  Do we arm museums, playgrounds, aquariums, malls, etc.?  Who will pay the $18 billion that proposal will take to be effective nationally?  
2. Taking guns away is equally as bad and even more problematic.  Before you post some statistic on gun deaths in this country vs that country, do me a favor and chill out.  Here's a lesson on gun laws, gun culture, and gun deaths: Gun laws keep good sane people honest.  That's it.  Trust me.  Bad guys, like crazy people, don't live in our world.  They may operate in it but they do not follow our norms or values let alone our laws.  Why do you think we have a problem with recidivism? We punish people using a system that will work on people like us.  Stick me in a cell for a day and I'm rehabilitated.  In places like the U.K., yes they don't have near as many gun deaths as us.  Hooray.  However, ask any British citizen what crime permeates their media and they will reply "knife crimes".  That's right.  The bad guys didn't stop committing violent crimes to include murder because the gun went away.  Nope they chose another weapons platform.
   
   A war on gun crime will be much like our war on drugs.  We can't win it unless we accept we have to kill our appetite for all violence to rid ourselves of this for good. I even heard some people claim only the government should have guns like the AR-15.  People claim having the capability to kill is the problem.  Let me set the record straight.  I, with a bolt action rifle, could have made Sandy Hook as big a tragedy as Adam Lanza with his AR-15.  I see you rolling your eyes in doubt.  I could have and I'll tell you why.  We can't accept to lose one child let alone 20+.  I could have killed 5 and would make headline news.  Ammunition capacity and expenditure shouldn't make a tragedy less or more of a tragedy in any mass shooting incident.  It's prudent to remember this same mentality created the TSA and look where that has gotten us.  We're safe but if you bring a water bottle aboard a plane, hello cavity search.....
3. The hysteria has to stop.  I am so sick of hearing about liberals who want to take away guns and enslave white people and crazy gun owners who want to start the new American Revolution.  I think it's high time we all chill out.  Seriously.  Stop listening or reading your favorite "news" source and remind yourself crazy rhetoric won't save our children from the Adam Lanza's of the world.  We're a nation of neighbors.  Act like it.  Voice your frustration with our government.  Start a grassroots movement to increase awareness on your side of the issue.  Think of your own solutions.  Start a blog.  Just do something constructive.  Calling each other names and spewing vitriol doesn't save our children. 

Hear are my proposed solutions:

1. Recognize we have a mental health crisis in this country.  Don't believe me?  Ask a cop about his latest "emotionally disturbed persons" call.  It is by no coincidence when we closed mental health facilities in this country we saw a spike in violent crime per capita.  Talk with your elected officials about what they propose to mitigate this crisis.
2. Become knowledgeable about some of the pre-attack indicators active shooters exhibit.
3. Report any and all potentially mentally ill AND dangerous persons to the proper authorities.
4. Demand your school be proactive on this.  Ask if they have drills and what their procedures with local law enforcement will be for these scenarios.  Ask if they've been in contact with law enforcement to work out a plan.  Ask about existing protective and detection methods.  Do they need upgrading?  When was the last upgrade?  Have they talked to a consultant?
5. Rehearse with your child their actions.  Do it until it becomes rote memory.  Whatever you practice ensure they recognize they don't have to be a hero to survive and to do EXACTLY what the police tell them to do.
6. Become active with your child's school life.  Ask about bullying and if the school is doing anything to curb it whether it be your kid or others.  If it's not, ensure that the school is.  Encourage your child to get to know outsiders early on.  Remember most active shooters began retreating into their own world long before they became violent.
7. If your child has mental health issues, recognize it, get it treated ASAP, and encourage engagement and not retreat.  
8. If we can't "bring God back into the schools" as some propose, then let's bring good parenting back.  Become active in the school and encourage other parents to as well.  Reach out to your neighbors and other parents at the school.  Remember we're a nation of neighbors.
9. We have to address our appetite for violence.  Don't get me wrong.  I recognize there is a time when you have to act in self-defense and may have to kill someone.  I get and support that.  I also recognize there is a profound difference between that and murder.  We have to find a way to starve our desire to kill without necessity.  Until we can find a way to do this, then we nor our children will ever be safe.

INFOGRAPHIC: How To Deter Burglars

Learn about data visualization software.

Living in Chicago's Gang Occupied Neighborhoods by AssociatedPress

Chicago is experiencing a more than 50 percent surge in homicides, most of them on the city's south and west sides. In the second of a three part series, The Associated Press looks into the lives of people in those violent neighborhoods. (June 12) Subscribe to the Associated Press: http://bit.ly/APYouTube Download AP Mobile: http://www.ap.org/mobile/ Associated Press on Facebook: http://apne.ws/c7lQTV Associated Press on Twitter: http://apne.ws/bTquhb Associated Press on Google+: http://bit.ly/zuTKBL

Midtown Assassination: Smile! You're on camera.

A young man was brutally murdered in New York City by way of what many in the media and even law enforcement have deemed a "professional hit".  It was called a "professional hit" mainly due to the pre-hit surveillance on the target and the manner of execution.  However, there are some glaring errors I believe will lead to the killer(s) and co-conspirator's capture.  

I'm not sure how much many of you know about the assassination "business".  To say the least, as a lay person myself, I can only guess there would be some rules of the trade.  Let me share a few that I think would be important:

1. Always be aware of your surroundings.  In order to be a successful "hit man", you need to have the element of surprise and concealment.  You need surprise so your target doesn't become alerted to what you're trying to do (i.e. killing them).  If you're a person hired to kill someone, I'm imagining it would be bad for your target to turn around and see you carrying a pistol and getting ready to kill them.  Typically, a "hit man" would need concealment as well so there aren't any potential witnesses who could give away their activity to the target or the authorities.  So can someone explain to me how this "professional" killer didn't take note of the closed circuit television camera and the numerous car a few feet away?  The last thing any "professional" wants is to get caught on tape.  Last I checked, murder for hire is capital offense.
2. Never do a "hit" on a busy street or in plenty of light.  The way most CCTV cameras work is by using ambient and low-level light to illuminate the images they're capturing.  Most burglars know this - thus why they do what they do at night and in low light.  If I'm to believe what my eyes are showing me above, there are several shadows which appear to be pedestrian feet somewhere in the northern quadrant of this photo.  I can also make out the victim and the killer's face.  Again, another huge no-no for any "professional hit man".
3. Never allow your escape to be captured on video or by witnesses.  Witness reports are emerging that people saw the killer do the "hit" and noted a probable get-away vehicle which has since been discovered.  It doesn't take a genius to figure out what's about to happen next if not already.  The vehicle will be inventoried and searched for any evidence to include fingerprints and trace evidence left by the "hit man".  Also, take a few moments and imagine how this could have panned out had some hapless witness saw this and blocked the sedan from leaving.
4. Don't wait at the scene for 30 minutes outside of where you're going to meet the target.  Yup.  That's what this idiot did.  He waited for 30 minutes outside acting very suspicious.  He was seen pacing back and forth by the sedan that was later recovered.  In case you weren't aware, New York is home to some of the most aggressive police in the Western world.  So having a loaded pistol and seen pacing back and forth while waiting for your target is probably not what you want to do.  Below is surveillance footage released by the suspect as he's seen walking and hanging out by his getaway vehicle.  

So what does this mean for those of us in security and law enforcement?

• There is an increased level of violence and brazen violent activity by organized crime and other nefarious organizations that use this methodology.  We need to do a better job of educating and encouraging more citizens to report suspicious activity.  We need more foot patrols in our urban areas.  We need to encourage proactive private security elements to be on the look out for suspicious activity and report it to police as soon as possible.

What this case does demonstrate is a very important lesson for all of us:

• Report any and all suspicious activity.  There is no harm with having a police officer come out and investigate the nature of your suspicion.  That's their job.  No one wants to be a snitch but a man brought a weapon into a neighborhood where anyone could have been a collateral victim.  Having the homicide detectives show up two hours later is not the way to keep your street safe.  Call it in.  If you don't want to get involved and just need to make the initial report so someone will come out, make the call and tell the operator you don't want to give your name.  Explain you'll make a statement if it turns into something where a serious crime has been committed.  Many time the police may not need you to make a statement.  One call to the police could have spared this young man's life.  Now we'll never know.

VIDEO: Holiday Crime Prevention - The Tampa PD Way

The Tampa Police Department got a little "creative" with sharing sound holiday crime prevention tips.  While I fully expect you to indulge in quite the hearty laugh at the comedic effort, please take their message to heart.  Many thefts which occur during the holiday season can be prevented.  An old adage I shared with base personnel from my days as a crime prevention officer in the United States Air Force is "the key to preventing most crimes rests with victims not police officers."

How the LAPD are slashing car crime with Geospatial Intelligence by dgieurope

DGI's Online Editor, Dan Mellins-Cohen takes an unlikely turn at the geospatial intelligence and defence conference and speaks to Captain Sean Malinowski of the Los Angeles Police Department to find out the remarkable way they are utilising the power of geoint to slash car crime in LA!

The Power of Sound In Security

 

So, I don't have my hover-board nor my flying car. However, we have seen numerous technological feats within the security industry. Whether it be BRS Labs' use of artificial intelligence to "learn" and detect human behavior via CCTV feeds or the ever-changing world of biometrics, we have witnessed some very interesting and promising tech tools for the industry. Some of them we have featured here at The Security Dialogue.  The other day I came across the Twitter feed for Audio Analytics, a UK-based company which has developed a new dimension to the electronic security world.

Being the curious soul that I am, I contacted Audio Analytics about an interview to learn more about their products.  I spoke with Dr. Christopher Mitchell (PhD), Audio Analytics's CEO and Founder.  Going over his LinkedIn profile and other information I gathered from the Internet, I was drawn to Dr. Mitchell's extensive knowledge of sound information and signal processing.  He's received training at Harvard and a NCGE Fellow.  I digress.

Using audio in security applications is nothing new. Sonitrol was the first and remains the only company using audio as part of its monitoring service. So I asked what was the difference between what we've seen traditionally done with sound in our industry.  Dr. Mitchell replied, "Where Audio Analytic differs is that it does not capture a sound and then trigger an alarm at a monitoring station based on audio level for a human to interpret." Audio Analytic analyses the sound looking for specific sound pattern that can be used to raise an alert into an existing piece of security equipment such as a IP camera or VMS. The sound is looked at as data rather than as a recording or real-time stream of sound.

What surprised me about was the breadth of sound the software can detect.  Dr. Mitchell said it currently looks for sound in four categories - glass breaks, signs of aggression, car alarms, and gun shots. As you can imagine, glass breaks, gun shots, and car alarms didn't trigger as much interest as "aggression".  We've seen glass breaks and gun shot detection in various forms.  In law enforcement, ShotSpotter has become the latest in a growing use of sound analysis technologies.  When asked how they detect for "aggression", Dr. Mitchell stated they look for changes in pitch mostly and sounds attributed to aggressive behavior. Applications where you might see this deployed are lone workers, hospitals, convenience stores, and other places where any sign of aggressive behavior would need to be detected and mitigated as soon as possible.

Speaking of deployments, given the vast array of sounds Audio Analytic could possibly detect with applicable algorithms, it is not surprising to imagine the customers and applications extend far beyond the traditional security realm.  When pressed about this, Dr. Mitchell was quick to inform me they had been contacted by various entities who also recognize its potential and whose specific requests could not be discussed.

Knowing many of our customers are particularly liability conscious, I also inquired as to its implications to privacy. Mr. Mitchell explained the software "analyzes the sound as bits of data".  Therefore, there is not the ability within their software to "hear" the data being analyzed.  That capability would need to be addressed by a secondary piece of software or hardware.

Like all analytics, this is purely software that would need to be integrated with existing hardware designed to capture both sound and video. A company who has already integrated many of Audio Analytics' features is Next Level Security Systems an integrator offering a full suite of security services. NLSS' Gateway Security Platform provides "Audio Analytic with Glass Break Analytic and optional Gunshot, Aggression and Car Alarm packages", among a slew of other features. 

Overall, I am quite impressed with what I see being developed in analytics and Audio Analytic's software is no exception.  I can only imagine its applications and deployments as it continues to develop.  One of the greatest problems we face in security are false alarms.  Audio Analytic has the ability look deeper into the environments we protect and aid us in determining more accurately the difference between the benign and an actual threat.  Dr. Mitchell said it best, "In the security world, we have affection for silent movies".  Perhaps it's time we move on.  As I stated before with BRS Labs, I have seen the future and it's now.

How-To: SIMPLE STEPS TO REINFORCE YOUR DOORS

In my current occupation, it would appear home invasions are "all the rage" among criminals. One of the means in which these crimes are being committed is by kicking in the victim's door. A great step to prevention or providing homeowners with significant response times is reinforcing the doors in which criminals often use.

I highly recommend doing the steps outlined for a few reasons.

1. Standard home doors and their locks come equipped with 1" screws which provide little resistance against brute force entry.
2. You can buy the most sophisticated door with the most expensive lock but it's worth nothing if it gets kicked in by a crazy method addict who wants your television or worse to get their "fix".

One of the sites I go to for various disaster preparedness ideas, The Homestead Survival, featured two videos on how to reinforce your doors. Their link and the videos are below:

The Homestead Survival: How To Secure and Reinforce A Door Videos

Government Insecurity: How Many Attack Vectors Do You See?

How many attack vectors do you see on this door? Not surprising, this door is an exterior door outside a government building which does a lot of cash transactions in a high crime area with minimal natural observers and limited lighting. In addition, there were zero cameras. I was able to stand by the door and watch loads of people use this door with the code for entry.  There were several wedge marks on the frame.  Through the window on the door, you can see the cash registers and other sensitive equipment.  What else do you see?

Identity thieves tell their secrets...

Identity theft is a crime that every criminally-minded individual should participate in because it is one of the easiest crimes a person can commit with little to any experience and minute chance of being caught in the act.  This is largely in part to law enforcement agencies and financial institutions being deluged with requests to handle the investigations involved in these transactions to catch every thief.  While there was a significant drop in identity crimes reported, there were 8.1 million adults who reported being victims (myself included).  Moreover, very few victims file reports or know what it is that made them a victim in the first place.

In the report below, CBS News did something very few media outlets have done - interview real identity thieves.  The two ladies featured in this video describe how these crimes are committed and how they often get away with them.  They detail everything from how they obtained false fingerprints to using social engineering to withdraw large sums of money from victims' accounts.  They also provided some good information for banks and consumers.  

DEA Warns of Extortion Scams Using Online Pharmacies and DEA Agent Imposters

Buying prescription drugs online has always been a risky endeavor.  Customers have been duped by  fraudsters who ship placebos and collect their cash.   Or they may not ship at all and just keep the money.  As if that weren't bad enough, the Drug Enforcement Agency is now claiming people are being foiled again using a new scheme.

Impersonating DEA agents, the criminals are using these transactions to call the customers back and threaten arrest for violating drug import laws if they don't wire money to the fraudsters.  Some people have caved in and paid the money only to realize the scheme too late.  Who falls for these crimes?  The elderly usually are easy prey to these.  This is due in part being the largest consumer base of online pharmacies due to the availability of less expensive drugs sold from overseas merchants.  Often, they do not understand the drug import laws and are more likely to not question seemingly authentic authority figure to avoid further trouble.

According to The Denver Channel,

“I’m 52 years old. And I feel like the stupidest person on the earth. Why didn’t I listen to my husband. Why didn’t I do something different? Why am I so darn trusting after all these years?” said a Jefferson County woman who asked to be known only as Elizabeth.

She's cooperating with the DEA now and said she had purchased a weight-loss product online earlier this fall, and soon started getting phone calls at home from three different men, claiming a connection with the DEA.

Elizabeth said she wired nearly $10,000 to individuals in the Dominican Republic, believing she was avoiding jail time.

As you might have guessed or known, it is a crime to impersonate a federal agent.  The DEA is asking anyone receiving a telephone call from a person purporting to be a DEA special agent or other law enforcement official seeking money to refuse the demand and report the threat by calling 877-792-2873.

For further information, the DEA has a page regarding the scam at:
http://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/pubs/pressreleases/extortion_scam.htm

Synthetic Marijuana: Will the law ever catch up to science?

We have reached a point in our "war on drugs" where the laws fail to keep pace with the science behind designing and concealing these drugs.  That seems like a very emphatic statement from a guy who has no degree in science.  However, a story I discovered by the Washington Post has helped me reach this conclusion.  The article outlines how illegal drug chemists have successfully thwarted prosecution by using chemicals not on the drug schedule list set by the Drug Enforcement Agency to manufacture drugs like "spice".

The National Institute on Drug Abuse has this to say about "spice":

“Spice” is used to describe a diverse family of herbal mixtures marketed under many names, including K2, fake marijuana, Yucatan Fire, Skunk, Moon Rocks, and others. These products contain dried, shredded plant material and presumably, chemical additives that are responsible for their psychoactive (mind-altering) effects. Spice mixtures are sold in many countries in head shops, gas stations, and via the Internet, although their sale and use are illegal throughout most European countries. Easy access has likely contributed to Spice’s popularity. While Spice products are labeled “not for human consumption,” they are marketed to people who are interested in herbal alternatives to marijuana (cannabis).

The chemicals used to make "spice" and are of concern to the DEA are CP 47,497 and homologues,HU-210, JWH-018, and JWH-073.  One chemical which should have caught your eye is HU-210.  It was recently listed in the Targeting Transnational Drug Trafficking Act of 2011 which prohibits "the manufacture or distribution of a controlled substance in schedule I or II or flunitrazepam by individuals having reasonable cause to believe that such substance will be unlawfully imported into the United States or into waters within 12 miles of the U.S. coast. Prohibits the manufacture or distribution of a listed chemical: (1) intending or knowing that it will be used to manufacture a controlled substance; and (2) intending, knowing, or having reasonable cause to believe that the substance will be unlawfully imported into the United States." This is important to note because chemists have gotten smarter and realized they no longer need HU-210 or any of the other compounds to have similar effects.

Due to the ever-changing illicit drug landscape, Senate bill 1612 (Targeting Transnational Drug Trafficking Act of 2011) was drafted.  It would help federal prosecutors charge those who imported or made chemicals used for the explicit purpose of making these compounds.  According to the summary text of the bill,

"Makes it sufficient to prove a conspiracy to commit an offense that requires the person to intend, know, or have reasonable cause to believe that a controlled substance will be unlawfully imported into the United States if only one member of the conspiracy had such intention, knowledge, or reasonable cause to believe."

However, as the Post article demonstrates, there are problems within states who do not have similar laws. Many states use archaic laws which specifically identify the drug and its current chemical makeup. They often fail to take into account how many times drugs like "spice" can be illegal one moment and legal the next due to the countless ways to make the drug without using any banned compounds. This is what gives these drugs their current demand among users who want to be able to purchase the drug "legally" without fear of prosecution. Another problem for some jurisdictions is testing. If you're testing for a group of compounds but the ingredients have changed or are masked, it could make reaching definitive conclusions about test results more difficult or near impossible.

When I was a security officer inside a housing area, I came across several young people who used synthetic marijuana they claimed was for "aroma-therapy". They claimed because this "legal weed" was "legal" because it only contained the scent of marijuana and not the compounds. I did my research and found that to be true as long as that was all there was to it. However, "spice" is known to have a similar scent as these "aroma-therapy" agents. Coincidentally, you can purchase these products online or in "head shops" around the country.

Aromatherapy "legal weed" on display at a storefront in Mississippi

The only way we can proactively combat this trend is to work on solving its underlying societal and individual causes for demand.  By simply eliminating supply or reducing it, you do nothing but increase its demand and value.  I'm not saying legalize it.  However, I believe until we mitigate how we as a society have failed to provide our children with enough intellectually and emotionally satisfying stimulants (i.e. loving homes, forward-thinking academics, community involvement, etc.), we will always be "behind the curve" in this "war".