The Design and Evaluation of Physical Protection Systems [Paperback]

Mary Lynn Garcia (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0750673672 | ISBN-13: 978-0750673679 | Publication Date: May 17, 2001 | Edition: 1

The Design and Evaluation of Physical Protection Systems guides the reader through the entire process of security system design and integration, illustrating how the various physical and electronic elements work together to form a comprehensive system. A great resource for both the security professional and student alike, the book is arranged in three major parts:

1) Determining the objectives
2) Designing the system
3) Evaluating the system

The book emphasizes the use of component performance measures to establish the effectiveness of physical protection systems, applying scientific and engineering principles to meet goals. The author takes a problem-solving approach to security and risk assessment, explaining the use of electronic protection elements and demonstrating how these elements are integrated into an effective system.

The Design and Evaluation of Physical Protection Systems contains numerous illustrations of concepts throughout and includes chapter summaries reviewing the salient topics covered. Each chapter includes appropriate references to additional information as well as review questions to test the reader's grasp of key chapter concepts. The appendices include sample models for system performance analysis.

Describes the process for estimating system performance against threats.
Approaches security in a practical, systematic manner based on proven and tested measures.
Offers process-oriented security that is "user friendly" to both the novice and the seasoned professional.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Mary Lynn Garcia is to be congratulated on producing a book on physical protection systems that is design-based and is driven by principle rather application. As a senior member of the technical staff at Sandia National Laboratories, Mary Lynn Garcia is well placed to have knowledge of best practice in design of systems, and the development of principles of asset protection. - Dr Clifton Smith, Associate Professor, Security Science, Edith Cowan University

This book will prove to be most valuable for a range of academic, managerial, and practitioner personnel who have responsibility for asset protection, and should be in all major libraries and acquired by everyone with an interest in physical security. - Dr Clifton Smith, Associate Professor, Security Science, Edith Cowan University

Every Sentence is direct, informative, and laced with the author's obviously strong technical background. Garcia's model is well thought out; the approach is the same whatever the asset may be. - Security Management

Garcia does a good job of explaining traditional elements of physical protection systems such as barriers, sensors, and layered defenses. More important, she provides badly needed insights into issues such as law and liability and how emerging technologies can be integrated into physical protection systems. Illustrations are used wisely, especially the diagrams, which help the reader along with difficult concepts. - Security Management

Overall, the book is factual, concise, and up to date - Security Management

From the Publisher

Unique features of this book include examples throughout that emphasize various points. Each chapter ends with a brief summary and a box that reminds the reader of the relevant principles for that chapter. Each chapter also includes appropriate references for additional information, and questions for the student. The appendices include sample models for system performance analysis. In addtion, the author provides an instructor's manual with chapter objectives, class notes, exercises, and answers to chapter questions.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: Butterworth-Heinemann; 1 edition (May 17, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0750673672
• ISBN-13: 978-0750673679
• Product Dimensions: 9.7 x 6.9 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #815,054 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #73 in Books > Law > Business > Securities

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Design and Evaluation of Physical Protection Systems, October 3, 2001

By 

Prof Clifton L. Smith (Perth, Western Australia, Australia) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Design and Evaluation of Physical Protection Systems (Paperback)

The recent tragedy of New York and Washington has emphasised the considerable need for this excellent book on physical security. Mary Lynn Garcia is to be congratulated on producing a book on physical protection systems that is design-based and is driven by principle rather than application. As a senior member of the technical staff at Sandia National laboratories, Mary Lynn Garcia is well placed to have knowledge of best practice in design of systems, and the development of principles of asset protection. This book is markedly unique from other security publications on the market as it provides a well-structured and rigorous discussion of the major components of the principles of the protection of assets. The book entitled The Design and Evaluation of Physical Protection Systems by Mary Lynn Garcia has raised the standard of security references and texts to new quantum levels of quality and detail.

The design and evaluation process for physical protection systems is presented early in the book and provides astructured approach to the protection of assets. I am personally pleased to see that the defence in depth strategy of detection, delay and response has been applied as the foundation for the structured approaches to asset protection. The chosen approach features the major components of System Objectives, Design of Physical Protection Systems, and Analysis and Evaluation. This structure has the capacity to direct the readerr in a systematic and logical manner to the desired outcomes of the defence in depth strategy. A detailed account of the systematics of asset protection allows a well=balanced account of theory and application to be presented. An attractive feature of the book is the discussion on the computer analytical models for analysis, and the relationship of risk assessment to asst protection outcomes. The book contains review questions at the conclusion of each chapter, a glossary of terms for the unfamiliar reader, and several appendices of useful information relating to threat and analysis of risk.

...This book will prove to be most valuable for a range of academic, managerial, and practitionar personnel who have responsibility for asset protection, and should be in all major libraries and acquired by everyone with an interest in physical security.

Dr Clifton Smith
Associate Professor
Edith Cowan University
Perth, Western Australia

4.0 out of 5 stars An excellent overall reference, November 2, 2008

By 

Rob Smart (Perth, Western Australia) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Design and Evaluation of Physical Protection Systems (Paperback)

This book is one of the better overall references I have seen for persons dealing with physical protective security systems. The Threat Definition and Target Identification sections are of particular interest, as is the general overview of physical protection systems which are broken into the Detection-Delay-Response areas for ease of reading. Mary Garcia presents a systematic process for identifying objectives of the physical protective system through design and evaluation.

Whilst the practicality of the EASI Computer Model for analysis is questionable for many organisations, it is worth being aware of the methodology as an extra tool for the evaluation of physical systems.

Despite this, the book is an excellent reference that will be continually pulled off the shelf and used.

3 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excelent and Practical!!, April 7, 2002

By 

Natan (São Paulo, SP Brazil) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Design and Evaluation of Physical Protection Systems (Paperback)

This book not only gives you a broad idea of what security is, but is very practical using it in your work, e.g. risk analysis. It is helping me a lot.
Best Buy!