The Australian Institute of Criminology (AIC) regularly reports on crime trends to provide a greater understanding of risk. In its latest report the AIC identifies our youth as our greatest risk for offending criminal behaviours.

An effective protective security environment should provide the basis for a safe and secure workplace. It should be aimed at minimising potential risk exposures to physical, personnel and information-related assets. Each workplace needs to have a site-specific strategy as a “one size fits all” approach is inappropriate and actually can increase risk.

In 2013 the Australia-New Zealand Counter-Terrorism Committee published Active Shooter Guidelines for Places of Mass Gathering. These Guidelines are particularly relevant in consideration of recent acts of terrorism including the possibility of “lone wolf” attacks.

In 2011 the Victorian Government’s Inquiry into Violence and Security Arrangement in Victorian Hospitals was published. A substantial part of the report focused on security in hospitals and that a “one size fits all” approach is inappropriate in minimising security-related risks including the risk of violence.

Duress alarm systems, sometimes referred to as panic alarms are utilised in workplaces when the need is identified to protect employees and other staff from risks associated with hazards including personal assault, robbery or other environmental hazards.

Safe Work Australia recently released a report entitled "Attitudes toward risk taking and rule breaking in Australian workplaces." As many security risks are also safety risks, this report is important for security leaders and risk professionals alike.

A key consideration in security risk assessments is the influence local crime rates might have against operational security risks. This is particularly important in workplaces where there are public-facing staff such as receptionists, customer service officers and other operational workers who might be exposed to aggression and other potentially violent crimes. Risks must also be considered for staff…

Risk assessors and security leaders need to ensure suitability of any equipment recommended or installed as part of any security risk minimisation strategy. In 2013 the England and Wales Central Court sentenced an offender over the sale of a fake bomb-detector.

This case study highlights the issue that access control must be consistently applied, no matter what position an individual has in the workplace. It involves a New Zealand lawyer, a prisoner serving a sentence for serious crimes, and a prison allowing for “professional” visits between lawyers and prisoners. Of course, Victoria did have something similar with a former female prison officer and a long…