Access control
A policy or physical or digital method that limits entry to a place, system, account, or resource to authorized people.
Crime Prevention Glossary
Plain-English definitions for terms used across physical security, fraud prevention, workplace procedures, environmental design, risk assessment, and recovery. Use the crime prevention questions and answers for a short explanation, or open the topic library for a complete action guide.
A
Account takeover
Unauthorized control of an online account, often through stolen credentials, compromised recovery methods, or social engineering.
Administrative control
A rule, schedule, staffing practice, training process, or procedure used to reduce exposure to a hazard.
After-action review
A structured review of what was intended, what happened, what helped, what failed, and what should change.
B
Baseline
Information about conditions before an intervention, used to understand change over time.
Bystander intervention
A safe action by a witness to reduce harm, such as creating a distraction, asking for help, documenting when appropriate, or supporting the affected person.
C
Caller ID spoofing
Manipulating the name or number displayed for an incoming call so it appears to come from another source.
Crime displacement
A possible shift in crime by place, time, target, method, or type after an intervention.
Crime prevention
Actions that reduce the likelihood, opportunity, causes, or harm of crime before it occurs.
CPTED
Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design, a place-based approach using access, visibility, maintenance, activity, and other environmental factors.
D
Deadbolt
A lock bolt moved by a key or thumb turn rather than by spring action. Performance depends on the full door, frame, strike, and installation.
Defense in depth
Using several independent controls so the failure of one does not remove all protection.
E
Environmental design
The intentional arrangement and management of physical space to support safe use, visibility, access, and community activity.
Evidence preservation
Protecting original records, objects, files, or scenes from alteration while documenting custody and necessary handling.
F
Fraud alert
A notice on a credit file asking businesses to take steps to verify identity before opening new credit. Rules vary by jurisdiction.
G
Glare
Excessive brightness or contrast that reduces visual comfort or makes nearby details harder to see.
Guardianship
The presence or activity of people, staff, residents, systems, or routines capable of noticing and responding to a problem.
H
Harm reduction
Steps that lessen the severity or consequences of a harmful event even when the event cannot be fully prevented.
I
Identity theft
Use of another person's identifying information without permission, commonly for fraud or account access.
Incident
An event that causes or could cause harm, loss, disruption, or a breach of a safety or security control.
L
Layered security
A combination of physical, procedural, digital, and human controls that address different failure points.
Lone worker
A person working without close or direct supervision or immediate assistance, with risk depending on the task and setting.
M
Multifactor authentication
Account login requiring evidence from more than one factor category, such as a password plus a device or biometric.
N
Near miss
An event that did not cause the expected harm but revealed a hazard or failed control.
Natural surveillance
Design and activity that support ordinary observation of a place by legitimate users without relying only on cameras.
P
Phishing
A social-engineering attempt using messages or websites to obtain credentials, money, data, or harmful actions.
Protective factor
A condition or resource associated with lower risk or greater resilience, such as supportive relationships or stable environments.
R
Recovery method
An email, phone, code, device, or process used to restore access to an account.
Risk assessment
A structured process for identifying hazards or threats, exposure, existing controls, likely consequences, and priorities.
S
Safe route
A route evaluated for the needs of its users, including crossings, visibility, accessibility, activity, transport, and help options.
Scam
A deceptive scheme intended to obtain money, information, access, or another benefit from a target.
Situational awareness
Calm attention to the environment, changing conditions, observable behavior, and available options.
Social engineering
Manipulating people into providing information, access, money, or an action by exploiting trust, authority, urgency, or emotion.
T
Target hardening
Increasing the effort needed to access a target, such as improving locks or barriers, while considering safety and usability.
Threat
A person, condition, event, or action with the potential to cause harm. A threat is distinct from vulnerability and consequence.
Two-person control
A procedure requiring two authorized people to approve or complete a sensitive action.
V
Victim blaming
Assigning responsibility for harm to the person targeted instead of the person who caused it.
Vulnerability
A weakness or condition that could be used or fail, increasing the chance or consequence of harm.
W
Workplace violence
Acts or threats of physical violence, harassment, intimidation, or other threatening behavior occurring at or connected to work.
Z
Zero trust
A digital security approach that does not grant continuing trust solely because a user or device is inside a network.