ABSTRACT
This chapter aims to alert, motivate and empower the hard science and engineering community to act as 'scouts' in identifying scientific and technological innovations which are relevant to crime. On the one hand, they could generate potential threats of crime, disorder and terrorism, jeopardise community safety and frustrate justice; on the other, they could provide opportunities to strengthen the capacity of the police and other agencies to address these problems. The intention is also to enable those concerned with preventing crime and disorder to consider a range of scientific and technological innovations and to spot or anticipate upcoming crime risks and crime reduction opportunities including countermeasures and counter-countermeasures. Foremost among preventers, of course, are the police and related law enforcement services who reduce crime professionally, whether acting alone or with others, as in local Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnerships. The Police Science and Technology Strategy identifies specific needs for 2003-8 in the Policing Science and Technology Capabilities.
