ABSTRACT
In this chapter we look at the potential preventive roles of the international criminal tribunals established by the UN Security Council and by states with the support of the UN. At the end of the day the purpose of a criminal justice system is to deter the commission of crimes and to punish those found guilty of criminal offences. National criminal justice systems do not always deter and not all criminals are brought to justice. But if criminal justice systems did not exist the number of crimes committed would certainly be much higher. At the end of the day that is the preventive rationale of the national criminal justice systems.
