ABSTRACT
This unorthodox introduction to this book not only illustrates the rationale and structure of this book; in fact, it has two specific aims. First, it seeks to contextualize the longstanding roots of the relationship between artificial intelligence (AI) and the study, analysis, and prediction of crime. Second, it provides a historical accounting on the role of AI in sociological theorizing. The use of AI methods in criminology and crime research, as in most social sciences, is often depicted as “novel.” I here explain why this is not true, and by demystifying this mythical novelty narrative, this chapter anticipates the importance of understanding and considering the past in the assessment and discussion of current trends and future perspectives.
