ABSTRACT

The chapter discusses to draw out some of the forward-looking aspects of traditional criminal law and crime risk frames in order to underline the historical precedents to pre-crime and highlight the ways pre-crime deepens and extends the future orientation of crime-related law. It focuses on the antecedents of pre-crime, paying close attention to historical continuities in order to draw out what is genuinely new. The pre-emptive turn in criminal justice is also evident in new association and status offenses and new detention regimes. Association and status offenses are designed to undermine support and networks that might facilitate future crimes through disruption and criminalization of associations, communications, material and financial aid among outlawed groups. Pre-crime can also be traced through the creation of criminal and enemy identities linked to policing and the various wars on crime. Colonial relations of power are extended through pre-crime.