PREDICTIVE POLICING AND PRE-CRIME: LEGAL AND ETHICAL PARADOXES

Abstract

Predictive policing represents one of the most transformative yet controversial developments in contemporary law enforcement. By harnessing data analytics, machine learning, and artificial intelligence, predictive systems aim to forecast potential crimes before they occur. While such technologies promise enhanced efficiency, they also challenge the very foundations of criminal law, ethics, and constitutional safeguards. This chapter explores the evolution of predictive policing and its conceptual relationship with pre-crime, highlighting the paradoxes that emerge when technological foresight intersects with legal responsibility. Through comparative analyses spanning the United States, India, the United Kingdom, and the European Union, the chapter examines legal and ethical implications including due process, privacy, bias, discrimination, and algorithmic accountability. It argues for a balanced framework integrating transparency, oversight, and human judgment to ensure predictive policing aligns with democratic values and the principles of justice.