Special Issue: "On the way into pre-crime society? Analyses of strategies of preemption in everyday life contexts"

Content

Editorial: On the way into pre-crime society? Analyses of strategies of preemption in everyday life contexts.

Simon Egbert & Bettina Paul

Nach dem Verbrechen ist vor dem Verbrechen. Zur gouvernmentalen Pratik der Verbrechenswarnungen an U.S.-Universitäten (German)

When post-crime becomes pre-crime – On the governmental practice of crime alerts at US universities

Maximilian Schareck

In this paper, I examine the practice of crime alerts at US universities. I propose that these can be understood as a governmental practice that is less aimed at danger but rather at the fears of its recipients. In this way they call upon their recipients to understand themselves as responsible potential victims of crime, and to act accordingly. Thus it presents itself as a form of governing through fear ith its motto: Post-crime is pre-crime!

Drogentests und ‚Alltags-Präemption‘ (German)

Drug testing and preemption in everyday life

Simon Egbert

The US-administration under George W. Bush reacted on the attacks of 9/11 with a modification of its security policy, which particularly involved the redefinition of the criterion of imminence in course of preventive military practices. Under the heading of preemption, this is debated in Security Studies – in the sense of a special preventive rationality. In the course of this logic, preventive activities shall not just be executed until concrete indications for an attack exist, but already when the security risk is not yet visible. At hand, by drawing on empirical data from documents and interviews, it is exemplarily shown that this preemptive style of reasoning is also executed in mundane contexts of risk, namely in the context of suspicionless drug testing at German workplaces, where employees and/or applicants are controlled concerning their drug consumption habits without provoking suspicion by their own behavior. 

Discussion Papers

Kennzeichen des Gefährdens Skizzen einer Ethnomethodologie des Sich-verdächtig-Machens (German)

Indicators of Endangering. Ethnomethodological Sketches of Making-Oneself-Suspicious

Aldo Legnaro

A pre-crime society has to develop multiple patterns of ascription to perceive suspiciousness and to interpret clues of endangering. From an ethnomethodological point of view, these patterns based on personal and life-style characteristics are described, mainly outward modifiable or unmodifiable features of the person and the ascription of preparing or immediately starting a (criminal) act. Taken together as a trend in contemporary societies, the ascription of specific patterns of behaviour signalling suspiciousness may be read as a form of predictive governing.

Bodycams im Einsatz – eine Sicherheitssimulation (German)

Bodycams in action – a simulation of security

León von der Burg

With the introduction of body-worn-cameras in law enforcement, the police forces expect one thing in particular: a reduction of violent acts towards police officers.The following contribution highlights the contradictions between aspiration and reality in the context of the legitimation of the application of cameras in the police service and analyses them on their conflicts. The main focus of the reflection is
the practical utility of the body-worn-camera as evidence in police work.

Wissensbasierte Raumkontrolle? Raumkonstruktionen im Kontext von Sicherheit (German)

Knowledge-Based Space Control? Security-Related Social Constructions of Space

Daniela Hunold

The article deals with spatial ties of police work and the associated social constructions of space. For this purpose, a DFG-funded research project is presented, which investigates the question of production processes of space-relevant police knowledge. In this context, it is argued that space-related police work promotes pre-crime-related suspicions.

Book Reviews

Ferguson, Andrew Guthrie: The Rise Of Big Data Policing. Surveillance, Race, and the Future of Law Enforcement. (Ewert)

Gary T. Marx: Windows into the Soul. Surveillance and Society in an Age of High Technology (Zurawski)

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