Prediction

Prediction has a long history in the social sciences, and advances in comput-ing and statistics have transformed our ability to predict in a wide range of domains.However, concerns have been raised about an indiscriminate application of a predic-tive logic, and crime is an area where this is quite pronounced. Indeed, while the po-lice, correctional service, and criminal courts have become increasingly reliant on dig-ital systems of prediction, critics have drawn our attention to numerous issues andcomplexities attendant to this process. This chapter looks at prediction in the crimino-logical realm and provides an overview of key arguments concerning the way data aregenerated, organized, and used as input for predictive tools and technologies, and howthe results are interpreted in the context of criminal justice. By doing so, it aims toshow that the discussions surrounding prediction highlight how digital tools are trans-forming the nature of knowledge and expertise within the criminal justice system