The role of artificial intelligence in preventive policing applications

Crime is a deviant behavior from societal norms that has persisted since the first civilizations and will continue to do so in the future. Historical facts show that as long as humans exist, crimes will never cease. In this context, what needs to be done is to reduce criminality. Just as reactive policing, which involves the judicial process after a crime has been committed, is important, proactive policing, which focuses on combating criminality rather than criminals before the crime occurs, is equally -if not more- important. Because if no crime is committed, societal order will not be violated, and people's rights will not be harmed. With the development of technology, information systems have made tremendous progress and have provided great conveniences in many areas of life for individuals in society. This advancement has brought computer systems equipped with artificial intelligence to the point where they can think in place of humans. The use of AI based decision-making methods in crime prevention aims to predict when and where certain crimes are likely to occur, thereby enabling the deployment of police patrols in these areas in advance to prevent crimes before they happen. In this way, victimization can be avoided, judicial processes that would involve individuals and public institutions can be circumvented, and public resources can be used more efficiently. However, alongside the significant benefits AI may offer in this context, it also raises certain ethical and legal concerns. In our study, general information on artificial intelligence and crime prevention is first provided, followed by a discussion of both the conveniences offered by the use of artificial intelligence in crime prevention and its potential drawbacks.