The phenomenon of risk in the context of preventive policies (criminal riskology)

Abstract

The technologies of cognition and assessment of risk are incorporated into numerous sciences. Nevertheless, the riskological discourse is still underdeveloped within criminology. The article states the necessity of criminologic riskology formation. The basis of such theory should be the notion of criminal risk as of objective reality, a special characteristic and state of social events and processes, the development of which can lead to crime commitment. Before its execution, any criminogenic factor passes the stage of emergence, when the crime threat is the only potential. This particular potential threat is a risk factor that significantly differs from the traditional criminogenic factor in terms of its criminogenic capacity. The application of riskological analysis should facilitate the segregation of criminal risks' factors as factors of prior, potential threat, to recognize them as the subject of criminological study, and to develop adequate measures to manage such risks. These factors cannot be affected by conventional means of criminological prevention - they require a subtle mechanism, which is based on the usage of the riskology's technologies. Specific research methods, which riskology possesses, provide the ability of risks' identification, structuring and mathematical evaluation of their intensity and development prospects; thereby creating the basis for risk management and solving the specific preventional agendas. The solution of challenges of detection and assessment of criminal risks' factors should be performed within criminologic riskology, which in conjunction with the theory of prior crime prevention and criminal anthropology can constitute such criminological science's section as microcriminology.