Network analysis is a powerful tool that is increasingly used not only to determine events that
occurred in the past, but also to predict what may happen in the future. This paper will discuss
the perspective, far from being abstract or remote, that such methods may be adopted in order
to anticipate crimes. Taking into account current technologies, present legal science and according
to the recent «Onlife Manifesto», here are talked three issues, concerning respectively
the epistemological, the legal-philosophical and the anthropological aspect. In the first place,
the relevance of the information provided in a crime’s «prediction», since it does not concern
an event of the past. Secondly, the nature of responsibility ascribed on these grounds, as neither
an «actus reo» nor a «mens rea» can be found in the case. Finally, the kind of punishment
could be given to the supposed criminal, because free will should be doubted if his behaviour
could be foreseen.
