Prevent

To deter from happening; to make impossible; to preclude. Prevention: the act or precaution of making something impossible, or precluding its occurrence. Preventive: that which aids or tends to prevent. Prevention of crimes act.

The Stat. 34 & 35 Vict. ch.

112, passed for the purpose of securing a better supervision over habitual criminals. This act provides that a person who is for a second time convicted of crime, may, on his second conviction, be subjected to police supervision for a period of seven years after the expiration of the punishment awarded him. Penalties are imposed on lodging-house keepers, &c, for harboring thieves or reputed thieves. There are also provisions relating to receivers in stolen property, and dealers in old metals who purchase the same in small quantities. This act repeals the habitual criminals act of 1869 (32 & 33 Vict. ch. 99). Brown. Preventive justice, is that portion of law which has reference to the direct prevention of offences. It generally consists in obliging those persons, whom there is probable ground to suspect of future misbehavior, to give full assurance to the public that such offence as is apprehended shall not happen, by finding pledges or securities to keep the peace, or for their good behavior.

See 4 Bl. Com. 251; 4 Steph. Com. 290; Oke Mag. Syn. 1473-1477.

Preventive service

A name applied to frustrate or preclude the plans and devices of smugglers.