. The system of measures taken by government with ref-erence to the direct prevention of crime. It generally consists in obliging those per-sons whom there is probable ground to sus-pect of future misbehavior to give full as-surance to the public that-such offense as is apprehended shall not happen, by finding pledges or securities to keep the peace, or for their good behavior. See’ 4 Bl. Comm. 251; 4 Steph. Comm. 290. t
Source: Black’s Law Dictionary 2nd Ed (1910)
