Crimes of atrocity have profound and long-lasting effects on any society. The difference between triggering and preventing these tragic crimes often amounts to the choice between national potential preserved or destroyed. It is also important to recognize that they are not inevitable: the commission of these crimes requires a collective effort, an organizational context, and long planning and preparation. Thus, the idea of strengthening preventative action has taken on greater relevance and is now encompassed in the emerging notion of 'responsibility to prevent.' International courts and...