Mission Creep (Person of Interest)

In the CBS television series Person of Interest, "Mission Creep" refers to the gradual expansion of the scope and objectives of the Machine's team, initially focused on preventing imminent violent crimes predicted by the Machine.

Originally, the team, led by John Reese and Harold Finch, was limited to investigating and intervening in "relevant" cases – those involving imminent deaths. The Machine provided them with Social Security numbers, and they had to discern the role (victim or perpetrator) of the person identified and prevent the crime.

However, as the series progressed, the team's mission expanded beyond simply preventing imminent deaths. This "Mission Creep" manifested in several ways:

• Protecting the Innocent: The team began to proactively protect individuals who were not immediately in danger but were vulnerable or whose lives were at risk due to future circumstances or the actions of others.
• Addressing Systemic Problems: The team started tackling larger, more complex cases that involved corruption, organized crime, or threats to the system itself, even if those cases did not directly involve imminent violence.
• Safeguarding the Machine: As the threat of rival AIs like Samaritan emerged, protecting the Machine's existence and functionality became a paramount objective, consuming significant resources and attention.
• Saving Each Other: The team members themselves became primary targets, and rescuing each other became a frequent and often dangerous mission.
• Protecting the Public at Large: The team worked increasingly to prevent wide-scale disasters and protect the public from the machinations of Samaritan.

The "Mission Creep" was a central theme of the show, highlighting the ethical dilemmas and consequences of expanding a project's original mandate. It explored the tension between limiting intervention to prevent immediate harm and proactively addressing potential future threats, raising questions about the responsibility and limits of power when dealing with advanced technology and complex social issues. The term encapsulates the blurring of lines between proactive protection and potentially overreaching control.