In order to critically reflect on transformations in security practices, in this paper, we draw on our research exploring the effects of counterterrorism regulation on suspect populations over the last decade. Focusing primarily on the impacts of pre-emptive policies, we highlight the shift from universal towards partial pledges of security by the State and examine the ramifications of this shift for those who fall outside the boundaries of deserving safety. Framing our discussion in relation to the recursive reproduction of divisions, dualisms and duplicities, we suggest a palette of conceptual devices that enable criminological critique. In articulating the limits to State counterterrorism strategies, the contemporary capacity of criminology to engage with issues of security in the round is thrown into question.