IDENTIFYING WHAT WORKS - RECENT TRENDS IN CRIME-PREVENTION STRATEGIES

This paper reviews lessons learned from evaluations of crime preventio n programs in the past three decades and discusses how crime preventio n approaches have changed in terms of theory, research, evaluation, an d public policy. We argue that present strategies of crime prevention may be best understood by tracing the failures of earlier American cri me prevention efforts. The paper discusses different types of crime pr evention strategies and draws upon examples from developmental, law en forcement, and criminal justice approaches. From this discussion emerg es a set of principles for a new approach to crime prevention that is specific in terms of the problems addressed and the contexts examined. The paper concludes with examples of recent crime prevention strategi es that utilize these lessons and that appear to have promising effect s on crime. While these approaches suggest optimism in terms of the cr ime prevention potential of new strategies, we urge caution in that th ese new crime prevention efforts are at an early stage of development.