Work with public agencies and other organizations -- neighborhood-based or community-wide -- on solving common problems. Don't be shy about letting them know what your community needs.

Find positive ways for youth in the neighborhood to spend their spare time, through organized recreation, tutoring programs, part-time work, and volunteer opportunities.

Set up a Neighborhood Watch or a community patrol, working with police. Make sure your streets and homes are well lighted.

Build a partnership with police, focused on solving problems instead of reacting to crises. Make it possible for neighbors to report suspicious activity or crimes without fear of retaliation.

Take advantage of safety in numbers to hold rallies, marches, and other group activities to show you're determined to drive out crime and drugs.

Clean up the neighborhood! Involve everyone -- teens, children, senior citizens. Graffiti, litter, abandoned cars, and run-down buildings tell criminals that you don't care about where you live or each other. Call the city public works department and ask for help in cleaning up. Ask local officials to use new ways to get criminals out of your building or neighborhood. These include enforcing anti-noise laws, housing codes, health and fire codes, anti-nuisance laws, and drug-free clauses in rental leases.

Form a Court Watch to help support victims and witnesses and to see that criminals get fairly punished.

Work with schools to establish drug-free, gun-free zones; work with recreation officials to do the same for parks.

Develop and share a phone list of local organizations that can provide counseling, job training, guidance, and other services that neighbors might need.

This information provided by The National Crime Prevention Council.