The fifteen criminologists, political scientists, and legal scholars who have contributed to this volume articulate a pragmatic crime policy for America that combines academic insights about crime prevention with the realities of contemporary politics. The studies collectively outline a coherent policy that centers on "minimizing harm," as opposed to retribution, eliminating crime, or solving the social problems that generate criminal behavior.

Minimizing harm implies a compromise between the best current research and the concerns of citizens. It suggests that we can implement more effective strategies by choosing alternatives that reduce the level of victimization in a direct and readily comprehensible manner.