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experts are asking whether many crimes could not be prevented in the first place, and are developing techniques and programs designed to do just that. Society needs to be able to punish criminals, but it is equally important that would-be criminals find it difficult to offend at all. For the disease of crime, prevention is better than cure. A Problem Solved? We love movies or novels in which police or private detectives solve crimes, but the police— and the victims of crime—know that the reality is often less satisfactory. The arrest and convic- tion of the criminal may come as a relief, but they are not a “solution” to the pain and misery that has been caused. They will not bring back the murder victim to a devastated family, or restore the peace of mind to a senior citizen now too afraid to venture out; nor will they rebuild the confidence of the victim of rape or other assault. Property crimes are often seen as of secondary importance to crimes against persons. It is true that most of us would sooner suffer the loss of a material item than be badly injured. Yet, while this theory is true on its surface, the distinction does not take into account the fact that “mere” possessions are invariably invested with strong personal emotions. For example, the husband and wife whose home has been burgled may feel an all-but-physical sense of violation as they survey the mess and damage the intruders have left behind. A few dollars’ worth of jewelry may represent generations of tradition for the family in which they have been handed down. The theft erases a link with the family’s past, striking a blow against that family’s sense of itself. An arrest and an insurance payment will not compensate such people for their loss. Nor will the successful conviction of the criminal amount to a solution of the crime. The real triumph would be for the offense not to have taken place to begin with, and this is the goal toward which crime prevention programs are directed.

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