Japan has the lowest crime rates in the industrialized world. Some of the reasons relate to the lack of different, conflicting population groups; relative economic equality; racial homogeneity; pressure for individual conformity; and resilience of traditional values. Another reason appears to be the use of community-based policing. In the United States, many police resist and resent neighbor-based accountability, fearing at times that citizens will begin to tell them what to do. An exception is Santa Ana, which, since the 1970's, has cut crime rates in half through proactive, rather than reactive, community-based policing, in which relations with citizens are much like those in Japan. Although cross-cultural transfer of crime-reduction strategies must be carried out with caution, potential appears to exist for further successful adaptation of Japanese-type police-community partnerships in American cities. (Author abstract modified)