Since 1955, crime levels have increased in Western Europe, and crime victimization has become an important political issue in most countries. In the Netherlands, the Interdepartmental Committee for Social Crime Prevention was established in 1985. At the local level, the primary responsibility for social crime prevention rests with the burgomaster and crime prevention committees. More than 100 local authorities have applied to the Interdepartmental Committee for local crime prevention program funds, and about 200 different projects have been funded. Eighty projects are specifically directed toward the prevention of vandalism. Other projects focus on urban renewal, truancy prevention, public transport, public housing, and retail stores. Netherlands' Ministry of Justice has established a crime prevention directorate to devise crime prevention policies for the 1990's. Both victim-oriented prevention and victim assistance are major concerns of this directorate and other European governments. An integrated crime policy for Western Europe is suggested that is based on a partnership between local government and the police and on the replacement of some conventional criminal justice interventions with offender-oriented crime prevention programs. 35 references and 8 figures