The discussion notes that natural communities are often lacking in our mobile, dispersed country and that the first step often must be to create a community by giving people the sense that they have a real stake in creating and maintaining a positive environment and eliminating or preventing crime. It also emphasizes that community mobilization efforts require a combination of partnerships, commitment to action, a neighborhood base, a future-focused perspective, a determination to solve problems, and a vision of the potential results. Twenty-one lessons learned by communities that have established effective programs are presented. The text also explains the four elements required for effective prevention: (1) a participatory, inclusive, and instructive style; (2) the community's sense of ownership of the program; (3) an attitude of problemsolving and focusing on the future rather than on past problems; (4) and a logic that recognizes that local problems require local solutions tailored to the needs of the specific community. Illustrations