The author submits that there are at least three lies, circulated for the most part by well-intentioned white intellectuals, concerning black crimes. These lies are that the black community differs greatly from the rest of American society in terms of its views on crime and punishment; that the inner-city, black, two-parent family can be rebuilt via changes in public policy; and that a color-blind policy of incarcerating violent and repeat criminals would not reduce crime. This article points to opinion surveys which show that blacks favor harsh punishment for criminals, think that violent juvenile offenders should be treated like adults, oppose drug legalization, and favor gun control legislation. The article examines the phenomenon of black-on-black crime, the socioeconomic environment in which black juvenile grow up, and conservative assertions about the damage done by the welfare system. Some of the directions for preventing crime that are suggested here include incapacitating violent felons, removing children from homes where they have been severely abused and neglected, empowering poor citizens to protect themselves, and assigning more police officers to inner-city areas.