The introduction summarizes the three perspectives of existing delinquency prevention programs: the classification perspective, the empirical perspective, and the theoretical perspective; the flaws in these perspectives are identified. The paper then focuses on the heterogeneous nature of delinquency as a means of incorporating the strengths of the three current perspectives with the motivation and opportunity views of prevention. The author argues that there are three major types of delinquency during the compulsory school years: common, temporary, and chronic delinquencies. He then proposes three strategies that involve various programs to prevent these trajectories of individual offending. These strategies will involve programs directed toward the motivation to offend and the opportunities to do so. Prevention programs will also emerge from an integrative conception of the cause of delinquency and take into account the known characteristics of the delinquents who adopt each style of offending. This matching of a particular type of delinquency with a specific prevention strategy will have the advantage of guiding decisionmakers in the adoption of an appropriate delinquency prevention strategy for a particular community. 4 figures and 16 references