The author contends that the level of violent crime has been high for years and that violence is now spreading to small and medium-sized towns. Because the nature of violent crime is changing, some people are more vulnerable; these changes include an increased incidence of stranger-on-stranger robberies and drive-by shootings. A key aspect of public concern over violent crime involves the failure of previous efforts to solve the problem. The most likely governmental actions against crime in the short-term, expanding police forces and prisons, tend to be costly and may only reduce crime marginally. Policymakers must confront basic crime patterns related to murder, robbery, random crimes, workplace violence, child snatching, carjackings, drive-by shootings, and family violence. With resources scarce at all government levels, the most promising lines of attack against violence are at the local level where authorities and community residents can mount block-by-block campaigns to reclaim cities. 1 figure