A March 21, 1997 seminar on juvenile crime brought criminal justice research findings to an audience of more than 90 congressional and Federal agency officials. Presentations and discussions concluded that: (1) policymakers should link youth crime and firearms policies; (2) the effects of incarceration on the rates of youth violence are small; (3) the role of the Federal Government should be in research and evaluation, coordinating local initiatives and transplanting successful practices from one community to another; (4) the rise in juvenile violence is due in part to a decline in juvenile justice. Four school-based strategies that prevent youth violence are: building a school's capacity to initiate and sustain innovation; clarifying and communicating norms about behavior and improving the consistency of enforcement; focusing on a wide range of social competency skills through comprehensive instructional programs; and teaching self-management skills for high-risk youth. Tables, figures