Governments seek protection from crime primarily through the law enforcement and the criminal justice systems. These formal systems of control serve the dual purpose of deterring crime and of apprehending, punishing, and treating offenders. Governments have tried to improve the effectiveness of these systems by such means as strengthening the police, streamlining the judicial process, diverting less serious offenders from the criminal justice system, increasing the severity of punishment for serious crimes, and widening the range of penal options for recidivist offenders. Complementing formal systems of control are informal social controls, including measures taken by parents, schools, and religious bodies to instill respect for the law among children and young people, to regulate the conduct of people in their daily lives, and to protect persons and property through routine precautions and security measures. Formal and informal systems of control depend on each other for their effectiveness. The status of crime prevention and related challenges are discussed with respect to social crime prevention, situational crime prevention, and reducing criminal motivation and opportunities. The discussion also encompasses crime prevention through child, community, and social development. Challenges that lie ahead in developing the full potential of crime prevention are noted. An annex lists draft elements of crime prevention developed by the United Nations Expert Group Meeting on Elements of Responsible Crime prevention in Buenos Aires in 1999. 13 notes