The increasingly punitive response to juvenile criminal violence is an unsustainable approach to reducing juvenile violence, according to the author. The sole reliance on a law-and-order approach is at the center of the problem. However, the public health perspective represents a promising approach to the reduction and prevention of juvenile violence and should be considered as a complement to the traditional law-and-order approach, rather than an alternative. The current article discusses the nature of juvenile violence and the way in which juvenile violence threatens the sustainability of communities. It also explores the American juvenile justice system in terms of its response to juvenile violence. The role of the public health approach in preventing juvenile violence is next examined, as is the way in which the law-and-order approach can benefit from the inclusion of the health community. The public health perspective brings a focus on primary prevention through the use of risk assessments and targeted intervention. In general, the public health approach to juvenile violence views violence as a threat to the community health; it emphasizes primary prevention; and it adheres to scientific principles of discovery and intervention. Despite the differences in approach and perspective, the public health approach can be adopted as a complement to the law-and-order response to juvenile violent crime. Notes, references