While crime has decreased in urban areas in recent years, suburban and rural areas are experiencing an increase in crime rates. Research and past experience has suggested that one of the most effective ways of reducing and preventing crime involves community partnerships and a community-based approach. McDonough County, IL, formed the Crime and Quality of Life Advisory Committee in early 1994 in response to rising crime rates. The community-based approach is reviewed and the McDonough County program is overviewed as a model community crime prevention program. Renamed the Community Quality of Life Committee after it was expanded in 1996, the Committee has been responsible for identifying “community wellness” indicators, measuring baseline community wellness data, and monitoring changes. The Committee formed a youth task force, which successfully implemented an adopt-a-street program to address housing deterioration near the local university. The approach taken by McDonough County can serve as a useful model to other communities struggling to reduce crime. Endnotes