THE SOCIAL ROLE OF POLICE ENCOMPASSES PREVENTIVE MEASURES BOTH WITH RESPECT TO THE POTENTIAL CRIMINAL AND THE POSSIBLE VICTIM. POLICE MEASURES MAY CONCERN THE POPULATION AS A WHOLE, PARTICULAR GROUPS OR CATEGORIES OF PERSONS, OR CERTAIN INDIVIDUALS. PREVENTIVE POLICE ACTION DEPENDS UPON THE OFFICERS' WILL TO ASSIST THOSE EXPOSED TO VARIOUS RISKS, SUCH AS MINORS WHO COULD BECOME JUVENILE DELINQUENTS OR PEOPLE WHO MAY BECOME VICTIMS. TO IMPLEMENT CRIME PREVENTION EFFECTIVELY, A POLICE PREVENTION SYSTEM MUST BE INTEGRATED INTO THE GENERAL PLANNING OF CRIMINAL POLICY. REPRESSION, I.E., THE MEANS AVAILABLE THROUGH THE PENAL SYSTEM, IS ONLY A PARTIAL AND INADEQUATE MEASURE TO PREVENT CRIME. THE FRAMEWORK AND LIMITS OF THE POLICE IN CRIME PREVENTION ARE DISCUSSED WITH CONSIDERATION OF THE SOCIAL IMPLICATIONS. THE SPECIFIC FIELDS IN WHICH PREVENTIVE ACTION CAN BE TAKEN AND METHODS FOR IMPLEMENTING SUCH ACTION ARE EXAMINED, FOLLOWED BY A CONSIDERATION OF THE ORGANIZATION AND RESOURCES WHICH COUNTRIES MAY EMPLOY TO DETERMINE THE AREAS AND METHODS OF PREVENTIVE POLICE ACTION ON A NATIONAL SCALE. THE SOCIAL ROLE OF THE POLICE IN PREVENTING JUVENILE DELINQUENCY IS ALSO DISCUSSED. PREVENTIVE ACTION IN THIS AREA SHOULD BE DETERMINED BY TWO BASIC CONDITIONS: THE YOUTH OF THE PERSON INVOLVED AND THE TYPE OF CRIMINAL ACTIVITY OR DEVIANT BEHAVIOR. THE ROLE OF THE PREVENTIVE POLICE SHOULD CONSIST MAINLY OF IDENTIFYING THE JUVENILES, ALERTING THE APPROPRIATE SOCIAL SERVICES OF THE JUVENILE COURT, AND HELPING INDIVIDUAL YOUTH BY GIVING THEM ADVICE OR GUIDANCE WHEN NECESSARY. THEREFORE, VERY SPECIALIZED TRAINING WILL BE REQUIRED FOR THE PREVENTIVE POLICE, INCLUDING KNOWLEDGE IN SOCIAL WORK. CREATION OF A SPECIAL BRANCH OF THE POLICE IS PROPOSED; ITS ONLY GOAL WOULD BE PREVENTION OF CRIME. FOOTNOTES ARE INCLUDED. (PRG)