STUDIES OF JUVENILE DELINQUENTS SHOW THAT 50 TO 80 PERCENT OF THEM HAVE EXHIBITED BEHAVIOR AND LEARNING PROBLEMS BEFORE THEY WERE 11 YEARS OLD. SINCE THE MAJORITY OF CHILDREN AGED 7 TO 16 SPEND THEIR LIVES IN THE 3 SOCIAL CIRCLES OF THE FAMILY, THE SCHOOL, AND THE PEER GROUP, CRIME PREVENTION EFFORTS SHOULD BE GEARED TO INFLUENCE THESE AREAS. THEREFORE, VARIOUS FORMS OF HELP SHOULD BE EXTENDED TO SINGLE PARENTS, ALCOHOLIC PARENTS, AND PROBLEM FAMILIES; THE SCHOOL SHOULD INVESTIGATE STUDENTS' BACKGROUND AND OFFER HELP TO CHILDREN WHO ARE POOR AT THEIR WORK, MORALLY NEGLECTED, TRUANT, OR HAVE BEEN BEFORE JUVENILE COURT. FURTHERMORE, STUDIES OF PEER GROUP INFLUENCE, CHILDREN'S FREE TIME ACTIVITIES REVEAL THAT 64 TO 80 PERCENT OF THOSE WHO BECOME JUVENILE DELINQUENTS SPEND THEIR FREE TIME WITHOUT PARENTAL OR SCHOOL SUPERVISION. THEREFORE, SCHOOLS AND YOUTH ORGANIZATIONS SHOULD MAKE EVERY EFFORT TO OFFER YOUNGSTERS ATTRACTIVE WAYS OF SPENDING THEIR FREE TIME. STUDIES ALSO SHOW THAT YOUNG ADULTS (E.G. ABOUT 40 PERCENT OF STUDIED FACTORY WORKERS AGED 18 TO 30) HAVE PROBLEMS AT WORK WHICH MAY CAUSE SOCIAL MALADJUSTMENT AND LEAD TO CRIME. IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT SPECIAL EFFORTS BE EXERTED TO HELP YOUNG PEOPLE ADAPT TO THEIR FIRST PLACE OF WORK. PREVENTION OF THE FIRST SIGNS OF SOCIAL MALADJUSTMENT IN CHILDREN AND YOUNG ADULTS ARE THE BEST MEANS OF COMBATTING CRIME. FOOTNOTES ARE INCLUDED. --IN POLISH.