It is evident that the availability of information on crime trends and the development of crime prevention strategies are closely interrelated. Both issues are of concern to national planners and policymakers in all facets of the administration of justice. However, the lack of requisite data is all too apparent and hampers progress in this field. The formulation and refinement of crime prevention strategies, especially in the cross-cultural perspective, require reliable data bases and improved methodologies for the collection and analysis of crime statistics and indicators, as well as estimates of future trends. If the United Nations is to promote international cooperation in this field and enhance the exchange of national experiences, it must strengthen the capacity to gather, analyze, and disseminate information for the purpose of establishing a system that will identify those crime prevention policies that are effective. In this connection, the congress may want to provide guidance for the future work of the organization, as well as to make recommendations for improving the research and planning capacity of member States. Priority issues should include developing guidelines, manuals, pilot projects, and other techniques to facilitate the establishment of adequate data bases; increasing the capacity of governments to forecast crime trends; and conducting studies of the relation of such developmental processes as urbanization, industrialization, population growth, and migration to possible increases in criminality. Additional efforts should focus on formulating guidelines and recommendations to permit the more effective integration of crime prevention policies and elements in national planning efforts, facilitating the exchange of experience and expertise among all countries, and strengthening regional cooperation in research and training. The paper provides 50 footnotes. (Author abstract modified).