The public's response to increasing crime is most often to demand more police, more arrests, and more imprisonments. Little attention is given to the money required to fund the facilities and staffing of an effective criminal justice system. Increased arrests made by more and better trained police mean nothing unless the courts are adequately funded to dispense justice. More and lengthier prison sentences are impossible without funding for prison facilities to accommodate expanded prison populations. Sparse funding for any component of the criminal justice system cripples the whole system. Criminal justice agencies themselves often feed system imbalance by functioning independently of other criminal justice agencies, competing with them for funds, setting goals and policies without reference to other agencies, and criticizing other agencies for the failure of the system. Responsible citizen participation in influencing a policy that will bring coordination and balance to the criminal justice system, as well as involvement in community activities that will positively influence youth are at the heart of the needed response to increasing crime rates. Four footnotes and seven references are provided.