There has been a movement to establish local dispute resolution capabilities, often as alternatives to litigation. More and more public and private sector organizations now turn to administrative hearings, ombudsmen, and review by outside neutrals in responding to consumer and employee complaints. Speculation about the future of community conflict intervention in the United States is difficult because of the many uncontrollable factors affecting the social climate. Now apparent are at least three alternate directions for the field in the decade of the 1980's: discontinuous development; gradual decline; and, synthesis, take-off, and development. Fulfillment of each of three major needs are prerequisite for development. First, mediation and other techniques must adapt to preventive, policymaking uses. Second, more research of the relationships of community and national levels with international levels must take place. Finally, the field needs a clearinghouse or umbrella organization. If these and other needs are met, community conflict intervention will achieve an important place among the strategies for justice and peacemaking, which are the heart of the work of human rights officials. Six references are provided.