THE PAPER IS CONCERNED WITH THE ROLE OF THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM AS ONE OF MANY INSTITUTIONS OF SOCIAL CONTROL IN THE PREVENTION OF CRIME. CRIMINAL LAWS AND JUDICIAL PROCEDURES ARE EXAMINED AS CRUCIAL COMPONENTS OF THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM AND AS SUPPLEMENTS TO, OR REPLACEMENTS FOR, INFORMAL METHODS OF SOCIAL CONTROL. FACTORS THAT HAVE LED TO THE DETERIORATION OF INFORMAL SOCIAL CONTROLS ARE POINTED OUT. PROBLEMS CONFRONTING CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEMS THROUGHTOUT THE WORLD ARE OUTLINED, AND CHARACTERISTICS OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEMS--GOALS AND TASKS, ASSUMPTIONS AND EXPECTATIONS, UNINTENDED NEGATIVE SIDE EFFECTS, ALLOCATION OF CONTROL, DEARTH OF FEEDBACK, ETC.--THAT BEAR UPON THESE PROBLEMS ARE EXAMINED. TRENDS IN CRIMINAL LAW AND JUDICIAL PROCEDURE ARE CONSIDERED, INCLUDING DECRIMINALIZATION, DEPENALIZATION, DIVERSION, AND SENTENCING REFORMS. INFORMAL MECHANISMS FOR THE SOCIAL CONTROL OF CRIME, SUCH AS COMMUNITY ORGANIZATION AND PUBLIC PARTICIPATION, TRADITIONAL CONTROLS IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES, SOCIAL CONTROLS IN COUNTRIES WITH CENTRALLY PLANNED ECONOMICS, AND DISSEMINATION OF INFORMATION, ARE DISCUSSED. TRENDS IN SOME COUNTRIES TOWARD DECENTRALIZING LEGAL SYSTEMS, ENCOURAGING LAY PARTICIPATION IN LEGAL SYSTEMS, AND FOCUSING ON THE NEEDS OF CRIME VICTIMS ARE NOTED. (LKM)