100 Ideas for Reducing Crime in Cities—A Blueprint for Action

Creating Portfolios of Human Services and Criminal Justice Initiatives to Improve Public Safety and Justice

Crime declined rapidly in the 1990s, almost everywhere, and almost all at once. I’ve written a lot about this because there are many lessons from the crime decline that can help to reduce crime and violence today and in the future.

The key lesson from the crime decline of the 1990s is that the most effective crime-fighting tools were not explicitly about fighting crime through the justice system.

The big changes in the 1990s that reduced crime were population-level shifts in culture, markets, and social supports. The society-wide shift from paying for everything in cash to carrying electronic debit cards reduced everyone’s vulnerability. The introduction, availability, and widespread use of mental health medications helped millions to be more resilient. Technological improvements led to better security which safeguarded our homes, are valuables, and ourselves. And the widespread rejection of crack cocaine by potential users eventually withered the volatile drug markets.

As we move forwa…