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FOREWORD

All of America's communities should have safe streets and neighborhoods.

We are moving closer to that vision. Nationally, crime rates have fallen for seven straight years. More police on the streets, more effective management of police resources, new technologies, and a new partnership forged between law enforcement agencies and communities have all contributed to this major accomplishment.

But we can do more.

This report—the work of the Department of Justice and the National Partnership for Reinventing Government—describes what some of the most innovative law enforcement agencies in the country are doing. They are applying cutting-edge information technologies such as crime mapping to drive management decisions and to create real partnerships with communities to prevent and reduce crime.

The report recommends how we can help spread these best practices so that they benefit communities across the country. It describes specific steps that the federal government can take to support local law enforcement agencies and help communities across the nation make their streets and neighborhoods safer.

We are committed to turning these recommendations into reality. Together, they can make a real difference to the safety and security of families and communities and to the face of law enforcement as we move into the next century.

Vice President Al Gore
Attorney General Janet Reno

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