The National Crime Prevention Strategy - NCPS is based on the premise that well-designed interventions can have a positive influence on behaviours; crimes can be reduced or prevented by addressing risk factors that can lead to offending. Successful interventions have been shown to reduce not only victimization, but also the social and economic costs that result from criminal activities and the costs related to processing cases in the criminal justice system.

This overview addresses the following key elements of the Strategy:

• Expanding the knowledge base of risk factors associated with the likelihood that individuals will engage in criminal activity;
• Identifying individuals at different stages of development who exhibit or are exposed to these risk factors; and
• Building on the body of knowledge on effective interventions for addressing these risk factors.