Book excerpt: All countries strive to ensure safety and security for their citizens and to increase the quality of their lives. The Handbook offers a concise overview of the main considerations to be taken into account in planning and implementing crime prevention strategies and interventions. It also recognises that there are some major differences between regions and countries in terms of the challenges posed by crime and victimization and the importance of adapting programmes to local contexts. The main emphasis is on how crime prevention strategies based on the guidelines developed by the United Nations can be entrenched and sustained over time. It includes information on the kinds of methods and tools that can be utilised and are becoming increasingly available.