Crime remains a complex social problem that cannot be addressed effectively through punishment alone. Contemporary crime prevention and control require a coordinated framework that combines social policy, situational prevention, community engagement, professional policing, fair criminal justice, rehabilitation, victim support, and responsible use of technology. This article reviews the principal theoretical and practical approaches to combating crime and examines how they can be integrated into a coherent public policy. It distinguishes prevention from reactive control, explains the value of evidence-based policing and problem-oriented strategies, and considers the roles of courts, corrections, restorative justice, youth interventions, and interagency cooperation. Particular attention is given to emerging challenges such as cybercrime, transnational organized crime, digital evidence, artificial intelligence, and the ethical risks associated with surveillance and data-driven decision-making. The article argues that sustainable crime reduction depends on legitimacy, proportionality, reliable data, prevention of social risk factors, and respect for human rights. Rather than relying on a single institution or method, effective crime control is best understood as a layered system in which government agencies, local communities, schools, families, civil society, and the private sector share complementary responsibilities. The paper concludes with practical recommendations for building integrated, accountable, and adaptable crime-prevention systems capable of responding to both traditional and emerging forms of criminality.