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Communities are to be offered the use of criminal assets, in a wide-ranging strategy on crime launch by the prime minister today.
Speaking at a crime conference at Chelsea Football Club, Gordon Brown spoke about the need to build on policies that prevent crime and keep people safe.
Under the plans, £4m in criminal assets will be made available for projects decided by local communities, such as cleaning graffiti and providing activities for young people.
Communities will be able to vote on a website, or give their views at neighbourhood policing meetings or citizen's panels on how the money should be used.
"We face new kinds of crime - especially knife crime, organised crime, e-crime and identity theft - and now, of course, the new challenge of preventing what happened in previous recessions - where crimes like burglary and robbery went up," the prime minster told the conference.
"We face new causes of crime - including binge drinking, youth gangs, and problem families.
"And we need new ways of responding - for government, the police, courts, local authorities and communities themselves."
The premier highlighted action already taken on gun and knife crime, through the introduction of more targeted stop and search and graphic education campaigns warning against the danger of knives.
Brown said the public should be able to inform their local authority about streets they do not feel safe in.
And a further stage of Safer Streets will be launched this summer, including a website where the public can share information and point to authorities where they want action taken, Brown announced.
He promised to maintain investment in police, offering a more strategic role for government and more empowered local communities.
"But with greater freedom for the police comes greater responsibility," he added.
Additionally, a new programme will be launched this summer to tackle burglary and robbery, run jointly by the involved agencies.
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