Substantial investment in crime reduction is oriented toward policing and punishment, though a strong case can be made for a greater focus on prevention. The case is based on rapidly advancing knowledge of the factors that influence youth involvement in crime. Practical methods of disseminating the knowledge and practices underlying effective prevention are vitally needed. Communities that Care (CTC) is one program for coordinating local prevention efforts that has proved to be useful in wide-scale implementation in the United States. This paper provides an overview of the CTC approach and reports on plans to trial and evaluate this program in Victoria, through the Centre for Adolescent Health. Centres such as this blend quality research and practice, and the design of the trial is an example of best practice in evaluation research.