ABSTRACT
In this contribution I analyse the development of Belgian crime prevention policy at the national and later at the federal level, and its implementation at the local level from 1985 until 2007. For a good understanding of the evolution of crime prevention policy during this time, it will be subdivided into three periods according to the coalition of political parties governing at the national/federal level. Following this criterion, a distinction is made between three periods: first, 1985 to 1988, during which a coalition of Christian democratic and liberal parties governed; second, 1988 to 1999, when a coalition of Christian democratic and socialist parties were in power; and third, the period 1999 to 2007, which witnessed a coalition of liberal and socialist parties (and from 1999 until 2003 also of green parties). It is important to note that since the 1970s, due to the regional conflicts of interest within Belgium almost all political formations are split, with both a Flemish and French-speaking political party, which are totally independent from each other.
