The data were drawn primarily from the two major urban centers in the Province of Quebec -- Montreal and Quebec City. Armed robbery rates in Quebec have been consistently more than twice the national rate. Montreal, Quebec's largest city, has an armed robbery rate more than five times that of the rest of Canada. Factors in this trend are identified. The robberies varied in their sophistication, violence, and profits according to the nature of the target. Robberies committed with inferior weapons had the highest incidence of violence. Most offenders were under 30 years old, had no more than a secondary school education, and came from a blue-collar background. Offenders generally did very little planning for their robberies. Offenders indicated that armed robbery is the fastest and most direct way to get money. Owners or employees of 182 victimized small businesses were interviewed about their reactions to armed robbery. A review of the response of the criminal justice system focuses on sanctions, the clearance rate for various types of armed robberies, and factors contributing to solving cases. 8 references.