Victimization risk is analyzed in relation to demographic characteristics as well as independent links between town size, age, gender, social economic status, and lifestyle. Correlates of victimization risk were also examined at country level. Fifteen countries are ranked in terms of victimization rates, rates of city dwellers, unemployment rates, proportion for young people, Gross National Product per capita, and rates of car ownership. Also analyzed were the extend of differences between the national victimization rates accounted for by the differential prevalence of level of urbanization and levels of affluent interims of the rate of car ownership. Out of five European countries, West Germany, France, England and Wales, The Netherlands, and Sweden, The Netherlands demonstrated the highest increase in crime rate between 1970 and 1985. This increase is attributed to a high rate of juvenile delinquency resulting from a rapid modernization of Dutch society. In response to this problem, the government announced a new policy of social crime prevention and established the Department of Crime Prevention within the Ministry of Justice. Other countries with a similar modernization process may benefit from the Dutch experience to prevent an increase in crime.