The analysis focused on five forms of crime in Milan in August 1992: noncontact theft, purse snatching, pickpocketing, robbery, and homicide. These five categories are the standard ones used by the Milan police and are the equivalent of the index crime category in the United States. The analysis revealed that in Milan, crime of all kinds declines by about half in August. In contrast, data from San Francisco, which is similar to the pattern in the United States, revealed that the lowest month had 82 percent of the crime volume of the monthly average for 1992. Because the opportunities to commit offenses do not drop precipitously, the Milan pattern suggests that crime rates drop because offenders voluntarily reduce the level of their criminal activity. This propensity of offenders to take time off in August reflects Italian social values and illustrates the important relationship between general cultural patterns and crime patterns. Figures, notes, and 3 references (Author abstract modified)