The 1998 British Crime Survey (BCS) was conducted in early 1998 by Social & Community Planning Research and contains statistical information about the prevalence of crimes against people in private households in England and Wales for the year 1997. Respondents were mailed a survey that asked about their experience of victimization during 1997. The main topics of the survey include questions about attitudes toward local crime, fear of crime, type of lifestyle of the respondent, and details about victimization. Results reveal aspects of the trends in crime in England and Wales between 1995 and 1997. According to the report, there was a 14 percent decrease in crimes against people living in private households between 1995 and 1997. The main decreases in crime occurred for attempted thefts of and from motor vehicles. The survey also revealed a 17 percent decrease in all violence during this period. Respondent reports of victimization were compared to police records of crime during this time period. According to police records, crime fell by 12 percent, which was the first time both measures of crime suggested a decrease in criminal activities. This report also contains information about the degree of risk for victimization, revealing that 4.7 percent of adults experienced a violent crime during 1997. A glossary of terms that defines what constitutes certain crimes is contained in the last pages of the report. Appendices, references