In the late 1960s, self-report surveys of criminal victimization were controversial and new. Now, they are common, a mainstay of statistical systems and a familiar research tool. More complex questions have arisen concerning the validity and reliability of victim survey data, including whether they can be used in cross-national comparisons of crime and criminal justice issues. Victim survey data are sufficiently valid and reliable for use in cross-national comparisons. Victim surveys can tell us a great deal about crime cross-nationally that police administrative data cannot. While surveys in principle should be more comparable across nations than police administrative data, in practice this comparability cannot be assumed. Self-consciously comparative surveys, such as the International Crime Victimization Survey (ICVS) produce more comparable data across nations than nation-specific surveys do. Nation-specific surveys produce higher quality data on their specific nation than the ICVS does. Steps should be taken to enhance the quality of ICVS data and the cross-national comparability of nation-specific surveys. (Published Abstract)