IN THE SPRING OF 1973, 1500 UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA STUDENTS WHO LIVED IN CAMPUS HOUSING WERE SURVEYED ON THEIR INVOLVEMENT WITH AND REASONS FOR SHOPLIFTING. A TOTAL OF 606 STUDENTS RETURNED THE QUESTIONNAIRE. STUDY RESULTS REVEALED THAT BOTH PERCEPTIONS OF RISK AND DEFINITIONAL FACTORS, SUCH AS SELF-CONCEPT, SERVED AS CONSTRAINTS ON STEALING. OF THE STUDENTS WHO SHOPLIFTED, MOST REPORTED THAT THE LOW RISK OF APPREHENSION WAS AN IMPORTANT REASON FOR STEALING AND SAW THE LEAST RISK ASSOCIATED WITH STEALING, BOTH IN TERMS OF LIKELIHOOD OF APPREHENSION AND SEVERITY OF FORMAL AND ESPECIALLY INFORMAL SANCTION. APPREHENSION INCREASED THEIR ESTIMATE OF FORMAL RISK. SHOPLIFTERS ACCEPTED RESPONSIBILITY FOR THEIR BEHAVIOR, WHILE NON-SHOPLIFTERS, IMAGINING THEMSELVES STEALING, DENIED IT. HOWEVER, SHOPLIFTERS WHO HAD BEEN CAUGHT WERE MORE LIKELY TO TRY TO JUSTIFY THEIR BEHAVIOR. A LIST OF REFERENCES IS INCLUDED. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED)