SOME OF THE DEMOGRAPHIC TRAITS OF SAMARITAN-VICTIMS AS THEY ARE REFLECTED IN STATISTICS COMPILED IN CONNECTION WITH ADMINISTRATION OF CALIFORNIA'S VICTIM COMPENSATION STATUTE ARE NOTED. IT IS SUGGESTED THAT GOOD SAMARITANS WHO ATTEMPT TO PREVENT CRIMES OR APPREHEND CRIMINALS ARE MOTIVATED BY A DIFFERENT SET OF FACTORS THAN SAMARITANS WHO COME TO THE AID OF VICTIMS OF EMERGENCIES. BYSTANDER INTERVENTION IN CRIMINAL EPISODES APPEARS TO BE CLOSELY RELATED TO ONLOOKERS' ATTITUDES TOWARD CRIME, CRIMINALS, AND THE POLICE, WITH LITTLE DIRECT EVIDENCE OF CONCERN FOR THE VICTIM OF THE OFFENDER'S ACTIONS. INTERVENTION IN EMERGENCIES SEEMS TO BE PROMPTED IN CONTRAST, OUT OF CONCERN FOR THE VICTIM OR BY SITUATIONAL FACTORS, SUCH AS THE DEGREE TO WHICH THE ONLOOKER IS IN A GOOD POSITION TO HELP. THE POLICY IMPLICATIONS OF ENCOURAGING SAMARITAN BEHAVIOR ARE ALSO CONSIDERED. REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT)