THE ABILITY TO GATHER ACCURATE CRIME DATA IS SAID TO DEPEND ON THE FOLLOWING VARIABLES: THE INITIATIVE OF CITIZENS AND POLICE OFFICERS IN REPORTING EVENTS TO THE APPROPRIATE AGENCY; THE VICTIM'S OR POLICE OFFICER'S INTERPRETATION OF THE EVENT; THE ABILITY OF THE AGENCY TO RECORD, VERIFY, AND COMPILE THE DATA DESCRIBING THE EVENT; AND INTERNAL OR EXTERNAL PRESSURES TO DISTORT DATA AND THUS 'REDUCE' CRIME. THE TAPED AND WRITTEN DISCUSSIONS TOUCH ON THE UNIFORM CRIME REPORTING (UCR) PROGRAM AND NATIONAL CRIME PANEL VICTIMIZATION SURVEYS, HOW CRIME DATA ARE COLLECTED, WAYS IN WHICH CRIME STATISTICS CAN BE MANIPULATED, AND METHODS FOR IMPROVING DATA-GATHERING PROCEDURES. IT IS EMPHASIZED THAT BOTH SYSTEMS USED IN THE UNITED STATES TO MEASURE CRIME PROVIDE INCOMPLETE ESTIMATES OF THE TRUE NATURE AND SCOPE OF CRIME. PLANNED EFFORTS TO MAKE VICTIMIZATION SURVEY DATA MORE COMPATIBLE WITH UCR DATA ARE CITED. INTERVIEWS WITH A RESEARCHER IN THE FIELD OF CRIME MEASUREMENT AND WITH THE CHAIRMAN OF THE UNIFORM CRIME REPORTING COMMITTEE OF THE INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF CHIEFS OF POLICE ARE PRESENTED. ALSO INCLUDED IN THE MAGAZINE ARE SUMMARIES OF ARTICLES ON BODY ARMOR, A SUPREME COURT RULING ON CONSPIRACY TO ASSAULT A FEDERAL AGENT, THE USE OF ELECTRONIC MONITORING DEVICES TO CUT DOWN ON ROBBERIES IN BOSTON STORES, PREVENTIVE PATROL APPROACHES, POLICE ASSISTANCE TO ILLEGAL ALIENS WHO ARE SWINDLED BY BUSINESSES SELLING CITIZENSHIP, A MOBILE CRIME PREVENTION DISPLAY, AND AN OFFICER EXCHANGE PROGRAM IN THE SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA.