COMPARISONS ARE MADE, USING DATA FROM 1975 AND 1976, FOR RAPE, PERSONAL ROBBERY AND LARCENY, ASSAULT, HOUSEHOLD BURGLARY AND LARCENY, MOTOR VEHICLE THEFT, AND COMMERCIAL BURGLARY AND ROBBERY. A BRIEF DISCUSSION OF TRENDS IN VICTIMIZATION RATES FROM 1973 TO 1976 IS ALSO INCLUDED. INFORMATION IS PRESENTED ON THE USE OF WEAPONS IN THE COMMISSION OF CRIMES AND ON THE REPORTING OF CRIMES TO THE POLICE. THE DATA WERE COLLECTED FOR LEAA BY THE BUREAU OF THE CENSUS AND WERE BASED ON PERSONAL INTERVIEWS WITH A REPRESENTATIVE SAMPLE OF ABOUT 61,000 HOUSEHOLDS AND 15,000 COMMERCIAL FIRMS THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT)