THE ANALYSIS DRAWS ON DATA GATHERED FROM MULTISTAGE PROBABILITY SAMPLES DESIGNED TO REPRESENT THE NONINSTITUTIONALIZED ADULT POPULATION OF THE CONTINENTAL UNITED STATES. THE TOTAL SAMPLE SIZE WAS 2,700. A TECHNIQUE CALLED MULTIVARIATE NOMINAL SCALE ANALYSIS IS USED TO ASSESS THE INDEPENDENT ABILITY OF EACH VARIABLE TO PREDICT WHICH RESPONDENTS INDICATED A FEAR OF CRIME (42 PERCENT OF THOSE SURVEYED) AND WHICH DID NOT (58 PERCENT). SEX AND SIZE OF COMMUNITY PROVE STRONG PREDICTORS OF FEAR: FEMALES AND RESIDENTS OF LARGE CITIES ARE MORE LIKELY TO BE AFRAID OF CRIME. AGE AND RACE ARE SOMEWHAT LESS IMPORTANT FACTORS THAN HAS GENERALLY BEEN THOUGHT. THE SOCIOECONOMIC VARIABLES OF INCOME AND EDUCATION HAVE ONLY SMALL EFFECTS. ALMOST 72 PERCENT OF THE SAMPLE WAS CORRECTLY CLASSIFIED AS AFRAID OF CRIME OR NOT AFRAID OF CRIME BY APPLYING THE VARIABLES NOTED. IMPLICATIONS OF THIS HIGH EXPLANATORY POWER AND LIMITATIONS OF THE ANALYSIS ARE DISCUSSED. SUPPORTING DATA AND A LIST OF REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED.