THE FINDINGS OF A REPRESENTATIVE SURVEY OF 4,866 HOUSTON HOUSEHOLDS (9,357 PERSONS) TAKEN IN 1974 AS PART OF THE NATIONAL CRIME SURVEY PROGRAM ARE PRESENTED. BASED ON 37 STATISTICAL DATA TABLES, THE DISCUSSION CENTERS ON PUBLIC PERCEPTIONS AND ATTITUDES RELATING TO TRENDS IN CRIME, FEAR OF CRIME, RESIDENTIAL PROBLEMS AND LIFESTYLES, AND POLICE PERFORMANCE. BECAUSE RELATIVELY FEW HOUSTON RESIDENTS REGARDED CRIME AS A MAJOR PROBLEM, THE THREAT OF CRIMINAL VICTIMIZATION DID NOT ADVERSELY AFFECT LIFESTYLES, MOBILITY, AND THE SELECTION OF HOMES. MOST PERSONS RATED THE PERFORMANCE OF THE LOCAL POLICE AS SATISFACTORY AND FELT THAT THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS WERE RELATIVELY SAFE FROM CRIME. NEVERTHELESS, CRIME WAS VIEWED AS A GROWING PROBLEM OR AS A THREAT TO PERSONAL SAFETY BY SUBSTANTIAL PROPORTIONS OF BLACKS, WOMEN, PERSONS AGED 35-64, AND THOSE VICTIMIZED IN 1973. SURVEY DATA TABLES, THE SURVEY INSTRUMENT, TECHNICAL INFORMATION, AND GLOSSARY ARE APPENDED. CHARTS ARE PROVIDED. FOR A RELATED DOCUMENT CONCERNING THE COMPANION VICTIMIZATION SURVEY, SEE NCJ-34821. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED--DAS)