MUCH OF THE DOUBT CONCERNING THE NOTION THAT THE OLDER ADULT IS A SERIOUS VICTIM OF CRIME STEMS FROM DATA DERIVED FROM THE NATIONAL PANEL SURVEYS CONDUCTED UNDER THE LEAA. ACCORDING TO THESE SURVEYS, THE ELDERLY POPULATION (65 YEARS OR OLDER) WAS FOUND TO HAVE THE LOWEST VICTIMIZATION RATE OF ALL AGE GROUPS. HOWEVER, THE FOLLOWING LIMITATIONS ARE INHERENT IN THESE SURVEYS: (1) THE GENERAL FIGURES TEND TO MASK CERTAIN CRIMES WHICH AFFECT THE ELDERLY AND FAIL TO INDICATE INCREASES IN ELDERLY VICTIMIZATION; (2) THE GENERALITY OF THE SAMPLE AND DATA PRESENTED DO NOT ALLOW FOR THE EXPLORATION OF DIFFERENCES OCCURING WITHIN PARTICULAR GEOGRAPHIC AREAS OR CITIES; (3) THE METHODOLOGY OF THE PANEL SURVEYS, WHILE BASICALLY SOUND, FAILS TO INCLUDE CRIMES WHICH ESPECIALLY VICTIMIZE THE ELDERLY AND TO DEAL WITH THE PROBLEM OF UNDERREPORTING; (4) THE ELDERLY, ESPECIALLY THE ELDERLY POOR, ARE PARTICULARLY VULNERABLE TO CRIME AND TO THE SUFFERING THAT RESULTS FROM VICTIMIZATION; AND (5) IN ADDITION TO ACTUAL VICTIMIZATION, FEAR OF VICTIMIZATION IS MORE PREVALENT AMONG OLDER ADULTS. THE CLOSER ONE MOVES TOWARD THE INNER CITY, THE HIGHER THE PREVALENCE OF FEAR, A FACTOR WHICH LOWERS BOTH THE MORALE AND PHYSICAL MOBILITY OF ELDERLY PERSONS. TABULAR DATA AND A BIBLIOGRAPHY ARE PROVIDED. (KBL)