THE STUDY POPULATION CONSISTED OF PERSONS, AGED 60 AND OVER, LIVING IN HIGH CRIME NEIGHBORHOODS OF NEW YORK (N.Y.), MILWAUKEE (WISC.), NEW ORLEANS (LA.), AND LOS ANGELES (CALIF.). QUESTIONNAIRE AND TELEPHONE INTERVIEWS WERE CONDUCTED WITH THE POPULATION, AND RESULTS ARE USED TO DESCRIBE THE SOCIOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THE NEIGHBORHOODS, COMPARE THE NEIGHBORHOODS WITH EACH OTHER ON VARIOUS DIMENSIONS OF THE CRIME EXPERIENCE, CONTRAST THE RESIDENTS IN TERMS OF HOUSEHOLD AND PERSONAL PROTECTION, AND ASSESS USE OF CRIME PREVENTION AND ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS IN THE AREAS. FINDINGS INDICATED A GREAT VARIETY OF MEASURES TAKEN FOR HOUSEHOLD AND PERSONAL PROTECTION. A LARGE MAJORITY OF THE RESPONDENTS DID NOT RECOGNIZE ACRONYMS OF LOCAL CRIME PREVENTION AND ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS, BUT WERE MORE RESPONSIVE WHEN THE SPECIFIC SERVICE WAS DESCRIBED. A LIST OF REFERENCES IS PROVIDED, AND THE APPENDIX CONTAINS THE INTERVIEWING MATERIALS IN ENGLISH AND SPANISH. TABULAR DATA ARE PROVIDED. (DAG)