IDEAS, IMAGES, BELIEFS, AND THEORIES ABOUT CRIME ABOUND AND TOGETHER INTENSIFY THE PUBLIC CONSCIOUSNESS OF THE 'CRIME PROBLEM.' BUT THAT CONSCIOUSNESS RARELY EXTENDS TO THE CONCEPTIONS THEMSELVES. AN ANALYSIS OF THE NATURE, SOURCES, AND CONSEQUENCES OF CRIME IMAGERY--CONCEPTIONS OF THE CRIME PROBLEM IN THE UNITED STATES, IMAGES OF AND ATTITUDES TOWARD PARTICULAR CRIMES AND CRIMINALS, THE NATURE AND SIGNIFICANCE OF MYTHS, THE CONSTRUCTION AND DIFFUSION OF CONCEPTIONS OF CRIME, THE CONSEQUENCES OF THE PREVAILING MODE OF DEFINING DEVIANCE--POINTS TO SEVERAL NEGATIVE IMPLICATIONS FOR SOCIETY. THE FEAR OF STRANGERS ENDEMIC TO CRIME ANXIETY LEADS TO INACCURATE ASSESSMENTS OF RISK, IMPOVERISHED SOCIAL LIVES, AND A GENERAL REDUCTION IN SOCIAL TRUST AND SOLIDARITY THAT ULTIMATELY INCREASES APATHY AND INDIFFERENCE TO THE NEEDS OF OTHERS. PUNITIVE REACTIONS ARE INTENSIFIED, AND SUPPORT FOR CIVIL LIBERTIES IS DIMINISHED. THE OFFICIAL USE OF STEREOTYPED CONCEPTIONS OF CRIMINALS HAS THE EFFECT OF AMPLIFYING PATTERNS OF DEVIANCY BY LOCKING INDIVIDUALS INTO DEVIANT CAREERS AND BY INDUCING DEVIANTS TO ORGANIZE FOR SELF-PROTECTION. THIS PROCESS OF DEVIANCY AMPLIFICATION HAS THE INDIRECT EFFECT OF REDUCING THE LEGITIMACY OF LAW ENFORCEMENT, PARTICULARLY AMONG THE MINORITY GROUPS WHOSE MEMBERS ARE MOST LIKELY TO BE LABELED DEVIANT. AT THE SOCIETAL LEVEL, REACTION TO THE CRIME PROBLEM DISTRACTS PUBLIC ATTENTION FROM MORE CRUCIAL SOCIAL PROBLEMS AND DIVERTS PUBLIC FUNDS FROM PROGRAMS AIMED AT IMPROVING HOUSING, EDUCATION, AND EMPLOYMENT. MOST IMPORTANTLY, EMPHASIS ON CRIME AND DEVIANCE CONCEPTIONS MASKS CERTAIN LEGITIMATE SOCIAL CONCERNS BY DEPOLITICIZING SOCIAL PROBLEMS, THEREBY UNDERMINING THE LEGITIMACY OF THE POLITICAL ORDER IN THE LONG RUN. THE NEED FACING CRIMINOLOGISTS AND CITIZENS IS NOT TO DISPENSE WITH CONCEPTIONS OF CRIME, BUT RATHER TO SCRUTINIZE THOSE CONCEPTIONS SO THAT THE NEGATIVE, DAMAGING ONES CAN BE REPLACED WITH MORE DYNAMIC, ILLUMINATING ONES. A LIST OF REFERENCES IS INCLUDED. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED--LKM)