THE FINDINGS OF RESEARCH ON FEAR OF CRIME INDICATE AN AMBIGUOUS RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN VICTIMIZATION AND FEAR OF CRIME, A TENDENCY NOT TO PERCEIVE CRIME AS AN IMMEDIATE THREAT, AND A MIXING OF FEAR OF CRIME WITH FEAR OF STRANGERS. THESE FINDINGS POINT TO THE CONCLUSION THAT EXPRESSIONS OF THE FEAR OF CRIME ARE MORE THAN REFLECTIONS OF ANXIETY ABOUT OR ACTUAL EXPERIENCE WITH VICTIMIZATION. SOCIETY WOULD BE BETTER ABLE TO DEAL WITH FEAR OF CRIME WERE THAT FEAR VIEWED AS AN ASPECT OF CONCERN FOR COMMUNITY, WHICH IN TURN IS LINKED WITH THE CONCEPT OF QUALITY OF LIFE. SUCH A CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK PROVIDES A BROADER PERSPECTIVE YET REMAINS CONSISTENT WITH EMPIRICAL EVIDENCE ON FEAR OF CRIME. WITHIN THIS FRAMEWORK, QUALITY OF LIFE IS DETERMINED BOTH BY OBJECTIVE CIRCUMSTANCES, SUCH AS ECONOMIC WEALTH, EDUCATIONAL AND CULTURAL FACILITIES, POLLUTION, HOUSING, AND EXTENT OF CRIME; AND BY SUBJECTIVE EXPERIENCES, INCLUDING (AMONG OTHERS) CONCERN FOR COMMUNITY (FEAR OF CRIME, PERCEIVED SOCIAL INSTABILITY, ANXIETY ABOUT STRANGERS, PERCEIVED MORAL DECLINE, ETC.), SENSE OF PERSONAL ACHIEVEMENT, AND PERCEIVED INDIVIDUAL FREEDOM. WHEN FEAR OF CRIME IS VIEWED FROM THIS PERSPECTIVE, THE SEARCH FOR SOLUTIONS IS LED BEYOND THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM TO ENCOMPASS THE ENTIRE SOCIAL FABRIC OF LIFE, PARTICULARLY URBAN LIFE. SUPPORTING DATA AND A LIST OF REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED. (LKM)