FEAR OF CRIME AND ACTUAL EXPERIENCE WITH CRIME MAY HAVE INDEPENDENT EFFECTS ON BEHAVIOR. FEAR MAY BE AS DESTRUCTIVE OF ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL SYSTEMS AS CRIME ITSELF: WHEREAS FEAR AFFECTS NEARLY EVERYONE IN URBAN AREAS, ONLY A PORTION OF THE POPULATION IS ACTUALLY VICTIMIZED. FACTORS RELATED TO FEAR OF CRIME INCLUDE INCLUDE MISPERCEPTIONS OF THE THREAT OF CRIME, URBAN SOCIAL DISINTEGRATION, AND PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THE ENVIRONMENT. POLICIES FOR REDUCING FEAR MAY BE INDEPENDENT OF POLICIES FOR REDUCING CRIME. POSSIBLE FEAR REDUCTION STRATEGIES INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING: (1) CONFIDENCE-BUILDING ACTIVITIES (E.G., MEDIA CAMPAIGNS, CRIME COMPENSATION PROGRAMS, SHOWS OF POLICE STRENGTH) AIMED AT COUNTERACTING MISINFORMATION AND ALLEVIATING FEAR, (2) COMMUNITY-BUILDING ACTIVITIES (E.G., EFFORTS TO IMPROVE RELATIONS BETWEEN RETAIL WORKERS AND SHOPPERS AND BETWEEN POLICE AND THE DOWNTOWN COMMUNITY) AIMED AT REDUCING ISOLATION AND BUILDING THE SENSE OF INTERPERSONAL COMMITMENT THAT GENERATES FEELINGS OF SECURITY, AND (3) PHYSICAL REBUILDING (IMPROVEMENTS IN TRAFFIC AND PEDESTRIAN CIRCULATION, OPPORTUNITIES FOR NATURAL SURVEILLANCE, LIGHTING, AND APPEARANCE OF DOWNTOWN AREAS). NONE OF THESE STRATEGIES OFFERS A COMPLETE ANSWER TO THE PROBLEM OF FEAR, AND EACH HAS ITS COSTS. SOME CONFIDENCE-BUILDING CAMPAIGNS MIGHT ACTUALLY INCREASE FEAR BY CALLING ATTENTION TO CRIME; COMMUNITY-BUILDING STRATEGIES COULD TURN BUSINESS DISTRICTS INTO FORTRESSES IN THE MIDDLE OF DANGEROUS CITIES; AND PHYSICAL REBUILDING PROJECTS COULD PROMPT PEOPLE TO ABANDON PRECAUTIONS THAT WERE RESPONSIBLE FOR HOLDING DOWN CRIME RATES. A LIST OF REFERENCES IS INCLUDED. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED--LKM)