NEXT TO COMBATTING CRIME, THE FOREMOST TASK OF SOCIAL CONTROL AGENCIES IS TO ALLEVIATE THE FEAR OF CRIME AND FEELING OF INSECURITY IN THE POPULATION. TWO RECENT FRENCH STUDIES ANALYZE ATTITUDES OF FEAR WITH RELATION TO CITY SIZE AND TYPE OF ARCHITECTURAL STRUCTURES. A GROUP OF PARIS RESEARCHERS QUESTIONED 1,500 CITIZENS FROM RURAL AREAS, SMALL TOWNS, MEDIUM-SIZE TOWNS, LARGE TOWNS, AND THE CITY OF PARIS CONCERNING THEIR FEAR OF CRIME. RESULTS INDICATED THAT APPREHENSION WAS LOWEST IN RURAL AREAS (4 PERCENT OF THE CITIZENS) AND GREW WITH THE SIZE OF THE CITY (36 PERCENT IN PARIS). THIS FEAR SHOWS AN APPROXIMATE CORRESPONDENCE TO OFFICIAL FRENCH CRIME STATISTICS: THE MAJOR FRENCH CITIES HAVE A SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER CRIME RATE (THAT OF PARIS IS SIX TIMES HIGHER THAN THE AVERAGE FRENCH CRIME RATE). CLEARLY, THE CITY POPULATION IS AWARE OF THE BEHAVIORAL PROBLEMS CAUSED BY OVERCROWDING AND THE ISOLATION OF THE INDIVIDUAL. THE QUESTION WHETHER MODERN CITIES SHOULD BE PERMITTED TO GROW INDEFINITELY NEEDS FURTHER STUDY. THE SECOND STUDY CONDUCTED BY THE PARIS INSTITUTE FOR CRIMINOLOGY ASKED 2,000 PARISIANS ABOUT THEIR FEELINGS OF SECURITY AND WELL-BEING WITH RELATION TO THEIR PARTICULAR ARCHITECTURAL ENVIRONMENT. RESULTS INDICATED THAT PEOPLE LIVING IN TOWNHOUSES OR SMALL INDIVIDUAL HOUSES IN LESS DENSELY POPULATED AREAS FELT FAR MORE SECURE THAN THE INHABITANTS OF HIGH-RISE APARTMENTS. IT IS CONCLUDED THAT URBAN PLANNERS SHOULD RESTRICT THE CONSTRUCTION OF HIGH-RISE BUILDINGS AND LIMIT THE DENSITY OF THE POPULATION IN THE CITY. --IN GERMAN. (SAJ)