INDIVIDUALS RECEIVE INFORMATION ON CRIME, AND FORM A COMMON KNOWLEDGE BASE; BECAUSE OF THEIR EXPERIENCES, SPECIALISTS POSSESS A LEVEL OF COMMON KNOWLEDGE WHICH DIFFERS FROM THAT OF THE MAN ON THE STREET. EVERYDAY CONCEPTIONS ABOUT CRIMINAL TYPES AND CAUSES FOR BEHAVIOR DETERMINE LEGAL NORMS, WHICH ARE REINFORCED BY INFORMAL STIGMATIZATION. REPRESSIVE MEASURES ARE ONLY MAINTAINED IN THE LONG RUN IF LEGITIMIZED BY PUBLIC SUPPORT. THE MASS MEDIA EXERT A STRONG INFORMATIVE POWER ON PUBLIC OPINION STRENGTHENING PARTICULAR VIEWS BY SELECTING FACTS OF PRESENTATION AND INTERPRETING THE MEANING AND THE SOCIAL CONTEXT OF EVENTS. CERTAIN MEDIA PRODUCTS, E.G., CRIME SERIES AND FILMS, HAVE LITTLE TO DO WITH REALITY AND TEND TO DISTORT THE ROLE OF THE POLICE AND THE CHARACTER OF OFFENDERS. EVEN REPORTS ON REAL CRIMINAL CASES EMPHASIZE SENSATIONAL INTERPRETATIONS. GUIDELINES FOR SELECTION OF INFORMATION ABOUT CRIMES AND CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR ARE THEORETICAL AND FAVOR POLITICAL LAW-AND-ORDER CAMPAIGNS REPRESENTING THE AUTHORITIES IN THE BEST AND CRIMINALS IN THE WORST LIGHT: THE FAIRNESS OF LAWS ARE ACCEPTED UNQUESTIONINGLY. SUCH INADEQUATE REPRESENTATIONS OF CRIME ESTABLISH PATTERNS FOR 'CORRECT' BEHAVIOR BY THE MAN ON THE STREET. IN THIS MANNER PUBLIC OPINION CAN BE SWAYED FOR OR AGAINST CRIMINALIZATION, DECRIMINALIZATION, OR REFORM. HOWEVER, PERSONAL EXPERIENCE WITH CRIME FREQUENTLY PRODUCES MORE TOLERANT VIEWS TOWARD CRIMINALS. FURTHERMORE, THERE IS A STRIKING UNEXPLAINED DISCREPANCY BETWEEN GENERAL APPEALS FOR BETTER PROTECTION AGAINST CRIME AND INVIDIVUALS' BASIC FEELING OF SECURITY. THE CONFERENCE RESULTS SHOW THAT STUDIES CONCERNING MEDIA EFFECTS ON VIOLENT BEHAVIOR ARE MECHANICAL AND THAT FUTURE RESEARCH SHOULD ENCOURAGE THE MEDIA TO REPRESENT CRIME REALISTICALLY. A BIBLIOGRAPHY IS SUPPLIED. --IN GERMAN. (KMD)