TO DEMONSTRATE THE HAZARDS WHICH CONFRONT BOTH HITCHHIKERS AND THE DRIVERS WHO OFFER RIDES, AND TO SHOW THE LEGAL PROBLEMS INVOLVED WITH CONFLICTING TESTIMONY, A TYPICAL CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION IS DRAMATIZED. A TEENAGE WOMEN WHO WAS FOUND WANDERING IN AN ISOLATED AREA TESTIFIES THAT SHE WAS ASSAULTED BY THE DRIVER WHO PICKED HER UP. THE DRIVER THEN PRESENTS HIS VERSION OF THE INCIDENT, ILLUSTRATING THE INVESTIGATORS' TASK OF DETERMINING THE CREDIBILITY OF THE TWO PEOPLE. THE DRAMATIZATION EMPHASIZES THE PERSONALITIES INVOLVED AND EXAMINES THE REASONS FOR THE CHARACTERS' ACTIONS. DISCUSSION QUESTIONS REFER TO THE LACK OF CORROBORATING EVIDENCE FOR THE VICTIM, THE LIES TOLD BY BOTH PARTIES, AND THE TECHNIQUES OF CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION WHICH TEST THE TRUTHFULNESS OF A WITNESS. THE DISCUSSION GUIDE EXAMINES THE LIABILITY OF DRIVERS FOR ACCIDENTS WHICH HARM HITCHHIKERS, THE CRIMINAL LAW CONCERNING RAPE, STATUTORY RAPE, AND PERJURY, AND THE POLICE STATISTICS ON CRIMES COMMITTED AGAINST HITCHHIKERS. NATIONALLY, ONE-FOURTH OF ALL HITCHHIKERS ARE YOUNG WOMEN, AND A SIGNIFICANT PERCENTAGE OF COLLEGE-AGE RAPE VICTIMS WERE HITCHHIKERS. THE INCREASING RATE OF REPORTED RAPES REPRESENTS ONLY ONE-THIRD TO ONE-HALF OF THOSE WHICH ACTUALLY OCCUR. THE TYPICAL QUESTIONS USED IN SEXUAL OFFENSE INVESTIGATIONS REFER TO THE VICTIM'S ABILITY TO IDENTIFY HER ASSAILANT AND TO THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE VICTIM AND THE ASSAILANT. (TWK)