IN USING STATISTICS FOR DETERMINING CRIMINAL POLICY, USERS DO NOT PAY SUFFICIENT ATTENTION TO THE METHODS, PURPOSES, AND OBJECTIVES INVOLVED IN OBTAINING THE STATISTICS. IN PARTICULAR, IT IS NOT ADEQUATE TO STUDY CRIME STATISTICS IN ISOLATION; RATHER THE RELATION OF OFFENSES TO SOCIAL INDICATORS (E.G., PUBLIC HEALTH, LACK OF EDUCATION, POVERTY) NEEDS TO BE EXAMINED. WITHIN THE PAST DECADE, SEVERAL NATIONS AND INTERNATIONAL AGENCIES HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN DEVELOPING SOCIAL INDICATORS WITH THE AIM OF FILLING GAPS IN EXISTING KNOWLEDGE ABOUT SOCIOECONOMIC CONDITIONS, MAKING STATISTICAL CONNECTIONS BETWEEN RELEVANT PHENOMENA, AND REDUCING INFORMATION OVERLOAD THROUGH CONCENTRATION ON RELEVANT INDICATORS. A COMPREHENSIVE ANALYSIS OF THE PHENOMENON OF CRIME REQUIRES EXAMINATION OF SUCH DISTINCT UNITS AS THE CRIMINAL ACT, THE OFFENDER, THE VICTIM, CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE CRIME, AND THE MOTIVATION OF THE OFFENDER. MOST INDIAN STATISTICS PROVIDE AT BEST INFORMATION ON THE FIRST TWO UNITS. A MODEL DESCRIPTIVE CLASSIFICATION WHICH MIGHT SERVE AS A BASIS FOR MEANINGFUL CRIME STATISTICS CONCERNING A CASE OF SERIOUS ASSAULT INCLUDES (1) THE CAUSE OF THE ASSAULT, (2) THE SCENE OF THE ASSAULT, (3) RESISTANCE TO ARREST, (4) INFORMATION ON THE VICTIM, INCLUDING THE FINANCIAL AND PHYSICAL DAMAGE SUFFERED, AND (5) INFORMATION ON THE OFFENDER INCLUDING WHETHER THE ASSAULT WAS A FIRST-TIME OFFENSE AND WHETHER THE OFFENDER HAD MENTAL ABNORMALITIES. REFERENCES ARE SUPPLIED. (SAJ)