WRITTEN FOR THE SIXTH UNITED NATIONS CONGRESS ON THE PREVENTION OF CRIME AND THE TREATMENT OF OFFENDERS, THIS ARTICLE DISCUSSES SPECIFIC PROBLEMS IN THE CONCEPTUALIZATION OF CRIME AND EMPHASIZES THE IMPORTANCE OF SOCIAL INDICATORS IN COLLECTING DATA. IN ADDITION, THE PURPOSE OF DATA COLLECTION IS DEFINED AS WELL AS THE SOURCES OF DATA COLLECTION, USERS OF THE DATA, AND THE VARIABLES THAT ARE EMPLOYED. IT IS SUGGESTED THAT DATA COLLECTION BE IMPROVED THROUGH THE USE OF COMPARATIVE CRIME TREND SURVEYS (INCLUDING THE 63-COUNTRY UNITED NATIONS SURVEY, THE LEAA-FUNDED UNITED NATIONS SOCIAL DEFENSE INSTITUTE SURVEY, AND INTERPOL STATISTICS). THE REFINEMENT OF MORE RECENT VICTIMIZATION STUDIES IS RECOMMENDED, AS WELL AS THE USE OF SUCH 'PROXY VARIABLES' OR ADDITIONAL CRIME INDICATORS AS INSURANCE RATES, HOSPITAL OR MEDICAL FIGURES, AND PUBLIC OPINION SURVEYS. INCREASED ATTENTION SHOULD BE GIVEN TO SURVEYS MEASURING THE FEAR OR SERIOUSNESS OF CRIME. INFORMATION COVERING LONGER TIME SPANS NEEDS TO BE COLLECTED, AND STATISTICS SHOULD BE FLESHED OUT WITH A SERIES OF CAREFUL LIFE HISTORIES OR DETAILED CASE STUDIES. TRADITIONAL CRIME PREVENTION STRATEGIES HAVE INCLUDED SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC CHANGES, STRICTER LAWS, OFFENDER REHABILITATION, COMMUNITY PREVENTION AND CONTROL, AND TOLERATION, REMOVAL, OR REPEAL OF A CRIME FROM PROSECUTION. OTHER STRATEGIES INVOLVE REVOLUTION OR SOCIAL CHANGE, CONTROL OF MOVEMENT, REHABILITATION, AND COMMUNITY CRIME PREVENTION. PREVENTION STRATEGIES SHOULD SEEK COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT TO BE EFFECTIVE, SHOULD INCLUDE PERIODIC REVIEW OF LEGISLATION, SHOULD JUDGE CONTROLS AGAINST A BACKGROUND OF HUMAN FREEDOM AND DIGNITY, AND SHOULD CONSIDER THE ROLE THAT CAN BE PLAYED BY THE POLICE, THE COURTS, THE COMMUNITY, AND THE MASS MEDIA. FUTURE ACTION SHOULD INCLUDE ESTABLISHMENT OF A NATIONAL CRIME PREVENTION PLANNING COMMISSION, CRIME PREVENTION COURSES, UNIFORM CRIME STATISTICS, AND RESEARCH SUPPORT. REGIONAL CRIME PREVENTION COUNCILS SHOULD ALSO BE DEVELOPED WITH SUPPORTIVE COURSES AND RESEARCH, AND A UNITED NATIONS AGENCY SHOULD BE PROVIDED TO STUDY CRIME AND DEVELOP PREVENTION STRATEGIES. GRAPHS, TABULAR DATA, AND FOOTNOTES ARE GIVEN. (AOP)