Existing research (to date based mainly on official data) shows that different levels and types of crime are associated with different land use patterns and social structural characteristics, depending upon the particular area of occurrence or offender residence. Generally, higher rates of reported personal attack crimes prevail in lower-class residential areas of cities. Often, these areas are predominantly balck, which produces an association between percent black and personal attack crimes. Explanations of crime production and distribution have evolved, based on some of the cultural differences often observed among areas which differ in socioeconomic status and race composition. Higher rates of property crimes usually characterize the central business areas of cities. One explanation often given is that the attributes of central business areas constitute the most favorable circumstances for such offenses. The distribution of property crimes among areas also differs as a function of some characteristics of the offense; for example, suburbgan residential and nonresidential burglaries occur in generally the same areas, there by reflecting the greater mix of residential and commercial land use in suburban areas. Explanations for crime occurrence paterns are briefly stated. The value of crime area research can be maximized by more complete and accurate crime information, especially information pertaining to the activities of offenders leading up to a resulting in an offense. The article includes 35 for related papers, see NCJ 74011.