People perceive stranger-to-stranger murder to be a significant crime problem, particularly with blacks victimizing whites. Crime statistics for 1981 show, however, that there were 218 murders, up one from 1980. This hardly qualifies as a crime wave. Further, 43 percent of the murders examined in a 1978 study were committed by associates of the victim (spouse, relative, boyfriend or girlfriend, or acquaintance); only 18 percent were committed by strangers. Police 1980 statistics show that about half of the murders involved blacks killing blacks. Only 19 murders involved blacks killing whites. Statistics also reflect the accuracy and comprehensiveness of crime reporting procedures. In 1979, crime in New Orleans increased a startling 14 percent, but the police chief had predicted this increase, because during that year, the police shifted to a more efficient crime reporting system. In subsequent years, crime rate changes were insignificant. New Orleans' crime rate compares favorably with the similar-sized cities of Boston, Cleveland, and Columbus, Ohio for 1980. Efforts should be made to ground the public attitudes toward and fear of crime in comparative statistics, while informing the public about limitations in crime reporting procedures. Efforts to sensationalize crime in ways that ignore statistical realities do a disservice to the public's perception of reality in a way that can affect mental states and lifestyles. Tabular data are provided.