Misinformation is the enemy of any system attempting to address a social problem, but the criminal justice system seems especially plagued in this regard. For example, a common misconception is that most people do not feel safe in their own neighborhoods anymore. A recent survey revealed that 95 percent of Ohio's citizens said they felt either very safe or reasonably safe while out alone in their neighborhoods during the day. It is erroneously believed that crime is on the increase everywhere. However, the occurrence of major crime in Ohio has remained quite stable throughout much of the 1970's and is likely to follow a similar pattern in the 1980's. Despite publicity to the contrary, surveys reveal that Ohio's senior citizens are not overly fearful of crime. In addition, the elderly are the least victimized age group in society. With the exception of auto theft and murder, the majority of all types of serious crimes go unreported to the police. Although most people believe that the majority of crimes are violent in nature, statistics reveal that only about 1 in 10 crimes is a violent crime. Victim-offender relationships play a major role in Ohio's violent crime picture; 42 percent of the victims in Ohio know the attacker personally. The women's rights movement has not resulted in a significant increase in the number of female criminals in Ohio, despite publicity to the contrary. Rural crime rates remain significantly lower than urban crime rates. Most Ohioans who have observed or participated in a criminal court proceeding feel that they were treated with either some or a great deal of respect by the court. Approximately 25 graphs and tables and 30 references are included; a list of 11 publications is appended.