IT DISCUSSES THE USE OF VICTIMIZATION SURVEYS TO ASSESS THE DIMENSIONS OF THE CRIME PROBLEM, TO IDENTIFY HIGH-PRIORITY ACTIVITIES, AND TO ASSESS THE EFFECTIVENESS OF CRIME PREVENTION PROGRAMS. IT ALSO EXAMINES SOME OF THE LIMITATIONS OF VICTIM SURVEYS -- WHAT THEY CANNOT DO, AND WHAT THEY HAVE NOT YET DONE ADEQUATELY. IT IS AIMED AT THE CONCERNS OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE PLANNERS AND ADMINISTRATORS, WHO ASK: 'WHAT CAN BE DONE, AND CAN WE AFFORD IT?' MANY OF THE EXAMPLES EXAMINED ARE DRAWN FROM PUBLISHED AND UNPUBLISHED RESEARCH REPORTS AND FROM THE AUTHOR'S OWN ANALYSIS OF THE SURVEY DATA GATHERED BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. IT IS SUGGESTED THAT IN THE FUTURE THERE SHOULD BE INCREASED EMPHASIS ON THE REFINEMENT OF THE METHODOLOGY EMPLOYED IN VICTIM SURVEYS AND AN ELABORATION OF THEIR CONCEPTUAL AND GEOGRAPHICAL COVERAGE. ALSO PROJECTED ARE THE USE OF VICTIMIZATION SURVEYS IN A VARIETY OF JURISDICTIONS ON A ROUTINE BASIS AND GREATER EMPHASIS UPON THE ANALYSIS OF THE DATA COLLECTED IN THE VICTIMIZATION SURVEYS CONDUCTED BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED)