FEAR OF CRIME IN AMERICAN SOCIETY IS DISCUSSED AS A VALID RESULT OF THE DRAMATIC INCREASE IN CRIME IN THE 1960'S. THE HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE OF VIOLENCE IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE UNITED STATES IS CONSIDERED ALONG WITH THE CHANGES THAT HAVE TAKEN PLACE IN AMERICAN CRIMINALS AND SOCIETY'S ATTITUDE TOWARDS THEM. A VAST ALTERATION IN SOCIAL AND CULTURAL VALUES AND DEMOGRAPHIC CHARACTERISTICS OF THE COUNTRY HAS COMPLICATED THE PROBLEM OF CRIME AND THIS PHENOMENON IS PARTLY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE RISE IN JUVENILE CRIME. THE NATURE OF THE CONTEMPORARY AMERICAN CRIMINAL IS CONSIDERED. THERE SEEMS TO BE A GENERAL LACK OF REMORSE OR GUILT FEELING ON THE PART OF STREET CRIMINALS. A GREAT INCREASE IS NOTED IN THE RATIO OF AMATEUR TO PROFESSIONAL CRIMINALS AND IN THE NUMBER OF YOUNG OFFENDERS. RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN POVERTY AND CRIME AND RACE AND CRIME ARE CONSIDERED, WITH THE FOCUS ON DETERMINING DIFFERENCES BETWEEN BLACKS AND OTHER ECONOMICALLY-DEPRIVED MINORITY GROUPS THAT EXPLAIN BLACKS' GREATER DEGREE OF CRIMINAL ACTIVITY. THE SECOND SECTION OF THIS VOLUME, CONCERNING THE VARIOUS SEGMENTS OF THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM, BEGINS WITH AN OVERVIEW OF THE SYSTEM AND ITS UNDERLYING THEORIES. A DISCUSSION OF POLICE RESPONSIBILITIES, TACTICS, AND BEHAVIOR EMPHASIZES THAT POLICE ARE NOT ABLE TO CONTROL CRIME AND THAT SOCIETY'S EXPECTATIONS AND THE SELF-IMAGE OF THE POLICE AS CRIME FIGHTERS ARE UNREASONABLE. POLICE AGENCIES SHOULD VIEW THEMSELVES INSTEAD AS PUBLIC SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS. PREVALENT BELIEFS ABOUT COURT FAILURES ARE CHALLENGED, AND IT IS MAINTAINED THAT CRIMINAL COURTS ARE NOT LENIENT AND EFFECTIVELY DO DETERMINE GUILT AND PUNISH THOSE WHO DESERVE PUNISHMENT. ISSUES IN JUVENILE JUSTICE ARE EXAMINED, AND THE JUSTIFICATION FOR AND EFFECTIVENESS OF THE TREATMENT OF JUVENILE OFFENDERS ARE QUESTIONED. CORRECTIONS, CORRECTIONAL REFORM, AND THE EFFECTS OF PRISON LIFE ON HUMAN BEHAVIOR ARE DISCUSSED. THE FINAL CHAPTER EXPLORES THE POSSIBILITY OF IMPROVEMENT AND DISCUSSES COMMUNITY CRIME PREVENTION PROGRAMS. NOTES ON CRIME STATISTICS ARE APPENDED, AND A BIBLIOGRAPHY AND INDEX ARE PROVIDED. (DAG)