CRIME DATA SHOULD DETERMINE WHO COMMITS CRIME, WHO THE VICTIMS ARE, THE FREQUENCY AND LOCATION OF CRIMES, HOW THE CRIMES OCCUR, AND WHAT IMPACT CRIME HAS ON LIFE STYLES IN A COMMUNITY. SOURCES OF THIS DATA ARE POLICE OFFENSE REPORTS, VICTIMIZATION AND FEAR SURVEYS, AND CENSUS AND CITY PLANNING DOCUMENTS WHICH PROVIDE DEMOGRAHIC INFORMATION USEFUL TO RISK ASSESSMENT. DATA COLLECTION EFFORTS SHOULD BE CAREFULLY PLANNED SO THAT AVAILABILITY AND LIMITS OF EXISTING RESOURCES FOR COLLECTING DATA CAN BE ASSESSED. DATA SHOULD BE COLLECTED BEFORE AND DURING A PREVENTION PROGRAM IS IMPLEMENTED AND BE MONITORED AFTER IMPLEMENTATION. CRIME DATA MUST BE ORGANIZED SO THAT PLANNERS CAN CHOOSE APPROPRIATE GEOGRAPHIC AREAS FOR STUDY AND REALIZE CRIME INTENSITY WITHIN THE STUDY AREA. AVAILABILITY OF DATA AT THE LEVEL OF BLOCKS AND ADDRESSES ENABLES POLICE AND PLANNERS TO INTERPRET AND UNDERSTAND THE DATA AND INTERVIEW LOCAL RESIDENTS ON PROBLEMS, FEAR OF CRIME, AND POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS. VISUAL DISPLAYS OF CRIME DATA OFTEN REVEAL PATTERNS ASSOCIATED WITH INDIVIDUAL SITES SUCH AS BARS AND SCHOOLS, AND RISK ASSESSMENT ANALYSIS CAN ASSIST PLANNERS IN RANKING CRIME TYPES AND FREQUENCY WITH NEIGHBORHOOD AND VICTIM CHARACTERISTICS. DATA DISPLAY MODELS ARE PRESENTED. (DAG)