THE DATA ANALYZED ARE FROM THE NATIONAL CRIME SURVEY. THE PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS ANALYZED IN THIS REPORT ARE AGE, SEX, RACE, MARITAL STATUS, FAMILY INCOME, AND MAJOR ACTIVITY OF VICTIMS. THE CRIMES ANALYZED ARE RAPE, ROBBERY, ASSAULT, AND PERSONAL LARCENY. THE MAJOR FINDINGS PRESENTED IN THIS REPORT ARE AS FOLLOWS: (1) URBAN RATES OF PERSONAL VICTIMIZATION ARE GREATER THAN SUBURBAN RATES OF PERSONAL VICTIMIZATION, AND SUBURBAN RATES ARE GREATER THAN RURAL RATES; (2) THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN URBAN, SUBURBAN, AND RURAL RATES ARE GREATER FOR VIOLENT VICTIMIZATION THAN FOR THEFT VICTIMIZATION; (3) THE VICTIMIZATION PATTERNS WITHIN AREAS ARE SIMILAR (E.G., MALES HAVE A HIGHER VICTIMIZATION RATE THAN FEMALES, AND THE YOUNG ARE MORE LIKELY TO BE VICTIMIZED THAN OLDER PERSONS IN ALL POPULATIONS); (4) PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS HAVE MORE INFLUENCE ON VICTIMIZATION RATES IN RURAL AREAS THAN IN URBAN OR SUBURBAN AREAS (E.G., ALTHOUGH MALES HAVE A HIGHER RATE OF PERSONAL VICTIMIZATION THAN FEMALES, THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE MALE AND FEMALE RATES IS HIGHER IN RURAL AREAS THAN IN SUBURBAN OR URBAN AREAS). (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED)