DURING PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES ON THE BUDGET IN 1974, SOME MEMBERS EXPRESSED THEIR CONCERN ABOUT THE DEVELOPMENT OF CRIMINALITY IN THE NETHERLANDS, AND AN INVESTIGATION OF THE PROBLEM BY THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE WAS SUGGESTED. A REPRESENTATIVE SAMPLE OF THE POPULATION BETWEEN THE AGES OF 16 TO 75 WAS ASKED WHAT THEY CONSIDERED TO BE THE MOST URGENT SOCIAL PROBLEM. ONLY 15 PERCENT OF THE INTERVIEWEES CONSIDERED CRIME THE MOST IMPORTANT SOCIAL PROBLEM, AND THE LARGE MAJORITY HAD LITTLE OR NO FEELINGS AT ALL ABOUT UNSAFENESS. ONLY 5 PERCENT FELT VERY CONCERNED ABOUT CRIME; THESE WERE MOSTLY YOUNG WOMEN LIVING IN LARGE CITIES, WHO WERE AFRAID OF SEXUAL ASSAULTS. A RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN CRIME VICTIMS AND FEELINGS OF UNSAFENESS WAS NOT ESTABLISHED. NO SIGNIFICANT CORRELATION EXISTED BETWEEN THE FREQUENCY OF READING NEWSPAPER ARTICLES COVERING CRIMES AND FEELINGS OF UNSAFENESS. HOWEVER, THE 40 PERCENT OF THE INTERVIEWEES WHO HAD THOUGHT ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF BECOMING CRIME VICTIMS HAD COME TO THIS PERCEPTION BECAUSE OF NEWSPAPER REPORTS. ALSO, A CORRELATION BETWEEN DIMINISHED TRUST IN THE POLICE AND A FEELING OF UNSAFENESS WAS ESTABLISHED. PERSONS WITH GREATER FEELING OF UNSAFENESS MORE FREQUENTLY CONTEMPLATED STEPS TO INCREASE THEIR SAFETY BUT ONLY A FEW HAD ACTUALLY TAKEN DIRECT ACTION TOWARDS THIS GOAL. THESE PERSONS DID NOT ESPECIALLY ADVOCATE STRONG MEASURES AGAINST CRIME AND ONLY A FEW CONSIDERED CRIME TO BE THE MOST SERIOUS SOCIAL PROBLEM. ACCORDING TO THE STATISTICS, YOUNG WOMEN'S FEAR OF BEING SEXUALLY ASSAULTED IS UNREALISTIC AND SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED. ALSO, THE ROLE OF NEWSPAPER ARTICLES IN CREATING FEELINGS OF UNSAFENESS DESERVES A CLOSER LOOK. REFERENCES AND TABULAR DATA ARE PROVIDED. --IN DUTCH. (WVK)