THE PURPOSE OF THIS STUDY WAS TO ANALYZE CRIMINAL VICTIMIZATION IN RELATION TO A MODEL OF STRATIFICATION; I.E., A HIERARCHICAL GRADING OF INDIVIDUALS AND GROUPS ACCORDING TO THE AMOUNT OF POWER THEY POSSESS. THE PRIMARY RESEARCH ISSUE WAS THE RELATION OF VICTIMIZATION TO THE POWER DIMENSIONS OF STRATIFICATION. INFORMATION OBTAINED FROM SURVEYS CONDUCTED BY THE NATIONAL OPINION RESEARCH CENTER IN EIGHT CITIES IN 1972 WAS USED FOR THE BULK OF THE STUDY. SAN JOSE, CALIF., AND DAYTON, OHIO, VICTIMIZATION SURVEYS CONDUCTED IN 1971 BY LEAA AND THE BUREAU OF THE CENSUS WERE ALSO USED. THE RELIABILITY AND VALIDITY OF THE DATA SOURCES ARE DISCUSSED IN DETAIL. LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY'S METHODOLOGY ARE ALSO ADDRESSED. IN THIS STUDY THE INDEPENDENT VARIABLES INCLUDED FAMILY INCOME, RACE, SEX, AGE, EDUCATION, MARITAL STATUS, AND HOUSEHOLD TENANCY STATUS. THE DEPENDENT VARIABLES DEALT WITH THE RISK OF PERSONAL THEFT AND BURGLARY VICTIMIZATION. IT WAS PREDICTED THAT INDIVIDUALS WITH HIGHER INCOMES WERE LESS LIKELY TO BE VICTIMS OF PERSONAL THEFT BECAUSE THEY ARE MORE LIKELY TO HAVE ACCESS TO MORE SECURE QUARTERS. IT WAS ALSO PREDICTED THAT BLACKS WERE MORE LIKELY TO BE VICTIMIZED DUE TO THEIR LACK OF SUPPORT FROM LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS. BOTH THESE HYPOTHESES WERE SUPPORTED BY THE DATA. IT WAS FURTHER PREDICTED THAT FEMALES ARE MORE LIKELY TO BE VICTIMIZED; WHILE THE DIRECTION OF THE TREND CONSISTENT WITH THE EXPECTATION, THE DIFFERENCE WAS NOT LARGE. EXAMINING HOUSEHOLD BURGLARY, IT WAS FOUND THAT HOUSEHOLDS WITH BLACKS, WITH UNMARRIED HEADS, WITH HEADS YOUNGER THAN 35 YEARS OLD, AND WITH RENTERS HAD HIGHER LIKELIHOODS OF BEING BURGLARIZED. OTHER RELATIONSHIPS AMONG VARIABLES ARE DETAILED. TABLES, DATA COLLECTION INSTRUMENT, AND BIBLIOGRAPHY ARE INCLUDED. (MLC)