Slovenian criminal investigators and police officers handled 44,278 criminal offenses in 1993, 18.1 percent fewer than the previous year. The police investigated 32,332 suspects, 24.8 percent of whom were less than 18 years old. The damage caused by criminal offenses totaled 11.6 billion tolars. Although the total number of criminal offenses decreased, the overall crime situation deteriorated. Criminal investigators encountered new and more dangerous forms of crime, especially increased organized crime, violent offenses, and serious property and economic offenses. Organized crime has surfaced mainly as drug trafficking, counterfeiting, auto theft, and extortion. Furthermore, statistical data from the past five years indicate a growing trend of crime. With the exception of 1992 (which registered a record number of crimes), 1993 topped 1989, 1990, or 1991 in offenses. At the same time, offenders displayed greater aggressiveness, greater professionalism, and increased involvement in criminal gangs and gang warfare. Often banding together in groups, juvenile offenders also used more violence. The growing proportion of juveniles among suspects in the past five years is also alarming. Thus, in 1993, the most frequent age of suspects reported was 16 years.