THE PRESENT WEST GERMAN TREND TO CONCENTRATE ON THE IMMEDIATE CAUSAL CONNECTION BETWEEN HIGH CRIME RATES AND A PARTICULAR ARCHITECTURAL STRUCTURE SHOULD BE MODIFIED TO INCLUDE LONGITUDINAL STUDY OF BOTH FACTORS. IN SUCH STUDIES, THE TERM 'SPACE' OR 'ENVIRONMENT' SHOULD BE INTERPRETED IN THE BROADEST SENSE AS 'SOCIAL SPACE', INCLUDING SUCH FACTORS AS ARCHITECTURE, LANDSCAPING, AND INTERIOR DESIGN OF LOW INCOME HOUSING. THE PROJECT OF THE INSTITUTE FOR URBAN DEVELOPMENT WILL CONCENTRATE ON 'VIOLENCE' AS ONE FORM OF CRIMINAL ACTIVITY WHICH INVOLVES THE USE OF FORCE AGAINST PERSONS AND OBJECTS (VANDALISM) BUT DOES NOT COVER PROPERTY OFFENSES THAT DO NOT USE FORCE. FOR THE PURPOSE OF THIS STUDY, IT WILL BE ASSUMED THAT THE RATE OF VIOLENCE IN A GIVEN AREA MAY DEPEND ON THREE FACTORS: (1) COMMERCIAL INTERESTS OF APARTMENT OWNERS CONVERSIONS TO CONDOMINIUMS, EVICTION OF LOW-INCOME RENTERS, UNSANITARY LIVING CONDITIONS, (2) SOCIAL ENVIRONMENT (THE ECONOMIC CONDITIONS AND ATTITUDES OF THE RENTERS), AND (3) MODERN URBAN DEVELOPMENT (RECENTLY BUILT URBAN ESTABLISHMENTS IN WHICH PRIVATE AND PUBLIC PROPERTY ARE STRICTLY DIVIDED WHICH MAY ENCOURAGE VANDALISM). EACH OF THESE FACTORS MAY BE OF SPECIAL IMPORTANCE FOR A PARTICULAR ENVIRONMENT, OR ALL FACTORS MAY BE OF EQUAL IMPORTANCE. IN THE FUTURE THESE HYPOTHESES WILL BE TESTED IN SEVERAL WEST GERMAN CITIES THROUGH AN EXTENDED STATISTICAL ANALYSIS. THE RESULTS OF THIS STUDY SHOULD PROVIDE A BETTER IDEA OF WHY PARTICULAR FORMS OF VIOLENCE ARE LINKED TO A PARTICULAR URBAN ENVIRONMENT. --IN GERMAN. (SAJ)