DESPITE MARXIST PROTESTS THAT CRIME CANNOT EXIST IN A SOCIALIST SOCIETY, STATISTICS PROVIDED BY EAST GERMANY TO THE UNITED NATIONS FOR A 1975 CONFERENCE SHOW A DECIDED CRIME INCREASE SINCE 1970. ACCORDING TO EAST GERMAN LAW, CRIMES AGAINST SOCIALISTIC PROPERTY ARE MORE SERIOUS THAN THOSE AGAINST PRIVATE PROPERTY, BUT THE PENALTIES ARE ALMOST THE SAME; THE GREATEST DAMAGES OCCUR IN DOMESTIC TRADE AND THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY. CHARACTERIZATION OF THE OFFENDERS AND OFFENSES INDICATES THAT WORKERS COMMIT MORE CRIMES THAN ANY OTHER SOCIAL CLASS, THAT OLDER CITIZENS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR MOST OF THE CRIMES AGAINST STATE PROPERTY (WHICH ARE CONSIDERABLY MORE COMMON THAN THOSE AGAINST PERSONAL PROPERTY), AND THAT 52 PERCENT OF ALL CRIMES INVOLVE JUVENILES. OFFICIALLY CRIMES ARE ATTRIBUTED TO OUTSIDE INFLUENCES OF IMPERIALISM OR TO RUDIMENTS OF CAPITALIST SOCIETY; OTHER THEORIES SEE AS CAUSES THE CONFLICT BETWEEN THE RAPIDLY GROWING SELFISH DEMANDS OF WORKERS AND WHAT THEY DESERVE ACCORDING TO THEIR WORK FOR THE SOCIETY, OR BUSINESS INADEQUACIES (E.G., LACK OF CONTROL OVER INVENTORY, SQUANDERING OF MONEY AND MATERIALS) WHICH INFLUENCE CRIMES. THESE THEORIES HAVE BEEN CRITICIZED BY REPRESENTATIVES OF OTHER EAST EUROPEAN SATELLITES, WHO MAINTAIN THAT THE LIMITATIONS ON CONSUMPTION IN A PLANNED SOCIETY INTENSIFY THE DESIRE FOR PROSPERITY. ONE ARGUMENT HOLDS THAT THERE WILL ALWAYS BE A CONFLICT BETWEEN INDIVIDUALS AND SOCIETY, THAT THE INDIVIDUALS IN SOCIALISM ARE ALIENATED BECAUSE THEY CANNOT SATISFY THEIR NEED TO REALIZE MATERIAL GAINS FOR THEIR ACTIVITIES, AND THAT IN THIS REGARD CAPITALISM AND SOCIALISM HAVE SIMILAR PROBLEMS. TABLES, NOTES, AND A BIBLIOGRAPHY ARE FURNISHED. --IN GERMAN. (KMD)