OFFENDERS ARE DEPENDENT ON THE CONDITIONS OF THEIR SOCIETY, AND SOCIALIST SOCIETY IMPOSES SEVERE LIMITATIONS ON OFFENDER ACTIVITIES. EVERY CRIME SCENE IS INDIVIDUAL, BUT AT THE SAME TIME COMMON ELEMENTS CAN BE ABSTRACTED TO PERMIT CLASSIFICATION. TYPICAL ELEMENTS OF CRIME COMMISSION ARE REFLECTED IN CLUES RECOGNIZABLE AT THE CRIME SCENE. THE INITIAL INVESTIGATIVE SITUATION IS DETERMINED BY INFORMATION ABOUT THE WAY IN WHCIH THE OFFENSE WAS COMMITTED, ABOUT THE CRIME SCENE AT THE START OF THE INVESTIGATION, AND ABOUT POSSIBLE FUTURE BEHAVIOR OF THE OFFENDER. THE INVESTIGATOR BEGINS WITH POSSIBLE 'VERSIONS' (I.E., EXPLANATIONS OF THE CAUSE-EFFECT RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE OFFENSE AND ITS MATERIAL EFFECTS). IN CHARACTERISTIC SITUATIONS, THE CRIMINOLOGIST WORKS WITH STANDARD VERSIONS, ATTEMPTING TO MATCH THE VERSION TO THE SITUATION. THESE VERSIONS INCLUDE CONSIDERATION OF OFFENDERS' METHOD OF ATTACK, OFFENDERS' ASSOCIATES, IMMEDIATE CAUSES FOR THE OFFENSES, MOTIVES OR OFFENDER-VICTIM RELATIONSHIPS, AND METHODS FOR FENCING STOLEN PROPERTY. PROCEDURES TO BE FOLLOWED CAN BE DETERMINED BY A RELATIONSHIP OR THE EXISTENCE OF PHYSICAL CONTACT BETWEEN OFFENDER AND VICTIM, INDICATIONS OF FUTURE OFFENDER BEHAVIOR, OR SIGNS THAT THE OFFENSE HAS BEEN FABRICATED. THE INVESTIGATION CAN FOCUS ON MATERIAL EVIDENCE, THE OFFENDER'S MODUS OPERANDI, POSSIBLE CAUSES, TIME RELATIONSHIPS, THE NATURE OF THE PROPERTY STOLEN, TYPE OF INSTRUMENTS USED, OFFENDER PECULIARITIES, OR OFFENDER KNOWLEDGE NECESSARY FOR THE CRIME. CHARACTERISTIC INVESTIGATIVE AREAS FOR CERTAIN CRIMES ARE MOTIVES, VICTIM, METHOD OF COMMISSION, AND INSTRUMENTS FOR MURDER; OFFENDER CHARACTERISTICS AND BEHAVIORAL PECULIARITIES FOR RAPE; TRANSPORT AND SALE OF STOLEN GOODS FOR THEFT; AND THE MANNER IN WHICH THE OFFENSE IS ENGINEERED FOR STOLEN VEHICLES. THE CRIMINOLOGIST MUST BE AWARE OF SITUATIONAL COMPLEXITIES, AND SEVERAL FACTORS ARE USUALLY EXAMINED SIMULTANEOUSLY, COMBINING TYPICAL INVESTIGATIVE MEASURES. WHILE THE CRIME SCENE PROVIDES THE BEST INFORMATION, OTHER APPROACHES SHOULD NOT BE NEGLECTED LATER. THE QUESTION OF WHETHER USE OF STANDARD VERSIONS TO INVESTIGATE TYPICAL OFFENSE SITUATIONS UNNECESSARILY LIMITS THE CRIMINOLOGIST REMAINS OPEN. A BRIEF BIBLIOGRAPHY IS PROVIDED. --IN GERMAN. (KMD)