SPECIFIC PREVENTIVE MEASURES MUST BE UNDERTAKEN TO PROTECT THE ECONOMY FROM CRIMINAL DAMAGES, TO HINDER OCCASIONAL OFFENDERS FROM ENGAGING IN CRIMINAL ACTIVITIES, AND TO PREVENT COMPLETION OF OFFENSES IN PROGRESS. POLICE TRAINING AND PRACTICE HAVE DEVOTED NO ATTENTION TO PREVENTIVE MEASURES, AND LITTLE IS KNOWN ABOUT NEW CRIME TYPES IN THIS AREA. AN EXAMPLE ILLUSTRATES HOW CLEVER ADVERTISING AND PROMISED WEALTH, FREE WEEKENDS IN LUXURY HOTELS, AND CREATION OF AN ARTIFICIAL ATMOSPHERE OF ENTHUSIASM ENABLED CLEVER SWINDLERS TO BILK UNSUSPECTING CITIZENS OF THEIR SAVINGS. THE FAILURE OF THE JUSTICE SYSTEM TO RECOGNIZE THAT FRAUD RATHER THAN FALSE ADVERTISING WAS INVOLVED SPURRED THE SWINDLERS ON TO FURTHER ACTIVITIES, WHICH COULD ONLY BE HALTED BY PUBLIC WARNINGS IN THE NEWSPAPERS. IN SUCH CASES, REPRESSIVE MEASURES ARE INEFFECTIVE BECAUSE DAMAGES RISE RAPIDLY AND INVESTIGATION TAKES SO LONG THAT OFFENDERS HAVE TIME TO MODIFY THEIR SCAM AND TO ESCAPE APPROPRIATE PENALTIES, OFTEN LIVING ABROAD IN LUXURY. THE INEFFICIENCY OF CRIMINAL LAWS IN SUCH CASES ENCOURAGES OTHER SIMILAR ACTIVITIES. CRIMINAL POLICE PRACTICES HAVE BEEN USELESS IN HALTING WHITE-COLLAR CRIMES AT AN EARLY STAGE BECAUSE PARTIES SEEKING INFORMATION ABOUT QUESTIONABLE COMPANIES ARE LIKELY TO BE TOLD BY THE SPECIAL WHITE-COLLAR CRIME UNIT THAT SUCH INFORMATION IS CONFIDENTIAL. UNDER THESE CIRCUMSTANCES, IT IS NOT SURPRISING THAT THE NUMBER OF REQUESTS FOR INFORMATION FROM SPECIAL UNITS HAS DROPPED WHILE THE WHITE-COLLAR CRIME RATE IS RISING. NOTES ARE SUPPLIED. FOR PART II, SEE NCJ-66721. --IN GERMAN.