THE NUMBER OF CRIMES CONTINUES TO INCREASE, EVEN THOUGH THE CURVE OF INCREASE IS FLATTENING OUT. FIGURES INDICATE THAT VIOLENT CRIMES SUCH AS MURDER AND AIR PIRACY HAVE BECOME LESS COMMON, THAT ROBBERY BY PROFESSIONAL CRIMINALS HAS BECOME MORE PREVALENT, THAT HOSTAGE TAKING HAS INCREASED, AS HAVE THEFT, ESPECIALLY OF DRUGS AND MOTOR BIKES, AND SUCH CRIMES AS FORGERY, CURRENCY FRAUD, AND REAL ESTATE SWINDLES. THE OVERALL SEXUAL CRIME RATE HAS DROPPED, BUT THIS MAY BE THE RESULT OF CHANGES IN REPORTING BEHAVIOR. ENVIRONMENTAL CRIMES HAVE ALSO BECOME LESS FREQUENT, WHILE DRUG CRIME RATES HAVE RISEN CONSIDERABLY. THE AGE DISTRIBUTION OF OFFENDERS HAS REMAINED CONSTANT BUT THE METHOD FOR BREAKDOWN OF STATISTICS MAKES IT IMPOSSIBLE TO DETERMINE THE AGE DISTRIBUTION FOR INDIVIDUAL CRIME TYPES. THE RATE OF CRIME RESOLUTION HAS IMPROVED SLIGHTLY, PROBABLY BECAUSE OF THE INCREASE IN SHOPLIFTING AND BLACK MARKET SERVICE OFFENSES. THE RATE OF CRIME-SOLVING IS WORST FOR BICYCLE AND MOTOR BIKE THEFTS IN AREAS DOMINATED BY NEW HIGH RISE BUILDINGS. THE NUMBER OF CRIMINALS WITH PAST RECORDS IS ALSO ON THE RISE. MORE ATTENTION SHOULD BE DIRECTED TO THE PREVENTION OF CRIME; CURRENTLY, EXCESSIVE ATTENTION IS BEING PAID TO MASS PETTY CRIMES. EXTENSIVE TABLES SHOWING CRIME TRENDS FROM 1972 TO 1976 ARE FURNISHED. --IN GERMAN. (KMD)