THE REPORT OPENS WITH A GENERAL DISCUSSION OF DEVELOPMENTS IN PREVENTIVE PATROL THEORY AND THE MANAGEMENT OF CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS IN AUSTRALIA, THE UNITED STATES, AND OTHER COUNTRIES. PLANNING CONSIDERATIONS ESSENTIAL TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF ANY SPECIALIZED PATROL OPERATION ARE DISCUSSED, AND PREVENTIVE PATROL PROJECTS IN NEW YORK, N.Y., DENVER, COLO., AND KANSAS CITY, MO., THAT ILLUSTRATE THESE CONSIDERATIONS ARE DESCRIBED. A CHAPTER ON ORGANIZED CRIME AND ITS CONTROL IS INCLUDED BECAUSE PRINCIPLES RELATING TO THE INVESTIGATION OF ORGANIZED CRIME ALSO APPLY TO THE INVESTIGATION OF ORGANIZED ARMED ROBBERIES. PART TWO OF THE REPORT FOCUSES ON THE ARMED ROBBERY PROBLEM IN VICTORIA, PRESENTING AND ANALYZING OFFENSE AND OFFENDER STATISTICS AND DATA ON POLICE PATROL ACTIVITIES. THE FOLLOWING CONCLUSIONS ARE DRAWN ABOUT ARMED ROBBERY IN VICTORIA: IT IS AN URBAN PHENOMENON; MOST ROBBERS ARE YOUNG, UNDERPRIVILEGED MALES; ONLY 25 TO 50 PERCENT OF ARMED ROBBERS COULD BE REGARDED AS DETERRABLE; ABOUT 25 PERCENT OF ARMED ROBBERIES ARE DRUG-RELATED; ABOUT 60 PERCENT INVOLVE MORE THAN ONE PERPETRATOR AND SHOW ELEMENTS OF PLANNING; AND THERE IS EVIDENCE OF ORGANIZED CRIME INVOLVEMENT IN SOME ARMED ROBBERIES. CRIME PREVENTION RESEARCH DIRECTIONS IN AUSTRALIA ARE OUTLINED, AS ARE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR INVOLVING THE POLICE, OTHER CRIMINAL JUSTICE AGENCIES, AND THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY EFFORTS TO COMBAT ARMED ROBBERY. APPENDED MATERIALS INCLUDE ORGANIZATIONAL CHARTS FOR THE VICTORIA POLICE AND A SUMMARY DESCRIPTION AND EVALUATION OF OPERATION CRIME BEAT, A FOOT PATROL PROJECT IN MELBOURNE. SUPPORTING DATA ARE INCLUDED. (LKM)