DATA INDICATE THAT THE OFFENDERS WERE PREDOMINANTLY FROM THE LOWER CLASSES (39 OF 44), LIVED IN CITIES, SUFFERED SOCIAL INTEGRATION PROBLEMS BECAUSE OF INSTITUTIONALIZATION, PARENTAL DIVORCE, NEGLECT, PARENTAL CRIMINALITY, OR COMPLETING SCHOOL, AND OFTEN HAD PREVIOUS RECORDS (36.4 PERCENT). PSYCHIATRIC EVALUATION SHOWED SOCIAL INTERACTION PROBLEMS, EMOTIONAL DISTURBANCES, DIFFICULTIES IN RELATING TO OTHER PEOPLE, AND ABNORMAL PHYSICAL AND NEUROLOGICAL CHANGES (14 CASES). CRIMES WERE USUALLY COMMITTED BY A SINGLE OFFENDER AND INVOLVED VICTIMS WHO WERE FAMILY MEMBERS, MEMBERS OF HIGH RISK GROUPS LIKE POLICE OFFICERS, OR OBJECTS OF SEXUAL ATTACKS. IN THREE-QUARTERS OF THE CASES, THE MURDER WAS NOT PLANNED IN ADVANCE. ALCOHOL PLAYED A ROLE IN 43.3 PERCENT OF THE OFFENSES; AVAILABILITY OF A WEAPON AND AN ACCIDENTAL OFFENDER-VICTIM ENCOUNTER WERE ALSO SIGNIFICANT FACTORS. THE INTERNAL DYNAMICS OF SOME CRIMES WERE CHARACTERIZED BY PREHOMICIDAL SITUATIONS IN WHICH THE OFFENDERS' REAL CONFLICT (E.G., FRUSTRATION, BAD CONSCIENCE) WAS TOUCHED UPON BY OFFENDER-VICTIM INTERACTION. IN A SECOND PATTERN, MURDER WAS THE UNINTENTIONAL RESULT OF AGGRESSIVE ACTS WHICH CAUSED FEAR OR PANIC IN THE OFFENDERS. IN SOME CASES (22.7 PERCENT), A TIME INTERVAL SEPARATED THE PRIOR AGGRESSIVE ACT FROM THE MURDER, AND THE MOTIVES AND FORM OF AGGRESSION WERE OFTEN MODIFIED IN THIS PERIOD. A BIBLIOGRAPHY, NOTES, AND TABLES WITH SPECIFIC FIGURES AND EXAMPLES ARE SUPPLIED. --IN GERMAN. (KMD)