in the USSR, a component of the militia. The principal task of the criminal investigation department is the enforcement of a system of measures for the prevention of crime, the investigation of crimes, and the search for criminals hiding from investigation and the courts. Official bodies of the criminal investigation department combat all types of crimes, with the exception of the waste, misappropriation, theft, or embezzlement of state and social property and several other crimes, the investigation of which is assigned to special bodies.