Quantitative analyses of rates, trends, and patterns of homicide in the United States indicate that homicide rates among blacks are six times those among whites. The section of papers on trends and patterns in black homicide includes a study of variations in the use of handguns for homicides in black communities in six U.S. cities. Papers which address explanations of black homicide include articles that attribute violence in the black community to the stress occasioned by the low self-esteem and exasperation spawned by generally low occupational status and income. Papers on homicide punishment and prevention cover racial factors in capital punishment, public policy factors that produce differential punishment for homicide, the adequacy of existing research underlying prevention strategies, and public health and criminal justice cooperation in preventing black homicide. Chapter references.