The data on homicide and suicide were drawn from mortality tapes prepared by the National Center for Health Statistics and homicide data compiled from the FBI's Supplementary Homicide Report. Findings show that from 1979-1992, 4,718 American Indians and Alaskan Natives who resided on or near reservations died from violence (2,324 from homicides and 2,394 from suicide). During this period, overall homicide rates for Native Americans were approximately 2.0 times higher, and suicide rates were approximately 1.5 times higher than U.S. national rates. Native Americans who reside in the southwestern United States, northern Rocky Mountain and Plains States, and Alaska had the highest rates of homicide and suicide. Firearms were the predominant method used in both homicides and suicides. The age distribution of suicide rates was unlike that for the general population due to high rates among young adults and lower rates among the elderly. Although firearms were the predominate method for both homicides and suicides, Native Americans have a lower proportion of firearm-related homicides and suicides than is found in the U.S. population. The proportion of homicides in which the victim and perpetrators were family members or acquaintances was somewhat greater for Native Americans than for the U.S. population at large. Also, patterns and rates of homicide and suicide among Native Americans differed greatly from region to region. The study advises that there are many promising interventions to prevent violence, but because each Native American community is unique, prevention strategies should be planned with attention to local injury patterns and local practices and cultures. 16 figures and 12 tables