The study contrasted 101 incarcerated African-American adolescents, 51 violent and 50 nonviolent, on background variables and measures of close relationships. Violent delinquents were older, had a greater number of arrests, lower reading achievement scores, and were more likely to have a criminal parent in the home. Violent delinquents were more likely to perceive their mothers as showing more rejection/undifferentiated behavior and their attachments, mainly to heterosexual partners, were more anxious. In terms of both quantitative and qualitative distinctions between the groups, violent delinquents showed greater impairment. The study suggests that further examination of the close relationships of violent delinquents may elucidate differences between those who enter into violent confrontation with friends or acquaintances deriving from jealousy, perceived disrespect, or other feelings as compared with those responding to some nonverbal threatening behavior. Tables, references