THE STUDY INDICATED THE NEED FOR FURTHER EFFORTS TO EXPLORE, IN AN EXPERIMENTAL AND CAREFULLY EVALUATED MANNER, WAYS OF REDUCING THE CHANCE THAT A DISPUTE WILL LEAD TO AN ASSAULT AND AN ASSAULT TO A HOMICIDE. IN KANSAS CITY IT WAS FOUND THAT THE POLICE CAN OBTAIN SOME EARLY WARNING OF ASSAULTS AND HOMICIDES. THE POLICE IN THAT CITY WERE CALLED TO THE LOCATION OF AN ASSAULT OR HOMICIDE AT LEAST ONCE BEFORE IN ABOUT 85 PERCENT OF THE CASES AND FIVE OR MORE TIMES IN 50 PERCENT OF THE CASES. IN SHORT, ANY GIVEN ASSAULT OR HOMICIDE ARREST IS LIKELY TO BE THE CULMINATION OF A SERIES OF POLICE INTERVENTIONS. WHILE THIS STUDY DOES NOT TEST METHODS OF HANDLING THOSE INTERVENTIONS SO AS TO MINIMIZE THE CHANCES THAT SUBSEQUENT ASSAULTS AND HOMICIDES WILL OCCUR, THE AUTHORS POINT OUT THAT THAT IS THE OBVIOUS NEXT STEP. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT)...MSP