MOST OF THE ESSAYS WERE FIRST PRESENTED AT A 2-DAY CONFERENCE SPONSORED IN MAY 1977 BY THE URBAN RESEARCH CENTER AT THE UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN, MILWAUKEE. THE OPENING ESSAY, WHICH OFFERS AN OVERVIEW OF LETHAL URBAN VIOLENCE, NOTES THAT THE INCIDENCE OF SUCH VIOLENCE HAS INCREASED SEVERAL-FOLD SINCE 1960 AND THAT THIS INCREASE HAS REACHED CRISIS PROPORTION AMONG YOUNG BLACK MALES. AN ESSAY ON THE ROLE OF HOMICIDE IN DECREASING THE LIFE EXPECTANCY OF NONWHITE MALES DURING THE 1960'S TOUCHES ON ISSUES SURROUNDING VIOLENCE IN THIS GROUP. A TIME-SERIES STUDY OF ROBBERY KILLINGS IN DETROIT, MICH., FROM 1962 TO 1974 EXPLORES POLICY IMPLICATIONS OF THE NINE-FOLD INCREASE IN SUCH DEATHS DURING THE PERIOD STUDIED. ALSO INCLUDED ARE A THEORETICAL EXAMINATION OF THE DETERMINANTS OF VIOLENCE AMONG ADOLESCENCE; A DISCUSSION OF CULTURAL SANCTIONS OF VIOLENCE, BASED ON CASE STUDIES OF FOUR HOMICIDES TYPIFYING DIFFERENT KILLER-VICTIM RELATIONSHIPS; AN ANALYSIS OF HOMICIDE INVOLVEMENT AMONG BLACK FEMALES, BOTH AS VICTIMS AND OFFENDERS, BASED IN PART ON DETROIT DATA; AND A DISCUSSION OF THE NEED FOR AND AVAILABILITY OF MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES FOR DEPENDENTS OF HOMICIDE VICTIMS. LISTS OF REFERENCES AND, IN SOME CASES, SUPPORTING DATA ACCOMPANY THE ESSAYS, SEPARATE ABSTRACTS OF WHICH MAY BE FOUND IN NCJ-49176 AND 54971-54975. (LKM)