THE DISCUSSION HAS THE FOLLOWING PURPOSES: TO DELINEATE THE EXTENT OF URBAN VIOLENCE, ESPECIALLY HOMICIDE; TO IDENTIFY THE TYPES OF PEOPLE MOST LIKELY TO BE AFFECTED BY VIOLENCE; TO DESCRIBE SOME OF THE REACTIONS OF PEOPLE WHO EXPERIENCE VIOLENCE AND BEREAVEMENT; TO REVIEW TREATMENT APPROACHES IN HELPING THESE PEOPLE; TO IDENTIFY PROBLEMS AND BARRIERS IN MENTAL HEALTH SERVICE DELIVERY; AND TO POINT TO EXISTING AND POTENTIAL SOURCES OF HELP FOR DEPENDENTS OF HOMICIDE VICTIMS. HOMICIDE STATISTICS ARE CITED, AND STUDIES OF VIOLENCE ARE SUMMARIZED. COMPLICATIONS IN THE MOURNING PROCESS ARE DISCUSSED, WITH PARTICULAR ATTENTION TO FACTORS LIKELY TO MAKE THAT PROCESS MORE DIFFICULT. IN EXPLAINING THE LIMITED AVAILABILITY OF MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES FOR DEPENDENTS OF HOMICIDE VICTIMS, IT IS POINTED OUT THAT MOST PEOPLE AFFECTED BY HOMICIDES ARE NEITHER AFFLUENT NOR POWERFUL AND GENERALLY MUST RELY ON PUBLIC SERVICES, WHICH ARE HIGHLY SUSCEPTIBLE TO CHANGES IN POLICY AND FUNDING. IN THIS CONTEXT, A DEMONSTRATION OF NEED DOES NOT NECESSARILY RESULT IN THE DELIVERY OF SERVICES. SERVICES THAT HAVE BEEN MADE AVAILABLE TO HOMICIDE VICTIMS' SURVIVORS HAVE BEEN PROVIDED BY COMMUNITY MENTAL HEALTH CENTERS, NEIGHBORHOOD HEALTH FACILITIES, CULTURAL AND COMMUNITY CENTERS, CHURCHES, AND SELF-HELP GROUPS. SOME SPECIAL CLINICS HAVE BEEN ORGANIZED. MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONALS INCREASINGLY ARE MAKING THEMSELVES AVAILABLE FOR CONSULTATION TO COMMUNITY, CHURCH, AND SELF-HELP GROUPS CONCERNED WITH THE PROBLEMS OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED VIOLENCE OR BEREAVEMENT. A LIST OF REFERENCES IS PROVIDED. (LKM)