BOTH TRADITIONAL AND NONTRADITIONAL EXPLANATIONS FOR CAUSES OF HOMICIDE ARE EXPLORED, ALONG WITH AREAS OF PREVENTION. AMONG NONTRADITIONAL CAUSES IS THE CONCEPT OF SUBINTENTIONAL DEATH. ACCORDING TO THIS THEORY, THE VICTIMS PLAY AN INDIRECT AND PARTIAL ROLE IN THEIR HOMICIDES, POSSIBLY THROUGH POOR JUDGMENT, EXCESSIVE RISK PLAYING, OR A SELF-DESTRUCTIVE LIFESTYLE. THE BOOK ALSO EXAMINES SCHNEIDMAN'S CONCEPT OF FOUR ELEMENTS THAT CONTRIBUTE TO THE COMPLETION OF THE SUICIDE ACT: INIMICALITY, OR POORLY ORGANIZED LIVES; PERTURBATION, OR HEIGHTENED EMOTIONAL DISTURBANCE; CONSTRICTION, OR NARROWING OF THOUGHT; AND CESSATION, OR THE IDEA OF DEATH AS A SOLUTION TO LIFE'S PROBLEMS. THE RISK OF HOMICIDE IS SAID TO INCREASE AS THESE ELEMENTS COME TOGETHER. NEXT, CASE HISTORIES SENSITIZE THE READER TO THE SUICIDE TRAJECTORY, TO FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO THE HOMICIDES, AND TO POINTS WHERE INTERVENTION MIGHT HAVE OCCURRED. THE HISTORIES ARE TAKEN FROM CALIFORNIA RECORDS FOR 1970 FOR SUCH CATEGORIES AS VICTIM-PRECIPITATED, SEXUALLY PROMISCUOUS, AND ROBBERY-HOMICIDE. FINALLY, STATISTICAL-DEMOGRAPHIC DATA ARE PRESENTED, WITH DISCUSSION FOCUSING ON CHANGING HOMICIDE PATTERNS. THIS SECTION REVIEWS A VICTIM SURVEY, COMPARES CALIFORNIA AND NATIONAL STATISTICS, AND DISCUSSES THE DIFFERENCES IN REPORTING SYSTEMS. U.S. HOMICIDE CRUDE RATES ARE COMPARED WITH THOSE OF OTHER COUNTRIES FOR A 10-YEAR PERIOD. PREVENTION SUGGESTIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS FOCUS ON EDUCATION AT MANY LEVELS, THE USE OF PSYCHOLOGICAL AUTOPSY AND BIOPSY, AND COUNSELING FOR FAMILIES OF PERPETRATORS AND VICTIMS. REPEAL OF OBSOLETE CRIMINAL LAWS, IMPLEMENTATION OF GUN CONTROL, AND EMPHASIS ON CONSTRUCTIVE WORK FOR YOUTH GANGS ARE ADVOCATED. ALSO, THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A NATIONAL CENTER FOR THE STUDY AND PREVENTION OF HOMICIDE IS SUGGESTED. TECHNIQUES ON HOW TO AVOID BECOMING A HOMICIDE VICTIM AND AN ASSESSMENT OF THE RISK OF COMMITTING A HOMICIDE ARE GIVEN. TABULAR DATA, A BIBLIOGRAPHY, AND NAME AND SUBJECT INDEXES ARE INCLUDED. (AOP)