Recent trends in suicide and homicide among blacks

Article Abstract:

The major cause of excess deaths among black males aged 25 to 44, defined as the difference between white and black populations, is violence, including both homicide and suicide. A recent study found that 59,000 excess deaths of this type occurred among Afro-American males during the years 1979 to 1981. Suicide is an important component of this figure, although the rate for black males remains considerably lower than for similarly aged white males. In black adolescents and young adults the third leading cause of death is suicide. Suicide and homicide of blacks constitute a significant public health problem.The backdrop of violence which often characterizes the life of Afro-Americans may contribute to this problem. Recent data show that suicide rates for all age groups and races has been remarkably constant for the years 1950 to 1986. However, the suicide rate varies considerably with age; for black males it peaks in the 25 to 34 age group, and then declines until a second peak occurs in the 65 to 74 age group. Various theories concerning black suicide are discussed, but do not adequately account for the difference between black and white males. Recently several studies have suggested that the most reasonable explanation for the high homicide rate in black men relates not to racial or ethnic factors, but to economic and sociological issues, particularly poverty. Overcrowding, effects of mass media (including desensitization to violence) and parenting behaviors have been cited as causal factors. Concern has also been raised that the criminal justice system makes it easier and less risky to kill blacks, and that this supports black homicides.

Psychological aspects, Crimes against, Causes of, Suicide

---

Television and violence: the scale of the problem and where to go from here

Article Abstract:

Advising parents to limit their children's television viewing, placing time-channel locks on televisions and rating programs by their degree of violence could reduce the number of violent crimes committed in the US. Many experts believe that children who watch violent programs on television may be more likely to commit violent acts as adults, and a unique social event confirms this. Shortly after television was introduced in the 1950s, the South African government banned television broadcasting until 1975. But television was widely adopted in the US and Canada. In both the US and Canada, the white homicide rate had almost doubled by 1974, but the rate in South Africa decreased slightly. Officials in the broadcasting industry have been urged to reduce the violence in television, but have made few attempts to do so. It seems more reasonable to make television viewing part of the public health agenda.

Behavior, Television viewers, Violence in television, Television violence

---

Race, socioeconomic status, and domestic homicide

Article Abstract:

Blacks appear to be no more inclined to commit domestic homicide than whites of equal socioeconomic standing (SES). Homicide research in New Orleans, LA, replicated the findings of an Atlanta, GA, study that linked SES rather than cultural factors to homicide. The rate of domestic crowding corresponded with the rate of domestic homicide. In the study, socioeconomic status is related to the capability to rent or own housing that does not crowd its occupants. Purchasing power is used to match black and white households rather than income, since purchasing capacity is lower for blacks than for whites with similar incomes. Stratifying white and black populations in these ways showed equal domestic homicide risk, whereas without such stratification blacks had a relative intraracial domestic homicide risk of 6.3.

Crowding (Population density), Crowding stress

Similar abstracts:

• Abstracts: Stem cells and chronic lung disease. T cells and NKT cells in the pathogenesis of asthma
• Abstracts: A randomized multicenter trial assessing a home uterine activity monitoring device used in the absence of daily nursing contact
• Abstracts: A randomized multicenter trial assessing a home uterine activity monitoring device used in the absence of daily nursing contact. part 2
• Abstracts: Effect of synovial fluid hyaluronan on the clearance of albumin from the canine knee. Functions of hyaluronan
• Abstracts: Female cybercadaver goes on-line; male counterpart gets a workout

This website is not affiliated with document authors or copyright owners. This page is provided for informational purposes only. Unintentional errors are possible.