HOMICIDE TRENDS IN ATLANTA

In recent years in Atlanta, homicide has been the most common cause of death in males 20–40 years of age. To study homicide trends in this city we analyzed data for 591 resident victims of criminal homicide in two time perid. 1961–1962 and 1971–1972. Large increases occurred in the homicide rates for both black and white residents. In both races, these rate increases could be accounted for almost entirely by homicides involving firearms Homicide rates for black and whites in 1971–1972 were highest in census tracts with low indices of socioeconomic status; this association was found only for homicides in which the victim and assailant were relatives or acquaintances. There was little geographic overlap between areas with high rates of homicide in the home and high numbers of homicides in public. Using population-based rates facilitates comparisons of homicide occurrence between time periods and/or places.     

A survey of public sector use of federally generated innovations

Several agencies of the U.S. Government make available technical information in hopes that it will be used by the public and/or private sector. This paper is a study of the awareness and/or use of such technical information by the managers in small city and/or county governments. Five technical sources were used in the survey. In general it was found that the managers of city, county and special districts in Central California had very limited knowledge about the five information sources.