Just In. MENU TITLE: Just In Series: NCJRS Catalog Published: September/October 1996 25 pages 37,619 bytes JUST IN Selected Additions to the NCJRS Document Collection This section announces new publications and audiovisual materials that keep you up to date on advances in criminal justice. Documents listed are recent additions to the NCJRS Document Data Base. The acquisition of a document or the inclusion of a document abstract in the Catalog does not constitute an endorsement of the document or its contents by the U.S. Department of Justice. All publications in the NCJRS document collection may be borrowed through interlibrary loan. (Videos are not available.) Contact your local library for further information. Selected publications are available as hard copy reproductions ($5 per document plus 10 cents per page). Call NCJRS at 800-851-3420 to verify availability. Publications in this Catalog designated "available electronically" are accessible via the Internet or a modem connection. ------------------------------ Corrections Capital Punishment 1995 James J. Stephan and Tracy L. Snell Bureau of Justice Statistics 1996. 13 pp. NCJ 162043 Available free from NCJRS. Also available electronically. Presents characteristics of persons under sentence of death on December 31, 1995, and persons executed in 1995. This annual BJS Bulletin summarizes the movement of prisoners into and out of death sentence status during the year. Numerical tables present data on offenders' sex, race, Hispanic origin, education, marital status, age at the time of arrest for capital offense, legal status at the time of capital offense, method of execution; trends; and the time between imposition of the death sentence and execution. Historical tables present sentencing since 1973. A Corrections-Based Continuum of Effective Drug Abuse Treatment James A. Inciardi, Ph.D., University of Delaware National Institute of Justice 1996. 4 pp. FS 000145 Available free from NCJRS. Also available electronically. Presents preliminary findings of a study conducted by researchers at the University of Delaware. The findings indicate that a longer and more comprehensive continuum of treatment increases the likelihood that an offender will be drug free and arrest free in the long term. This Research Preview states that, 18 months after release, drug offenders who received 12 to 15 months of treatment in prison followed by 6 months of drug treatment and job training were more than twice as likely to be drug free than offenders who received prison- based treatment alone. Implementing Performance-Based Measures in Community Corrections Harry N. Boone, Jr., Ph.D., and Betsy A. Fulton National Institute of Justice 1996. 8 pp. NCJ 158836 Available free from NCJRS. Also available electronically. Describes a model process for community corrections agencies' strategic planning and evaluation that relies on performance-based measures. The NIJ- sponsored project was based on the idea that performance-based measures could provide agencies with a mechanism for assessing what they do and how well they do it. This Research in Brief provides a rationale for these measures and a step-by-step discussion of the model process. Tuberculosis in Correctional Facilities 1994-95 Karen Wilcock, Theodore M. Hammett, Rebecca Widom, and Joel Epstein National Institute of Justice 1996. 12 pp. NCJ 157809 Available free from NCJRS. Also available electronically. Provides results of a 1994 survey cosponsored by NIJ and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to determine the existing dimensions of the tuberculosis (TB) problem in adult correctional facilities and the prevention and control strategies used to address it. A key issue is that correctional facilities house inmates at high risk for contracting tuberculosis, frequently under crowded, poorly ventilated conditions. According to this Research in Brief, detecting all cases of TB infection is difficult because of such problems as false-negative TB skin tests resulting from coinfection with HIV. ------------------------------ Courts Comparing Case Processing Statistics Bureau of Justice Statistics 1996. 2 pp. NCJ 161133 Available free from NCJRS. Also available electronically. Identifies the primary differences in case processing statistics reported by the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts, the Bureau of Justice Statistics, the Executive Office for the U.S. Attorneys, the Federal Bureau of Prisons, and the U.S. Sentencing Commission and explains distinctions between them. By examining issues central to the collection and reporting of Federal criminal justice statistics--defendants processed, offenses committed, and dispositions and sentences imposed--this joint statement by the five Federal criminal justice agencies clarifies differences in emphasis, definition, and classification. As part of an ongoing effort to reconcile case processing statistics, the agencies plan to develop selected statistics that use uniform reporting standards. In addition, as part of its Federal Justice Statistics Program, BJS will continue to publish the Compendium of Federal Justice Statistics, which describes all aspects of processing in the Federal criminal justice system. Juvenile Justice: Juveniles Processed in Criminal Court and Case Dispositions United States General Accounting Office 1995. 93 pp. NCJ 160051 Not available from NCJRS. Order from United States General Accounting Office (GAO), P.O. Box 6015, Gaithersburg, MD 20884-6015 (202-512-6000). Free. Presents the GAO's Report to Congressional Requestors on juveniles processed in criminal court and their case dispositions. The report was prepared in response to the 1992 reauthorization of the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act of 1974, which mandated a study of issues related to juveniles sent to criminal court versus juvenile court. Using data from the National Center for Juvenile Justice for 1988 through 1993, the analysis revealed that less than 2 percent of the juvenile delinquency cases filed in juvenile court were transferred to criminal court. In recent years, many States have changed their laws to expand the criteria under which juveniles may be sent to criminal court. Prosecutors in State Courts, 1994 Carol J. DeFrances, Steven K. Smith, and Louise van der Does Bureau of Justice Statistics 1996. 8 pp. NCJ 151656 Available free from NCJRS. Also available electronically. Presents findings from the 1994 National Survey of Prosecutors, the most recent in a series of biennial sample surveys of State court prosecutors. Data from the survey include the number of employees nationwide, annual office budget for prosecutorial functions, total size of office staff, number of felony cases closed, and number of felony convictions. New topic areas covered in this Bulletin include juvenile cases waived to criminal court, the cross-designation of prosecutors to litigate in Federal court, procedures for handling civil actions against prosecutors and other professional staff, and types of community involvement by prosecutors. Regional Seminar Series on Developing and Implementing Antistalking Codes Bureau of Justice Assistance 1996. 154 pp. NCJ 156836 Available free from NCJRS. Also available electronically. Provides an overview of the seminar series' proceedings and findings, a profile of existing State antistalking statutes, an analysis of recent State appellate court decisions in stalking cases, and information on developments in civil protective order laws since publication of the model code. The seminars allowed policymakers to assess the strengths and weaknesses of existing State laws and review alternative approaches to enforcement. The model code and commentary, and the principal recommendations contained in the final report of the model code project, are included in appendixes. ------------------------------ Crime Prevention Conflict Resolution Education: A Guide to Implementing Programs in Schools, Youth-Serving Organizations, and Community and Juvenile Justice Settings Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention 1996. 175 pp. NCJ 160935 Available free from NCJRS. Advances conflict resolution education as one component of a comprehensive program to reduce and prevent juvenile crime and violence in schools and communities. Developed by OJJDP in partnership with the Safe and Drug-Free Schools Program of the U.S. Department of Education, this guide provides information and tools for selecting and implementing a conflict resolution education program within a variety of settings, including schools and alternative schools, juvenile justice facilities, community organizations, and other youth serving agencies. The New Immigrant Hispanic Population: An Integrated Approach to Preventing Delinquency and Crime Orlando Rodriguez, Ph.D., Fordham University National Institute of Justice 1996. 4 pp. FS 000144 Available free from NCJRS. Also available electronically. Presents the findings of a study of Puerto Rican adolescents in New York City that integrated socioeconomic, psychosocial, and social science theories. The study revealed that some of the same factors associated with delinquency in the mainstream population--family, peers, and attitudes toward deviance--also can be used to analyze this group, with some of the same effects. This Research Preview states that studies of Hispanics should take Hispanic culture into account. No More Violence: Reclaiming Our Communities Bureau of Justice Assistance, George Washington University, and Asian-Pacific American Bar Association 1996. Video. 30 minutes. NCJ 162422 Not available from NCJRS. Order from Asian-Pacific American Bar Association Education Fund, AEF Treasurer, P.O. Box 2209, Washington, DC 20013- 2209. $10. Explains the criminal justice system to the Asian- Pacific American community. The video is an invaluable tool for law enforcement officials and community leaders seeking ways to fight and prevent crime and violence in Asian-Pacific American communities. Produced in English, the video will also be available in Korean, Chinese, and Vietnamese. Safer Communities, Brighter Futures Bureau of Justice Assistance and National Crime Prevention Council 1996. 24 pp. NCJ 161870 Not available from NCJRS. Order from National Crime Prevention Council, 1700 K Street, NW., Second Floor, Washington, DC 20006-3817 (202-466-6272). Individual orders free. Created to promote Crime Prevention Month, October 1996, this document includes all the tools to help individuals and communities spread crime prevention messages. Included in the packet are sample press releases, camera-ready artwork, and McGruff licensed educational products, as well as other helpful information on crime and how to prevent it. 350 Tested Strategies to Prevent Crime: A Resource for Municipal Agencies and Community Groups Bureau of Justice Assistance and National Crime Prevention Council 1995. 393 pp. NCJ 159777 Not available from NCJRS. Order from National Crime Prevention Council, Fulfillment Center, P.O. Box 1, 100 Church Street, Amsterdam, NY 12010 (800-627- 2911). $39.95 plus $3.99 shipping and handling. Explains 350 effective crime prevention strategies that communities can adapt to meet their circumstances and needs, and presents program examples to illustrate the use of each. Each chapter includes 10 to 15 major topics and highlights of their central components, partnerships, potential obstacles, and signs of success. At the end of each chapter is a bibliography with opportunities for further research. A section containing a resource guide provides information on dozens of national, State, and local groups that provide resources and program examples. Watch Your Car Program Fact Sheet Bureau of Justice Assistance 1996. 5 pp. FS 000151 Available free from NCJRS. Also available electronically. Summarizes the national "Watch Your Car" program, a cooperative initiative between States, local governments, and the Bureau of Justice Assistance. The Motor Vehicle Theft Prevention (MVTP) Act of 1994 authorized the Attorney General to develop, in cooperation with the States, a national, voluntary motor vehicle theft prevention program. This fact sheet explains how to participate in the program, how it works, and gives information about similar auto theft prevention programs in other States. ------------------------------ Criminal Justice Research Adult Patterns of Criminal Behavior Julie Horney, D. Wayne Osgood, and Ineke Haen Marshall, University of Nebraska National Institute of Justice 1996. 2 pp. FS 000146 Available free from NCJRS. Also available electronically. Summarizes results of a study conducted by NIJ that examined whether changes in life circumstances, such as being employed, living with a wife or girlfriend, or modifying alcohol or drug use, alter the crime patterns of convicted adult male felons. The researchers interviewed convicted felons and analyzed month-to-month changes in offending and life circumstances to understand change in adult criminal behavior, and found that adult offenders' criminal careers do not necessarily follow a predetermined course. Moreover, this Research Preview states that the combined effects of several crime-inhibiting life circumstances may bring about substantial long-term change in patterns of criminal behavior among previously incarcerated male felons. Boot Camps for Juvenile Offenders: An Implementation Evaluation of Three Demonstration Programs Blair B. Bourque, Roberta C. Cronin, Daniel B. Felker, Frank R. Pearson, Mei Han, and Sarah M. Hill National Institute of Justice 1996. 12 pp. NCJ 157317 Available free from NCJRS. Also available electronically. Provides key findings of the National Institute of Justice-sponsored evaluation of the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention demonstration program to examine the feasibility, appropriateness, and promise of the boot camp model for juvenile offenders. The evaluation team found that the programs at the three demonstration sites (Cleveland, Denver, and Mobile) met their goals in the planning and implementation phases. On the basis of 1 year of operation, the programs were found to improve youths' attitudes and be cost- effective, but the aftercare component had problems with absenteeism and noncompletion. Convicted by Juries, Exonerated by Science: Case Studies in the Use of DNA Evidence to Establish Innocence After Trial Edward Connors, Thomas Lundregan, Neal Miller, and Tom McEwen National Institute of Justice 1996. 88 pp. NCJ 161258 Available free from NCJRS. Also available electronically. Describes a study that focused on persons initially convicted and imprisoned but later released through postconviction forensic use of DNA technology. The study identified and reviewed cases in which convicted persons were released from prison as a result of posttrial DNA testing of evidence. The study also involved a survey of 40 laboratories that conduct DNA testing. Brief profiles of 28 exculpatory cases are included in this Research Report, along with an exhibit showing DNA evidence admission in criminal trials by State. Delinquency in China: Study of a Birth Cohort Marvin Wolfgang, Ph.D., University of Pennsylvania National Institute of Justice 1996. 4 pp. FS 000143 Available free from NCJRS. Also available electronically. Presents the initial findings of a study of a birth cohort at age 17, which focused on more than 5,000 individuals born in 1973 in the Wuchang district of the city of Wuhan, China. Researchers used census data together with police records, school visits, and, in an attempt to find data on delinquent acts by the cohort that were not reported to police, information provided by neighborhood committees. Members of the cohort and their parents also were interviewed. This Research Preview states that family cohesiveness and life goals contribute to the cohort's low delinquency rate of less than 2 percent. Evaluation of Drug Treatment in Local Corrections Sandra Tunis, Ph.D., James Austin, Ph.D., Mark Morris, Ph.D., Patricia Hardyman, Ph.D., and Melissa Bolyard, M.A. National Institute of Justice 1996. 162 pp. NCJ 159313 Available free from NCJRS. Call or write for a copy. Also available electronically. Provides the results of an NIJ-sponsored evaluation of several drug treatment programs in local jails. The study was designed to provide detailed and systematic descriptions of participants and treatment program components for five drug treatment programs (three in California and two in New York City). Included in the evaluation are program completion rates, as well as 12-month postrelease outcomes (recidivism) for program participants versus matched controls. In general, these programs had modest positive effects on the probability, but not the timing, of recidivism (for those who committed new offenses) within 1 year of jail release. HIV/AIDS and STDs in Juvenile Facilities Rebecca Widom and Theodore M. Hammett National Institute of Justice 1996. 12 pp. NCJ 155509 Available free from NCJRS. Also available electronically. Highlights the findings of a 1994 survey by the National Institute of Justice and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention about policies, programs, and data regarding HIV/AIDS and sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) in State and local juvenile justice detention centers and training schools. Although only about 1 percent of individuals diagnosed with AIDS between 1993 and 1994 were between 13 and 19 years of age, many youths engaged in high-risk behavior that put them in danger of contracting HIV and STDs. Of the 53 systems that provided complete data to the survey, approximately three-fourths offered HIV-prevention counseling in juvenile facilities. More State systems than county and city systems included safer sex practices, negotiating skills, self-perception of risk, the meaning of HIV/STD tests, and proper condom use in their programs. Improved Postmortem Detection of Carbon Monoxide and Cyanide Barry K. Logan, Ph.D., Washington State Toxicology Laboratory National Institute of Justice 1996. 2 pp. FS 000142 Available free from NCJRS. Also available electronically. Summarizes the results of an NIJ-supported project to develop and evaluate an improved postmortem method for detecting (1) hydrogen cyanide gas released from inorganic cyanide in biological material and (2) carbon monoxide gas found in fire gases or automobile exhaust. The GPE (gas phase electrochemical) method for detecting and measuring carbon monoxide was first proposed in 1988 but permitted analysis of only a few samples per hour and required the full-time attention of the equipment operator. According to this Research Preview, evidence indicates that the improved GPE methodology is a reliable and advantageous alternative to other techniques. Intervening with High-Risk Youth: Preliminary Findings from the Children-at-Risk Program Adele Harrell, Ph.D., and The Urban Institute National Institute of Justice 1996. 4 pp. FS 000140 Available free from NCJRS. Also available electronically. Reports on initial findings of an evaluation of the Children-at-Risk (CAR) program, a drug and delinquency prevention program targeting high-risk adolescents ages 11 to 13 living in distressed neighborhoods. According to this Research Preview, after 1 year youths in the program had fewer contacts with police and courts and higher rates of school attendance and promotion to the next grade level than the control group. There was also evidence of greater declines in neighborhood crime in CAR neighborhoods in three of the four cities studied. A National Survey of Aftercare Provisions for Boot Camp Graduates Blair B. Bourque, Mei Han, and Sarah M. Hill National Institute of Justice 1996. 16 pp. NCJ 157664 Available free from NCJRS. Also available electronically. Highlights findings of an NIJ-sponsored national survey of 52 boot camps and their aftercare programs. The study employed a three-tiered process to identify the range of available aftercare programming: a telephone survey, creation of boot camp and aftercare program summaries, and site visits. This Research in Brief states that the survey found a number of models for integrating the aftercare functions with the boot camps. Under Fire: Gun Buy-Backs, Exchanges, and Amnesty Programs Martha R. Plotkin, ed. Police Executive Research Forum 1996. NCJ 161877 Not available from NCJRS. Order from PERF Publications, 1120 Connecticut Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20036 (202-466-7820). $18.95 plus shipping and handling. Assesses the effectiveness of gun buy-backs, exchanges, and amnesty programs on gun-related crime. The report brings together the views of researchers, community organizers, police practitioners, and public health professionals to assess how buy-backs, exchanges, and amnesty programs are promoted, implemented, evaluated, and perceived. Included in the volume are researchers' assessments of specific programs, recommendations for future research and evaluation, community organizers' perspectives on how and why these programs are implemented, and suggestions for those considering implementing one of these programs. ------------------------------ Grants/Funding Church Arson Prevention Grant Program Fact Sheet Bureau of Justice Assistance 1996. 1 pp. FS 000153 Available free from NCJRS. Also available electronically. Presents the new component of the National Arson Prevention Initiative--the Church Arson Prevention Grant Program--which was introduced by President Clinton on July 2, 1996. Under this program, $6 million is available to county governments in 13 States. The funds may be used to enhance security measures in and around churches, hire a part-time law enforcement officer to increase patrol and surveillance of churches, establish or expand neighborhood watch, and pay overtime to presently employed law enforcement officers. Each eligible county government that applies will receive a one- time direct payment of $4,600 from the Bureau of Justice Assistance upon receipt and approval of a complete application. The award period for each grant under this program will be 180 days. The application must be signed by the Chief Executive Officer of the county. Local Law Enforcement Block Grant Program Fact Sheet Bureau of Justice Assistance 1996. 3 pp. FS 000147 Available free from NCJRS. Also available electronically. Announces funding available to units of local government for the purpose of underwriting projects to reduce crime and improve public safety. Program funds must be used for one or more of the seven purpose areas outlined in the fact sheet. State Criminal Alien Assistance Program Fact Sheet Bureau of Justice Assistance 1996. 2 pp. FS 000152 Available free from NCJRS. Also available electronically. Provides information on Federal funds that were available from the Bureau of Justice Assistance to prisons and jails to help pay the costs of incarcerating criminal aliens who are in the United States illegally and who have been convicted and sentenced for felony offenses. ------------------------------ Juvenile Justice 1995 Report to Congress: Title V Grants for Local Delinquency Prevention Programs Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention 1996. 100 pp. NCJ 160942 Available free from NCJRS. Describes activities and accomplishments of grant activities funded under Title V, identifies successful approaches, and makes recommendations for future Title V activities. This annual report also reviews the Title V Program and delineates the role it plays in the prevention of juvenile delinquency. Title V Delinquency Prevention Program Community Self-Evaluation Workbook Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention 1996. 162 pp. NCJ 160125 Available free from NCJRS. Limited number of copies available. Call or write for a copy. Assists communities in assessing their delinquency prevention programs by providing information and resource aids on program planning, evaluation design, performing data analysis, and measuring outcomes. Although designed primarily for Title V grantees, the workbook provides instructions and examples of forms that can be used to support any evaluation. ------------------------------ Law Enforcement Federal Resources on Missing and Exploited Children: A Directory for Law Enforcement and Other Public and Private Agencies Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention 1996. 126 pp. NCJ 161475 Available free from NCJRS. Also available electronically. Provides a compilation of the many services, programs, publications, and training that address child sexual exploitation, child pornography, child abduction, and missing children. Prepared by the Federal Agency Task Force for Missing and Exploited Children, this directory represents their effort to enhance coordination of delivery of Federal services to missing and exploited children and their families. Legal Guide for Policy: Constitutional Issues, Fourth Edition John C. Klotter 1996. 214 pp. NCJ 160128 Not available from NCJRS. Order from Anderson Publishing Company, P.O. Box 1576, Cincinnati, OH (800-582-7295). $21.95 plus $4 shipping and handling. Explains the common constitutional questions that confront police officers, and discusses the legal standards relating to detention, arrest, search and seizure, questioning suspects, and pretrial identification procedures. This volume was designed for use by police training programs and police officers who are seeking and preparing evidence to use in court. Each chapter outlines general considerations on the topic, summarizes applicable legislation and judicial decisions, and explains the legal standards relating to a variety of specific actions under the general topic. Using Agency Records To Find Missing Children: A Guide for Law Enforcement Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention 1996. 20 pp. NCJ 154633 Available free from NCJRS. See order from. Also available electronically. Provides information and ideas designed to assist law enforcement officers in obtaining and using records from various human services providers to locate missing children. Both mandated and voluntary access to records from schools, medical care providers, child welfare agencies, and various shelters are discussed. ------------------------------ Reference and Statistics Justice Expenditure and Employment Extracts: 1992 Data From the Annual General Finance and Employment Surveys Sue A. Lindgren Bureau of Justice Statistics 1996. 86 pp. NCJ 148821 Available free from NCJRS. Provides criminal justice expenditure and employment data on spending and personnel levels for 1992 and national trend data for 1980 to 1992 for Federal, State, and local governments for three sectors: police protection, judicial and legal services (courts, legal services and prosecution, and public defense), and corrections. It provides expenditure data for the fiscal year, employment and payroll data for October, and data on capital outlay, intergovernmental expenditure, and employment and payroll data by sector for individual State and large local governments. The data are from the Census Bureau's annual sample surveys of governmental finance and employment, modified to conform more closely to definitions and classification schemes developed by BJS for its periodic Justice Expenditure and Employment Survey. Data from the two series are not comparable; definitional and other differences in the series are discussed. An appendix presents definitions of terms. Statistical Handbook on Violence in America Adam Dobrin, Brian Wiersema, Colin Loftin, and David McDowall, eds. 1996. 413 pp. NCJ 160132 Not available from NCJRS. Order from Oryx Press, 4041 North Central Avenue, Suite 700, Phoenix, AZ 85012 (602-265-2651). $54.50 plus $5.45 shipping and handling. Presents more than 330 tables and 40 figures providing statistical data on the nature and extent of violence, its geographic distribution, the demographic variations in violent behavior and risk for victimization, the circumstances associated with violent incidents, and public opinion concerning violence and its prevention. The information is intended for use by researchers, policymakers, service providers, community-based organizations starting prevention programs, and staff of public and private funding agencies. Chapters describe patterns of interpersonal violence that result in death and other types of interpersonal violence, vulnerable groups and high- risk situations, tangible losses and measurable consequences of violence, and public attitudes on justifiable violence and other related topics. ------------------------------ Victims Age Patterns of Violent Victimizations Craig A. Perkins Bureau of Justice Statistics 1996. 14 pp. NCJ 162031 Available free from NCJRS. Also available electronically. Presents the first data from the redesigned National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS) that examines the characteristics of violent crime against youth. It compares teenagers and young adults to older persons and discusses the high victimization rates of young people in the United States. This Special Report, covering 1992 through 1994, focuses on the violent crimes of rape, robbery, and aggravated assault (from the NCVS) and homicide (from crimes reported to police). It includes information about the characteristics of these violent incidents, including time and place of their occurrence, resultant injuries, and whether they were reported to the police. Differences in levels of violence by race, ethnicity, sex, family income, locale, and other characteristics are discussed. Criminal Victimization 1995: National Crime Victimization Survey Craig A. Perkins and Patsy A. Klaus Bureau of Justice Statistics 1996. 6 pp. NCJ 162032 Available free from NCJRS. Also available electronically. Presents the first 1995 findings from the National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS). The findings are based on this ongoing survey of about 100,000 persons in 50,000 households each year. The findings are based on the redesigned survey that was phased into the sample beginning in 1992. This annual BJS Bulletin includes the violent crimes of rape and sexual assault, robbery, both aggravated and simple assault (from the NCVS), and homicide (from crimes reported to the police). Property crimes covered include burglaries, motor vehicle thefts, and thefts of other property. This report also summarizes other findings, including the extent to which crimes are reported to the police, the characteristics of victims, and comparisons between 1994 and 1995 victimization rates and levels. Helping Battered Women: New Perspectives and Remedies Albert R. Roberts 1996. 247 pp. NCJ 161415 Not available from NCJRS. Order from Oxford University Press, Inc., 2001 Evans Road, Cary, NC 27513 (800-451-7556). $24 (paperback), plus $3.50 shipping and handling. Presents major policy reforms and recent program developments. Contributors include prominent social workers, clinical psychologists, policy analysts, and criminal justice educators. Part I explores the latest policy issues, empirical research, social change efforts, and case management strategies; Part II provides detailed information on police responses to abused women in the 1990's, the latest civil and criminal remedies that magistrates can order on behalf of battered women, changing legal remedies, recognition of women battering as a crime, expert testimony, and battered woman syndrome; and Part III discusses crisis-oriented responses, mental health assessment and interventions, services for battered women and their children, and the false connection between alcoholism and domestic violence. HIV/AIDS and Victim Services: A Critical Concern for the 90's--A Training Manual Office for Victims of Crime and the National Victim Center 1996. 412 pp. NCJ 161415 Limited quantities available free from NCJRS. Call the Office for Victims of Crime Resource Center at 800-627-6872. Also available electronically. Provides a complete training manual for victim assistance professionals. This volume includes chapters with information about special populations, child victims, HIV testing of sex offenders, crisis intervention, and triage. The all- day training program, with overheads, provides basic information about the disease, its impact on victims of crime, its impact on the workplace, and how victim assistance professionals could and should respond. This manual is the result of an OVC grant. Measuring Intentional Injuries Using the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS) Michael R. Rand Bureau of Justice Statistics 1996. 8 pp. NCJ 156921 Available free from NCJRS. Also available electronically. Summarizes findings from the first 12 months of data collection on intentional injuries treated in hospital emergency rooms, and describes the Consumer Product Safety Commission's NEISS program. Existing estimates of difficult-to-measure violence such as domestic violence vary greatly, mostly because of differences in data collection methods and lack of consensus on the behaviors defining the violence being measured. In an effort to improve estimates of serious violence, including domestic violence and sexual assault, BJS has used NEISS since October 1993 to collect data on intentional injuries. Conducted at a sample of the Nation's hospitals to estimate product-related injuries, NEISS was modified to obtain data on characteristics of persons treated for intentionally inflicted injuries, characteristics of those causing the injury, and circumstances of injury incidents. ------------------------------ Violence Understanding and Preventing Violence: A Public Health Perspective Arthur L. Kellerman, M.D., M.P.H., Emory University National Institute of Justice 1996. 4 pp. FS 000141 Available free from NCJRS. Also available electronically. Presents key findings of Emory University's Center for Injury Control's research projects, which feature an explicit partnership between public health and local law enforcement. This Research Preview points out a number of problems in gathering accurate data on violence, including unreported gunshot wounds. The Center found that firearms in the home are associated with an increased risk of suicide or homicide among family members residing there and that policy-relevant research on gun violence reduction efforts-- especially in terms of youth violence--is vital in determining which aspects of comprehensive programs, such as Atlanta's Pulling America's Communities Together (PACT), are effective. The Validity and Use of Evidence Concerning Battering and Its Effect in Criminal Trials National Institute of Justice and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), National Institute of Mental Health 1996. 210 pp. NCJ 160972 Available from NCJRS. $23 U.S., $26 elsewhere. Also available electronically. Presents scientific and clinical knowledge about battering and its effects and the extent and impact of its introduction as evidence in criminal trials. This report to Congress presents three papers addressing the issues specified by the Violence Against Women Act: (1) the medical and psychological validity of the effects of battering; (2) the extent to which evidence and expert testimony on this issue have been admitted in criminal trials; and (3) assessments by criminal justice professionals of the effects of this evidence in criminal trials. Youth Violence, Guns, and Illicit Drug Markets Alfred Blumstein, Ph.D., Carnegie Mellon University National Institute of Justice 1996 4 pp. FS 000129 Available free from NCJRS. Also available electronically. Summarizes a seminar presentation on how homicide incidents among the young have changed and the connection between homicide and age, race, guns, and illegal drugs. Eighteen-year-olds now have the highest homicide rate. The researcher discusses this hypothesis: the link between the diffusion of guns to juveniles and the general community--a result of young peoples' recruitment into the illegal drug trade--is reflected in the 120-percent jump in the homicide arrest rate for nonwhite juveniles for 1985 to 1992. This Research Preview updates the December 1995 release.