This brief essay outlines the progression over the last 20 years of ecological theories of interpersonal violence. The period between the present and the early 1980s began with a revival of cultural explanations of violence that paralleled the introduction of the neo-conservative social science and then witnessed a rediscovery of deficits-based…

In considering White movement to the suburbs between 1965 and 1970, this paper examines whether Whites (1) were fleeing central city problems, or (2) were drawn to the suburbs because of new housing and jobs. Using path analysis, discusses a model of the suburbanization process. (Author/GC)

Immigration, both legal and illegal, has a profound impact on the United States. The public policy implications of immigration include the impact on population growth, employment, wages, taxes, and social spending. In 1994, a net total of between 900,000 and 1.1 million immigrants were added to the foreign-born population of the United States.…

The "Chicago School" is the communications legacy left by late nineteenth and early twentieth century Chicago sociologists and journalists. It represents a research tradition of participant-observation and urban journalism concerned with the quality of urban life, as well as a commitment to solving urban problems through civic…

Existing literature on drug dealing and inner-city adolescents was reviewed. Around one in six urban adolescents has had some involvement with drug dealing, with rates higher for African-American males males over age 16. For inner-city teenagers, there are many problems associated with drug dealing, and few efforts to prevent it. (SLD)

Critically examines the causal relationship of alcohol abuse to homicidal violence in the black communities. Identifies specific implications for further research and for developing abuse prevention strategies. Though the article focuses on black men, much of the discussion has wider applications. (LHW)

Street children, as the offspring of complex contemporary urban environments, represent one of our most serious global challenges. Article discusses the causes of this phenomenon, characteristics of street children throughout the world, and specific circumstances in Nepal, Indonesia, India, Latin America, and the Philippines. (Author/EMK)

Examines personal life events and neighborhood stress as determinants of alcohol use among urban, minority youth. Analyses were constructed to examine the ability of psychosocial functioning to moderate relations between life events, neighborhood stress, and alcohol use. Both positive and negative life events and neighborhood stress uniquely…

This issue brief looks at the relationship between gang presence in schools and students' reports of victimization and fear. There is limited data about the causes of either juvenile street violence or school-related crime. Data collected in 1989 and 1993 reveal: (1) minority students living in urban areas are not the only ones who attend schools…

In the 1980s, homelessness attracted considerable attention from the media, advocates, politicians, and the public. Virtually every sector of society and the government responded. Interest in the issue has waned considerably since then, but the problem continues growing, particularly in large urban areas. While public policies address the problem,…

Proliferating the number of decision centers and separating needs from resources minimizes the ability of metropolitan areas to deal with areawide problems. State governments often encourage such fragmentation to minimize the risk that a given metropolitan area would act in a cohesive fashion. (Author/KC)

This article is an extension of Welch and Karnig's (1978) school board study analyzing Black representation. The sample size was increased from the original 43 to 75 central cities. Unlike Welch and Karnig, new results showed that at-large electoral systems significantly reduce proportionally based equitable Black representation. (Author/AM)

Views suicide as an historical indicator of social factors related to urbanization and urban life. Discusses historical and contemporary problems with data collection, especially in terms of race and sex of victims and underreporting among particular groups. Suggests theoretical approaches to the study of suicide in contemporary society. (GC)

Reviews problems associated with urban crime, describing the extent and costs of victimization and discussing criminal justice and health care approaches to reducing violence. Research suggests that the health care approach can successfully reduce crime and violence in African-American communities. Contains 53 references. (SLD)

Ten years after passage of the McKinney Homeless Assistance Act, homelessness was studied in 11 urban, rural, and suburban communities and 4 states. The first section of the report examines the findings of detailed research on homelessness in these locations. The second section draws conclusions and outlines future directions for efforts to…