INJURY AND ANOMIE - EFFECTS OF VIOLENCE ON AN INNER-CITY COMMUNITY

Objectives. Widespread violence affects individuals but also alters gr oup life. This study was designed to examine the effects of violence o n an inner-city community. Methods. A qualitative study was undertaken that included field observations and semistructured interviews. The s tudy took place in Washington Heights, a New York City neighborhood wi th a high rate of violence, largely secondary to the drug trade. Resul ts. The 100 people interviewed differed widely in their definitions of violence and in their likelihood of having experienced violent acts i n the course of daily life. High, medium, and low violence microenviro nments were identified; risk of exposure to violence, but not individu al definitions of violence, differed by location. Violence in all part s of the neighborhood inhibited social interactions, but the intensity of this effect differed by microenvironment. Conclusions. In Washingt on Heights, violence has injured individuals and fractured social rela tionships, leading to the state of social disarray referred to as ''an omie.'' The public health response to the violence epidemic should add ress anomie through community organizing efforts.