A National Institute of Justice Research in Brief presents the results of a study on the use of force by and against officers of the Phoenix, Arizona, Police Department. "Understanding the Use of Force By and Against the Police," by Joel Garner, John Buchanan, Tom Schade, and John Hepburn, examines 1,585 adult custody arrests initiated by the department over a 2-week period in June 1994. Among the findings: Police used some physical force in about 1 out of every 5 arrests; officers used weapons in 2 percent of the arrests, with the flashlight most often being their weapon of choice; suspects used some physcial force in about 1 of every 6 arrests; and the single best predictor of police use of force was suspect use of force. For a copy of the Research in Brief or the complete report (NCJ 158614), contact the National Criminal Justice Reference Service at 800-851-3420.

Money-Saving Program

State and local governments can support their counterdrug efforts by purchasing equipment at reduced rates from the General Serv-ices Administration. Under the authority of the 1994 National Defense Authorization Act, 23 states can take advantage of the discounts available to the federal government. Eligible states are Alabama, Alaska, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Minnesota, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Rhode Island, Texas, Vermont, Washington, and

West Virginia.

The Law Enforcement Equipment and Supplies Catalog, which can be obtained through each state's point of contact, details the equipment available for purchase. For a list of state points of contact, call 800-421-6770. For more information on this program, contact Lowell Stockdale at 703-305-5602.

Child Abuse Guides

The Department of Justice's Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) has released the first 4 of 11 Portable Guides to Investigating Child Abuse. Recognizing When a Child's Injury or Illness Is Caused by Abuse discusses the investigator's role and responsibility in suspected child abuse cases and provides information on injuries and conditions that could signal abuse. Sexually Transmitted Diseases and Child Sexual Abuse covers the common symptoms of sexually transmitted diseases, which, when found in young children, often indicate sexual abuse. Photo-documentation in the Investigation of Child Abuse serves as a primer for choosing the proper camera equipment and film and applying photographic techniques in child abuse cases. Diagnostic Imaging of Child Abuse describes devices that can detect evidence of skeletal, intracranial, and other types of trauma often associated with child abuse.

Copies of these guides can be obtained from the OJJDP's Juvenile Justice Clearing House, Box 6000, Rockville, Maryland 20857. The toll-free number is 800-638-8736.