THE AMA TAKES ON VIOLENCE IN AMERICA

The American Medical Association today said violence in the United States is growing worse, and gave the country a failing "report card" for its efforts to curb the problem. "It's a 'D' at best, America," said Robert McAfee, president of the AMA, in an editorial in the group's journal, adding: "Despite widespreadcommunity efforts and greater awareness of violence, the tide of violent behavior does not show any signs of turning.'' So concerned are physicians that this week's issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association is devoted almost entirely to the subject of violence. Despite an overall decline in U.S. crime, the JAMA editorial notes, incidents of violent crime (homicide, rape and armed robbery)continue to increase, especially among young people. McAfee said doctors were "frustrated and tired of working to put people back together again just to see them back in the emergency room or morgue days later."