Using the Monroe County (N.Y.) Psychiatric Case Register, a stable data source, the authors attempted to determine differences between white and nonwhite suicide attempters, to identify the factors that are associated with self-destructive behavior in both groups, and to determine the subsequent mortality rate among suicide attempters. They found a number of differences between whites and nonwhites and conclude that the motivation for suicide, the techniques used to treat attempts, and the degree of risk of further psychiatric difficulty may be different for the two groups.Abstract Teaser