The neighborhood context is important in understanding differences in attitudes toward crime and the law. Yet, residents of economically disadvantaged neighborhoods are more likely to tolerate smoking, drinking, and fighting among youths and in general to feel negative toward the police and laws. Chicago's long history of having distinctive neighborhoods, and its extensive class, racial, and ethnic diversity were major reasons the city was selected for the study. Neither whites, blacks, nor Latinos represent a majority of the population. But broken down by racial and ethnic groups, the response dispelled common stereotypes about the link between attitudes and socio-demographics.
Males are more tolerant than females, and younger residents are more tolerant than older residents.
Racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic groups differ substantially in their beliefs about the legitimacy of law. Residents' attitudes about police are similar to those about the law. The neighborhood itself affects attitudes. In neighborhoods where there is poverty and instability, people are more tolerant of deviance, although not of teen fighting. At the same time, minority group members in these neighborhoods are more intolerant of deviance than whites are, even taking into account poverty and instability.