This research explores the precise nature, sources, and consequences of differing perceptions of the criminal justice system by African-American and white citizens. Both interracial and intra-racial differences will be assessed. It is hypothesized that the differences (both inter-, and intra-racial) will be driven, in large measure, by the varying content, as well as the relative weights, assigned to three sets of prior beliefs held by individuals: racial stereotypes, causal theories of crime, and judgments of the fairness of the criminal justice system. The study involves a national telephone survey of 500 whites and 500 blacks using computer assisted telephone interviewing. The research will contribute to scientific knowledge in a number of important but neglected areas of study, including racial differences on criminal justice issues, opinion-formation on criminal-justice issues, and the role of stereotyping in explaining racial differences.
