JUST DES(S)ERTS - THE RACIAL POLARIZATION OF PERCEPTIONS OF CRIMINAL INJUSTICE

Sociologists have long been interested in how reactions to deviance in fluence social order and consensus. However, classic statements on thi s subject present contrasting hypotheses. This article extends previou s work by examining how the extensive media coverage of an interracial homicide influences public attitudes toward the criminal justice syst em. Initial results indicate that race, education, and police contact directly effect perceptions of criminal injustice. Perceptions of inju stice are especially high among well-educated blacks who have had rece nt contact with the police. Further analysis reveals that the media co verage of the homicide seems temporarily to consolidate public confide nce in the police and criminal courts. However, this effect varies by race and education. We discuss the theoretical implications of these f indings.