Study data came from a 1980 survey of 619 students in the 6th through 12th grades in 8 public and private< schools in the Providence, R.I., metropolitan area. The survey instrument gathered information on the students' demographic characteristics; television viewing patterns; and attitudes toward crime, criminals, law enforcement, and the political system. Survey results revealed that crime show viewing has a small but persistent and significant influence on perceptions. It promotes anxiety about victimization, ignorance of the procedural guarantees found in the U.S. Constitution, and rigid adherence to the dictates of authority. However, instead of threatening the social order, television could become a means of social control. The increased fear of victimization may lead to increased demands for police protection. Jurors who watch television extensively may be more likely to vote for conviction. Data tables, chapter reference notes, research recommendations, index, 89 references, and appended study instrument.