African-American lower-class gang boys (206) and white lower-class gang boys (90) were compared with lower-class nongang boys (89 African-American and 79 whites) from the same neighborhoods, and with middle-class boys (26 African- Americans and 53 whites). The ranking of the six race-by- class-by-gang-status groups on official delinquency rates corresponded more closely to ranking on perceptions of legitimate opportunities than to ranking on perceptions of illegitimate opportunities, which is consistent with the assumption that illegitimate opportunities intervene after legitimate opportunities have been appraised and found wanting. Legitimate occupational opportunities were perceived as available less often by gang than by nongang boys. Middle-class boys most often perceived legitimate occupational opportunities as available. White boys were more likely than African-American boys to perceive legitimate opportunities as available in each of the strata examined. Differences in perceptions of illegitimate opportunities reverse most of those found for legitimate opportunities, as expected. 4 tables and 33 footnotes