RESEARCH WAS CONDUCTED WITHIN THE BLACK COMMUNITY OF 300 PEOPLE IN A SMALL SOUTHEAST TEXAS TOWN WITH A POPULATION OF 1012. REPRESENTING 20 FAMILIES THROUGH MARRIAGE AND KINSHIP TIES, 14 INFORMANTS PARTICIPATED IN THE STUDY. METHODS INCLUDED PARTICIPANT OBSERVATION AND TAPED INTERVIEWS WITH INFORMANTS. THE INTERVIEWS CONSISTED OF ASKING PERSONS TO STATE THE MEANING OF THE 'TALK'--THE UTTERANCES WHICH WERE USED TO DESCRIBE AND DISCUSS BEHAVIOR. FINDINGS SHOWED THAT BLACKS USED ETHNIC CATEGORIES THAT DEFINE COMMUNITY RELATIONS TO ALSO EXPLAIN TYPES OF DEVIANCE THAT DO NOT FIT THE 'CONVENTIONAL' SOCIOLOGICAL MODELS. THESE TERMS INCLUDED: 'BEING CAUGHT,' 'CAUSING GRIEF,' AND 'MESSING UP YOUR LIFE.' IN ADDITION, CONVENTIONAL LABELS OF DEVIANCE WERE OFTEN IGNORED OR PERCEIVED AS BEING 'NORMAL,' SUCH AS PASSING STOLEN GOODS. BLACKS IN THE COMMUNITY DO NOT PERCEIVE THEMSELVES AS LAWLESS PEOPLE BUT RATHER AS INTERACTING IN A CONTEXT WHICH THEY INTERPRET AS BEING INIMICAL TO THEIR WELL-BEING WITH NO POWER TO CHANGE IT. IT IS CONCLUDED THAT IT MAY BE FRUITFUL FOR SOCIOLOGISTS TO USE AN INTERPRETIVE MODEL TO EXAMINE BLACK AND OTHER MINORITY COMMUNITIES WITHIN METROPOLITAN AREAS IN ORDER TO PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION ON THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN ETHNICITY AND CRIME. REFERENCES AND APPENDICES ARE PROVIDED. (DEG)