An analysis of the problems and economic and social positions of minority groups in the United States. Power relationships among various public and private institutions, militant action organizations, service agency programs, etc., are explored in the light of their impact upon the administration of justice in slum communities, the role of minority group police officers, the community environment, and the people among whom law enforcement must operate. Interactions among historical and current social forces and institutions that influence group and individual behavior within urban ghetto communities are examined. New trends in intergroup relations, emergence of new minorities and American groups contesting for program funding and services in the urban environment.