The social perception of crime is often disproportionately influenced by the _____ composition of a neighborhood, leading to biases in how crime is viewed, regardless of actual crime rates.

The social perception of crime in a neighborhood can be heavily influenced by the racial or ethnic composition of that area. This means that people may judge the safety or danger of a community based on the backgrounds of the residents rather than on actual crime statistics. For example, if a neighborhood has a high percentage of people from a particular racial group, some might assume it is more dangerous, even if crime rates are low. This bias can lead to unfair treatment of individuals in that community, as people may focus more on stereotypes than on facts. Understanding this can help us recognize the importance of looking at real data instead of relying on assumptions based on race or ethnicity.