In the first chapter of the book, Anderson identifies two types of families living in the inner city: “decent” and “street” families. While “decent” families often cultivate hope in the future by aspiring to build something with their lives, “street” families’ lives are “often marked by disorganization” (45). At the more extreme end of “street” families, criminality is normalized in a complete and definitive departure from the rules of mainstream society and civil law.

Another key difference that Anderson identifies between “decent” and “street” families pertains to code-switching. Code-switching is switching dialects or vocabularies between contexts; in this case, it means switching between casual, inner-city vernacular and the sort of language used in professional institutions, which are often white-coded. “Decent” families are more likely to understand the nuances and social importance of code-switching, while “street” families are either unwilling or unable to code-switch, which further exacerbates their alienation from mainstream society. While “decent” families often make plans that involve upward mobility, “street” families see these aspirations as a sort of betrayal, “selling out” or “acting white.” Anderson explains that “decent” and “street” families clash, often within the same extended families, which then turns into violent conflict.