Community Perceptions of Brownsville: A Survey of Neighborhood Quality of Life, Safety, and Services

• NCJ Number: 238591
• Author(s): Suvi Hynynen
• Date Published: 2011
• Length: 21 pages
• Corporate Author: Center for Justice Innovation
• Sale Source: Center for Justice Innovation
• Publication Format: Document; Document (Online)
• Publication Type: Survey; Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

As part of the planning process for the creation of a community court in Brownsville, Brooklyn (New York), a neighborhood survey was conducted that enabled residents to express their opinions about their neighborhood's quality of life, safety, and services, as well as youth issues.

Abstract

Eighty percent of residents identified guns, gangs, drug use, drug selling, and assault as the top community problems. The top five quality-of-life issues were identified as obesity and other public health problems, homelessness, public drinking, garbage removal, and run-down public spaces. Residents viewed the primary problems of community youth as unemployment, few adult role models, drug use, drug selling, and teen pregnancy. Some common themes in responses about what can be done to reduce juvenile crime and improve conditions for youth were more after-school activities and programs, a community center, jobs, parental guidance and better parenting, positive role models, a better relationship with police, and more sports teams. These recommendations correlated with survey responses regarding the most significant problems in the community. Those living in public housing were more likely to view the community's quality of life as needing improvement. Open-ended questions about what respondents considered the strengths of the neighborhood received various responses, but some common answers were that residents were friendly people who provide support in a time of crisis, churches, close access to public transportation and the shopping district, and a strong police presence. Respondents expressed ambivalence about the police, however. They desired a more respectful relationship with the police, but they also wanted a larger police presence in the community. Eighty-one percent of the respondents viewed the creation of a community court in their neighborhood as a positive development. A community court is a neighborhood-focused court that uses the authority of the justice system to address local problems. 8 tables, 3 figures, and appended supplementary data and 4 references