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Alaska Justice Statistical Analysis Center |
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As part of a research project
undertaken in late 1994 with the Alaska Department of Public
Safety, the Justice Center conducted a public opinion telephone
survey concerning quality of life and public safety issues in
Alaska communities. The project was funded by a federal grant
from the Office of Justice Programs.
One purpose of this survey was
to obtain the opinions of Alaska residents about the most serious
problems in their community and the relationship of public safety
agencies to the perceived problems. A secondary concern was to
obtain information regarding the actions which residents believe
most appropriate for dealing with the problems they identified.
Among the items, interviewees were asked to identify: first,
the most serious problem in their community; second, the most
serious public safety concern; and third, possible solutions
to the problem. Interviewers contacted a statewide sample of
603 residents.
In an effort to avoid bias, interviewers
explained only that the survey was being conducted for the University
of Alaska; the Department of Public Safety was not mentioned.
The answers obtained were recorded and consolidated into broad
categories to facilitate understanding.
Major Community Problem
Perhaps the most striking feature
of the responses is the absence of a consensus on community problems.
Interviewees cited a range of problems from drug abuse to cold
weather. The most frequently cited serious problem (Table 1)
concerns drugs, alcohol, substance abuse and associated crime;
however, statewide, only one out of four respondents (24.8%)
identified problems in this category as the most serious overall
problem in their community.
The second category of most frequently
cited serious problem_noted by 15.2 per cent of respondents statewide_involve
concerns related to crime and violence. More specifically, interviewees
identified increasing crime and decreasing safety, violent crimes
and killings.
Economic issues affecting Alaska
communities, primarily lack of jobs, unemployment and the general
economy, formed the third most frequently cited serious problem
area, with about 7.8 per cent of Alaskans noting such concerns
as primary.
Many Alaskans identified problems
associated with the behavior of juveniles, their attitudes and
criminality. Still others voiced concerns with what they perceive
as a breakdown in family and home life, parental authority, indifference
and apathy. Concerns about the quality of education are also
prominent across the state, with people commenting on the quality
of schools, a lack of funding and the quality of teachers. Aside
from the concerns voiced by a fairly large group of people about
violence and violent crime, the only other crimes or types of
crimes identified as "serious problems" were theft
and burglary, and drinking and driving.
Public Safety Concerns
Following the question regarding
the most serious community problem, each interviewee was asked
to "narrow" his or her focus and identify the most
serious public safety issue facing the community. Fewer respondents
answered this question than answered the previous question, perhaps
because in some instances they had already identified a public
safety issue as the most serious problem. (Again, the public
safety concerns voiced by respondents were coded into broad categories
of like or similar responses. The statewide categorizations are
displayed in Table 2.) In assessing the relative importance of
some of the concerns expressed, it may be useful to keep in mind
that answers to open-format questions reflect "top-of-mind"
issues immediately important to the interviewee. The range of
specific public safety problems identified was as broad as Alaska
is diverse, including concerns about substance abuse, road conditions,
teen pregnancy and winter weather. It is clear, based on the
responses, that adult Alaskans are not of one mind on public
safety problems. Many of the concerns expressed were unique and
so closely tied to a community or a respondent they were mentioned
only once. Moreover, none of the problems identified was mentioned
by more than 16 per cent of the interviewees. The range of these
responses seems to illustrate the importance of a community-by-community
approach to public safety problems.
"Crime," not further
specified, is the third most frequently mentioned public safety
concern, at 9.1 per cent. The level of concern about drinking
and driving vehicles was striking, as was the level of concern
with law enforcement services.
Alcohol and drug use and substance
abuse were, as in the previous question, the most frequently
cited problem, with 15.9 per cent of the interviewees identifying
this area as the most serious public safety concern. The second
most commonly cited group of public safety concerns were those
relating to streets and roadways, with 10.3 per cent identifying
a broad range of street and highway-related deficiencies and
issues as the most serious problem in their communities.
Suggested Solutions
Respondents were also asked their
suggestions for solutions to the problems they identified. The
solutions offered are organized in Table 3 by categories of the
cited public safety concerns. For example, of the respondents
who identified alcohol, drugs and substance abuse as the most
pressing problem facing their communities, one-fifth (20.2%)
suggested educational efforts to be the most effective solution.
As a solution to alcohol and drug problems, "family ties,
parental responsibility and involvement" formed the second
most frequently offered suggestion. A number of people (7.2%)
recommended strengthening laws and making penalties associated
with drug and alcohol abuse tougher. Still others (6.5%) suggested
legally restricting access to alcohol and drugs, while others
(3.0%) suggested legalizing drugs. About five per cent suggested
funding more law enforcement officers in an effort to solve the
problems of drug and alcohol abuse in their communities.
Concerns about roadway hazards,
poor maintenance, sidewalk problems and snow removal were cited
as most pressing by 10.3 per cent of respondents. Subsequent
suggestions for handling these types of problems included better
road maintenance and repair, increased funding and taxing for
roadway maintenance, and more snow removal on roadways and sidewalks.
Education was the answer most commonly
suggested by respondents citing crime as the most serious public
safety concern. Solutions to crime also included suggestions
that laws be changed to be harsher on criminals and that government
fund more police. Only three respondents specifically suggested
that a solution to crime was public involvement and awareness.
Most commonly, tougher laws and
longer sentences were suggested for drinking and driving problems.
Other suggestions included more law enforcement related to drinking
and driving and education and educational campaigns.
For problems with law enforcement
services the suggested remedies included calls for more law enforcement
officers, more funding for law enforcement, and more and better
training for law enforcement officers.
Suggestions for how to deal with
violence and violent crime, cited as the most serious public
safety problem by five per cent, mirrored suggestions for other
public safety concerns, with proposals for more law enforcement
resources, and newer and tougher laws against violence, but respondents
also believe that families and citizens need to become more involved
and that education is also a solution.
Conclusion
Based on the information received
from this survey, Alaskans have diverse opinions concerning both
the nature of the problems facing their communities and the solutions
to those problems. The data obtained seem to support community-by-community
assessment and prioritizing of problems.
Future Forum articles will present additional findings from the longer study from which this article was taken.
