Author(s)

Richard Lewis Jr., Joanne Ford-Robertson, Dohnyka Dennard

Department of Sociology, University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA.

This research effort examines two aspects of quality of life within an inner city neighborhood: community connectedness and safety. Based on the current literature, it was hypothesized that inner city residents would exhibit relatively low levels of community connectedness as well as low levels of perceived safe living conditions in their community. These two broad areas were analyzed by utilizing a variety of predictor variables including age cohorts, race, gender, educational attainment, employment status, and length of community resident status. Data collection was accomplished through surveying adult residents by utilizing a systematic random sample design. The research findings suggested that resident perceptions of the neighborhood were quite different from the general assertions made about inner city neighborhoods in the extant literature. Overall, residents indicated they felt safe across a number of safety indicators with race, educational attainment, employment status, age, and length of residence in the neighborhood having relatively no influence on these perceptions. Regarding community connectedness perceptions, resident responses were quite positive. Based on the findings, the research hypothesis was not supported.

Connectedness, Geographic Segregation, Inequality, Institutional Discrimination

Lewis Jr., R. , Ford-Robertson, J. and Dennard, D. (2016) Inner City Quality of Life: A Case Study of Community Consciousness and Safety Perceptions among Neighborhood Residents. Open Access Library Journal, 3, 1-11. doi: 10.4236/oalib.1103128.