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Curated

Detroit Area Study, 2001: Quality of Life in the Metro-Detroit Area (ICPSR 29441)

Released/updated on: 2011-04-11

Geographic coverage: Detroit, United States, Michigan

The 2001 Detroit Area Study (DAS) is a survey of over 4,300 adults in metro Detroit and addresses their perceptions, expectations, satisfaction, and behaviors associated with community living. The 2001 DAS, conducted in the spring and summer 2001, consisted of two parts. Initially, face-to-face interviews were conducted with a probability sample of 315 adult respondents (18 years of age and older) living in the tri-county area of Wayne, Oakland, and Macomb Counties. Subsequently, a questionnaire was mailed to a sample of adults throughout the seven counties; 4,077 were returned. Response rates were 59.8 percent for the face-to-face sample and 56.7 percent for the mail sample. In addition to survey responses, DAS 2001 compiled contextual information about the minor civil divisions (MCDs) or communities and environments associated with each respondent. Contextual information includes housing and demographic characteristics, land use characteristics, and other characteristics of the communities where respondents live (growth rates, employment, school information). Questions on the survey asked about residential history; public services and transportation; government and taxes; schools; police; parks, recreation and where kids play; shopping and other community issues; community participation and involvement; neighborhood and neighboring; housing and prospective mobility; safety; employment and journey to work; health and health care facilities; other Detroit and regional issues; demographics; and observations. The 2001 DAS presents a unique opportunity to explore and record changes over time by measuring people's opinions and behaviors and the conditions in their communities. The 2001 DAS is different from earlier DAS surveys in several ways. First, the study has been expanded from three to seven counties in southeast Michigan, often referred to as the metro Detroit area. That is, the study contacted residents in Livingston, Macomb, Monroe, Oakland, St. Clair, Wayne, and Washtenaw counties and in the city of Detroit. Second, the number of people contacted is greatly increased using a combination of face-to-face interviews and questionnaires sent by mail. Over 4,000 households in the region were contacted. Third, the questionnaires were designed in consultation with stakeholder groups representing government, industry, and nonprofit organizations in the region. Finally, indicators associated with the sampled households are being compiled and analyzed (along with the survey responses) using statistical and spatial analytic techniques including Geographic Information Systems (GIS).

Curated

Quality of Life in the Detroit Metropolitan Area, 1975 (ICPSR 7986)

Released/updated on: 1992-02-16

Geographic coverage: Detroit, United States, Michigan

This study of 1,194 adults in Wayne, Oakland, and Macomb counties in Detroit in 1975 was part of an extensive research project designed to produce important theoretical and operationally useful research results on the urban environment and quality of life. Respondents were either the head, or the spouse of the head, of household. The sample provided adequate representation of both Detroit itself and the surrounding area, and of racial and economic subgroups. It was taken from the geographic area defined as the 1971 Detroit SMSA, which included Wayne, Oakland, and Macomb counties. Data were gathered on population, housing, and neighborhood characteristics, including percentagized data on age groups, unemployment rate, labor force, occupancy and vacancy rate, tenureship, single family ownership, ownership or rental by racial groups, crime rate, injuries, and ejection. Respondents were asked about the public transportation system, schools, recreational opportunities, public safety, housing, and sanitation in their neighborhood. Other items probed respondents' feelings about their neighborhood, work, the Detroit tri-county area in relative terms, preferred place to live in the United States and reasons for their choice, future unemployment in the Detroit tri-county area, city officials, taxes and the variety of local services taxes were used for, and use of violence to effect social change. Additional items probed respondents opinions about private schools, quality of public schools, the police, neighborhood problems, and integrated neighborhoods, as well as recreational activities. Also probed were respondents' satisfaction with their life, time spent with family, marriage, housing, government's recreational facilities for children in their neighborhood, and the quality and price of foods in supermarkets. Background items specify age, date of birth, education, race, shades of skin color, marital status, personality type, family income, employment, religion, labor union membership, previous residence, household size and composition, home ownership, and length of stay in neighborhood.

Curated

Security by Design: Revitalizing Urban Neighborhoods in the United States, 1994-1996 (ICPSR 2777)

Released/updated on: 2005-11-04

Geographic coverage: United States

Time period: 1994-01-01--1996-01-01

This study was designed to collect comprehensive data on the types of "crime prevention through environmental design" (CPTED) methods used by cities of 30,000 population and larger, the extent to which these methods were used, and their perceived effectiveness. A related goal was to discern trends, variations, and expansion of CPTED principles traditionally employed in crime prevention and deterrence. "Security by design" stems from the theory that proper design and effective use of the built environment can lead to a reduction in the incidence and fear of crime and an improvement in quality of life. Examples are improving street lighting in high-crime locations, traffic re-routing and control to hamper drug trafficking and other crimes, inclusion of security provisions in city building codes, and comprehensive review of planned development to ensure careful consideration of security. To gather these data, the United States Conference of Mayors (USCM), which had previously studied a variety of issues including the fear of crime, mailed a survey to the mayors of 1,060 cities in 1994. Follow-up surveys were sent in 1995 and 1996. The surveys gathered information about the role of CPTED in a variety of local government policies and procedures, local ordinances, and regulations relating to building, local development, and zoning. Information was also collected on processes that offered opportunities for integrating CPTED principles into local development or redevelopment and the incorporation of CPTED into decisions about the location, design, and management of public facilities. Questions focused on whether the city used CPTED principles, which CPTED techniques were used (architectural features, landscaping and landscape materials, land-use planning, physical security devices, traffic circulation systems, or other), the city department with primary responsibility for ensuring compliance with CPTED zoning ordinances/building codes and other departments that actively participated in that enforcement (mayor's office, fire department, public works department, planning department, city manager, economic development office, police department, building department, parks and recreation, zoning department, city attorney, community development office, or other), the review process for proposed development, security measures for public facilities, traffic diversion and control, and urban beautification programs. Respondents were also asked about other security-by-design features being used, including whether they were mandatory or optional, if optional, how they were instituted (legislation, regulation, state building code, or other), and if applicable, how they were legislated (city ordinance, city resolution, or state law). Information was also collected on the perceived effectiveness of each technique, if local development regulations existed regarding convenience stores, if joint code enforcement was in place, if banks, neighborhood groups, private security agencies, or other groups were involved in the traffic diversion and control program, and the responding city's population, per capita income, and form of government.