Safe Passage Perception Study Final Report

Rainier Beach’s Safe Passage Program: A Community Perception Study

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RAINIER BEACH’S SAFE PASSAGE PROGRAM A Community Perception Study

Report to Safe Passage and

Rainier Beach: A Beautiful Safe Place for Youth Initiative June 2015

Sociology


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REPORT AUTHORS (in alphabetical order)

Karl Chocensky John Collins Lonny Dara Elnaz Fani Chantel Frett Olivia Godsil Celine LaVigne Naomi Ngo Mark Noel Ferdinand Orbino Jordan Schultz Tammy Soeun Ting Song Skylar Steffy Dana Washington

INSTRUCTOR

ManChui R. Leung, MPH, Ph.D. Candidate


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LIST OF FIGURES

Figure 1. Average of “Community Cares about Youth” by Group ...................................... 15

Figure 2. Average of “Youth Care about Community” by Group ............................................ 16

Figure 3. Average of “Easy to Get Involved” by Group ........................................................... 17

Figure 4. Average of “Familiarity with Safe Passage by Group .......................................... 19

Figure 5. Average of “Safe Passage is Effective” by Group ................................................... 20

Figure 6. Average Student Responses by Grade ....................................................................... 24

Figure 7. Average Responses of “SP is Effective” and “Easy to Get Involved, by Age 26

Figure 8. Average Familiarity by Business Location .............................................................. 28

Figure 9. Average Familiarity by Race and Ethnicity (Business) ...................................... 29

Figure 10. Average Effectiveness by Immigrant Status (Business) .................................. 29

Figure 11. Average Community Organization Responses by Type ................................... 31

Figure 12. Average Community Organization Responses by SP Involvement ............. 32

Figure 13. Distance from RB Campus vs. Familiarity and Community Made Safer .... 33

Figure 14. Average Responses Teachers vs. Counselors ...................................................... 34


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TABLE OF CONTENTS Abstract ...................................................................................................................................................... 1 Introduction & Purpose ........................................................................................................................ 2 Background .............................................................................................................................................. 4 Theoretical Framework ........................................................................................................................ 7 Research Questions ............................................................................................................................ 10 Methodology .......................................................................................................................................... 10

Sample: Priority Populations ............................................................................................ 10 Sampling Methods and Field Protocols ......................................................................... 12 Data Collection Method: Surveys ..................................................................................... 13 Data Analysis Protocol ......................................................................................................... 14

Findings 1. Collective Efficacy in the Rainier Beach Community........................................... 15 2. Community Perceptions: Awareness of Safe Passage ......................................... 19

2a. Blue Coats as (Potential) Role Models ..................................................... 21 2b. Differences across Groups and Demographics ..................................... 23

Students ........................................................................................................ 23 Residents ...................................................................................................... 25 Businesses .................................................................................................... 27 Community Organizations ..................................................................... 30 Teacher & Counselors.............................................................................. 34 Police .............................................................................................................. 36 Blue Coats ..................................................................................................... 37

3. Factors Affecting Network Participation ................................................................ 38 Businesses .................................................................................................................. 38 Community Organizations ................................................................................... 39

Conclusion and Discussion ............................................................................................................... 41 Discussion: Age Patterns .................................................................................................... 42 Discussion: Immigrant Status Patterns ........................................................................ 43 Discussion: Blue Coats as Effective Guardians & Handlers .................................. 44

Strengths and Limitations ............................................................................................................... 45 Recommendations ............................................................................................................................... 47 References .............................................................................................................................................. 50 Appendix ................................................................................................................................................. 51


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ABSTRACT

To combat the persistent issues of youth crime and perceptions of Rainier Beach

being an unsafe place, the Safe Passage Program was implemented in March 2015 as a

non-arrest strategy to address youth crime and increase community engagement at the

Rainier Beach campus. We surveyed neighborhood students, residents, businesses,

community organizations, teachers and counselors, police and the Blue Coats (n=244) to

measure the Rainier Beach community’s level of collective efficacy, their initial awareness

and perceptions of Safe Passage, and the factors affecting participation in the Safe Passage

Network. Results revealed a moderately high level of collective efficacy, high levels of

belief and support of Safe Passage, but low levels of awareness. Currently, there are few

Safe Passage Network members, but high desire among all surveyed for more information.

We also found that high school youth, businesses, and immigrants may need more

targeted and tailored outreach because of their lower familiarity and lower levels of

thinking Safe Passage was effective.


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INTRODUCTION & PURPOSE

In the Seattle area, Rainier Beach has a reputation for being a high crime

neighborhood. Some residents have vocalized concerns about having to alter their routes

in certain areas and actively avoiding or limiting their time in those locations due to

perceptions of danger. Five such areas within the neighborhood have been identified as

places where crime is concentrated. Criminologists and sociologists have labeled these

areas as crime “hotspots.” These hotspots in Rainier Beach are not isolated areas in the

margins of the neighborhood, but are actually high-traffic hubs of community activity

throughout the day. The five hotspots include: Rainier and Henderson, a central area for

public transportation, schools, and services; Safeway, a large chain grocery store; Rainier

Beach Light Rail, a public transportation station; Lake Washington Apartments, a large,

low-income apartment complex and park; and Rose Street, a mixed-use area with low-

income housing, market rate homes, and locally owned businesses and services.

The intersection at Rainier and Henderson is a popular area for youth to

congregate from the time that school lets out. It has also been identified as one of the

neighborhood hotspots with higher levels of youth crime and victimization. In a 2014

study performed by The Seattle Neighborhood Group, findings showed that there is a

measurable increase in crime from 12pm to 8pm in this neighborhood. Compared to other

times during the day, there is a 100% increase in crime during these hours. Additionally,

the amount of crime being committed by people under 25 years of age mirrors the amount

being committed by their older counterparts during these hours (Seattle Neighborhood

Group 2014). As large crowds of unsupervised students flood the Rainier and Henderson

hotspot and its immediate areas, the spike in youth-involved criminal activities (primarily

assault, robbery, and vandalism) has become a major concern for residents, businesses,

and schools. In addition, there are low school attendance rates for youth and a lack of age-

appropriate structured activities within the neighborhood during afterschool hours.

Student boredom fueled by the scarcity of activities, combined with a lack of adult

supervision, contribute to the likelihood that youth will involve themselves in disorderly

activities such as loitering, fighting, and bullying. Another factor that exacerbates these


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problems is that there are many areas hidden from public view and lack adult monitoring

and supervision that make the neighborhood feel unsafe for youth walking home.

Rather than condemning local youth and leaving them with crippling arrest

records that often perpetuate more criminal activity and disadvantage them into

adulthood, the Rainier Beach community, along with public and academic partners,

launched A Beautiful Safe Place for Youth Initiative to offer prosocial activities and

positive role models for adolescents. With the interest of improving relationships between

youth, the community, and law enforcement, while also creating an environment that is

supportive of the success of its young residents, A Beautiful Safe Place for Youth Initiative

recently implemented a non-arrest intervention known as the Safe Passage Program.

Rather than targeting individual youth, Safe Passage uses a place-based approach

that assumes there is something about the physical and social environment which

promotes the convergence of elements necessary for criminal incidents to occur. Due to

the cluster of Rainier Beach schools and the community center making it a place most

frequented by youth on a daily basis, the Safe Passage Program is being implemented at

the Rainier Beach campus, which encompasses the Rainier and Henderson hotspot and its

surrounding area. The goals of our proposed research project are to gain a better

understanding of the Rainier Beach community’s initial response to the Safe Passage

Program and to better understand the motivations and obstacles for getting involved as a

Safe Passage Network member.


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BACKGROUND

To better understand the need for the Safe Passage Program, it is important to

understand some of the history of the neighborhood. After years of segregation, redlining,

and other policies designed to prevent people of color and immigrants from settling in

other parts of the city, Rainier Beach is one of the most diverse neighborhoods, with some

of the lowest income levels in Seattle (www.city-data.com). Historically, it has been a

beacon for groups of people trying to escape from poverty, persecution, discrimination,

and other hardships. These groups include immigrants from Africa, Asia, Latin America,

and the Pacific, as well as African American migrants from the southern United States,

who have all made Rainier Beach a vibrant and diverse neighborhood. Although those

coming from places near and far may have escaped their old environments and have built

new communities, many have come to acknowledge that the problems they formerly

faced, such as crime, have persisted in their daily lives.

By engaging leadership from community-based and neighborhood organizations,

directly involving Rainier Beach community members, and partnering with public

agencies, A Beautiful Safe Place for Youth Initiative formed in 2014 with aims to reduce

and prevent youth violence and improve neighborhood safety. To achieve these aims, they

focused on identifying pressing safety problems involving youth, conducted evidence-

based research on the sources of neighborhood crime, and implemented non-arrest

strategies to reduce youth crime and victimization.

Taking a unique approach to youth and crime, A Beautiful Safe Place for Youth

Initiative focuses on the importance of physical place-based factors that contribute to

crime and victimization. Identified as crime hotspots, five locations in the neighborhood

were shown as having a higher rate of crime. Criminal offenses at hotspots include, but are

not limited to: simple assault, robbery, theft, disorderly/disruptive behavior, noise

disturbances, loitering, panhandling, underage drinking, and suspicious persons or

vehicles.


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What is it about these places that attracts criminal activity and perpetuates a

negative reputation? The relationship between the physical environment, criminal activity

and perceptions of safety are detailed in Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design

(CPTED) studies on the five hotspots. The CPTED reports discuss site activity patterns

(pathways and crime rates), the level of natural surveillance (day and night), the presence

of access control (fences and locks), the presence of territorial definitions (signage), the

current image and reputation of the areas (perception), and the level of community

involvement in the place. Some examples of environmental issues that affect crime and

safety include: litter, lack of fencing, lack of appropriate signage, clutter in the front

windows of businesses, overgrown foliage, poor or nonexistent lighting for pathways and

bus stops, empty lots, abandoned and non-working light posts, and even an old phone-

booth that is a magnet for trash and human waste. The CPTED reports end by offering

practical recommendations to the problems reported.

The Safe Passage Program, modeled after similar programs in Chicago and Los

Angeles, gives resources and support to reduce youth victimization and crime in the

Rainier Beach campus using non-arrest strategies. Implemented by the Seattle Youth

Violence Prevention Initiative and the Boys and Girls Club of King County, Safe Passage

aims to increase adult guardianship around Rainier and Henderson when there is a high

concentration of youth in the area, and to encourage the community to come together as a

network to promote neighborhood and youth safety and prosocial activities. These efforts

will hopefully make the neighborhood a safer place for youth and change the reputation of

the Rainier and Henderson hotspot to being a safe and inviting place.

The Safe Passage Program began in March 2015 and operates between the hours of

2pm to 6pm, Monday through Friday. Safe Passage provides safe, pre-determined routes

for youth when they leave school and travel between home and extra-curricular activities.

Throughout these routes are Community Safety Specialists: trained employees wearing

blue coats that say “Be Safe” who patrol the area periodically. The Community Safety

Specialists, more commonly referred to as the “Blue Coats,” are trained for non-arrest

interventions such as conflict de-escalation tactics, which help reduce youth interaction


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with law enforcement. They are also there to guide youth to more prosocial afterschool

activities. Ideally, the presence of the Blue Coats will encourage youth to be more involved

in prosocial activities and the amount of delinquent behavior will decrease. Another hope

is that the youth in these areas will be shielded from negative behavior and criminal

activity around them, reducing their risk for crime involvement and victimization. Safe

Passage also aims to be a catalyst for mobilizing the Rainier Beach community to support

youth development and neighborhood safety.

Citywide and community partners are also pivotal to the success of the Safe

Passage Program, and include but are not limited to: Rainier Beach Moving Forward,

Seattle Neighborhood Group, Seattle Police Department, Seattle Parks and Recreation,

Boys & Girls Club of King County, as well as various agencies at the City of Seattle. These

partnerships ostensibly provide the Safe Passage Program with resources and support to

implement their vision for the community. Despite a strong and clear vision, Safe Passage

faces challenges in attempting to build collective efficacy (the willingness of community

members to intervene on behalf of a common good) at the neighborhood level. While

there is plenty of research on the effects of collective efficacy itself, there is far less

research on how to build collective efficacy at a large neighborhood scale. An interesting

study found that collective efficacy within families could be improved in one area, such as

conflict resolution, by improvement in another area, such as recreational challenge (Wells

et al. 2004). While this “spill-over effect” of collective efficacy in the family is interesting

and promising, the family unit is very different and much smaller than a diverse urban

neighborhood. With its involvement of youth, schools, parents, community services, and

local businesses on improving neighborhood safety, Safe Passage offers an opportunity for

the building of collective efficacy across multiple groups at the neighborhood level. Our

proposed study aims to examine how the Safe Passage Program builds collective efficacy

in Rainier Beach to address youth and neighborhood safety, and discuss its strengths and

challenges.


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THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK

Productive and safe communities prosper when they can have collective efficacy.

Collective efficacy is social cohesion among neighbors combined with their willingness to

intervene on behalf of a common good (Sampson 1997). Social cohesion is tightly-knit or

strong ties between people, whereas collective efficacy refers to the ability for these

tightly-knit people to come together to create and maintain a safe and orderly

environment according to shared norms and values. In understanding our research with

regard to Rainier Beach, collective efficacy has a large role in the processes that prevents

criminal activities and delinquent behaviors. The Safe Passage Program’s emergence may

be a sign of Rainier Beach’s increasing collective efficacy, as it requests community

members to intervene in situations involving youth and be more invested in actively

promoting safety in the community.

Collective efficacy is effective largely because of social control, which is the

enforcement of rules upon the behaviors of groups and individuals with the goal of

harmony (Sampson et al. 1997). There are two forms of social control: informal and

formal. Informal social control is based on social mores (norms, customs, and behaviors),

where residents achieve public order and regulate community members through social

sanctions and interventions (Drakulich et al. 2013). Formal social control is official: rule-

based mechanisms by institutions achieve public order, such as law enforcement

(Drakulich et al. 2013). The Safe Passage Program is an example of a unique, newly-

emerging combination of informal and formal social control, especially with regard to the

Community Safety Specialists, or Blue Coats. These Blue Coats are present to intervene

when fights, drug use, or non-serious crimes arise. Even though the Blue Coats are

community members and mostly rely on informal social control, they also aim to hold a

level of authority over the community, instead of relying on the state (i.e. police). In order

to gain a more thorough understanding of the Safe Passage Program, the following

supporting theories connect collective efficacy, neighborhood perception, and Rainier

Beach’s hotspots.


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Place-based crime theories explain why crime happens and the reasons behind

why the locations covered by the Safe Passage Program are crime hotspots. Routine

activity theory is the idea that offenders have good timing: they are in the same place at

the same time as the victim (Eck 1995). For example, the theory relies on the crime

triangle, suggesting that handlers, guardians, and place managers (roles that serve as

buffers to criminal activity) must be either absent or ineffective at the time and place of

the crime for the offender to be successful (Center 2015). The inside of the triangle

consists of the victim, the place, and the offender. On the outside of the triangle are roles

that help to prevent crime: guardians, place managers, and handlers (Center 2015).

Guardians primarily protect potential victims from victimization, place managers

maintain the places in which crime may occur, and handlers exert influence on potential

offenders with whom they share a close bond in order to prevent said offenders from

committing a crime (Center 2015).

Within the context of Safe Passage, the Blue Coats, and the Safe Passage Network,

members will act as guardians, handlers, and place-managers that exert influence on and

regulate the behaviors of youth by maintaining a presence on the streets and parks in and

around the Rainier Beach campus with the goal of decreasing youth victimization and

crime. To elaborate on the function of place managers, businesses and organizations in the

Safe Passage Network are encouraged to invest in place maintenance and keeping the

facades of businesses in good shape as a means of discouraging criminal activity, aligning

with the broken windows theory, which suggests that disorder breeds disorder (Wilson

1982). Additionally, Safe Passage Network members provide a safe escape at their “place”

when youth wish to quickly avoid nearby danger. The idea of incorporating the

dimensions of the crime triangle is that if the Safe Passage Network can strengthen these

aspects that deter crime, there will be a decrease in youth victimization and crime and an

increase in the perception of neighborhood safety.

Neighborhood narrative frames influence if and how people get involved in or

support community issues. Neighborhood narrative frames are dynamic perceptions

individuals have about the neighborhood based on their experience, which have the


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ability to either incite or sustain collective organization in the neighborhood (Drakulich et

al. 2013). For example, the reputation and perceptions of Rainier and Henderson being an

unsafe place may compel some people to get involved in addressing problems of safety or

it may affirm people avoiding the area or accepting it as “the norm” in Rainier Beach. The

various neighborhood narrative frames held by different groups in the Rainier Beach

community may facilitate our understanding of the initial perceptions of the Safe Passage

Network, or even be shaped by the Safe Passage Program.

By gathering the main ideas of collective efficacy, neighborhood perception, and

routine activity theory, we can begin to understand the reasons the Safe Passage Program

was initiated, ways to reduce crime in hotspots, and how to interpret current social

conditions in Rainier Beach. Social cohesion and control get to the heart of why youth

crime in Rainier Beach is high and the ways that the Safe Passage Program is attempting

to affect change by fostering increased collective efficacy. Our research will provide a

means to better grasp to what extent social cohesion exists in the Rainier Beach

community and how it affects reactions to the Safe Passage Program. Routine activity

theory helps us understand these hotspots, particularly with regard to the crime triangle

and the role of Safe Passage in increasing the presence and effectiveness of guardians,

place managers, and handlers. Ultimately, all of these theories will guide our research and

assist us in gleaning the perspective of Rainier Beach from the community level to the

individual level, from which we can determine Rainier Beach’s initial response and the

motivations and obstacles of becoming involved in the Safe Passage Network.


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RESEARCH QUESTIONS

With the goals of gaining a better understanding of the Rainier Beach community’s

initial response to the Safe Passage Program and the motivation and obstacles for getting

involved as a Safe Passage Network member, our study is guided by the following

research questions:

1. What is the level of collective efficacy in the Rainier Beach community?

2. What is the community perception of the Safe Passage Program?

a. What is the level of awareness of the Safe Passage Program?

b. What are the differences across community groups and demographics?

3. What factors affect participation in the Safe Passage Network?

METHODOLOGY

Sample: Priority Populations

We have tailored data collection for seven priority populations:

1. High school students from Rainier Beach High School

2. Individual Rainier Beach residents

3. Small and large businesses in the Rainier Beach business district

4. Community organizations serving residents in Rainier Beach

5. Teachers and counselors at Rainier Beach High School

6. Seattle Police Department working in Rainier Beach

7. Blue Coats


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Below is justification for the priority populations, and the method of data collection.

High school students at Rainier Beach High School

We prioritized high school students over lower grades because this age range is involved

with the majority of youth crime as both perpetrators and targets of victimization in the

hotspots. Additionally, this age range is the most likely to be unsupervised after school

and in need of age appropriate prosocial activities. We administered short anonymous

surveys to high school students in classes on May 6, 2015.

Individual residents

The voices of individual residents that were not represented by the other groups were

prioritized to gauge a general awareness of the Safe Passage Program and their perception

of safety in the neighborhood. We conducted short anonymous surveys in the street, the

Rainier Beach community center, community events, and nearby residential apartment

complexes.

Small and large businesses

Businesses are part of the human and built environment that influence crime patterns,

especially in crime hotspots. Their participation in the “safety zone” and the Safe Passage

Network is key to the program’s success. We conducted short confidential surveys with

owners, managers, and workers of businesses located close to all the neighborhood

hotspots: Rainier and Henderson, Safeway, Light Rail, Rose Street and Lake Washington.

We obtained a current list of Safe Passage Network members to know which businesses

have signed on.

Community organizations

Community organizations represent the varied interests and perspectives of community

members. They have the ability to influence many people and mobilize residents around

Safe Passage. We conducted short confidential surveys in-person or over the phone with

select organizations that were active in the Rainier Beach neighborhood and engaged with

residents across multiple domains such as religion, culture, and recreation.


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Teachers and counselors at Rainier Beach High School

We prioritized teachers and counselors because of their regular contact with youth over

many years and student cohorts. We conducted short confidential surveys in-person with

select teachers and counselors across different subject areas and job descriptions.

Seattle Police Department

The engagement of the Seattle Police Department is important because the Safe Passage

Program is a non-arrest intervention that is part of the larger initiative to improve

relationships between community, youth and police, and to reduce youth crime. Their

partnership is key for the success of Safe Passage, so it is valuable to understand their

perspective. We conducted short surveys in-person or over the phone with officers that

patrol the Rainier Beach area.

Blue Coats

The Blue Coats are the central figures of the Safe Passage Program. In addition to their

daily functions on the streets, they are a visual symbol of a safe neighborhood. Their

unique perspective on how the interactions between youth and their social and physical

environment have changed since the beginning of the program is important for program

sustainability. We conducted short confidential surveys in-person.

Sampling Methods & Field Protocols

For every group prioritized for surveying, we chose selection criteria for sampling.

For example, businesses were included that faced Rainier Avenue from South Kenyon to

Seward Park, and South Henderson from Seward Park to Martin Luther King Jr. Way.

Teachers, counselors, and students were only chosen from Rainier Beach High School.

We were able to obtain a census of some groups (students, teachers, counselors,

businesses, police, Blue Coats) but for not for others (residents and community


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organizations). We used convenience or snowball sampling methods for some groups

(residents, teachers, community organizations, police) which limits the generalizability of

our findings. For other groups, we were able to systematically sample the majority of the

population (businesses, students, counselors, Blue Coats) which allows us to generalize

our findings more confidently. For all groups sampled, we had a high response rate,

ranging from 52% to 100%.

Our final sample consisted of 244 respondents: 107 students; 67 residents; 12

teachers and counselors; 29 businesses; 22 community organization representatives

(from 11 organizations); 4 police officers; and 3 Blue Coats.

We adhered to a strict field protocol, broken up by before, during, and after field

work; this ensured we were prepared for multiple scenarios, maximized our learning, and

that we were acting respectfully towards the Rainier Beach community. We were given a

checklist for fieldwork and our schedules were coordinated to diversify data collection

times and days. During field work, we always went out with at least one other person. Our

protocol covered how to talk with different community members, safety, and post-survey

discussion with our field partners on our experiences. After field work, our protocols

focused on ensuring reliable data. This was done by logging data directly after field work

and keeping original documents. During data collection, we wrote reflections on our

fieldwork and discussed our experiences in class. We made revisions to tools and field

protocols as needed.

Data Collection Method: Surveys

Our study employed primary data collection to address our research questions.

Our main methods were short surveys that included Likert scale questions, and depending

on the sample population, some open-ended questions. For each population surveyed, we

asked five questions on: 1) the level of familiarity with the Safe Passage Program;


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2) whether they think Safe Passage is an effective way to reduce youth crime and

victimization; 3) how much they think the community cares about youth; 4) how much

they think youth care about the community; and 5) the level of ease in getting involved in

community activities. Business and community organizations were also asked: 1) their

reasons for getting involved in Safe Passage; and 2) what would make it more attractive

for getting involved. In addition to common questions, each survey also had unique

questions tailored for their population. For example, students were asked if they felt safer

in the streets since Safe Passage started. Police, teachers, and counselors were asked if

they thought Safe Passage would have a lasting effect on neighborhood youth crime.

Teachers and counselors were asked if they overheard students talking about the Blue

Coats, businesses were asked how confident they felt about preventing crime in their

places of business, and Blue Coats were asked if they saw any differences in youth

behavior (see Appendix A-G, Surveys by population).

Data Analysis Protocol

For the quantitative analysis, the responses were averaged by group surveyed and

by demographics using Microsoft Excel. This allowed us to conduct comparisons within

and across survey groups. We also conducted regression analysis to address any

confounding effect with the entire sample using Stata. For qualitative analysis, we

reviewed and discussed responses that triangulated our findings or highlighted unique

perspectives from each group surveyed. We also discussed common themes that emerged

among multiple groups and highlighted those in our findings. All our findings were

discussed and refined multiple times within small work groups and with the entire class.


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FINDINGS: COLLECTIVE EFFICACY in the RAINIER BEACH COMMUNITY

The following figures show the results to three questions measuring collective

efficacy in the Rainier Beach community. Each bar represents the average response by

each surveyed group. The far left bar is the total average for all the groups.

Figure 1 presents responses to the question, “I think the Rainier Beach community

cares about our local youth." The average response from all respondents was 4.07 (agree).

Students, residents, and businesses had a similar level of response to the total average.

Community organizations, teachers and counselors, police, and Blue Coats had 0.25 to

0.66 points higher average (between agree and strongly agree).

Groups more active in the community (community organizations and police) and

those directly involved with youth (teachers and counselors, Blue Coats) answered more

favorably, likely due to their respective goals and the nature of their work.


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In a separate statistical analysis, not shown, we found that young people (0-17

years of age) compared with adults age 31-50, were less likely (by 0.35 points) to think

that the Rainier Beach community cares about youth. The finding was statistically

significant with a p-value of less than 0.05, meaning there is a less than 5% chance that the

difference we found between these groups' responses was due to chance.

Figure 2 presents responses to the question "I think the local youth care about the

Rainier Beach community." The average response from all respondents was 3.42, falling

between neutral and agree. Students, residents, and community organizations had a

similar level of response to the total average. Businesses and police responded 0.16 to

0.31 points lower than total average (closer to neutral). Teachers and counselors and Blue

Coats had 0.34 to 0.59 points higher than total average (closer to agree).

Compared with responses about the community caring about youth, the responses

to youth caring about community shows an overall drop in averages. Those with frequent

direct involvement with local youth, and whose goals include helping those youth succeed

(teachers and counselors, Blue Coats) responded with the highest averages. Businesses


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and police had the lowest averages, possibly because the nature of their work exposes

them disproportionately to delinquent youth and leads them to form more negative

perceptions than other respondents.

Figure 3 presents responses to the question "I think it is easy for Rainier Beach

residents to get involved in the community in some way.” The average response from all

respondents was 3.79, falling between neutral and agree. All groups, except for teachers,

counselors, and police had a similar level of response to the total average. Teachers and

counselors had the lowest level of response, with 0.38 points below the total average

(between neutral and agree), and police had the highest level of response with 0.7 above

the total average (between agree and strongly agree).

Those already involved in the community answered more positively about whether

it is easy to get involved in some way. Interestingly, the lowest response came from the

teachers and counselors, which could be due to their full schedules and not being

residents of the neighborhood.


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In a separate statistical analysis, not shown, we found that White respondents,

compared with African American/Black respondents, were significantly less likely (by

0.64 points) to think that it is easy to get involved in the community (p-value= <.001).

For all groups, the tendency was to feel positive towards community efforts on

behalf of youth. Most responses were above 3 (neutral), but very few exceeded 4 (agree).

An average of combined questions for all groups was 3.75. Overall, the Rainier Beach

community had a moderate level of collective efficacy.


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FINDINGS: COMMUNITY PERCEPTIONS: AWARENESS of SAFE PASSAGE

Figure 4 presents responses to the question, “My level of familiarity with the Safe

Passage Program “Be Safes” is.” The average response from all groups was 2.71 (between

“heard about them” and “seen them on the street, but no other knowledge”). Businesses

had the lowest (2.31) and police had the highest (5.0) level of awareness.

The low levels of familiarity most likely reflect the short amount of time Safe

Passage has been active (2 months at the time of our data collection). However, the high

levels of familiarity among teachers, counselors, and police reflect the initial Safe Passage

outreach efforts to schools and A Beautiful Safe Place for Youth network participation.


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Figure 5 presents responses to the question "I think the Safe Passage Program is an

effective way to reduce youth crime.” The average response from all groups was 3.76,

which falls between neutral and agree. Students had the lowest average (3.44) and police

had the highest (4.75) agreement with this statement.

Although the awareness levels were low, when people were informed about the

goals of Safe Passage, they agreed this was an effective way to reduce youth crime and

supported the intervention. Some residents felt that the presence of the Blue Coats was

important in making the neighborhood feel safer. One resident said, “I agree that

something needs to be done and that when kids see the Blue Coats they feel

comfortable” (Male, 31-50, African-American/Black). Another resident thought that it was

“good that more people are watching” (Female, 31-50, White). Another resident

emphasized that “it is good to think about youth crime, also having extra people to help

out with preventing crime is good assurance that it’s safe” (Female, 31-50, White).


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Community organizations, businesses, teachers and counselors seemed interested

in getting to know about Safe Passage. One respondent said “seems like a great program

and it is good to know it exists” (City-focused organization). A counselor at Rainier Beach

High School stated, “It is a good thing, but the program needs to be more vocal and so does

the community” (Male, 51+, African-American/Black).

Negative opinions of Safe Passage were few. Two residents responded with “this

community is bullshit” (Male, 31-50, African-American/Black) and with “sounds like a

terrible idea, leave it to the police” (Male, 31-50, Mixed Race). Some businesses felt that

youth crime was “out of control” (Restaurant owner) and fear of shootings was mentioned

multiple times.

Blue Coats as (Potential) Role Models

Although the Blue Coats mainly serve as guardians on the Rainier Beach campus,

their potential as role models may prove to be the function in which they will have the

greatest long-term impact on the Rainier Beach community. Survey responses from

multiple groups such as police, teachers and counselors, businesses, and the Blue Coats

themselves, emphasize that alternative role models are a major factor missing in the

neighborhood.

A business owner who had not previously heard of the Safe Passage Program or the

Blue Coats expressed that “it is a shame that there is a lack of mentors” for youth in the

community (Male, 31-50, African-American/Black). But, even though he had no prior

awareness of the program, he thought that the Blue Coats sound like a step in the right

direction toward increasing the number of positive role models in Rainier Beach.

Teachers and counselors have also expressed they would like the Blue Coats to be

role models for the students. A teacher explained that teachers are seen as authoritative

figures and students are unwilling to confide with them, versus the Blue Coats, who can be


22

looked up to (Female, 18-30, White). This relationship allows the Blue Coats to potentially

help students with their problems, and the students are more willing to confide in them.

Because the Blue Coats are from the Rainier Beach community, share the same

demographic characteristics, and are reinforcing positive behaviors, they have the ability

to influence kids in ways that other guardians may not. A Blue Coat said elementary

school children viewed them as “superheroes” (Male, 31-50, African-American/Black).

This could mean, if the program is sustained over the long time and the Blue Coats are

consistently present for multiple years or until the elementary school kids reach a mature

age, then the Blue Coats will have had a significant influence on the kids. Similarly, a police

officer reiterated that the Blue Coats are adults who once walked in the youth’s shoes

(Female, 31-50, African-American/Black). The fact that the Blue Coats want to give back

to their community and understand they can be a role model for youth is reflective of the

potential effectiveness of Safe Passage.

Overall, the Rainier Beach community had low levels of awareness of Safe Passage,

but most agreed that it could be an effective intervention in reducing youth crime.

Emphasizing that there are a lack of alternative role models for youth, many respondents

hoped that the Blue Coats could positively influence youth across all ages in addition to

providing guardianship. This indicates a moderate positive perception of the Safe Passage

Program after two months of implementation.


23

FINDINGS: DIFFERENCES ACROSS GROUPS and DEMOGRAPHICS

STUDENTS

Sample description:

We surveyed 115 students at Rainier Beach High School during their academic

success period. We found very few freshman due to state testing. As a result, we ended up

excluding them from our sample. Our final sample size of 107 students consisted of 54

females, 43 males, and 10 who did not record their gender. The grade breakdown was 41

sophomores, 32 juniors, and 20 seniors. The race breakdown was 3 White, 41 African-

American/Black, 4 Latino, 17 Asian, 7 Pacific Islander, 1 American Indian/Alaska Native,

17 other, 6 mixed race, and 11 who gave no response. Lastly, the immigration breakdown

was 35 immigrants, 49 non-immigrants, and 23 of unknown status.

Highlights:

In addition to the questions on collective efficacy and on Safe Passage awareness

and effectiveness, the students were also asked, “Since Safe Passage started, I feel safer

than before” (average 3.24) and “I like the Blue Coats. They are really helpful after

school” (average 3.27). The averages of the two questions fell between neutral and agree.

Multiple students commented that they have seen an improvement, such as “it is getting

better” (Male, Junior, African-American/Black), “I feel like the R.B. community is getting

safer due to Safe Passage being around” (Female, Junior, Pacific Islander), and “I really

appreciate all that they have done to help this community be safe” (Female, Sophomore,

African-American/Black). These comments suggest that even though there is a low level

of familiarity with the program, some students have noticed the community taking action

on trying to prevent youth victimization and crime.

There were no gender differences in the responses to all survey questions. The

only distinct racial and ethnic difference was African-Americans/Black students were the

most familiar with Safe Passage (average = 2.69) among high school students that had


24

mostly “heard about them.” We did find differences in some questions by immigrant

status. Compared with non-immigrants, immigrant students had lower averages of

familiarity with Safe Passage (2.67 vs 2.15), thinking Safe Passage was an effective way to

reduce youth crime (3.52 vs 3.23), and thinking it was easy to get involved in the

community (3.90 vs 3.53).

The most interesting findings was among grades. Figure 6 shows that sophomores

and juniors were similar to each other, except for two questions. On the question of

effectiveness of Safe Passage, sophomores had a much higher average (3.70) compared

with juniors (3.25) and seniors (3.05). Interestingly, sophomores had the lowest average

(3.07) for feeling safe since Safe Passage started compared with juniors (3.34) and seniors

(3.45). Seniors tended to have a higher average to questions of collective efficacy, their

feelings of safety since the Safe Passage started, and if they thought the Blue Coats were

helpful, despite having the least amount of familiarity (2.15) and agreeing that Safe

Passage was effective (3.05).


25

RESIDENTS

Sample description:

We surveyed 67 residents at bus stops, on the street, in front of stores and services,

inside the community center, and at community events. Our sample of residents consisted

of 30 females and 36 males. We were able to survey a similar number from each age

category: 0-13 (8), 14-17 (14), 18-30 (10), 31-50 (17), 51+ (17). 10 people surveyed

identified as an immigrant to the United States, 38 were not immigrants, and 16 did not

respond. The largest racial and ethnic group of our sample was African-American/Black

(35) followed by White (16), and Asian (8). We also had a small number of African (3),

mixed race (4) and American Indian/Alaska Native (1) respondents. Please note that

based on feedback from the community, we adjusted our survey midway through data

collection to better capture respondents of African descent such as East Africans. The

Black/African-American category may also include East Africans.

Highlights:

There were few gender differences in responses to questions about collective

efficacy, but the female average was 0.47 higher in familiarity of Safe Passage compared to

the male average. There were no differences in any of the survey questions by immigrant

status. African-American/Black respondents had the highest average of familiarity (3.25),

much more than all other racial and ethnic groups. Interestingly, we found two patterns

with age. Figure 7 shows with each increase in age category, there is an increase in the

agreement that Safe Passage was effective in reducing youth crime. However, also with

each increase in age category, there was a decrease in the agreement that it is easy to get

involved in the community. This suggests that even though adults may be supportive of

Safe Passage, it may be a challenge to get them involved in the network.

Some residents commented on the possible limits of Safe Passage effectiveness:

“the Blue Coats provide a community presence that makes the neighborhood more


26

comfortable, but I wouldn't say they reduce crime (Male, 31-50, White). A young person

commented, “it is a good idea. There is a lot of crime. It is good it is getting handled before

they get locked up” (Female, 14-17, Native). A couple of residents commented that

awareness needed to be improved among immigrants and the elderly.


27

BUSINESSES

Sample description:

We surveyed 29 businesses facing Rainier Avenue South (between South Kenyon

and Seward Park Avenue South) and South Henderson (between Martin Luther King Jr.

and Seward Park Avenue South). The sample included 1 member of the Safe Passage

Network. Only one survey was administered per business. Our survey consisted of two

facets: a general survey applicable to anyone and a second section reserved for individuals

with decision-making power. There were 9 respondents without decision-making power

and 20 with said authority. 11 respondents were immigrants and 17 were non-

immigrants. As expected, the community was quite diverse: we had 3 Latino, 4 White, 4

mixed race, 8 African-American/Black, and 9 Asian respondents, and 1 non-response.

There were 11 females and 17 males, and 1 non-response. Most respondents were adults

age 31+.

Only 9 of the businesses we surveyed were chains, thus the other 20 were locally

owned. We divided the businesses into four types: 7 Groceries, 9 Restaurants, 6 Retailers,

and 7 Services. The average percent of customers that are youth at the 29 businesses was

27%. Youth frequented food-related businesses the most with the average percent youth

being 29% among restaurants, 28.57% among groceries, 21% among retailers and

17.14% among services. We surveyed 5 main locations: 3 businesses were considered to

be near Rose Street (businesses north of Metro PCS), 4 businesses were at the Light Rail

(businesses west of Bank of America), 10 businesses were located around the Rainier and

Henderson intersection, 5 businesses were near Safeway (businesses south and east of

Jack in the Box all the way to and including Subway), and 7 businesses were southeast of

the Safeway zone (businesses southeast of Subway).


28

Highlights:

For questions on level of familiarity of Safe Passage and for agreement on

effectiveness, the average among businesses was less than 3. African-American/Black

respondents had a higher level of awareness with an average of 3.13, compared to other

races which ranged from 1.25 to 2.50. Service-oriented businesses were the least likely to

know about Safe Passage (average 2.00) but think it would be effective (average 4.13). We

found the most important factors to be immigration status and location, while business

type and race were somewhat less important. Non-immigrants were far more likely to

want more information regardless of level of awareness. Businesses farther from the

campus, like the Light Rail and southeast of Safeway, were prone to have less knowledge

of Safe Passage (averages of 1.00 and 1.14, respectively) compared with Rainier and

Henderson which had an average of 2.8.

Figure 8 presents data on familiarity of Safe Passage by location. Using Rainier and

Henderson (2.80) as our reference, the level of awareness from businesses decreased by

1.80 at the Light Rail and 1.66 southeast of Safeway. Businesses near Rose Street and

Safeway believed they knew the most about Safe Passage and had 0.87 and 0.4 higher

averages than the Rainier and Henderson location.


29

Figure 9 shows that African-

American/Black respondents had

the highest level of awareness of

Safe Passage (3.13), followed by

mixed race respondents (2.50),

Asian respondents (2.22), and

Latino respondents (2.00). White

respondents had the lowest level of

awareness (1.25).

Figure 10 shows that non-

immigrants perceived that Safe

Passage could be more effective

than their immigrant

counterparts by 0.73 points.

This is a much larger difference

than the difference between

immigrants and non-immigrants

with regard to familiarity with

Safe Passage (less than 0.2

points). Therefore, even though both immigrants and non-immigrants were for the most

part unfamiliar with Safe Passage, non-immigrants generally thought it would be more

effective.


30

COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS

Sample description:

We surveyed 11 community organizations that conduct services or are located in

Rainier Beach. Five organizations were part of the Safe Passage Network. We also

surveyed multiple people in each organization by level of authority. Our final sample

included 11 people in a position of leadership and 11 people who had less decision-

making power.

We organized the 11 community organizations by 3 types: city-focused

organizations (2) that have a presence in many neighborhoods throughout the city but

also have an established presence in Rainier Beach; community-focused organizations (6)

that serve many types of constituents in Rainier Beach; and youth-focused organizations

(2) that primarily serve youth in Rainier Beach.

Highlights:

We found that organization type mattered for questions of familiarity and

effectiveness of Safe Passage, and Safe Passage Network involvement mattered on some of

the collective efficacy questions. As expected, we also found that organizations further

away from Rainier and Henderson had less agreement that Safe Passage had made the

community feel safer. We found no differences in responses by level of authority.

On the question of familiarity the average among the 11 community organizations

was 2.64 (between “heard of them” and “seen them, but no other knowledge”). Even

though familiarity was low, organizations had high hopes (average 4.18) for the

effectiveness of Safe Passage in reducing youth crime. Encouraging responses include, “the

Safe Passage Program is very innovative” (Youth-focused organization), “I believe in the

cause and think it is helping and it is a great start and a step in the right direction” (Youth-

focused organization), and “anything we can do to encourage safety, I approve of

it” (Community-focused organization).


31

Figure 11 shows that youth- and community-oriented organizations had similar

perceptions on various questions relating to collective efficacy, but differ in that

community-focused organizations had less familiarity with Safe Passage and felt more

neutral about Safe Passage making the community feel safer .

Interestingly, Figure 12 shows that the 5 organizations involved in the Safe Passage

Network had a much lower average in agreeing that the youth care about the community

compared with non-Network organizations. In the open-ended responses, this unexpected

finding was furthered explained by organizational motivations for joining. One

organization stated that they joined because they “wanted to connect with the local youth

more” (Community-focused organization) and another organization stated they “felt it

made the community safer” (Community-focused organization). These statements

highlight that organizations involved in the network had heightened concerns for youth

and crime in the neighborhood. Those not involved may not see the problem Safe Passage

is trying to solve or rather they feel satisfied with efforts put on by other community

groups. This is shown with one highly familiar with the Safe Passage program, youth-

focused organization leader’s response to why they have not joined, saying, “I do not have

time to get into anything else, I am just trying to focus on my club right now.” Another


32

reason could be that most organizations surveyed that were not part of the network were

mainly city- and community-focused organizations. With this, these groups have to focus

on all members of the community and city rather than just youth, therefore responding

with more optimism.

Community organizations play an important role as a destination which Safe

Passage can steer youth towards for prosocial activities after school. This makes

community organizations close to the Rainier Beach campus very important in being

familiar with Safe Passage and being open to offering services. Looking at the averages of

community organizations that have a physical space where activities could be held for

youth to attend after school (n=4), we decided to observe the effects distance from the

Rainier and Henderson had on familiarity with Safe Passage and if they felt Safe Passage

had made their community safer.


33

Figure 13 shows that the further away an organization was from Rainier and

Henderson (>0.3 miles), outside the three Safe Passage zones, there was less familiarity

and less agreement that the Safe Passage Program had made the community safer. This

shows that the safety zone around the Rainier Beach campus is having a positive impact in

increasing feelings of safety.


34

TEACHERS & COUNSELORS

Sample description:

We interviewed 8 teachers and 4 counselors at Rainier Beach High School. There

were 8 females and 4 males. Five were between the ages of 18 to 30, 4 were 31-50 and 2

were 50+. Only 1 teacher and 2 counselors were Rainier Beach residents, 6 teachers were

not residents, and 3 did not respond.

Highlights:

With the exception of the question “Rainier Beach cares about our local youth,” the

counselors had much higher average responses the survey questions compared with

teachers (Figure 14). Counselors were much more familiar with Safe Passage (4.50 vs.

2.87) and thought that it was an effective way to reduce youth crime (4.50 vs. 3.63). One

counselor stated, “[the Blue Coats are] a visible demonstration by the community for

betterment and that action is being taken. It helps people feel safer and shows that crime

is not welcome in the neighborhood” (Female, 18-30, White).


35

For the unique question, “Since March, I have heard students discuss their level of

safety to be,” we saw some differences between teachers and counselors. The counselors

had a higher average (3.75) between “no change” and “somewhat more safe” while

teachers responded with “no change” (3.0). One of the teachers stated her doubts about

increased safety because of the limited patrol times, “when the Blue Coats are not present,

the truant students can be out at that time and in which leads to the possibility of

crime” (Female, 31-50, African-American/Black). A counselor remarked that she felt the

level of safety was a 4 and also stated, “hope it really works. As a parent, I feel my sons are

safe” (Female, 31-50, Pacific Islander). As a resident of Rainier Beach and a parent of a

youth, she was able to give some insight to understanding that the community could be

feeling safer from just knowing about the Blue Coats. She had also stated “only with time

and experience. As well as, really getting to know the community and seeing the turn over

from before.”


36

POLICE

Sample description:

We surveyed 1 detective and 3 officers. All 4 had 8-36 years of experience in this

career and had 6-30 years of experience working in the Rainier Beach area. There was 1

female and 3 males. All respondents were in the range of 31-50 years old. Two were not

immigrants and 2 did not respond. One was African American/Black, 1 was Mixed Race

and 2 were White.

Highlights:

All police officers viewed Safe Passage as an effective social program in the Rainier

Beach community and supported the program. One police officer commented that “it has

come into the community in a positive way.” The police emphasized that the community

creating a program that especially targets youth is very important because the most

vulnerable youth need a sense of belonging and feeling of safety.

When officers were asked if they thought the Safe Passage Program would have a

“lasting effect on youth crimes in Rainier Beach,” they had a few concerns, despite their

optimistic viewpoint of the Safe Passage Program. Police officers were concerned about

what would happen during the summer and if funding stopped. They wanted more

information on the long term goals and plans of the program.


37

BLUE COATS

Sample description:

We surveyed 3 Blue Coats. They were all within the age range of 31-50, African

American/Black, male, and non-immigrants. All 3 respondents grew up around the

Rainier Beach area and 2 were current residents.

Highlights:

The Blue Coats were asked if they noticed a difference in behavior since the

implementation of Safe Passage, and if there were differences in the reactions between

elementary, middle, and high school students. All respondents emphasized that they have

noticed a positive change and attribute this change to the presence of the Blue Coats in the

community. Respondents noted the distinct differences between the age groups. They said

that elementary school students were extremely positive about the Blue Coats, middle

school students expressed uncertainty, and high school students were indifferent yet

willing to communicate with the Blue Coats. One Blue Coat specifically pointed out the

reason for this pattern is because there is a systemic process in which the younger

students follow the path of the older ones.

When asked who was the most difficult to get involved in Safe Passage, some of the

Blue Coats commented that youth involved in gangs were the most resistant to their

efforts, “they're still unsure of themselves, and usually end up following their friends that

they've known a lot longer.”


38

FINDINGS: FACTORS AFFECTING NETWORK PARTICIPATION

We prioritized our questions on participation in the network to two types of Safe

Passage Network members: businesses and community organizations. However, only 1

out of 29 businesses and 5 out of 11 community organizations were currently part of the

network. In light of the small number of network members in our sample, we extended

our findings to also identify the factors involved in wanting to know more about the Safe

Passage Network.

BUSINESSES

This section reflects data from 18 business respondents with the decision-making

ability to join the Safe Passage Network. As a stand-in for what factors affect participation,

we looked at what factors were involved in wanting more information about the program

because overall awareness was low and very few of the businesses had been asked to be a

part of the Safe Passage Network.

Overall, 13 out of 18 businesses wanted more information about the program.

Awareness and perceived effectiveness were both associated with wanting more

information in general. African-American/Black respondents were more likely to be

aware than other races, and non-immigrants were more likely to be aware than

immigrants. All 7 African-American/Black owners/managers wanted more information

compared with just over half (6 out of 11) of all owners/managers of other races

combined. Being an immigrant had a negative effect on wanting more information

regardless of answers to several other questions. Among the 7 immigrant respondents, 3

did not want more information. Non-immigrants were far more likely to want more

information regardless of level of awareness (10 out of 11). Most business types wanted

more information but restaurants were the most likely to not want information.


39

Interestingly, two respondents who stated they were significantly involved with

the community knew very little about Safe Passage. On the flip side, the two individuals

with the most extreme views regarding youth violence did not want more information on

the program. Only one business in our sample had been asked to be a part of the network.

Overwhelmingly, when asked what would be more of an incentive to join the network,

respondents said more information would help.

COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS

To understand the factors affecting participation in the Safe Passage Network, we

asked organizations that were already involved to provide reasons why they joined,

organizations who were not involved why they have not joined, and both groups what

would make joining more attractive. It is important to note that these questions were only

asked to respondents who held a position of leadership with high decision-making power.

Of the 5 organizations surveyed who were involved in the Safe Passage Network,

responses for why they joined included, “focuses on the issue of safety, and I want

safety” (Community-focused organization), “I believe in the cause and I think it is

helping” (Youth-focused organization), “I feel that this program is very innovative” (Youth

-focused organization), and “I love that a lot of the Safe Passage members are locals and

that they want to make the community better and that I personally have a strong desire to

connect with the local youth” (Community-focused organization). Most of the

organizations who were not involved had low awareness of the program, therefore most

responses included need for more information. Other responses included “staffing

concerns” (City-focused organization) and “I don’t have time to get into anything else, I’m

just trying to focus on my organization” (Youth-focused organization). Community

organizations who joined the network joined due to agreement with the Safe Passage

mission and goals, while others did not join due to low levels of awareness of the program

and what participation might look like.


40

When asked if they thought it would be valuable for their organization to be

involved with Safe Passage, youth-focused organizations had the strongest agreement

(5.0), followed by community-focused (4.3) and city-focused (3.5) organizations. When

asked what would make joining Safe Passage more attractive, responses included

“involving youth more, once Safe Passage notices a decrease in crime, as well as make it

attractive for youth of all ages” (Community-focused organization), “have more

marketing” (Youth-focused organization), and “if they invited more people rather than

have people join on their own” (Community-focused organization). Organizations who

were not involved answered, “if they needed us more, I’m not sure how our programming

could help Safe Passage” (City-focused organization), “more knowledge of the

program” (multiple), and “having food, a website or Facebook page, and/or videos

showing what’s getting done, what progress has been made, and comments on what’s

going on and requesting people to join” (Youth-focused organization). Overall, community

organizations would like see Safe Passage have a bigger presence in the youth community

and online/on social media.


41

CONCLUSION & DISCUSSION

We found a moderately high level of collective efficacy as measured by agreement

to three questions: the Rainier Beach community cares about youth, youth care about the

Rainier Beach community, and if it is easy to get involved in the community in some way.

We found low levels of familiarity with Safe Passage but much higher levels of

agreeing that Safe Passage was an effective way to reduce youth crime and victimization.

There were variations by the 7 groups surveyed and by demographics of age, race and

ethnicity, and immigrant status. Students, residents, and businesses, as well as young

people and immigrants had the lowest familiarity with Safe Passage and had the lowest

agreement that Safe Passage was effective. African-American/Black respondents were

most familiar with Safe Passage and most interested in getting involved in the network.

We also found businesses and community organizations closest to the Rainier Beach

campus were more familiar with Safe Passage and felt an increase in the level of safety

since March.

For factors affecting network involvement among businesses and community

organizations, we found that most businesses wanted more information about the

program. African-American/Black businesses were more familiar with Safe Passage and

wanted more information. Immigrant-owned businesses were less in agreement that Safe

Passage was effective and a slightly more than half wanted more information.

Youth- and community-focused organizations were most involved in the network.

Community organizations joined the network due to agreement with the Safe Passage

mission and goals, while others did not join due to low levels of awareness of the program

and what participation might look like.


42

Discussion: Age Patterns

We found some expected and unexpected findings related to age. Among residents,

as age increased, their agreement that Safe Passage was an effective way to reduce youth

crime also increased. This may be due to older people being more educated about crime in

general and possibly being more knowledgeable about what strategies have worked and

not worked in decreasing crime in the community. We would hope this support for the

program would solicit more community involvement, but we also found that as age

increased, people thought it was less easy to get involved in the community. This may be

because adults are more limited in their time or they have had more negative experiences

with getting involved in the community compared with youth. Therefore, adults may be

more likely to leave things the way they are even though they think more highly of

community programs and the community caring about youth.

Specifically among youth and students, we found some interesting findings. Among

all ages surveyed, youth ages 14-17 were the least likely to agree that the Blue Coats were

effective (average = 3.51) (p<.05), and youth of all ages were less likely to think that the

community cared about youth (average = 3.40) (p<.05). Among students, we found more

variation in responses. Unexpectedly, seniors, the group with the least awareness of Safe

Passage (average = 2.15), had the highest average of agreeing that they “like seeing the

Blue Coats” and agreed they are helpful after school (average = 3.50). It is possible that

older youth are more experienced with seeing or understanding what crimes can occur

after school compared to younger kids. Seniors probably see the Blue Coats as guardians

that can potentially influence the actions of younger students after school in a positive

way. They do not see a need to approach the Blue Coats and understand what their job is

since they think they are old enough to protect themselves. Also, Safe Passage has not

been running for very long, so some younger students may need to see the Blue Coats

more in order to state an opinion.


43

Discussion: Immigrant Status Patterns

Throughout the analysis we were confronted with the possibility of immigrant

status complicating certain relationships that we observed. In a separate analysis, not

shown, we found that immigrant status appears to have an effect on its own. Including all

respondents, immigrants (average = 2.33) are significantly less aware of the program than

non-immigrants (average = 2.79) (p<.05). Immigrants (average = 3.55) were also less

likely than non-immigrants (average = 3.88) to believe that the program could effectively

reduce youth crime (p<.05). Interestingly, there were no differences in how immigrants

and non-immigrants felt about the ability to get involved in the community. This indicates

that feelings of collective efficacy may not be central to immigrants being less aware or

having faith in Safe Passage. Differences observed with immigrants may be due to

something as simple as a language barrier, or there may also be a hesitancy to participate

in an neighborhood that does not feel like a permanent home yet, which would confirm

other research on populations with high proportions of immigrants (Shaw and McKay

1942). Immigrants are also among the people who work the longest hours, so perhaps

time is an issue, as was seen in some of the business owners who were immigrants.

Ultimately, further exploration would be required to determine why these discrepancies

exist.


44

Discussion: Blue Coats as Effective Guardians & Handlers

A counselor at Rainier Beach High School commented that Safe Passage is “a visible

demonstration by the community for betterment and that action is being taken. It helps

people feel safer and shows that crime is not welcome in the neighborhood. The program

might not necessarily reduce crime, but it is making students feel safer" (Female, 18-30,

White). Even though Safe Passage has only been operating since March 2015, this quote

highlights the Blue Coats’ emergence as guardians that mitigate victimization, as well as

their limitations as handlers that mitigate criminal or delinquent behavior.

While some of the younger children already see the Blue Coats as “superheroes,”

youth ages 14-17 were the least likely to agree that the Blue Coats were effective (average

3.51) (p<.05). Over time, we anticipate a gradual improvement in the perception of the

Blue Coats as effective guardians for youth, especially teenagers. Junior and senior

students at Rainier Beach High School and representatives of youth-serving organizations

said they felt slightly more safe since the start of Safe Passage. High school counselors

have overheard students saying that their level of safety has been “somewhat more safe”

since March. Moreover, there is overall community support for the program. Police have

expressed confidence in the abilities of the Blue Coats and their important position in the

community. Almost all people surveyed wanted to know more about the program and

many were eager to have a way to get involved.

Leveraging their personal background, neighborhood experience, and professional

training, the Blue Coats can re-establish relationships with youth and community

members in ways that previously were not accessible or had been neglected. This is

important for their effectiveness as handlers to de-escalate conflict and discourage

deviant behavior. It is too early in the program to assess the Blue Coats’ effectiveness as

handlers, but many respondents hope that the presence of the Blue Coats means “some

kids have a sense of accountability over their heads so that they are not tempted into

making bad decisions” (Police).


45

STRENGTHS & LIMITATIONS

The main strengths of our study were our data collection method and collective

contribution. First, despite our very limited time on data collection, our final sample size

of 244 respondents was diverse and large. For some of our 7 prioritized groups

(businesses, counselors, and Blue Coats), we were able to systematically survey 60-100%

of the population, which allows us to better generalize our findings to others in the same

group.

Second, we used both quantitative and qualitative methods for our survey,

allowing for comparisons across groups as well as to highlight unique perspectives from

every surveyed group. We think this methodology best addresses our research questions.

Third, our team-based field approach gave us the flexibility to collect data at

different times and days. Following a strict protocol allowed us to gain a better

understanding of Rainier Beach and lessen selection error in sampling.

Fourth, we were fifteen undergraduate student researchers working in small

teams as well as a collective team. This collective work and discussion during the research

process allowed us to minimize personal bias and conduct different research tasks based

on our strengths. Our diverse cultural and academic backgrounds also strengthen our

analytical perspective.

Finally and most importantly, we hope our overall efforts in collaborating with

Safe Passage and A Beautiful Safe Place for Youth have improved Rainier Beach’s efforts in

addressing the important problem of youth crime and victimization.

In conducting our study, we acknowledge that there were bound to be some

limitations that would hinder our analysis. First, we were faced with ten weeks to gain

background of Safe Passage and Rainier Beach, prepare our methodology, collect data in

the field, and analyze our data. Our data collection period spanned only 3 weeks. In order

to focus our efforts, we prioritized 7 community groups to survey.


46

Second, most of our sample, with the exception of businesses, counselors at RBHS

and the Blue Coats, was a non-probability sample using convenience or snowball

sampling with high selection bias. Because of low internal validity, we cannot generalize

our findings to others in their respective groups.

Third, we faced specific difficulties reaching every target group surveyed. For

students, on the day we conducted our surveys, many students were out of class due to

state testing, limiting the number of freshmen and seniors. For businesses, community

organizations, and residents, some of the respondents were English language learners.

Because we only conducted our survey in English, language barriers may have hindered

some respondents from fully understanding our questions. For police, there had been

some personnel changes in the South Precinct right before our data collection period,

which affected availability of police officers who had experience working with Rainier

Beach youth and residents. For Blue Coats, we lacked a survey response from a female

staff member. However, we were able to survey 3 out of 5 possible Blue Coats.


47

RECOMMENDATIONS

1. Increase Person-to-Person Outreach to Raise Awareness

Many different groups in the community wanted to have more information about

Safe Passage and preferred to have more person-to-person or door-to-door outreach to

discuss the purpose and the specific ways to get involved. We recommend the Blue Coats

or Safe Passage representatives make regular visits to businesses or community

organizations and continue tabling in the plaza. This reinforces the Blue Coats as a stable

and positive presence in the neighborhood.

2. Emphasize the Range of Options for Community Involvement

After hearing about Safe Passage, many teachers and community organizations

had ideas for possible collaborations, and businesses wanted to put signs in their

windows to let young people know that their establishment is a safe place for shelter.

When conducting outreach for Safe Passage Network membership, we recommend Safe

Passage emphasize the range of options for involvement, from general support to active

participation. While lack of money or time may be a limitation to involvement for some,

highlighting different levels of involvement can help eliminate apprehensions about

getting involved.

3. Prioritize Outreach to Food-Related Businesses

Businesses associated with food, such as groceries, restaurants, and minimarts had

higher percentages of youth customers. We recommend when reaching out to businesses,

prioritize food-related businesses to have the greatest impact and reach the most youth.


48

4. Increase Targeted and Tailored Outreach to Immigrant-Owned Businesses

Immigrant-owned businesses has less agreement that Safe Passage was effective in

reducing youth crime, and only half surveyed wanted more information about Safe

Passage, but there were no differences between immigrants and non-immigrants in

thinking is was easy to get involved in the community. In order to increase immigrant

involvement in the Safe Passage Network, we recommend Safe Passage consider a tailored

strategy for outreach and engagement that is culturally or linguistically appropriate for

immigrant small business owners.

5. Increase Targeted Outreach to Youth-Focused and Community-Focused

Organizations

Youth-focused and community-focused organizations were most eager to partner

with Safe Passage. We recommend prioritizing network outreach and collaboration with

organizations with similar missions and neighborhood-based services to strengthen the

Safe Passage Network and provide more youth with age-appropriate after school

activities.

6. Increase Outreach and Opportunities for Collaboration with High Schools

In addition to attending assemblies and pep rallies to increase awareness among

students, teachers, and counselors, to increase “ownership” of Safe Passage among the

students and school staff, we recommend creating unique bridging opportunities for

student collaboration and involvement to increase youth and teacher support. For

example, supporting a student-run “Be Safe” club or providing “Be Safe” gear for youth

who are active in the network.


49

7. Prioritize Guardianship for Youth Most at Risk for Gang Recruitment

Gang members were identified as the hardest to reach and they actively avoid the

Safe Passage staff. While it may be outside the scope of the Blue Coats to be handlers to

gang members, there can be increased guardianship for youth that are being targeted for

recruitment into gangs. We recommend the Blue Coats to be integrated into the existing

guardian/support network for these at-risk youth and be in communication with youth

service providers, school counselors, and parents.

8. Increase Presence on Social Media

While many adults wanted more personal outreach, many youth wanted Safe

Passage to have more of an online presence. We recommend having a website or social

media presence which would increase access to Safe Passage events and increase

discussion about Safe Passage and the need for non-arrest strategies to reduce youth

crime. An online venue for comments, photos, and feedback would increase transparency

and encourage and maintain youth involvement in the Safe Passage Network.

9. Future Research on Building Collective Efficacy

Conducting this study at the beginning of the Safe Passage Program allowed for a

baseline of data to be established on level of awareness, extent of collective efficacy, and

factors for network involvement. To better measure neighborhood change attributed to

Safe Passage, we recommend future research to evaluate the effectiveness of the Safe

Passage Program, whether it has built more collective efficacy to address youth crime, and

whether it has contributed to people feeling safer in the neighborhood.


50

REFERENCES

Center for Problem-Oriented Policing. 2015. “Use the Problem Analysis Triangle.” Retrieved March 31, 2015. (http://www.popcenter.org/learning/60steps/index.cfm?stepNum=8).

City Census. http://www.city-data.com/zips/98118.html

Drakulich, Kevin M., and Robert D. Crutchfield. 2013. “The Role of Perceptions of the Police in Informal Social Control: Implications for the Racial Stratification of Crime and Control.” Social Problems, 60, 383-407.

Eck, John E., and David Weisburd. 1995. “Crime Places in Crime Theory.” Criminal Justice Press 1-7.

Sampson, Robert J., Stephen W. Raudenbush, and Felton Earls. 1997. “Neighborhoods and Violent Crime: A Multilevel Study of Collective Efficacy.” Science, 277, 918-924.

Seattle Neighborhood Group, 2014a. CPTED report - Lake Washington Apartments.

Seattle Neighborhood Group, 2014b. CPTED report - Rose Street.

Seattle Neighborhood Group, 2014c. CPTED report - Our Safeway.

Seattle Neighborhood Group, 2014d. CPTED report - Rainier and Henderson.

Seattle Neighborhood Group, 2014e. CPTED report -Rainier Beach Light Rail Station.

Shaw, Clifford R. & McKay, Henry D. 1942. Juvenile Delinquency in Urban Areas. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

Wells, Mary Sara, Widmer, Mark A., and McCoy, J. Kelly 2004. “Grubs and Grasshoppers: Challenge-Based Recreation and the Collective Efficacy of Families with At-Risk Youth.” Family Relations 53:3 (326-333)

Wilson, James Q., and George L. Kelling. 1982. “Broken Windows: Police and Neighborhood Safety.” The Atlantic.


51

APPENDIX

Surveys

A. Students

B. Residents

C. Businesses

D. Community Organizations

E. Teachers and Counselors

F. Police

G. Blue Coats

The Safe Passage Project Student Survey

The Safe Passage Project or “Blue Coats” started in March. They are in the streets after school from 2-6pm. They act as guardians and resource people for all students from the Rainier Beach elementary, middle, and high schools. They want to promote a safe and beautiful neighborhood for youth to flourish in the Rainier Beach community. Date:______________ Please circle the answer that best expresses your personal opinion on the matter: 1.) My level of familiarity with the Safe Passage Project, “Be Safes” or “blue coats” is:

Not at all Heard about them

Seen them on the street, but no

other knowledge

Somewhat familiar

Very familiar, can explain to

others 1 2 3 4 5

2.) I think the Rainier Beach community cares about our local youth:

Strongly Disagree

Disagree Neutral Agree Strongly Agree

1 2 3 4 5 3.) I think the local youth cares about the Rainier Beach community:

Strongly Disagree


1 2 3 4 5 4.) I think it is easy for Rainier Beach residents to get involved in the community in some way:

Strongly Disagree


1 2 3 4 5 5.) I think the Safe Passage Project is an effective way to reduce youth crime:

Strongly Disagree


1 2 3 4 5

6.) Since the Safe Passage Program started I feel safer than before: Strongly Disagree


1 2 3 4 5

7.) I like the Safe Passage “Blue Coats”. They are really helpful after school: Strongly Disagree


1 2 3 4 5

(turn over)

1

Please share any comments you may have about the Safe Passage Program: Please circle what best applies to you: Gender: M F Grade Level: 9 10 11 12 What ethnicity do you most closely identify with?

● Caucasian/White ● African-American/Black ● African ● Hispanic/Latino ● Asian ● Pacific Islander ● Alaska Native/Native American ● Other:______________

Are you an immigrant to the U.S.? Y N RESEARCHER NAME: _________________________ DATE: ___________TIME:_______ 2

RESEARCHER NAME: ____________________________ DATE: ___________TIME:_______ LOCATION: _________________________ WEATHER:___________________

RESIDENT QUESTIONNAIRE “Hello my name is____. I am a student researcher at the University of Washington and would love if I could have just two minutes of your time. I’d like to ask you five quick questions about Rainier Beach’s latest crime prevention project.” “I am going to read you some statements on a 5-point scale. Please rate the following statements:”

1. My level of familiarity with the Safe Passage Project, “Be Safes” or “blue coats” is:


Seen them, but no other knowledge

Somewhat familiar Very familiar, can explain to others

1 2 3 4 5 If the respondent is not familiar, introduce them to SP. “Started in March 2015, Safe Passage aims to create and maintain ‘safety zones’ for youth at the Rainier Beach Campus to deter negative behavior and reduce assaults and fight disturbances.”

2. I think the Safe Passage Project is an effective way to reduce youth crime: Strongly Disagree Disagree Neutral Agree Strongly Agree

1 2 3 4 5

3. I think the Rainier Beach community cares about our local youth:

Strongly Disagree Disagree Neutral Agree Strongly Agree

1 2 3 4 5

4. I think the local youth care about the Rainier Beach community:


1 2 3 4 5

5. I think it is easy for Rainier Beach residents to get involved in the community in some way:


1 2 3 4 5 6. Anything else you want to say about Safe Passages or youth crime?

Gender: M F Age Group: (0-13) (14-17) (18-30) (31-50) (51+)

Race/Ethnicity All that apply:

Black African Asian Pacific Islander

White Latino

Native

Other: ___________

Are you an immigrant to the U.S? Y N Notes:

RESEARCHER NAME: DATE: TIME: “Hello my name is____. I am a student researcher at the University of Washington and would love if I could have just [3 or 6] minutes of your time. I’d like to ask you [12 or 19] questions about Rainier Beach’s latest crime prevention project.” [worker vs. person of authority]

Survey for Everyone Related to the Business Site Characteristics (through researcher’s observations)

1. Chain or Local (circle one) 2. Name of business:

3. Type of business:

4. General location and nearest hotspot:

5. Condition of property:

6. Position of interviewee:

Awareness and Demographics (asked by researcher) 1. Do you currently live in Rainier Beach?: Yes No “Now I am going to read you some statements on a 5-point scale. Please rate the following statements:” 2. Level of familiarity with Safe Passage, the “blue coats” or “be safes?”: 1 2 3 4 5 Not At All Heard About It Have Seen Them Somewhat Very Familiar But No Other Knowledge Familiar Could Explain It

If the respondent is not familiar (3 or less): *Introduce them to SP: “Started in March 2015, Safe Passage aims to create and maintain ‘safety zones’ for youth at the Rainier Beach Campus to deter negative behavior and reduce assaults and fight disturbances.” *Also introduce the SP Network: “The Safe Passage Network extends beyond just the blue coats that patrol their zones. Businesses can get involved by donating money, time, or goods. They are recognized as partners and can put up signage indicating this fact so that the community knows.”

3. I think the Safe Passage Project is an effective way to reduce youth crime: 1 2 3 4 5


4. I think the Rainier Beach community cares about our local youth: 1 2 3 4 5


5. I think the local youth care about the Rainier Beach community: 1 2 3 4 5


6. I think it is easy for RB residents to get involved in the community in some way: 1 2 3 4 5

Strongly Disagree Disagree Neutral Agree Strongly Agree 7. I feel I can discourage or prevent crime and disorder at my place of business: 1 2 3 4 5


8. About what percentage of your customers are minors/youth?: 9. Gender: Male Female 10. Age: 14-17 18-30 31-50 51+ 11. Race: Black African Asian Pacific Islander White Latino Native Other:___________ 12. Have you immigrated to the U.S.?: Yes No Notes:

Questionnaire for Business Owner/Manager Were you asked to be a part of the Safe Passage Network?

If yes, how were you initially contacted about joining the SP network?

If yes, how do you feel the person(s) did in terms of explaining the goals of Safe Passage and answering any of your questions?

If no, would you like to be contacted? Are you or your organization/business involved in the Safe Passage network? (For example, have you placed a sign in your business? Sponsored an event?)

No Yes, list activities ___________________________ What are two reasons that you decided to join/not join the Safe Passage network?

1.

2. Have you talked to others about the Safe Passage Project?

No Yes, list with whom ______________________________ (If a member) Do you see the Safe Passage network as a good opportunity to improve your bottom line? Why or Why not? (If not a member) Is there something that you could suggest that would make joining the network a more attractive option for you or others? Would you like to say anything else about Safe Passage or youth crime? Notes:

RESEARCHER NAME: _______________ DATE: ___________TIME:_______ LOCATION: _________________________ INTERVIEWEE - POSITION WITH GROUP: _______________

Community Group Questionnaire - General

I am going to read you some statements on a 5-point scale. Please rate the following statements:

1. My level of familiarity with the Safe Passage Project, “Be Safes” or “blue coats” is:

Not at all Heard about them Seen them on the street, but no

other knowledge

Somewhat familiar

Very familiar, can explain to others

1 2 3 4 5

If the respondent is not familiar, introduce them to SP. “Started in March 2015, Safe Passage aims to create and maintain ‘safety zones’ for youth at the Rainier Beach Campus to deter negative behavior and reduce assaults and fight disturbances.”

2. I think the Safe Passage Project is an effective way to reduce youth crime:


1 2 3 4 5

3. I think that my organization would find it valuable to be involved with the Safe Passage Project:


1 2 3 4 5

4. I think that the Safe Passage Project has made my community safer:


1 2 3 4 5

1



1 2 3 4 5



1 2 3 4 5



1 2 3 4 5

8. Anything else you want to say about Safe Passages or youth crime?

Demographic Questions: Gender: M F Age Group: (0-13) (14-17) (18-30) (31-50) (51+)



White Latino

Native

Other: ___________

Are you an immigrant to the U.S.? Yes No

Notes:

2

Community Organizations Questionnaire – Leadership - ADDITIONAL

1. How many people are currently active in your organization? a. Small: 1-25 people b. Medium: 26-50 people c. Large: 50+

2. Is your organization currently involved in the Safe Passage network?

No Yes, list activities ___________________________ 3. What are the TWO main reasons for joining/not joining the Safe Passage Network? 1. _____________________________________________________________________

2._______________________________________________________________________ 4. Have you talked to others about the Safe Passage Project? No Yes, list with whom ______________________________

5. What would make joining the Safe Passage Project more attractive?


Notes:

3

RESEARCHER NAME: ____________________________ DATE:___________TIME:_______ LOCATION: ______________________ GRADE LEVEL_______SUBJECT_________________

HIGH SCHOOL TEACHER or COUNSELOR QUESTIONNAIRE

Introduction script: “Hello, my name is____. I am a student researcher at the University of Washington. Please rate the following statements: 1. My level of familiarity with the Safe Passage Project, “Be Safes” or “blue coats” is:


Seen them on the street, but no other knowledge

Somewhat familiar

Very familiar, can explain to

others 1 2 3 4 5

If the respondent is not familiar, introduce them to SP. “Started in March 2015, Safe Passage aims to create and maintain ‘safety zones’ for youth at the Rainier Beach Campus to deter negative behavior and reduce assaults and fight disturbances.” 2. I think the Safe Passage Project is an effective way to reduce youth crime:

Strongly Disagree


1 2 3 4 5 3. I think the Rainier Beach community cares about our local youth:

Strongly Disagree


1 2 3 4 5 4. I think the local youth care about the Rainier Beach community:

Strongly Disagree


1 2 3 4 5 5. I think it is easy for Rainier Beach residents to get involved in the community in some way:

Strongly Disagree


1 2 3 4 5

6. Since March, I have heard students discuss their level of safety to be: Much less safe Somewhat

Less safe No change Somewhat

More safe Much more safe

1 2 3 4 5

7. In what specific ways are you working with the Safe Passage/ Blue coats to increase youth

safety in the neighborhood? If you are not working with Safe Passage, what do you think are the best ways for teachers to work with Safe Passage?

8. Do you think the Safe Passage Project will have a lasting effect on youth crime in Rainer Beach? What challenges do you think it may have? Why?

9. Anything else you want to say about Safe Passages or youth crime? Demographic questions: Are you a resident of Rainier Beach? N, Y, if yes, how long? Gender: M F Age Group: (0-13) (14-17) (18-30) (31-50) (51+) Race/Ethnicity All that apply:


White Latino

Native

Other: ___________

Are you an immigrant to the U.S.? Y N Note:

RESEARCHER NAME: ____________________________ DATE: ___________TIME:_______ LOCATION: _________________________

POLICE QUESTIONNAIRE Intro Questions

1. What rank are you? ___________ 2. Are you a resident of Rainer Beach? Y N If yes, for how long? ____________ 3. How long have you been a police officer? ___________ 4. How long have you worked in Rainier Beach or South Precinct? _______________

I am going to read you some statements on a 5-point scale. Please rate the following statements:

1. I interact with the youth in Rainier Beach:

Not at all Once a Month Couple times a Month

Weekly Daily

1 2 3 4 5

2. My level of familiarity with the Safe Passage Project is:


Seen them on the street, but no

other knowledge

Somewhat familiar

Very familiar, can explain to others

1 2 3 4 5

3. I think the Safe Passage Project is an effective way to reduce youth crime:


1 2 3 4 5



1 2 3 4 5



1 2 3 4 5



1 2 3 4 5

7. Are you directly involved in the Safe Passage network? If yes, List activities ___________________________ 8. Have you spoken to others, outside of the department, about the Safe Passage

Project?

9. Why do you think there is higher crime around Rainier and Henderson?

10. Do you think the Safe Passage Project will have a lasting effect on youth crime in Rainier Beach? What challenges do you think it may have? Why?


Demographic Questions Demographic (ask respondent or researcher fill out): Gender: M F Age Group: (0-13) (14-17) (18-30) (31-50) (51+) Race/Ethnicity All that apply:


White Latino

Native

Other: ___________

Are you an immigrant to the U.S.? Y N Notes:

RESEARCHER NAME: ____________________________ DATE: ___________TIME:_______ LOCATION: _________________________ WEATHER:___________________

BLUE COATS QUESTIONNAIRE

“Hello my name is____. I am a student researcher at the University of Washington and would love if I could have just two minutes of your time.” Emphasize this is confidential survey. We will aggregate responses and not attribute quotes to a specific person. Please rate the following statements:

1. I think the Rainier Beach community cares about our local youth: Strongly Disagree Disagree Neutral Agree Strongly Agree

1 2 3 4 5



1 2 3 4 5



1 2 3 4 5

Short answer questions: 1. Have you noticed a difference in youth behavior since the start of the Safe Passage Project? If yes, how do you think Safe Passage has contributed to this difference? Are there differences between elementary, middle or high school youth? 2. From your experience as a “blue coat”, how do you think other guardians such as parents, teachers, or police view the Safe Passage Project?

3. How do you think local businesses view the Safe Passage Project? 4. What group in the community seems the most difficult to get involved in the Safe Passage network? Why do you think this is so? 5. How do you think Safe Passage has been an effective handler to youth who are perpetrating crime or disorderly behavior? 6. What personal experiences or knowledge do you think uniquely contributes to the success of your role as a blue coat? What are the challenges? 7. Anything else you want to say about the Safe Passage Project or youth crime? Resident of Rainier Beach? Y N Gender: M F Age Group: (0-13) (14-17) (18-30) (31-50) (51+)



White Latino

Native

Other: ___________

Have you immigrated to the U.S.?: Yes No Notes:

Safe Passage Perception Study Final Report

Documents

Transcript of Safe Passage Perception Study Final Report