PHOENIX (Arizona Republic) Dec. 12, 2004 -
Everybody has a family. So it's hardly surprising that greater Phoenix
residents consider the status of families and youth to be very important to
quality of life. Few issues are more important than the safety of children
and families. Domestic violence and child abuse have been much in the
headlines, both for tragic incidents and the many efforts by public agencies
and individuals to prevent and treat such problems. Families and youth did
not rank as high this year among the nine major issues as in the past.
Domestic violence
Domestic violence - among police departments' most frequent calls for service - has serious costs to individuals, employers and public agencies. Petitions filed for orders of protection in Maricopa County rose steadily from 2000 to 2004 after a period of fairly small increases between 1997 and 2000. However, some of this increase can be attributed to more public education and improvements in the reporting system. Indeed in recent years, significant awareness campaigns and policy changes in parts of the criminal justice system, such as stiffer penalties, have raised the profile and the consequences of domestic violence.
Child abuse and neglect
The number of reported child abuse or neglect cases in Maricopa County increased 17 percent over the past four years, with nearly 21,500 reports to the Arizona Department of Economic Security Child Protective Services child abuse hotline in 2004. However, because of the region's population growth, the rate of reported abuse per 1,000 children remained basically unchanged.
Poverty rates
In 2002, 11.9 percent of Maricopa County residents and 15.7 percent of its children were living in poverty. On the one hand, these rates reflect a decline in poverty since 1993 and remain below the national level. On the other, the rates appear to have bottomed out in 2000 and may now be again on the rise. Further, county poverty rates among Hispanics are roughly four times higher than among non-Hispanic Whites, with more than a quarter of Maricopa County's Hispanic children living in poverty.
Housing
Housing is both the major expense for most families and a crucial ingredient in their well-being. Greater Phoenix home prices are on the rise but less than most other large Western regions, and apartment rents have remained flat in the past several years. However, nearly 60 percent of respondents agreed that greater Phoenix should "make more affordable housing available." This percentage jumped to 69 percent among residents earning less than $50,000 annually. One of the solutions survey participants were asked to respond to was additional affordable housing. Across the region, more than half of respondents saw this as something "very important" to the region.
Domestic violence
Domestic violence - among police departments' most frequent calls for service - has serious costs to individuals, employers and public agencies. Petitions filed for orders of protection in Maricopa County rose steadily from 2000 to 2004 after a period of fairly small increases between 1997 and 2000. However, some of this increase can be attributed to more public education and improvements in the reporting system. Indeed in recent years, significant awareness campaigns and policy changes in parts of the criminal justice system, such as stiffer penalties, have raised the profile and the consequences of domestic violence.
Child abuse and neglect
The number of reported child abuse or neglect cases in Maricopa County increased 17 percent over the past four years, with nearly 21,500 reports to the Arizona Department of Economic Security Child Protective Services child abuse hotline in 2004. However, because of the region's population growth, the rate of reported abuse per 1,000 children remained basically unchanged.
Poverty rates
In 2002, 11.9 percent of Maricopa County residents and 15.7 percent of its children were living in poverty. On the one hand, these rates reflect a decline in poverty since 1993 and remain below the national level. On the other, the rates appear to have bottomed out in 2000 and may now be again on the rise. Further, county poverty rates among Hispanics are roughly four times higher than among non-Hispanic Whites, with more than a quarter of Maricopa County's Hispanic children living in poverty.
Housing
Housing is both the major expense for most families and a crucial ingredient in their well-being. Greater Phoenix home prices are on the rise but less than most other large Western regions, and apartment rents have remained flat in the past several years. However, nearly 60 percent of respondents agreed that greater Phoenix should "make more affordable housing available." This percentage jumped to 69 percent among residents earning less than $50,000 annually. One of the solutions survey participants were asked to respond to was additional affordable housing. Across the region, more than half of respondents saw this as something "very important" to the region.
