Neighborhood Indicators: A Review of the Literature and an Assessment of Conceptual and Methodological Issues

Sawicki, David S.; Flynn, Patrice

doi:10.1080/01944369608975683

Cited by 127 publications

(79 citation statements)

References 24 publications

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“…the quantitative examination of neighborhood dynamics in response to macroeconomic shocks is a complex endeavor on methodological grounds. While increased availability of small-area data and technological advances in GIS have enabled development of rich panel databases of neighborhood indicators, researchers and practitioners have reported on the "levels" of these indicators, and how these levels have changed over time (Sawicki Post-Print, Urban Geography 34(6), 2013 andFlynn, 1996). While this approach is instructive to those focused on the intensity of a particular aspect of neighborhood quality or those whose goal is to identify "problem" conditions for a particular neighborhood, it is limited if one is more interested in elucidating the temporal dynamics of neighborhoods.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Disparate Neighborhood Impacts of the Great Recession: Evidence from Chicago

2013

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We advance scholarship about how macroeconomic forces differentially manifest themselves across local spaces by developing a holistic conceptual framework and empirical analyses involving multilevel change modeling. Unlike prior work, we examine differential rates of change in neighborhood indicators. We illustrate our approach with Chicago data measuring the crime, housing, and economic domains of neighborhood qualityof-life over the 2000-2009 period. We find that the local dynamic manifestations of macroeconomic cycles were far more nuanced than have been previously observed. Neighborhood indicators moved along distinct trajectories, sometimes but not necessarily tracking each other or the overall business cycle, and they changed with varied intensities. The Great Recession of 2006-2009 had disparate negative impacts on lower-income and minority-occupied neighborhoods' local job opportunities, home prices, and home foreclosures, though this was not true for credit or crime indicators. Credit indicators performed geographically much differently than in the prior Chicago recession.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Disparate Neighborhood Impacts of the Great Recession: Evidence from Chicago

2013

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“…Indicators are specific quantitative variables relating to small geographic areas that make it possible to evaluate the impact of programs and initiatives (Sawicki & Flynn, 1996). To be effective, they must be updated to reflect change over time.…”

Section: Provide a Framework For Understanding Human Behaviormentioning

confidence: 99%

Why Social Work Needs Mapping

Hillier

2007

Journal of Social Work Education

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Relative to other fields, social work has been slow to adopt geographic information systems (GIS) as a tool for research and practice. This paper argues that GIS can benefit social work by: (1) continuing and strengthening the social survey tradition; (2) providing a framework for understanding human behavior; (3) identifying community needs and assets; (4) improving the delivery of social services; and (5) empowering communities and traditionally disenfranchised groups. Examples from a social work course on GIS and published social work research help illustrate these points. The paper concludes by considering the ways that social work can contribute to the development of GIS. WHY SOCIAL WORK NEEDS MAPPING Amy Hillier University of PennsylvaniaRelative to other fields, social work has been slow to adopt geographic information systems (GIS) as a tool for research and practice. This paper argues that GIS can benefit social work by: (1) continuing and strengthening the social survey tradition; (2) providing a framework for understanding human behavior; (3) identifying community needs and assets; (4) improving the delivery of social services; and (5) empowering communities and traditionally disenfranchised groups. Examples from a social work course on GIS and published social work research help illustrate these points. The paper concludes by considering the ways that social work can contribute to the development of GIS. Building on this conceptual approach to understanding GIS, this paper is organized around five broad-and often overlappingways that mapping can enrich social work.First, better integrating GIS into social work education, research, and practice will allow social work professionals to continue and strengthen the social survey tradition. Second, GIS provides a theoretical framework for understanding human behavior that moves beyond an individual deficit model. Third, when used to assess needs and assets, mapping reveals patterns in disparity across race, income, and geography that are critical for promoting social justice and addressing needs of at-risk populations. Fourth, mapping can improve the delivery of social services when used to evaluate programs, locate new facilities, and organize work assignments. Finally, GIS can empower communities and traditionally disenfranchised groups when used to share information and facilitate public planning. After developing these themes, this paper turns to the issue of why GIS needs social work and how social workers can help insure that GIS is used to promote, rather than disenfranchise, communities.

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“…The Social Indicators movement, encouraging' the use of time-series data to monitor and effect social change, has increased considerably the demand for smallarea data as it has gained momentum over the past 30 years (Bauer, 1966;Sawicki & Flynn, 1996). The Urban Institute's National Neighborhood Indicators Project has been supporting indicator projects in six cities--Atlanta, Boston, Cleveland, Denver, Oakland, and Providence-since the late 1980s (Kingsley, 1998).…”

Section: Need For Small-area Datamentioning

confidence: 99%