The changing structure of neighborhood social conditions in Cleveland, Ohio, 1979-1989

The changing structure of neighborhood social conditions in Cleveland, Ohio, 1979-1989

changing structure, neighborhood social conditions, Cleveland, Ohio

This study examines the interrelationships and their location among a set of social conditions across the inner city neighborhoods in a northern industrial city over the decade of the 1980s. Specifically, it addresses the questions of whether there has been a change in the structure of neighborhood social conditions and how that change occurred over time. It extends the current literature to provide an understanding of the dynamic changes of neighborhood structure. A multivariate-structural approach is used to analyze the occurrence rates of ten social conditions between 1980 and 1989. Results of the analysis showed that the internal structure of the neighborhood social conditions had indeed changed over time. In the early 1980s, the occurrence of social conditions varied along three dimensions of difficulties related to adolescents, families and children, and crimes. By the late 1980s, these social conditions had become highly interconnected and could not be differentiated by the earlier structure. Three new dimensions, including the substantial difficulties to the families, children, teenagers, and young adults as a single dimension, together with safety and infant death, have emerged. The increasing family disruption and the involvement of d elinquent behaviors with drug activities appeared to be the major driving forces for such a structural change. The quality of life in inner city neighborhoods is worsening due to the increasing interdependence of these devastating conditions. Social conditions were not evenly distributed. In the early 1980s, five areas: stable, urban village, anomie, family breakup, and extreme-outlier were classified by the different problems that each area had encountered. By the late 1980s, four other areas were identified: stable, transitory, distressed, and extreme-outlier. They were differentiated by the overall deterioration levels of the social conditions. Although most neighborhoods have witnessed a decline in social conditions, some areas were more resistant to adverse change than the others. The stability in residential compositions and family structure, as well as the availability of local resources seem to play significant roles in the reversal process. To provide support and resources in the neighborhoods therefore becomes crucial. Prevention of further decline in neighborhood social conditions is recommended as the focus of policy and program planning in the future.

Chow, Julian Chun-Chung

Case Western Reserve University

1992

Coulton, Claudia J. Advisor

en

Thesis

http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=case1055958919

http://lallier.msh-vdl.fr/theses/items/show/1099

http://lallier.msh-vdl.fr/theses/archive/files/59feb9168769b28dd1ac465794209fef.jpg