Youth Crime Tops List Of Concerns In/Around: Nevada-Lidgerwood, Hillyard, Chief Garry Park, Logan, Gonzaga

Youth crime topped the list of concerns among residents of northeast Spokane, according to a survey commissioned by the Northeast Community Center.

The 600 people surveyed were from four neighborhoods east of Division: Nevada-Lidgerwood, Hillyard, Chief Garry Park and Logan.

The neighborhoods have a combined population of 60,000 people and 22,000 housing units. The average household income is $22,500. The majority of people surveyed, 62 percent, were women - they tend to answer the telephone more. The average age was 46.

Of those surveyed, 41 percent said either they or a family member had been the victim of a youth crime. One-third had been victims within the last year.

One household respondent in 12 said they had a child who had participated in or initiated a weapons-related criminal act.

Asked which services were not being provided in the community, 14 percent said programs and activities for youth and 15 percent said adequate police protection.

“Crime remains a big issue and there tends to be a perception that youths are responsible for this,” said Bill Dillon, executive director of the Northeast Community Center, N4001 Cook.

The center commissioned Robinson Research to do the survey as part of a continuing effort to monitor neighborhood needs. The cost was $6,600 for the survey and another $6,400 for focus group discussions on specific questions. In 1991, a survey found there was demand for both low-cost childcare and structured youth activities. Health care also emerged as a need.

The recent survey reinforced the demand for the first two, while health care was not a major concern. “I think there’s a feeling that more was being done,” with health care,” said Jean Farmer, assistant director of the community center.

The community center staff is studying ways to meet the other needs, although no plans have been formalized.

“It encourages us to move ahead with that investigation,” said Farmer.

Although there are a number of concerns cited - traffic was widely mentioned as well - Dillon said the area has a reservoir of good feeling, which partly stems from its multigenerational neighborhoods.

“There are a lot of folks that have lived there forever,” he said. “We’re seeing two- and three-generation families. There’s a lot of continuity.”

That partly explains the eagerness of respondents to offer themselves for volunteer work.

One-third of the respondents said they already help in community activities and 61 percent said they would be willing to volunteer time or resources to a youth center.

That’s a good sign, as 70 percent said there is a need for a teen services center. Safety from gangs, sports and adequate supervision were cited as ingredients to make such a center a success.

That’s good news for the community center, which will be looking for ways to get more people involved.

“We’re going to ask people to put their money where their mouth is,” said Dillon.