summary of findings from the data final 2 2

8/8/2019 Summary of Findings From the Data Final 2 2

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Summary of Findings:

People United for a Better Life in Oakland

(PUEBLO)

2010 Youth Survey of Oakland High School Students

Survey design and administration:

PUEBLO

Data Analysis by:

Resource Development Associates


2/37

Executive Summary

groupings explain some of the split, with Asian and Middle Eastern youth feeling more protected by

the police and Native American students feeling the most threatened. Those students who see the

police as protectors report that they feel more comfortable asking an officer for his or her name and

are less likely to run from the police, whereas the reverse is true for those that feel the police harass

and threaten. Those who felt safe around the police were also more likely to consider becoming a

police officer. Students reported that they would be more likely to approach an African American or

Latino officer and slightly more likely to approach a female officer than male. Female students report

being more comfortable than male students with asking an officer for his or her name.

A large proportion of the students reported a negative last experience with the police, but for thosewho had a positive experience, being listened to was the most important reason, followed by the

respectfulness and fairness of the officer(s) they encountered. Conversely, not being listened to and

feeling that the officer was rude

While those who have been arrested or convicted of a crime were more fearful of the police, the

greater the number of contacts with law enforcement that the students reported, the greater their

the more likely they are to consider a career in law

enforcement. The positivit

impact on whether they saw the police as protection vs. threat. Native American, African American,

and mixed race students were most likely to report having a negative last experience. Male students

were much more likely to report a negative experience than female students.

Very few students reported that they had filed a complaint after a negative experience and few were

aware of the available avenues for filing a complaint. The primary reasons for not filing were feelings

that their complaint would not make any

effort. Results from survey of Oakland high school students provide a compelling look

.

This summary will provide a demographic breakdown of survey participants followed by three

understanding and view of the complaint process. Results from these three areas are reported below

using both counts of responses and percents within categories.


3/37

Methodology

back as he lay face down, restrained by at least two fellow BART police officers. Shortly thereafter, he

resigned his position and left the state. Thirteen days later, he was returned to California and

charged with the murder of Oscar Grant.

Like the Rodney King incident in Los Angeles in 1991, the incident was video taped and released on

the Internet. The youth of Oakland, identified with Oscar Grant. Though Mr. Grant had been shot

and killed by BART Police, it was a distinction almost completely lost by Oakland youth, who viewed

this incident as yet another deadly example of police violence and abuse visited on Oakland youth.

In September of 2009, an Oakland Unified School District (OUSD) high school senior at Met West

High, Tamara Lawrence, came to PUEBLO as an intern and expressed an interest in finding out how

high school youth felt about the police and what experiences they have had, if any, with the Oakland

Police Department.

PUEBLO enlisted the aid of Janice Embrey as Project Director and mentor to Tamara who decided to

conduct a survey of OUSD students about their experience with and feelings about the Oakland Police

Department.

The survey questionnaire was based on a 2005 Policing and complaint process survey, which PUEBLO

had worked on with the Oakland Police Department and the C

2005 survey, which was done by telephone, the 2010 survey was a written questionnaire and

students were surveyed at their schools. Many of the questions were replaced with questions more

appropriate for and relevant to youth. The questionnaire was pilot tested and reviewed by youth at

McCullum Youth Court and the All-City Council of high school students and alterations were made as

a result.

Letters were sent to the principals of the high schools and then emails. The first two rounds of

Anthony Batts included our discussion of the survey. He was interested in the project and agreed to

give us a letter of endorsement. We were also able to get a letter of support for the survey from

OUSD Superintendent Anthony Smith. With these two endorsements and the in valuable help of

Raquel Jimenez, we then met with the All City Student Council - a group of representatives from

participating student councils at various Oakland high schools. The questionnaire was then

administered at an All City Council forum and a few more adjustments were made. Rekia Jibrin, a

Graduate Student at UC Berkeley, expressed an interest in helping with the project and assisted with

the final draft of the survey and the site by site deployment of the survey.

With the help of Raquel Jimenez and members of the All City Council, we were able to contact the

responding schools and set up dates and times to survey their students. Those schools were:

Oakland High School, Fremont High School, McClymonds High School, MetWest Alternative High


4/37

School, Rudsdale Continuation High School, Ralph J. Bunch Continuation High School, Lighthouse

Charter High School and Street Academy Alternative High School.

The following private high schools -- College Preparatory School, Head Royce and Bishop O'Dowd --

were all contacted but none of them responded affirmatively.

PUEBLO contracted with Research Development Associates (RDA) to create a data shell, train Oaklandyoung people to do the data entry, and provide the data summary and analysis. PUEBLO had been

contacted by a counselor at Westlake Middle School, seeking summer jobs for graduating youth at

her school. When we met with her, we mentioned the survey and she felt that some of her seniors

would be interested in the research and had good computer skills, so RDA trained their students and

they started the data entry process.

PUEBLO would like to acknowledge the Akonadi Foundation whose support enabled this project to

move forward.

Demographics

The majority of students came from public schools, with a large group from alternative schools and a

small group from to participate but chose not

to.

Females responded slightly more frequently than males, and a small transgender sample also

responded.

411

41

252

0

100

200

300

400

500

Public Charter Alternative

Survey respondents Type of School

N=704


5/37

The largest proportion of the respondents was African American, followed by Latino, Asian, mixed,

Native American, white, Middle Eastern and Pacific Islander.

Views of the Police

Two of the most common conceptions of the role of police were to protect and serve (28%) and to

harass and threaten (20%), reflecting a bipolarity in the data.

314284

9 30

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

Female Male Transgender Other

Respondents' Gender

N=610

0.0%

5.0%10.0%

15.0%

20.0%

25.0%

30.0%

35.0%

40.0%

45.0%

Respondents' Race


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As you can see in the graph below, different ethnic/racial groups see the police differently. In

particular, Asian and Middle Eastern students tended to see police more positively, whereas a larger

proportion of Native American students saw the police as more threatening.

28.3%

19.3%

3.4%2.1%

36.6%

10.2%

0.0%

5.0%

10.0%

15.0%

20.0%

25.0%

30.0%

35.0%

40.0%

45.0%

50.0%

Protection

and Service

Harass and

Threaten

Friends and

Family

Role Models

and Mentors

They are not

Important in

My Life

Other

Role that Police Play in Respondents' Lives

N=608

172

114

20 12

203

62

0

50

100

150

200

250

Protection and

Service

Harass and

Threaten

Friends and

Family

Role Models

and Mentors

They are not

Important in

My Life

Other

Role that Police Play in Respondents' Lives N=608


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Not surprisingly, regression results (see table below) indicate that this dichotomy of protection vs.

threat also affects students' behavior and response to the police. That is, those who saw the police

as protectors were more likely to feel comfortable

officer is present, and less likely to run when they encounter the police. Further, those who reported

feeling safe when police are present are more likely to consider being a police officer. Conversely,

24%

50%

30%26%

14% 13%17%

50%

25%21%

14%

20% 18%

7%

30%

20%

8%

29%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

What role do police play in your life?

Protection and Service

Harass and Threaten

5350

3

42

2 37 6 6

45

13

2

30

17 8

17

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

What role do police play in your life?

Protection and Service

Harass and Threaten


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those who see the police as a source of harassment were more likely to report feeling fear and

running when they see the police and feeling less comfortable asking an officer for his or her name.

Outcome

See police as

protectors

See police as

harassers

Feel safe when

police are present

Consider being a police

officer+**

Feel comfortable asking an

+* -*

Feel safe or protected

around police+** Not applicable

Feel nervous around police +* Not applicable

Feel fear or run from police +** Not applicable

Run from police -* +* Not applicable

+/- indicates a positive or negative relationship between variables

* indicates statistical significance with a 5% margin of error

** indicates statistical significance with a 1% margin of error


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Ethnicity also predicted feelings of safety. A larger proportion of Middle Eastern and Pacific Islander

students felt safe with police presence, and smaller proportion of Pacific Islander and white students

reported feeling fear or running from the police.

24% 20%

0%

26%

7%

13.00%

32.00%

25%

12%

21%

30%

19%

7%

17% 15%

50%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

When you see the police in your neighborhood,

what is your first reaction?

Feel Fear or Run

Feel Protected and Safe

52

20

0

43

13

13

3

2521

3

32

14 6 6

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

When you see the police in your neighborhood,

what is your first reaction?

Feel Fear or Run

Feel Protected and Safe


10/37

The ethnicity/race of the police officer also had an impact, with more students preferring to approach

an African American officer, followed by a Latina/o officer.

33.2%

26.1%

14.8%

5.3%

11.6% 10.8%

48.9%

0.0%

10.0%

20.0%

30.0%

40.0%

50.0%

African

American

Latino White Pacific

Islander

Native

American

Asian No

Preference

Likelihood of Approaching an

Officer by Officer's Race

N=707

227

178

101

36

79 74

12

0

50

100

150

200

250

African

American

Latino White Pacific

Islander

Native

American

Asian No

Preference


Officer by Officer's Race

N=707


11/37

The gender of the officer had only a minor impact, with female officers being mildly more

approachable.

27.9%23.4%

55.9%

0.0%

20.0%

40.0%

60.0%

80.0%

100.0%

Female Male No Preference


Officer by Officer's Gender

N=707

186

156

365

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

400

Female Male No Preference


Officer by Officer's Gender

N=707


12/37

64.0%

49.0%

67.0%

36.0%

51.0%

33.0%

0.0%

20.0%

40.0%

60.0%

80.0%

100.0%

Female (314) Male (284) Transgender (9)

Comfortable Asking Police Officer's

Name by Gender

Yes

No

200

138

6

114

146

3

0

50

100

150

200

250


Comfortable Asking Police

Officer's Name by Gender

Yes

No


13/37

Experience with the Police

views on and response to the police.

Many more participants reported a negative last experience with the police than a positive

experience.

19.9%

42.3%

17.5%

20.6%

0.0%

10.0%

20.0%

30.0%

40.0%

50.0%

Positive Negative Both Neither

Respondents' Last

Experience with the Police

N=582

114

246

102

120

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

Positive Negative Both Neither

Respondents' LastExperience with the Police

N=582


14/37

Responses differed by gender, with female students reporting more positive experiences.

20.0%

15.0%

0.0%

33.0%

43.0%

56.0%

0.0%

10.0%

20.0%

30.0%

40.0%

50.0%

60.0%


Last Experience With Police by Gender

Positive

Negative

64

43

0

103

121

5

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140



Positive

Negative


15/37

The most powerful influence on whether a respondent reported a positive or negative experience

was whether the officer listened to them. Students also positively responded to officers explaining

what s/he was doing, being professional and respectful, and being polite and fair. The strongest

reason for a negative experience was that the officer was rude.

28.7%

51.1%

46.7%

54.8%

32.4%

36.4%

28.7%

14.7%

42.3%

16.2%

12.5%

22.8%

17.3%

9.6%

7.7%

22.4%

-10.0% 0.0% 10.0% 20.0% 30.0% 40.0% 50.0% 60.0%

Officer Came Immediately When Called

Officer Was Professional/Respectful

Officer Was Polite and Fair

Officer Listened to Me

Officer Knew About the Situation

Officer Made Sure I Was Safe

Officer Made Sure Other People Were Safe

Officers Made Good Referrals to Other Services

Officer Explained What He/She Was Doing

Officer Safely/Appropriately Managed

Dangerous/Violent People

Officer Gave Me/My Friends or Family a Ride

Officer Helped Calm Me/Others Down

Officer Gave Me Directions

Officer Introduced Me to His/Her Dog

Officer Gave Me Klenex/Water/Food/etc.

Officer Was Able to Resolve the Problem

Respondents' Themes of Positivity in Police ExperienceN=707


16/37

64.5%

42.6%

23.4%

21.3%

32.1%

30.5%

11.3%

23.2%

31.3%

51.1%

27.9%

-10.0% 0.0% 10.0% 20.0% 30.0% 40.0% 50.0% 60.0% 70.0%

Officer Was Rude to Me

Officer Handcuffed Me or My Friends For No Reason

Officer Lied and/or Planted Evidence

Officer Damaged/Took My Property

Officer Racially Profiled Me

Officer Made a Threat or Threats

Officer Took My Vehicle; Tow/Impound

Officer Illegally Stopped, Detained or Arrested Me

Officer Used too Much Force

Officer Did Not Listen to Me

Officer Stopped Me For Some Other Reason

Respondents' Themes of Negativity in Police Experience

N=707


17/37

78

139

127

149

88

99

78

40

115

44

34

62

47

26

21

61

0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160

Officer Came Immediately When Called

Officer Was Professional/Respectful

Officer Was Polite and Fair

Officer Listened to Me

Officer Knew About the Situation

Officer Made Sure I Was Safe

Officer Made Sure Other People Were Safe

Officers Made Good Referrals to Other Services

Officer Explained What He/She Was Doing

Officer Safely/Appropriately Managed

Dangerous/Violent People

Officer Gave Me/My Friends or Family a Ride

Officer Helped Calm Me/Others Down

Officer Gave Me Directions

Officer Introduced Me to His/Her Dog

Officer Gave Me Klenex/Water/Food/etc.

Officer Was Able to Resolve the Problem

Respondents' Themes of Positivity in Police Experience

N=707


18/37

245

162

89

81

122

116

43

88

119

194

106

0 50 100 150 200 250 300

Officer Was Rude to Me

Officer Handcuffed Me or My Friends For No Reason

Officer Lied and/or Planted Evidence

Officer Damaged/Took My Property

Officer Racially Profiled Me

Officer Made a Threat or Threats

Officer Took My Vehicle; Tow/Impound

Officer Illegally Stopped, Detained or Arrested Me

Officer Used too Much Force

Officer Did Not Listen to Me

Officer Stopped Me For Some Other Reason

Respondents' Themes of Negativity in Police Experience

N=707


19/37

Not surprisingly, however, regression results suggest that students who have been arrested were less

likely to feel safe and protected by the police, and more likely to feel fear or to run when they

encounter the police. Interestingly, however, the number of contacts that a student reported having

with the police was positivelyrelated to whether s/he would consider becoming a police officer and

police gives opportunities for positive experiences, suggesting that outreach by the police towardyouth in the community may have a positive impact.

Outcome

Number of

Contacts

with Police

Have been

arrested

Have been

convicted

Had a

positive last

experience

Had a

negative last

experience

Consider being a

police officer+*

Feel comfortable

name

+*

Feel safe or

protected around

police

-* +**

Feel nervous

around police+**

Feel fear or run

from police+* +* +*

Run from police +* -*

+/- indicates a positive or negative relationship between variables

* indicates statistical significance with a 5% margin of error

** indicates statistical significance with a 1% margin of error


20/37

The positivity or negativity of the most recent contact with the police was different amongst different

ethnic/racial groups, with Native American, African American, and mixed race students reporting

disproportionately more negative experiences. Conversely, Middle Eastern and Pacific Islander

students, while their numbers were small, were more likely to report positive experiences.

14.0%

29.0%

40.0%

17.0%21.0%

13.0%

5.0%

42.0%

0.0%

48.0%

26.0%

30.0%33.0%

29.0%

61.0%

46.0%

33.0% 33.0%

0.0%

10.0%

20.0%

30.0%

40.0%

50.0%

60.0%

70.0%

Would you describe your most recent contact withOakland police as positive or negative?

Positive

Negative

31 29

4

28

3 3 2 5 0

98

26

3

54

4

1419

4

8

010

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

Would you describe your most recent contact withOakland police as positive or negative?

Positive

Negative


21/37

Interestingly, however, half of the ten Pacific Islanders in the study reported being arrested but not

convicted, compared to about 20% for most of the other groups, and, at the other extreme, 7% of

both Asian and white students reported being arrested but not convicted.

24.0%

7.0%

50.0%

20.0%

7.0%

22.0%

29.0%25.0%

0.0%

10.0%

20.0%

30.0%

40.0%

50.0%

60.0%

African

American

(219)

Asian

(100)

Pacific

Islander

(10)

Latina/o

(165)

Whites

(14)

Native

American

(23)

Mixed (41) Middle

Eastern

(12)

Arrests With No Conviction by Race

52

7

5

33

15

12

3

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

African

American

(219)

Asian (100) Pacific

Islander

(10)

Latina/o

(165)

Whites (14) Native

American

(23)

Mixed (41) Middle

Eastern

(12)

Arrests With No Conviction by Race


22/37

Male, female, and transgender individuals also reported different proportions of positive and

negative experiences, with males reporting more negative experiences than females and transgender

individuals, while a small proportion of the sample, reporting an even higher proportion of negative

experiences.

20.0%

15.0%

0.0%

33.0%

43.0%

56.0%

0.0%

10.0%

20.0%

30.0%

40.0%

50.0%

60.0%



Positive

Negative

64

43

0

103

121

5

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140



Positive

Negative


23/37

The Complaint Process

Only 6% of students who had a negative experience reported filing a complaint, with 79% unaware

complain to Internal Affairs.

14.0%18.0%

62.0%

6.0%

0.0%

20.0%

40.0%

60.0%

80.0%

Can't remember I've never had a bad

experience

No Yes

When you had a negative/bad experience with

Oakland police, did you file a complaint? N=527

7792

326

32

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

Can't remember I've never had a bad

experience

No Yes

When you had a negative/bad experience with

Oakland police, did you file a complaint? N=527


24/37

The reasons most often given were that students felt that a complaint would not make a difference

or that it was not worth the time and effort.

30.0%27.0%

22.0%

27.0%

52.0%

43.0%

0.0%

10.0%

20.0%

30.0%

40.0%

50.0%

60.0%

Did not know

about the

Citizens' Police

Review Board

Did not know

about the

Internal Affairs

Complaint

process is too

difficult or

complicated

Did not trust the

complaint

process

Did not think it

would make a

difference

Not worth the

time & effort

If you did not file a compliant, why not? N=707

121

10390

108

199

175

0

50

100

150

200

250

Did not know

about the

Citizens' Police

Review Board

Did not know

about the

Internal Affairs

Complaint

process is too

difficult or

complicated

Did not trust the

complaint

process

Did not think it

would make a

difference

Not worth the

time & effort

If you did not file a compliant, why not?

N=707


25/37

10.0%

4.0%

10.0% 10.0%

0.0%

2.0%

4.0%

6.0%

8.0%

10.0%

12.0%

Embarrassed Language barrier Did not want to relive

the bad experience

Scared of retaliation

by the police


52

27

5048

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

Embarrassed Language barrier Did not want to relive

the bad experience

Scared of retaliation

by the police



26/37

Males and females were almost equally unlikely to file a complaint.

on how likely they were to report a complaint. However, since only 32 out of 326 respondents filed a

complaint, variance may not have been sufficient to show an effect.

Implications

Overall, results suggest that an outreach campaign by the police force to allow positive contact

response to the

police. Further, the simple acts of listening to the young people, explaining what they are doing, and

suggesting an inexpensive and powerful way to build a stronger relationship with the community

future. And, lastly, giving the youth a voice by informing them about the complaint process may also

empower them rather than making them feel like victims of the system.

10.0%

8.0%

17.0%

0.0%

5.0%

10.0%

15.0%

20.0%


Had a Negative Experience With Police

and Filed a Complaint by Gender

16

13

1

0

5

10

15

20


Had a Negative Experience With Police

and Filed a Complaint by Gender


27/37


28/37

8.1%

70.9%

20.9%

0.0%

10.0%

20.0%

30.0%

40.0%

50.0%

60.0%

70.0%

80.0%

90.0%

100.0%

Yes No Maybe

Percentage of Respondents Who

Want to be Police Officers

N=688

56

488

144

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

Yes No Maybe

Number of Respondents

Who Want to be Police Officers

N=688


29/37

57.1%

42.9%

0.0%

20.0%

40.0%

60.0%

80.0%

100.0%

Yes No

Respondents' Comfort Level

Asking the Police Their Name

N=669

382

287

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

400

450

Yes No

Respondents' Comfort Level

Asking the Police Their Name

N=669


30/37

39.4%

13.7%

60.0%

27.4%17.4%

45.7%

33.3%

26.1%

0.0%

20.0%

40.0%

60.0%

80.0%

100.0%

Arrests by Race

85

14

6

44

2

19

4 6

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

Arrests by Race


31/37

37.7%

17.1%

21.4%

0.0%

10.0%

20.0%

30.0%

40.0%

50.0%

Alternative (252) Charter (41) Public (411)

Arrests by School Type

95

7

88

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

Alternative (252) Charter (41) Public (411)

Arrests by School Type


32/37

16.3%

7.8%

10.0%8.4%

17.4%

15.2%

8.3% 8.7%

0.0%

5.0%

10.0%

15.0%

20.0%

Reported Convictions by Race

37

8

1

15

26

12

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

Reported Convictions by Race


33/37

28.9%

71.1%

0.0%

20.0%

40.0%

60.0%

80.0%

100.0%

Yes No

Percent Aware that One Can Report Complaints

to the OPD Internal Affairs Division N=536

155

381

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

400

450

Yes No

Number Aware that One Can Report Complaints to

the OPD Internal Affairs Division N=536


34/37

21.4%

78.6%

0.0%

10.0%

20.0%

30.0%

40.0%

50.0%

60.0%

70.0%

80.0%

90.0%

Yes No

Percent Aware that One Can Report Complaints to

the Citizens' Police Review Board N=527

113

414

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

400

450

Yes No

Number Aware that One Can Report Complaints to

the Citizens' Police Review Board N=527


35/37

0.0%

10.0%

20.0%

30.0%

40.0%

50.0%

60.0%

70.0%

How many contacts have you ever had

with an Oakland police officer?

None

100.0%

2 to 3

4 or more


36/37

63.0%

54.0%

70.0%

52.0%

43.0%47.8%

59.0% 58.0%

0.0%

20.0%

40.0%

60.0%

80.0%

100.0%

Would you feel comfortable asking a police office for

their name?

Yes

138

54

7

86

6 11

24

7

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

Would you feel comfortable asking a police officer for

their name?

Yes


37/37

summary of findings from the data final 2 2

Documents