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89
…because I don’t feel safe walking my dogs or just going for a walk with my
kids because it’s very dangerous. There’s no respect for elders, kids nobody,
my son recently got beat up and they stole his ipod. Now he’s afraid he don’t
even want to go to the corner store, because of this incident. He’s only 16 yrs
old and I would hate it for him to join a gang just to feel he has some back up
in case of anything. He said this was an older man in his late 20’s and he also
had gang related tattoos all over his arms.
Table 5.18 Safety Issues in the Study Areas Raised by the Kid Watch Volunteers
Safety issues Frequency
Personal safety Gangs; drug users and dealers; drinking;
vandalism; robbery; street fight; child molesters;
kidnapping; bad people; lack of security in the
street and around the school; smoking; tagging; car
break-ins; crime; racism; lack of police monitoring
81
Traffic safety No light at crosswalk; traffic; fast moving cars;
road crossing;
23
Behavioral Fast driving; no respect for traffic (child); no
respect for stop signs (drivers); irresponsible
parenting (parents)
24
Although less prevalent, dangers associated with crossing the road was most
recognized regarding traffic safety in the neighborhood. In addition, concerns
directed toward behavioral aspects of drivers, children, or parents were often
observed. Especially, social norms about parenting in general and escorting children
in particular were expressed in the form of blaming the parents of children who were
seen walking alone to or from school. Some wrote;
I have many neighbors who spend their whole time indoors which their
children are outside running around the cars kicking the soccer ball. An the
parents are indoors without a care in the world…it something was to happen
to their children it is the parents’ faults for not being aware of what their
children are doing. They rather stay indoors and watching the novela!
Object Description
| Title | Walkability as 'freedom': the ecology of school journey in inner city Los Angeles neighborhoods |
| Author | Uhm, Jung A |
| Author email | uhm@usc.edu; j_uhm@hotmail.com |
| Degree | Doctor of Philosophy |
| Document type | Dissertation |
| Degree program | planning |
| School | School of Policy, Planning, and Development |
| Date defended/completed | 2008-06-05 |
| Date submitted | 2008 |
| Restricted until | Unrestricted |
| Date published | 2008-10-17 |
| Advisor (committee chair) | Banerjee, Tridib |
| Advisor (committee member) |
Irazabal, Clara Stoner, Madeleine |
| Abstract | Over the past two decades, rising concerns over childhood obesity and its health effects have brought the issue of "walkability" to the forefront in creating a child friendly environment. Particularly, the idea of promoting children walking to and from school has gained widespread support among policy makers, public health officials, civic organizations, and planners as a way to increase physical activity among children to prevent obesity. Recent policies and programs however are based on an assumption about the direct influence of the built environment on school travel mode, of which parents' values and perceptions are considered prominent in determining environmental attributes related to children walking to school.; This research proposes a conceptual framework in understanding the relationship between the environment and children's travel by adding a crucial link generally missing in current walkability research - children. By proposing the notion of walkability as freedom, this study attempts to draw attentions to children's choices and real opportunities and factors that either facilitate or prohibit children in or from actualizing what they value (walking to school as one of many). With this goal, this research explored the elements of a walkable environment through the eyes of ethnic minority children attending five elementary schools in inner city Los Angeles.; Through the triangulation of capability approach, child-centered participatory methods, and ecological perspectives, the findings demonstrate children's capacity not only to observe and understand the environment, but also to evaluate and reflect on making their neighborhood environment safer and walkable on their own terms.; This research suggests a shift in policy focus from the provision and improvement of environmental resources to the enhancement of individual freedom by increasing children's participatory capability. The results of this study advance the discussion on the relationship between active school travel and the environment by bringing children into the foreground within the spheres of ecological transaction. |
| Keyword | capability; children; inner-city neighborhood; perception; school travel; walkability |
| Geographic subject | educational facilities: Foshay Learning Center; educational facilities: Norwood Street Elementary School; educational facilities: St. Agnes Parish School; educational facilities: Vermont Avenue Elementary School; educational facilities: Lenicia B. Weemes Elementary School |
| Geographic subject (city or populated place) | Los Angeles |
| Geographic subject (state) | California |
| Coverage date | circa 2008 |
| Language | English |
| Part of collection | University of Southern California dissertations and theses |
| Publisher (of the original version) | University of Southern California |
| Place of publication (of the original version) | Los Angeles, California |
| Publisher (of the digital version) | University of Southern California. Libraries |
| Provenance | Electronically uploaded by the author |
| Type | texts |
| Legacy record ID | usctheses-m1671 |
| Contributing entity | University of Southern California |
| Rights | Uhm, Jung A |
| Repository name | Libraries, University of Southern California |
| Repository address | Los Angeles, California |
| Repository email | cisadmin@lib.usc.edu |
| Filename | etd-Uhm-2224 |
| Archival file | uscthesesreloadpub_Volume29/etd-Uhm-2224.pdf |
Description
| Title | Page 99 |
| Contributing entity | University of Southern California |
| Repository email | cisadmin@lib.usc.edu |
| Full text | 89 …because I don’t feel safe walking my dogs or just going for a walk with my kids because it’s very dangerous. There’s no respect for elders, kids nobody, my son recently got beat up and they stole his ipod. Now he’s afraid he don’t even want to go to the corner store, because of this incident. He’s only 16 yrs old and I would hate it for him to join a gang just to feel he has some back up in case of anything. He said this was an older man in his late 20’s and he also had gang related tattoos all over his arms. Table 5.18 Safety Issues in the Study Areas Raised by the Kid Watch Volunteers Safety issues Frequency Personal safety Gangs; drug users and dealers; drinking; vandalism; robbery; street fight; child molesters; kidnapping; bad people; lack of security in the street and around the school; smoking; tagging; car break-ins; crime; racism; lack of police monitoring 81 Traffic safety No light at crosswalk; traffic; fast moving cars; road crossing; 23 Behavioral Fast driving; no respect for traffic (child); no respect for stop signs (drivers); irresponsible parenting (parents) 24 Although less prevalent, dangers associated with crossing the road was most recognized regarding traffic safety in the neighborhood. In addition, concerns directed toward behavioral aspects of drivers, children, or parents were often observed. Especially, social norms about parenting in general and escorting children in particular were expressed in the form of blaming the parents of children who were seen walking alone to or from school. Some wrote; I have many neighbors who spend their whole time indoors which their children are outside running around the cars kicking the soccer ball. An the parents are indoors without a care in the world…it something was to happen to their children it is the parents’ faults for not being aware of what their children are doing. They rather stay indoors and watching the novela! |
