Dr. Chamard presents data from Mat-Su Survey to Mat-Su Assembly and Planning Commission

Dr. Sharon Chamard, Justice faculty, presented information about data collection, survey contents, and the organization of the final report of the annual Matanuska-Susitna Borough Community Survey 2012 and Trends 2008–2012: A Sourcebook of Community Attitudes to the joint meeting of the Mat-Su Borough Assembly and Planning Commission on March 26. The report was originally released in January 2013.

The Matanuska-Susitna Borough Community Survey, conducted annually beginning in 2006, is a cooperative research effort between the Justice Center and the Matanuska-Susitna Borough to collect information about satisfaction with Borough services, household aspirations, and household composition. These data are used by Borough decision-makers to prioritize projects, improve services, and better plan for the future growth of the Mat-Su Borough.

The 2012 study was conducted by Dr. Sharon Chamard, Justice faculty, who also was the principal investigator for the 2008, 2009, 2010, and 2011 Mat-Su Surveys. Heather MacAlpine, Justice B.A. Cum Laude ’12, assisted with data collection, entry, and analysis for the 2011 and 2012 surveys.

The survey asks Mat-Su Borough residents to evaluate the quality of Borough services, provide opinions about Borough decision-making, and sum up their perceptions about a range of issues relevant to the present and future of the Mat-Su community. The 2012 survey was distributed to 1,965 adult heads-of-household in the Mat-Su Borough in the late summer and fall of 2012; a total of 845 completed surveys were returned, for a response rate of  43%.

This sourcebook presents both the results from the 2012 survey and trends from 2008-2012 in five major areas: (1) evaluation of current borough services; (2) use of borough facilities; (3) life in Mat-Su neighborhoods; (4) local government access, policies, and practices; and (5) respondent background information. Additionally, findings from a derived importance-performance analysis of the survey data are presented, as is a compilation of respondent comments.

Information on past Mat-Su surveys and other community surveys in Alaska is available on the Justice Center website.

2012 Mat-Su Borough Community Survey and Trends 2008-2012 released

The Matanuska-Susitna Borough Community Survey 2012 and Trends 2008–2012: A Sourcebook of Community Attitudes by Dr. Sharon Chamard and Heather MacAlpine has been released.

The Matanuska-Susitna Borough Community Survey, conducted annually beginning in 2006, is a cooperative research effort between the Justice Center and the Matanuska-Susitna Borough to collect information about satisfaction with Borough services, household aspirations, and household composition. These data are used by Borough decision-makers to prioritize projects, improve services, and better plan for the future growth of the Mat-Su Borough.

This year's study was conducted by Dr. Sharon Chamard, Justice faculty, who also was the principal investigator for the 2008, 2009, 2010, and 2011 Mat-Su Surveys. Heather MacAlpine, Justice B.A. Cum Laude ’12, assisted with data collection, entry, and analysis, and also assisted with the 2011 survey.

The survey asks Mat-Su Borough residents to evaluate the quality of Borough services, provide opinions about Borough decision-making, and sum up their perceptions about a range of issues relevant to the present and future of the Mat-Su community. The 2012 survey was distributed to 1,965 adult heads-of-household in the Mat-Su Borough in the late summer and fall of 2012; a total of 845 completed surveys were returned, for a response rate of  43%.

This sourcebook presents both the results from the 2012 survey and trends from 2008-2012 in five major areas: (1) evaluation of current borough services; (2) use of borough facilities; (3) life in Mat-Su neighborhoods; (4) local government access, policies, and practices; and (5) respondent background information. Additionally, findings from a derived importance-performance analysis of the survey data are presented, as is a compilation of respondent comments.

See the Justice Center's Community surveys bibliography for a complete list of Justice Center reports and articles from various community surveys, including the Mat-Su Community Survey. The survey is part of the ongoing Community Indicators Project.

Dr. Chamard directs 2012 Mat-Su Community Survey

The 2012 Matanuska-Susitna Borough Community Survey will be directed by Dr. Sharon Chamard, Justice faculty.  She directed the Mat-Su Surveys for 2008, 2009, 2010, and 2011. The 2012 survey will be mailed to a random sample of Mat-Su residents beginning in August.

The survey has been conducted annually since 2006 and is a cooperative research effort between the Justice Center and the Matanuska-Susitna Borough to collect information about use of and satisfaction with Borough services, opinions about Borough policies and taxation, and household composition. These data will be used by Borough decision-makers to prioritize projects, improve services, and better plan for the future growth of the Mat-Su Borough.

The 2011 report, "The Matanuska-Susitna Borough - Community Survey, 2011 and Trends 2007-2011: A Sourcebook of Community Attitudes," and additional past reports of the Mat-Su Surveys are available on our website.

Mat-Su Borough Community Survey 2011 and Trends 2007-2011 released

The Justice Center has released the most recent publication from its Community Indicators Project:

• The Matanuska-Susitna Borough Community Survey 2011 and Trends 2007–2011: A Sourcebook of Community Attitudes by Dr. Sharon Chamard and Heather MacAlpine

The Matanuska-Susitna Borough Community Survey, conducted annually beginning in 2006, is a cooperative research effort between the Justice Center and the Matanuska-Susitna Borough to collect information about satisfaction with Borough services, household aspirations, and household composition. These data will be used by Borough decision-makers to prioritize projects, improve services, and better plan for the future growth of the Mat-Su Borough.

This year's study was conducted by Dr. Sharon Chamard, Justice faculty, who also was the principal investigator for the 2008, 2009, and 2010 Mat-Su surveys.Heather MacAlpine, a senior in the Justice B.A. program, assisted with data collection, entry, and analysis.

The survey asks Mat-Su Borough residents to evaluate the quality of Borough services, provide opinions about Borough decision-making, and sum up their perceptions about a range of issues relevant to the present and future of the Mat-Su community. The 2011 survey was distributed to 2,577 adult heads-of-household in the Mat-Su Borough in the late summer and fall of 2011; a total of 1,159 completed surveys were returned, for a response rate of  45%.

This sourcebook presents both the results from the 2011 survey and trends from 2007–2011 in five major areas: (1) evaluation of current borough services; (2) use of borough facilities; (3) life in Mat-Su neighborhoods; (4) local government access, policies, and practices; and (5) respondent background information. Additionally, findings from a derived importance-performance analysis of the survey data are presented, as is a compilation of respondent comments.

See the Justice Center's Community surveys bibliography for a complete list of Justice Center reports and articles from various community surveys, including the Mat-Su Community Survey.

Dr. Chamard publishes 2009 Anchorage Community Survey results for Anchorage Police Department

Dr. Sharon Chamard, Justice faculty, has recently published, "Anchorage Community Survey 2009: Anchorage Police-related Results," as part of the Community Indicators Project at the UAA Justice Center.

The Anchorage Community Survey (ACS) asked residents to respond to questions about the quality of life in their Anchorage neighborhood, their satisfaction with municipal services, and their opinion of the criminal justice system, including police.  This report presents the findings of the 23 questions that focused on the Anchorage Police Department (APD).  Overall, respondents were satisfied with APD, with close to two-thirds (66%) of those who answered these questions reporting they were satisfied (43%) or very satisfied (23%).

The report also includes results grouped by community council area of the survey respondents.The full report of the 2009 Anchorage Community Survey is forthcoming.

Dr. Chamard directs 2011 Mat-Su Community Survey

The 2011 Matanuska-Susitna Borough Community Survey will be directed by Dr. Sharon Chamard, Justice faculty.  Surveys will be mailed to a random sample of Mat-Su residents beginning in July.

The survey has been conducted annually since 2006 and is a cooperative research effort between the Justice Center and the Matanuska-Susitna Borough to collect information about use of and satisfaction with Borough services, opinions about Borough policies and taxation, and household composition. These data will be used by Borough decision-makers to prioritize projects, improve services, and better plan for the future growth of the Mat-Su Borough.

Past reports of the Mat-Su Surveys are available on our website. The final report  for the 2011 survey will be released in 2012.

Mat-Su Borough 2010 Community Survey released

The Justice Center has released the most recent publication from its Community Indicators Project:

• The Matanuska-Susitna Borough Community Survey 2010 and Trends 2006–2010: A Sourcebook of Community Attitudes by Sharon Chamard

The Matanuska-Susitna Borough Community Survey, conducted annually beginning in 2006, is a cooperative research effort between the Justice Center and the Matanuska-Susitna Borough to collect information about satisfaction with Borough services, household aspirations, and household composition. These data will be used by Borough decision-makers to prioritize projects, improve services, and better plan for the future growth of the Mat-Su Borough.

The survey asks Mat-Su Borough residents to evaluate the quality of Borough services, provide opinions about Borough decision-making, and sum up their perceptions about a range of issues relevant to the present and future of the Mat-Su community. The 2010 survey was distributed to 2,088 adult heads-of-household in the Mat-Su Borough in the late summer and fall of 2010; a total of 922 surveys were returned, for a response rate of 45.9%.

This sourcebook presents both the results from the 2010 survey and trends from 2006–2010 in five major areas: (1) evaluation of current borough services; (2) use of borough facilities; (3) life in Mat-Su neighborhoods; (4) local government access, policies, and practices; and (5) respondent background information. Additionally, findings from a derived importance-performance analysis of the survey data are presented, as is a compilation of respondent comments.

See the Justice Center's Community surveys bibliography for a complete list of Justice Center reports and articles from various community surveys, including the Mat-Su Community Survey.

Dr. Chamard heads up future Mat-Su Borough Community Survey studies

Dr. Sharon Chamard, Justice faculty, will be working on two additional studies related to communities in the Matanuska-Susitna Borough.

The first is a trend analysis that looks at data from the 2006 through 2009 Mat-Su Borough Community Surveys. A series of graphs and charts will show changes over the years in attitudes and opinions. It is anticipated that each future survey will include a trend analysis of this type.

The second project is for the 2010 survey. Dr. Chamard was recently awarded the contract for the 2010 Matanuska-Susistna Borough Community Survey.

The yearly survey asks Mat-Su Borough residents to evaluate the quality of Borough services, provide opinions about Borough decision-making, and sum up their perceptions about a range of issues relevant to the present and future of the Mat-Su community. The survey provides results in five major areas: (1) evaluation of current borough services; (2) use of borough facilities; (3) life in Mat-Su neighborhoods; (4) local government access, policies, and practices; and (5) respondent background information. Government agencies and policymakers use this data to assist in responding to residents' concerns and needs and in planning future projects.

Photo of farm near Palmer, a community in the Matanuska-Susitna Borough. Courtesy of the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health.

Dr. Chamard interviewed by KTUU Ch 2 News re 2009 Mat-Su Survey

Dr. Sharon Chamard, Justice faculty, was interviewed May 16, 2010 by KTUU Channel 2 News about the recently released Matanuska-Susitna Borough Community Survey, 2009: A Sourcebook of Community Attitudes.

See the Justice Center's Community Indicators Projects page for past surveys of the Matanuska-Susita Borough.

Mat-Su Borough Community Survey 2009 released

	Palmer, Alaska, a community in the Mat-Su Borough. Photo by Jim Moody, Jr. Used in accordance with a Creative Commons BY-NC-SA 2.0 license.

The Justice Center has released the most recent publication from its Community Indicators Project:

• The Matanuska-Susitna Borough Community Survey, 2009: A Sourcebook of Community Attitudes by Sharon Chamard and Khristy Parker

The Matanuska-Susitna Borough Community Survey, conducted annually beginning in 2006, is a cooperative research effort between the Justice Center and the Matanuska-Susitna Borough to collect information about satisfaction with Borough services, household aspirations, and household composition. These data will be used by Borough decision-makers to prioritize projects, improve services, and better plan for the future growth of the Mat-Su Borough.

The survey asks Mat-Su Borough residents to evaluate the quality of Borough services, provide opinions about Borough decision-making, and sum up their perceptions about a range of issues relevant to the present and future of the Mat-Su community. The 2009 survey was distributed to 2,733 residents of the Mat-Su Borough; a total of 1,406 surveys were returned, for a response rate of 51.6%. The Sourcebook provides results in five major areas: (1) evaluation of current borough services; (2) use of borough facilities; (3) life in Mat-Su neighborhoods; (4) local government access, policies, and practices; and (5) respondent background information.

See the Justice Center's Community surveys bibliography for a complete list of Justice Center reports and articles from various community surveys, including the Mat-Su Community Survey.

Atlas of Anchorage Community Indicators released

The Atlas of Anchorage Community Indicators is an online collection of maps reflecting survey and census data for the Municipality of Anchorage. The intent of the Atlas is to make empirical information about Anchorage neighborhoods widely accessible to many different audiences. Our selection of indicators for presentation in the Atlas was inspired by Peter Blau and his interest in measures of heterogeneity (diversity) and inequality and by the work of the Project on Human Development in Chicago Neighborhoods. In these prior works, variables known as Community Indicators were theorized to educate and inform researchers about the cause and context of neighborhoods in the development of criminals. These indicators can be measured in various ways, typically through surveys or by mining existing census data.

By leveraging Geographic Information Systems methods and technology and using survey data, the Justice Center has been able to illustrate the distribution of these variables (by 2000 U.S. Census block group) throughout the Municipality of Anchorage. This will allow the audience to see patterns of distribution, and raises important questions about the spatial distribution of variables like Concentrated Disadvantage (a measure of relative neighborhood poverty) and Residential Stability (theorized to promote the evolution of common values). Ideally, this information will educate community councils, sociologists, and other stakeholders about the composition of Anchorage neighborhoods and the possible ramifications of that composition, and assist in policy making.

Dr. Chamard interviewed by KTUU Channel 2 News about 2007 Anchorage Community Survey Report

Dr. Sharon Chamard, Justice Center faculty, was interviewed by KTUU Channel 2 News concerning the release of the "2007 Anchorage Community Survey Sourcebook," "2007 Executive Summary," and the " Community Indicators Project at UAA: Anchorage Police Department Related Results." This biannual survey of the Anchorage Municipality asks residents demographic information, their opinion about life in Anchorage, including their level of satisfaction with municipal services, their perception of safety in the community, and questions about neighborhood social cohesiveness.

The 2009 Anchorage Community Survey is currently underway, and the report from the survey is anticipated in late spring 2010.

Anchorage Community Survey 2007: Three new reports

Announcing the release of three reports from the Anchorage Community Survey 2007:

• The Anchorage Community Survey, 2007: Executive Summary, revised ed.
• The Anchorage Community Survey, 2007: Sourcebook
• Community Indicators Project at UAA: Anchorage Police Department Related Results

All reports are authored by Shel Llee Flexman-Evans, who was principal investigator for the project.

The biannual Anchorage Community Survey (ACS), part of the Justice Center's Community Indicators Project, provides one of the most detailed pictures available of community attitudes within the network of communities forming the Anchorage municipality. The survey reports contain information on the demographics of residents, their perceptions of life in their neighborhoods, social activities and organizations, and satisfaction with various municipal and government functions, including policing. The first Anchorage Community Survey was conducted in 2005. The 2009 survey is currently in progress.