Indicator: 73 - Community Safety

 

Why This Is Important

Quality of life is important to Mainers, and that is especially true in terms of basic feelings of
safety. Communities that promote and model clear standards of behavior are thought to create conditions for families to feel safe.

 

Where We Stand

Nearly all of those surveyed regardless of age, household income or gender, stated they
felt “very” or “somewhat” safe in response to the question, "Overall, how safe do you feel
in your community?" This pattern has been consistent since at least 1997.

 

Data Sources and Context

Data on this indicator comes from a statewide telephone survey of Maine households with
children present who are age 18 or younger. The respondents to this survey were adults in
the household who self-identified as a parent. The indicator is similar to indicators used by
the Maine Development Foundation in their previous surveys of Maine citizens, or other
national surveys of families, so that the data could be used to monitor trends over time and
to compare Maine to the nation. This 2004/5 survey was conducted by Critical Insights, a
strategic marketing research firm in Portland, Maine. During the months of December 2004
and January 2005, 400 Maine adults responded to the survey.

The adults were asked the following: “Overall, how safe do you feel in your community”