Research Opportunity: Perceptions of Public Safety in San Leandro

There has been a lot of discussion about public safety in our city. From frenzied posts on social media of package theft caught on camera to gun violence and gun seizures to homeless encampments to substance addiction problems to police brutality, it is clear that we are all grappling with this in some way.

Yet, it's unclear what most San Leandrans actually think about this, even as a number of people allege to speak on behalf of the city as a whole. Indeed, there have been unscientific Nextdoor polls as well as incomplete city surveys that have been used for exactly that purpose, despite missing critical information needed from using best practices in social science.

I think it's time we correct this deficiency. There is currently a research project from CSU East Bay aiming to do just this. Here's the pertinent information:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdvgKXq5lNgMYqp-i_0W9Xh5V6_YIssB5l0NDTUZS3m6U3kwA/viewform

"Data collected from this confidential survey will be used for completion of a bachelor’s degree in sociology at California State University East Bay. The information gathered will be used for research on the relationship between community involvement and perceptions of safety in San Leandro.

The survey questions will be about your involvement in community activities and how safe you feel in your neighborhood. You have been invited to participate because you are a San Leandro resident. 

You must be 18 years of age or older to participate. There are no risks or benefits to you in participating in this survey. You may choose to participate or not. You may answer only the questions you feel comfortable answering, and you may stop at any time. If you do not wish to participate, you may simply return the blank survey, with no penalty to yourself. If you do participate, completion and return of the survey indicates your consent to the above conditions.   

Please do not put your name on this form (unless you agree to being interviewed later on). The survey should take approximately 15 minutes to complete. Any questions or concerns should be directed to the principal investigator, Jeromey Shafer, at jshafer8@horizon.csueastbay.edu or 415-271-1724 or the research advisor, Dr. Jean Lin, at yenchun.lin@csueastbay.edu."

I encourage my neighbors to participate and then follow-up to receive the results once the project has reached its completion as part of a greater effort to understand the changes and the challenges we are facing as a community.

Take note and take care.