2009 Race Relations Progress Report

RACE RELATIONS PROGRESS REPORT FOR JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA

FIFTH ANNUAL EDITION, 2009 JACKSONVILLE COMMUNITY COUNCIL INC.

TABLE OF CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

1

INTRODUCTION

2

PERCEPTIONS

OF

RACE RELATIONS TODAY

3

SECTION

CHAMPION

EDUCATION

IDA M. STEVENS FOUNDATION

4

WORKSOURCE

6

SUNTRUST

8

EMPLOYMENT HOUSING

AND INCOME

AND

NEIGHBORHOODS

HEALTH JUSTICE

AND THE LEGAL

SYSTEM

PAGE

AETNA

10

MCGUIREWOODS LLP

12

CIVIC ENGAGEMENT & POLITICAL SYSTEM JACKSONVILLE REGIONAL CHAMBER

OF

COMMERCE

ABOUT JCCI

14 16

JCCI dedicates its 35th anniversary year to Frederick H. Schultz and his vision for the future of Jacksonville

The 2009 Race Relations Progress Report Review Committee was chaired by Jennifer Chapman Broderick Green

Committee members included: William Bulgin Preston Callison Jim Crooks David Crow Trey Csar

Rocelia Gonzalez Charles Griggs Charlene Taylor Hill Ashley Jenkins Crystal Jones

Matt Marshall Elexia Moss Mario Rubio Patrice Symms Henry Thomas

Dennis Wade Anthony Wallace JeffriAnne Wilder Dottie Wilson

JCCI extends a special thanks to the Jacksonville Human Rights Commission for supporting JCCI and endorsing our efforts to track Jacksonville’s progress in addressing race relations and racial disparities.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY “My goal is to survive the day, to survive it with a semblance of grace, curiosity, and a sense I’ve done something pretty good. I can’t survive the day unless everyone else survives it, too. I live in a community, and if the community isn’t in good shape, neither am I.” – Studs Terkel In 2005, JCCI published its baseline Race Relations Progress Report under a charge to produce an annual report card to measure progress and hold the community accountable for eliminating race-based disparities.

This is the fifth annual report card, and each year has seen the report strengthen its ability to measure progress.

Now is the time to demand community accountability.

The indicators demonstrate moderate progress in some areas, and little to no progress in others. In none of the six areas of this report does the Review Committee feel that progress has been adequate. We can and must do better.

Eliminating racial disparities in the community is a moral imperative. But it is also an economic imperative. The future of Jacksonville as a global logistics hub, as a vibrant player in a knowledge-based economy, as a place that attracts and retains high-paying employers and talented employees, depends on becoming more (in perception and reality) than a segregated, Southern town. We cannot compete with a third of our players relegated to the bench. We cannot climb out of economic crisis without every hand pushing us forward.

The inequities measured in this report are significant and persistent. And yet the most troubling sign in the report is the shift in perceptions among white respondents in a survey conducted for JCCI annually for the past 25 years. Less than half of white respondents feel racism is a problem in Jacksonville, compared to three-quarters of black respondents -- a widening gap that challenges our ability as a community to come together and address the problems identified in this report.

Specific challenges include: Education: The disparities in High School Graduation Rates and Educational Attainment remain a primary concern for Jacksonville. Education is a critical factor in addressing all of the disparities identified. Our public school system has a plan in place but it requires strong community-wide support.

Economy: The national economic deterioration is aggravating existing disparities in Unemployment Rates and Children in Low-Income Households, and the numbers in this report likely understate today’s problems as conditions continue to worsen.

Housing: The high rate of People Paying More Than 30 Percent of Income for Housing is a troubling indicator of potential financial instability that can only be getting worse with the current economic climate.

Health: Disparities in Infant Mortality Rates and New HIV Cases point to systemic problems in public health.

Justice and the Legal System: Inmate Admissions remain highly disparate and the rates are not declining.

Civic Engagement and the Political Process: The 2008 Presidential election saw gaps closing in Voter Turnout, but the challenge will be to maintain that level of engagement in local elections.

Members of the review committee will be seeking commitments from organizations and individuals in the community, sharing what they will be doing this year to address these disparities. JCCI will post those results on its website, and will report on those efforts in next year’s report. Please contribute your story about what you are doing to eliminate these disparities.

JCCI 2009 Race Relations Progress Report, page 1

INTRODUCTION In 2002, JCCI released a citizen-led study, Beyond the Talk: Improving Race Relations. The study documented that racial disparities were prevalent locally in six areas: education, income and employment, housing, health, criminal justice, and the political process. Beyond the Talk concluded that quality of life disparities are caused by multiple factors: individual racism, individual behavior, and the practices of public and private institutions.

Beyond the Talk presented a set of 27 recommendations to improve race relations in Jacksonville and to eliminate racial disparities. A primary recommendation stated that JCCI should convene citizens to create and distribute an annual report card on race relations in Jacksonville, modeled after JCCI’s Quality of Life Progress Report. The report card should measure race-based disparities as well as perceptions of racism and discrimination in the community.

In 2005, JCCI released its first Race Relations Progress Report, using survey data and community data to measure racial disparities. Many people in the community were involved in helping identify indicators, conduct surveys, participate in focus groups, and understand the results. Others met after the release of the initial report to help guide the creation of follow-up reports, based on lessons learned from the first report. Their efforts on launching this ground-breaking undertaking were and are much appreciated.

This is the 2009 update of the Race Relations Progress Report. Volunteer committees determined that the in-depth survey information from the first report should be repeated on a regular basis to update the community’s perceptions of race relations, every four years. In the interim, a clear report card, with concise information on each of the areas covered, should be presented annually to help guide policy decisions and community work, identify priority areas of concern for further investigation and effort, and measure progress toward an inclusive community, free of race-based disparities and discrimination.

Committee members have been concerned that the Race Relations Progress Report shows as much information as possible about the various racial and ethnic populations in Jacksonville. In all cases where the data were available, this report shows trends among white, black, Hispanic, Asian, and Native American residents of Jacksonville. In some cases, accurate data were simply not available. Caution should be taken in interpreting trendlines where there are large fluctuations in the graphs, which tends to occur when the base population is small. Also, because “Hispanic” refers to ethnicity and not race, care should be taken with population estimates.

The 2008 American Community Survey provided the following information about Duval County’s population:

2008

White 59.0%

Black 28.9%

Hispanic 6.3%

Asian 3.5%

Native American 0.3%

Other 2.0%

The University of Florida’s Bureau of Economic and Business Research provided these detailed estimates and projections of Jacksonville’s population (non-Hispanic white and black populations represented):

2000 2005 2010 2020 2030

White 64.5% 60.8% 58.3% 54.1% 50.8%

Black 28.0% 30.1% 31.1% 33.1% 34.6%

Hispanic 4.1% 5.4% 6.5% 8.0% 9.2%

Other 3.4% 3.7% 4.1% 4.8% 5.4%

Total Population 778,879 861,150 917,521 1,041,016 1,165,000

Survey Methodology: The surveys in this report were conducted by American Public Dialogue for the JCCI Quality of Life Progress Report. The survey was designed to provide a representative sampling of the Jacksonville population as a whole, and is less reliable statistically when looking at sub-population responses. Standard deviations are +/- 5.5% for white responses and +/- 9.1% for black responses. The survey does not provide useful information for Hispanic respondents.

Every four years, JCCI conducts a more in-depth survey with statistically significant representation among white, black, and Hispanic respondents. This survey was last completed in 2008 and its results can be seen at www.jcci.org.

JCCI 2009 Race Relations Progress Report, page 2

PERCEPTIONS OF RACE RELATIONS TODAY Is Racism a Problem in Jacksonville?

The Beyond the Talk study concluded, “The wide range of perceptions among Jacksonville’s citizens about past and current racial disparities impedes resolution of all problems in race relations.” Shared understanding of the extent of the problem is often a prerequisite to reaching agreement on how to solve that problem.

JCCI has been tracking perceptions of racism in Jacksonville since 1985. The survey question asks, In your opinion during the last year, do you feel that racism is a problem in Jacksonville?

“Yes” responses (racism is a problem): Source: American Public Dialogue White Black

2008 57% 77%

2009 49% 74%

Difference - 8% - 3%

Hispanic respondents not available. See Survey Methodology on page 2.

In 2008, 20 percentage points separated white and black reported perceptions that racism was a community problem; in 2009, the gap had grown to 25 points. Perceptions reflect only what’s on people’s minds, and may not accurately portray the extent of racism in the community.

Experiences of Racism when Shopping The Beyond the Talk study also found that differing perceptions about race relations are related to differences in experiences and perceptions of discrimination. Since 2000, JCCI has been tracking how people respond to the question, Thinking about your own possible experience with racism, do you believe that you have personally experienced racism during the past year while shopping, while at work, or while renting or buying housing in Jacksonville? “Yes” responses to shopping, which have been the highest responses, are represented in the graph.

2009 “Yes” responses (personally experienced racism):

White Black

Work 5% 29%

Shopping 8% 37%

Housing 1% 17%

Source: American Public Dialogue In 2008, 31 percent of black respondents said that they had personally experienced racism while shopping; in 2009, responses had increased to 37 percent. Of the three survey questions, shopping reflects a more universal and constant activity, compared to work or those buying or renting housing.

JCCI 2009 Race Relations Progress Report, page 3

EDUCATION High School Graduation Rates The Beyond the Talk: Improving Race Relations study found that “eliminating disparities in school performance is critical to ensuring a high quality of life for all Jacksonville citizens.” The following year, the Public Education Reform study called the achievement gap the “primary challenge facing the public education system,” and launched a further study on how to eliminate the achievement gap.

Graduating from high school is usually a prerequisite to good employment and to furthering one’s education. In this area, graduation rates improved, but the gap between the four-year graduation rates of black and white students is larger.

Source: Duval County Public Schools

Graduation rates:

White Black Hispanic Asian Native American

2006-07 70% 52% 57% 74% 47%

2007-08 72% 53% 57% 76% 67%

Difference + 2% + 1% + 0% + 2% + 20%

In 2006-07, 18 percentage points separated white and black student graduation rates; in 2007-08, rates had improved, but the gap had increased to 19 percentage points. The gap between white and Hispanic graduation rates increased from 13 points in 2006-07 to 15 points in 2007-08.

FCAT Reading Proficiency The 2008 Strategic Plan for the Duval County Public Schools states, “The achievement gap in Duval County can and must be eliminated.” Reading scores at grade level (Level 3 or above on the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test [FCAT], Sunshine State Standards [SSS], and alternative assessments) are a key measure of this gap.

The percentage of all students who were reading at grade level or above was:

White Black Hispanic Asian Native American

2007-08 71% 43% 55% 71% 69%

2008-09 72% 43% 55% 72% 75%

Difference +1 +0 +0 +1 +6

Source: Florida Department of Education In 2007-08, 28 percentage points separated white and black student scores; in 2008-09, scores rose for white students, and the gap increased to 29 points. In 2008-09, the gap between white and Hispanic scores was 16 points, unchanged from 2007-08.

JCCI 2009 Race Relations Progress Report, page 4

EDUCATION Reading At Grade Level, By Grade, 2008-09 During the course of a child’s experience in school, the expectations in reading become more difficult. The tests become harder.

While more is expected of all students, the achievement gaps (already significant in the third grade) widen even further. By grade level, reading scores were as follows: Percentage of public school students reading at grade level (FCAT SSS), 2008-09: Native Grade White Black Hispanic Asian American 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

82% 85% 81% 74% 76% 65% 55% 50%

54% 57% 55% 48% 49% 36% 23% 17%

67% 70% 68% 57% 59% 47% 34% 31%

80% 83% 78% 78% 75% 65% 53% 52%

89% 93% 88% 86% 83% 56% 41% N/A

Source: Florida Department of Education In third grade, 28 points separated the rates of white and black students reading at grade level, and 15 points separated white and Hispanic percentages, both unchanged from 2007-08. In 10th grade, the gap was 33 percentage points between white and black students and 19 between white and Hispanic students, down from 34 and 21 points, respectively, in 2007-08.

Educational Attainment, 2008 Educational attainment measures the percentage of adults 25 years of age or older who have high school diplomas (or the equivalent) and those who have college degrees. The gap in educational attainment remains high and is increasing in the area of college degrees.

Educational Attainment: High School Diplomas

2000 2008

White 86.1% 89.9%

Black 74.1% 83.0%

Hispanic 79.0% 74.9%

Asian 81.2% 83.7%

Educational Attainment: Bachelor’s Degree or Higher

2000 2008

White 24.6% 26.6%

Black 13.1% 13.1%

Hispanic 21.8% 22.0%

Asian 34.4% 45.6%

Source: American Community Survey In 2008, 13.5 points separated the college degree attainment rates of white and black adults, up from 11.5 in 2000. The gap between white and Hispanic adult college attainment rates increased from 2.8 to 4.6 points.

Education offers the most proven means through which the doors to lifelong opportunities for all may be opened, and the entire community thereby elevated.

Ida M. Stevens Foundation

EMPLOYMENT AND INCOME Unemployment Rates In 2004, the American Community Survey, a program of the U.S. Census, began calculating unemployment rates by race at the county level. While unemployment increased from 2007 to 2008, black unemployment rose at a faster rate, which meant that the gap in unemployment rates between white and black workers increased.

White Black Hispanic Asian

2007 5.3% 9.2% 6.5% 4.1%

2008 5.4% 11.4% 5.6% 4.8%

Difference + 0.1% + 2.2% - 0.9% + 0.7%

Since 2008, the overall community unemployment rate has continued to climb as part of the national economic crisis.

Source: American Community Survey In 2007, 3.9 percentage points separated white and black unemployment rates; in 2008, the black unemployment rate was more than double the white rate.

Children in Low Income Households The official United States poverty line in 2008 was $22,025 for a family of four. Children in families with a household income of less than 130 percent of the poverty line ($28,633) are eligible for the free lunch program at school, and children in families with a household income of less than 185 percent of the poverty line ($40,746) are eligible for reduced-price lunches. Black schoolchildren in Duval County public schools participate in this program at more than twice the rate as white schoolchildren, suggesting much higher rates of children in low-income households.

Free and reduced-price lunch participation rates:

White Black Hispanic Asian Native American

2006-07 24% 63% 53% 27% 33%

2007-08 26% 65% 54% 26% 37%

Difference + 2% + 2% + 1% - 1% + 4%

Source: Duval County Public Schools In 2007-08, 39 points separated the rates of black and white students received free or reduced-price lunches, unchanged from 200607.

This indicator excludes children in private schools, and may understate the need because older schoolchildren, especially in high school, may opt out of the program even if their family is eligible to participate.

JCCI 2009 Race Relations Progress Report, page 6

EMPLOYMENT AND INCOME Median Household Income Median household income, as measured by the American Community Survey and adjusted for inflation, declined for both black and white households in 2008, and the gap increased slightly:

White Black Hispanic Asian

2007 $58,328 $36,562 $44,195 $68,340

2008 $58,240 $36,051 $47,144 $73,591

Difference -$ 88 - $ 511 + $2,949 + $5,251

This meant that in 2008, black median household income was 62 percent of white median household income, down from 63 percent in 2007, while Hispanic median household income grew from 76 to 81 percent of white non-Hispanic household income.

Source: American Community Survey In 2007, $21,766 separated the median income for white and black households; in 2008, that number had risen to $22,189. The gap between white and Hispanic household income, on the other hand, narrowed from $14,133 in 2007 to $11,096 in 2008.

City Contracts In 2004, the City of Jacksonville began a new Jacksonville Small & Emerging Businesses program (JSEB) as a replacement for its previous Minority Business Enterprise and Equal Business Opportunity programs. By percentage of total dollar value ($390,701,229), the contracts awarded through the program went to the following certified JSEBs:

White Black Hispanic Asian Native American

2006-07 91.7% 6.5% 1.3% 0.0% 0.4%

2007-08 88.7% 7.8% 2.4% 0.6% 0.5%

Difference - 3.0% + 1.3% + 1.1% + 0.6% + 0.1%

Source: City of Jacksonville In 2007-08, the share of city contract dollars to minority-owned businesses increased from 8.2 to 11.3 percent.

Poverty erodes the foundation of great communities.

Education and skills training - the keys to better jobs are the cornerstones of economic success for all our citizens.

HOUSING AND NEIGHBORHOODS Mortgage Denial Rates, 2008 Purchasing a home is often the largest investment a person will make. In the Jacksonville metropolitan area, applications for conventional home mortgage loans are denied more often for black applicants than they are for white applicants. When the data is sorted by income levels, based on a median family income of $63,900 in 2008, the disparities are much higher among middle and high-income households.

Conventional mortgage denial rates in 2008 were: White 36.0%

Very Low Income (under $31,950)

Black 30.9%

Hispanic 35.7% Source: Home Mortgage Disclosure Act

Low Income ($31.950-$51,119)

22.3%

35.3%

32.4%

Middle income ($51,120-76,679)

17.4%

39.6%

32.3%

High income (over $76,680)

12.0%

33.7%

19.1%

In 2008, the difference between conventional mortgage denial rates between white and black applicants fell in the low and very low income categories but increased 3 to 6 points in the high and middle income categories, respectively, over 2007. The difference between white and Hispanic denial rates increased among low and middle income applicants but decreased in both the very low and high income categories.

Home Purchases Per 1,000 People In 2000, 73 percent of white households in Jacksonville owned their own homes, compared to 51 percent of black households and 53 percent of Hispanic households.

During the first half of this decade, home purchases among all racial and ethnic groups grew significantly. After the real estate market slowdown, the rate of home purchases per 1,000 people declined sharply in 2007 and again in 2008.

Home purchases per 1,000 population:

White Black Hispanic

2007 15.6 7.6 15.2

2008 6.3 1.9 3.7

Difference - 9.3 - 5.7 - 11.5

Source: Home Mortgage Disclosure Act In 2007, the rate of new home purchases among white families was double that of black families and about the same as that of Hispanic families.

While the rates for all groups declined in 2008, the differences increased, with the rate for white families nearly double that of Hispanic families and more than triple that of black families.

JCCI 2009 Race Relations Progress Report, page 8

HOUSING AND NEIGHBORHOODS Households Paying 30 Percent or More of Monthly Income for Housing The cost of housing is generally the most significant item in a household budget. In general, housing is considered to be “affordable” if it costs less than 30 percent of the total monthly household income. In 2008, 36 percent of white homeowners in Duval County paid more than the “affordable” benchmark for housing, compared to 54 percent of black homeowners.

Among those renting their housing, 48 percent of white households paid more than 30 percent of their monthly income for housing, compared to 57 percent of black renters. Data were not available for Hispanic homeowners or renters.

Homeowners paying more than 30% for housing:

White Black

2007 27% 40%

2008 36% 54%

Difference + 9% + 14%

Renters paying more than 30% for housing:

White Black

2007 40% 53%

2008 48% 57%

Difference + 8% + 4%

Source: American Community Survey In 2007, the gap between white and black homeowners was 13 points; in 2008, the gap rose to 18 points. Among renters, the gap decreased from 13 to 9 points in 2008. The percent of households paying 30 percent or more of their monthly income for housing rose for all populations.

Perceptions of Neighborhood Safety In addition to the cost of housing, the quality of housing and the quality of neighborhoods are important factors in the quality of life.

One way to reflect the quality of housing is the perceived safety of neighborhoods.

In surveys, Jacksonville residents reported different feelings of safety about their neighborhoods in response to the question, Do you feel safe walking alone in your neighborhood at night?

“Yes” responses (feeling safe):

White Black

2008 53% 36%

2009 65% 43%

Difference + 12% + 7%

Source: American Public Dialogue In 2008, the gap between black and white respondents who felt safe walking around their neighborhoods at night had decreased to 17 points. In 2009, all respondents felt safer, and the gap increased to 22 points.

The American Dream is the promise of prosperity where every citizen can achieve a better and happier life. That includes equal access to safe, affordable homes within the financial means of every family.

HEALTH Infant Death Rate The infant mortality rate (the number of infants that die before reaching one year of age per 1,000 infants born) is a sentinel indicator used to evaluate a population's overall health and access to health care. JCCI’s 2008 Infant Mortality study concluded: “The failure of our community to successfully address the longstanding issues of racism, poverty, and socio-economic disparities is killing our babies. The high infant mortality rate is not merely a health problem and not merely a black problem, it is everyone’s problem.”

Infant death rates per 1,000 infants born:

White Black Hispanic

2007 6.7 13.1 14.5

2008 7.1 13.9 7.7

Difference + 0.4 + 0.8 - 6.8

Source: Florida Department of Health In 2008, the gap between black and white infant death rates increased from 6.4 to 6.8 points as infant death rates increased.

Rate of New HIV Cases The Human Immunodeficiency Virus, or HIV, is a disease which may lead to serious health consequences. People who test positive for HIV may or may not contract Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome, or AIDS, a debilitating and often fatal disease. In Jacksonville, the rate of new HIV cases in the black population is five-and-a-half times the rate of the white population, and the numbers are growing.

New HIV cases per 100,000 population:

White Black Other Hispanic

2007 16.1 85.1 78.1 N/A

2008 16.9 93.7 71.5 34.0

Difference + 0.8 + 8.6 - 6.6

Source: Duval County Health Department In 2007, 69 points separated white and black rates per 100,000 for new HIV cases; in 2008, the gap was up to 77 points, with both white and black rates increasing.

JCCI 2009 Race Relations Progress Report, page 10

HEALTH Heart Disease Death Rate Heart disease is the leading cause of death in Duval County.

Between 1996 and 2005, the disparity in age-adjusted heart disease death rates between white and black residents shrunk from 95 points to 20 points, while overall death rates due to heart disease have been falling. In 2006 and 2007, disparities increased, but the rates converged in 2008.

Age-adjusted heart disease death rates per 100,000:

White Black Hispanic

2007 176.4 239.7 143.6

2008 177.6 201.3 163.1

Difference + 1.2 - 38.4 + 19.5

The racial gap in deaths related to stroke (the third leading cause of death in Duval County) decreased from 34 to 31 points from 2007 to 2008, as stroke deaths declined across the board.

Source: Florida Department of Health In 2008, 24 points separated white and black age-adjusted heart disease death rates, down from 63 points in 2007. Hispanic death rates due to heart disease were 15 points below white death rates.

Cancer Death Rate Cancer is the second leading cause of death in Duval County.

The disparity in overall cancer death rates had disappeared in 2001 before growing through 2005. The gap once again closed in 2007.

Age-adjusted cancer death rates per 100,000:

White Black Hispanic

2007 187.0 189.1 106.9

2008 189.7 194.5 93.7

Difference + 2.7 + 5.4 - 13.2 Source: Florida Department of Health In 2008, 5 points separated white and black ageadjusted cancer death rates, up from 2 points in 2005. Hispanic cancer death rates remain far below white or black cancer death rates (96-100 points below in 2008.)

It is critically important that we work together to eliminate health disparities in our community and ensure access to compassionate, quality and effective care for all.

JUSTICE AND THE LEGAL SYSTEM Inmate Admissions per 1,000 Population for Misdemeanors The 2002 Beyond the Talk: Improving Race Relations study found that “the disproportionate number of blacks who are incarcerated in Jacksonville contributes to the incidence of single-parent families, economic disparities, disproportionate disenfranchisement, and the perception that racial minorities should distrust the criminal-justice system.”

In 2008, total inmate admissions, compared to the general community population, were as follows:

White Black Other

Total population 59.0% 28.9% 12.1%

Inmate admissions 44.9% 54.3% 0.8%

Data were not available for Hispanic admissions.

Source: Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office In 2008, more black offenders than white offenders were incarcerated for misdemeanors. The incarceration rate for black offenders per 1,000 people was more than double that of the white rate, up 6 points over 2007.

Inmate Admissions per 1,000 Population for Felonies The rates of inmate admissions differed by type of offense, misdemeanors vs. felony offenses.

Total inmate admissions, 2008:

Misdemeanor Felony

Black 17,121 10,406

White 16,241 6,691

Inmate admissions per 1,000 population, 2008:

Misdemeanor Felony

Black 88.2 53.6

White 38.9 16.0

Source: Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office In 2008, 50 percent more black offenders were incarcerated for felony offenses than white offenders. The incarceration rate per 1,000 population was over three times that of white offenders, but the gap narrowed slightly from 2007.

JCCI 2009 Race Relations Progress Report, page 12

JUSTICE AND THE LEGAL SYSTEM Homicide Rates per 1,000 Population In 2008, the Florida Office of Vital Statistics recorded 124 homicides, down from 141 in 2007. A homicide is one person killing another person, no matter the reason. A homicide counts as a murder when the killing is determined to be criminal.

Homicides also include justifiable, excusable or accidental killings, which are not included in the murder rate.

Total homicides:

White Black Hispanic

2007 40 98 13

2008 35 88 7

Difference - 5 - 10 - 6

Homicide rate per 100,000 people:

White Black Hispanic

2007 6.8 32.2 19.2

Source: Florida Office of Vital Statistics

2008 6.0 28.2 13.3

Difference - 0.8 - 4.0 - 5.9

In 2008, 22 points separated white and black homicide rates, down from 25 in 2007 as both homicide rates declined. Hispanic homicide rates also declined, but remained at more than double the white homicide rate.

Percent of Youth Population Referred to Department of Juvenile Justice In 2007-08, 4,753 youths ages 10-17 (both male and female) in Duval County were referred to the Department of Juvenile Justice. This represents about five percent of the total youth population. By race and ethnicity, the percentage of youth ages 10-17 referred to Juvenile Justice were as follows.

Referrals to Department of Juvenile Justice:

White Black Hispanic

2006-07 3.2% 6.4% 0.8%

2007-08 3.4% 7.6% 0.9%

Difference + 0.2% + 1.2% + 0.1% Source: Florida Department of Juvenile Justice In 2007-08, 4.2 percentage points separated the rates at which black and white juveniles were referred, up from 3.2 in 2006-07. Hispanic youths were referred at much lower rates, at less than one percent of youth in 2006-07 and 2007-08.

Justice must be blind and equitable standards applied to all our citizens.

CIVIC ENGAGEMENT & POLITICAL SYSTEM Voter Registration Engagement in the political process often begins with registering to vote. In 1994, 64 percent of the white population over 18 was registered to vote, compared to 62 percent of the black population over 18. In 2004, black voter registration rates reached 81 percent of the adult black population, exceeding white voter registration rates. Since then, rates have declined.

Because reliable population estimates between Census years by age for Hispanic, Asian, and Native American populations are not available, rates could not be calculated.

Voter registration rates in 2009:

White Black Hispanic Asian Native Am.

Registered 333,234 148,353 17,700 12,630 1,892

Percent 79% 76% 42% NA NA

Difference (2008) - 2% 0% + 1%

Source: Florida Division of Elections In 2009, white voter registration rates exceeded black voter registration rates by three points, down from five points in 2008. Hispanic voter registration rates rose slightly, but remain more than 30 points below white or black voter registration rates.

Voter Turnout Registering to vote is one step. Exercising the right to vote is the next step. Voter turnout rates in presidential election years, such as 2008, or state/congressional election years, such as 2006, are traditionally higher than in local election years, such as 2007. In 2009, no general elections were held, though a few special elections were held with limited turnout.

Voter turnout rates in Presidential elections:

White Black Hispanic Other

2004 77% 68% 63% 64%

2008 78% 77% 68% 70%

Difference + 1% + 9% + 5% + 6%

Source: Duval County Supervisor of Elections In 2008, the gap between white voter turnout (at 78 percent) and black voter turnout (at 77 percent) had closed to one point; the gap between white and Hispanic voter turnout had decreased to ten points.

JCCI 2009 Race Relations Progress Report, page 14

CIVIC ENGAGEMENT & POLITICAL SYSTEM Perceived Influence on Local Government Elected officials in Jacksonville tend to reflect the black and white demographics used in developing designated minority-access districts. In 2009, 74 percent of elected officials were white, 26 percent black, a change from 2008, when the proportions were 71 percent white and 29 percent black.

One key measure of civic engagement is the perception of one’s ability to influence government. Positive responses declined in response to the question, As a citizen of Jacksonville, how would you describe your ability to influence local government decision making? Would you say that you have great influence, moderate influence, a little influence, or no influence at all?

Great/Moderate influence survey responses:

White Black

2008 24% 37%

2009 24% 30%

Difference 0% - 7%

Source: American Public Dialogue In 2009, 6 percentage points separated white and black positive responses to the survey question, compared to 13 points in 2008.

Perceived Lack of Influence Also of interest are the trends in those who feel that they have little or no influence in local government decision making. The survey responses were as follows: Little or No influence survey responses:

White Black

2008 75% 63%

2009 75% 69%

Difference 0% + 6%

Totals may not add up to 100, as some respondents refuse to answer the question.

Source: American Public Dialogue Between 2000 and 2009, the percentage of black respondents who reported having little to no influence in local government decision making rose from 19 to 69 percent.

Confidence in government grows when the decisions of our elected leaders are transparent and citizens know their voices are heard.

ABOUT JCCI Jacksonville Community Council Inc. (JCCI) was created in 1975 with the goal of improving the quality of life in Jacksonville through informed citizen participation in public affairs. JCCI is a nonprofit, nonpartisan, broadbased civic organization. It involves citizens in community issues through open dialogue, impartial research, consensus building, and leadership development.

JCCI has been called Jacksonville's "citizen think-and-do tank." This is the place where community-minded people get together to explore issues of community importance, identify problems, discover solutions, and advocate for positive change. All are welcome to participate - every voice is needed and every thought matters.

JCCI receives funding from United Way of Northeast Florida, the City of Jacksonville, corporations, and individual members. JCCI membership is open to all interested in building a better community.

For more information about JCCI and how you can get involved or to donate to JCCI, visit www.jcci.org.

2009 - 2010 Board of Directors President Christine C. Arab President–elect William C. Mason III Secretary/Treasurer John Hirabayashi Immediate Past President A. Quinton White Jr. Vice Presidents David D. Balz Vickie Cavey Patricia Hogan Allison Korman Juliette Woodruff Mason

JCCI Forward Development Adrienne Conrad Board of Directors Lee R. Brown III Rena Coughlin Lad Daniels Wyman R. Duggan Micheal Edwards Betsy Fallon Allan T. Geiger Rocelia Gonzalez Broderick Green Mark Griffin Marcus Haile

Helen D. Jackson Walter Jewett Crystal Jones Stephen Lee Joshua B. Lief Jeanne M. Miller Suzanne Montgomery Lisa V. Moore Ronald E. Natherson Jr. Paul I. Perez Mario Rubio Dorcas G. Tanner Susan Towler Claudette Williams

Staff Charles R. “Skip” Cramer Executive Director Ben Warner Deputy Director

Chandra Echols, Executive Assistant Earlene Hostutler, Administrative Director Laura Lane, Research Director Cheryl Murphy, Community Outreach Director

JCCI 2009 Race Relations Progress Report, page 16

Lashun Parker, Program Manager Steve Rankin, Director of Implementations & Special Projects Michelle Simkulet, Finance Director & Director of JCCI Forward

ABOUT COMMUNITY WORKS

JCCI has been named a Solution for America and a United Nations Best Practice. We can bring the JCCI model of community engagement, citizen-led studies and indicators to your community. The success of JCCI in Jacksonville has been transferred and taught to civic leaders in areas such as Sarasota, Florida; Roanoke, Virginia; and ParanĂĄ, Brazil.

Community Works is the consulting arm of JCCI. We have 35 years of experience in engaging residents to build better communities, and have been working with individuals and organizations around the world for the past 15 years to replicate our success.

JCCI’s strength is bringing together the community for significant discussion to facilitate real and lasting change.

This occurs due to diverse participation, shared interaction and consensus building within the community. Smart Communities says that "the type of dialogue created and the methods used by the Jacksonville Community Council Inc. are transferable to and usable in any community, whatever its composition, character, problems and issues."

Citizens, corporations and communities contact us when they require local engagement, public harmony on issues, community solutions for community problems or targeted reports to measure regional progress and accountability. Local agencies call when they need facilitation or community-engaged research and dialogue.

The Pew Partnership for Civic Change announced that JCCI's work "is essential for every community."

In order to better serve you, we've launched a website to share the transformative power of people coming together to create a better future. Please go to www.communityworks.us.com to see how our Consulting, Community Engagement, or Indicators work might be part of your model for sustainable change.

As Margaret Mead once said, "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has."

Any agency, organization, municipality, or community can call upon the services JCCI offers through Community Works. To find out how Community Works can help your community, visit www.communityworks.us.com.

JCCI 2009 Race Relations Progress Report, page 17

JACKSONVILLE COMMUNITY COUNCIL INC. 2434 ATLANTIC BOULEVARD JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 32207 PHONE: 904-396-3052 FAX: 904-398-1469 WWW.JCCI.ORG

Special thanks to those who made this report possible, including the Jacksonville Human Rights Commission, the City of Jacksonville, the United Way of Northeast Florida, our section Champions, and the Jacksonville community.

Ida M. Stevens Foundation