UCI

Most Important Problem

Concerns about crime once again emerge as the county's most important problem, while worries about the local government's fiscal crisis, (last year's top concern), have fallen into the background. No other issues come close to crime, which this year is rated the most pressing problem by 27 percent of residents. Immigration is next on the list (15%), followed by schools (13%). Jobs and the economy, growth and traffic are each mentioned by 11 percent, while only 7 percent name the county's recent financial crisis and 5 percent mention housing as the most important problem. Graph

Since 1995, the number naming the financial crisis has dropped by 19 points, while mentions of crime have risen 6 points. Growth (6% to 11%), traffic (8% to 11%), schools (10% to 13%) and immigration (13% to 15%) all edged up slightly, for a combined 13 points.

Crime is now back at the levels where it was before being supplanted by the financial crisis last year. As another sign of the recovery, mention of jobs and the economy has dropped 15 points since 1992 (26% to 11%).

Crime is the top problem in all age and income groups. Mentions of crime are highest in the Central County (35%) and lowest in the South County (21%), while 28 percent in the North County and 27 percent in the West County call crime the most important problem. Hispanics (33%) are more likely to mention crime than are non-Hispanic whites (26%) and others (25%). There are no differences by gender.

Concerns about immigration rise with age, from 10 percent of 18- to 34-year-olds to 21 percent of residents aged 55 and older. Non-Hispanic whites are also more likely to name this the county's top problem (19%).

The number calling traffic the most important problem is twice as high in the South County as elsewhere (18% to 9%).

In the realm of social issues, drug abuse continues to be seen as the county's top concern (38%), followed by health care (18%), the homeless (15%), race relations (13%), child care (10%) and AIDS (4%). Graph

Drug abuse is up 10 points since last year, putting it at its highest level since 1990. Concerns about health care, meanwhile, are down 10 points, while the other issues have remained fairly constant throughout this decade. Drug abuse is the top concern in all age groups, but is highest among residents 55 and older (47%). There are no differences by income, region, race or gender.