UCI

This year, crime is rated the most pressing problem by 24 percent of residents. Traffic is next on the list (18%), followed by schools (15%), growth (14%) and immigration (13%). Jobs and the economy (6%), housing (5%) and the county's bankruptcy and financial crisis (5%) each receive relatively few mentions.
Graph: Most Important Public Policy Problem: 1997

Crime tops the list of concerns for the fifth consecutive year. Since the 1996 survey, mentions of crime, the economy and immigration as the top county problems have declined. Compared to a year ago, mentions of traffic and growth jumped 10 points. Together, these two issues are now mentioned by one in three residents. Mentions of traffic and growth as the top county problems are at their highest points in five years. These issues had dominated the list of concerns between 1985 and 1991.

Crime is the top problem in all age and income groups. Mentions of crime are lower in the South County than elsewhere (17% to 27%). Latinos are somewhat more likely to mention crime than are non-Hispanic whites (28% to 23%). Traffic tops the list of concerns in South County, where mention of this problem is higher than elsewhere (21% to 16%). Latinos are less likely than non-Hispanic whites to mention traffic as the top county problem (10% to 19%).
Graph: Most Serious Social Problem: 1997

In the realm of social issues, drug abuse continues to be seen as the county's top concern (34%), followed by health care (23%), race relations and child care (13% each), the homeless (11%), AIDS (4%) and other issues (2%).

Mentions of drug abuse and the homeless as the top social problems are each down by four points since last year. Meanwhile, the naming of health care increased by five points. Race relations and AIDS are unchanged since the 1993 survey.

Drug abuse is the top concern in all age and income groups, and across all regions of the county. The views of Latinos and non-Hispanic whites are also the same on this issue. Mentions of health care are higher in South County than elsewhere (30% to 20%). Latinos are somewhat more likely than non-Hispanic whites to mention child care as the top social issue (21% to 11%).