Cityscape - Vol9Num3

Various social ills in disadvantaged neighborhoods may be attributed to lack of job access. This study uses two distinctive measures to examine the issue: the job proximity index measures the physical distances between residence and job, and the job accessibility index measures residents’ ability to reach jobs that also may be affected by availability of transportation means and job competition intensity. This research in Cleveland, Ohio, indicates that disadvantaged neighborhoods actually enjoyed better job proximity or at least that residents were located no farther away from jobs than others. These neighborhoods suffered from poorer job accessibility, however, because of their relatively lower levels of automobile ownership and the more intensive job competition in these high-density residential areas. Job accessibility alone was negatively associated with crime rates in Cleveland throughout the study period (1980–2000). When socioeconomic covariates were controlled for, the relationship remained significant in 1980, became weaker in 1990, and was not statistically significant in 2000. This article is prepared under Grant No. G2A62172 from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Points of view or opinions in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the official position or policies of HUD.