The perception of racism in Jacksonville has dropped in the past year among both whites and blacks, according to the annual race relations progress report to be released today by Jacksonville Community Council Inc.
The annual report measures and analyzes six areas originally presented within the “Beyond the Talk: Improving Race Relations” study in 2002.
The areas are education; employment and income; housing and neighborhoods; health; justice and legal system; and civic engagement in the political system.
The perception of racism has been studied by JCCI since 1985.
JCCI asks “In your opinion during the last year, do you feel that racism is a problem in Jacksonville?”
In 2010, 48 percent of white responders and 80 percent of black responders — the high mark over the 10 years for the group — responded “yes.”
Those percentages dropped over the year.
In 2011, 41 percent of whites and 69 percent of blacks answered “yes.” The decrease was 7 percentage points among whites and 11 points among blacks.
Personal experiences of racism also have dropped in the 10 years since the original study was released.
However, graduation rates among blacks, while up from the 2001-02 study year, dropped in the recent report.
The 2009-10 black high school graduation rate of 66 percent dropped to 65.7 percent, while rates for whites, Hispanics and Asians all increased.
The economy affected all races.
Year-over-year unemployment rates rose for whites, blacks and Hispanics above those of the 2000 Census level the study cites.
Unemployment for whites rose from 8.2 percent in 2009 to 10.1 percent in 2010, and up from 3.2 percent in 2000.
For blacks, the unemployment rate rose from 17.1 percent in 2009 to 17.3 percent in 2010, both up from 8.2 percent in 2000.
For Hispanics, the rate rose from 7.4 percent in 2009 to 13 percent in 2010, up from 6.2 percent in 2000.
The 2010 number shows the gap is narrowing between the unemployment rates, but the report said the circumstances were not positive.
“It was not a beneficial narrowing as the black rate has not decreased and the white rate increased,” according to the progress report.
Likewise, median household income fell for whites by $3,584 and for blacks by $1,216, while Hispanic households increased by $4,172. According to the study, household incomes are $52,535 for whites, $31,589 for blacks and $43,078 for Hispanics for 2010.
Also on the economic level, free and reduced lunch participation rates increased among all races.
Differences in the perception of neighborhood safety are also included.
In 2010, 65 percent of whites and 53 percent of blacks responded positively when asked, “do you feel safe walking alone in your neighborhood at night?”
In 2011, favorable responses increased among whites, to 66 percent, but decreased among blacks, to 49 percent.
Voter turnout in 2011 decreased across the board from 2010, but it skyrocketed in local elections.
In 2007, turnout in local elections was 21.6 percent for whites, 16.6 percent for blacks and 6.9 percent for Hispanics.
In the 2011, turnout rose to 38.4 percent for whites, 41 percent for blacks and 15.3 percent for Hispanics.
The report was scheduled to be released at 10 a.m. today at JCCI headquarters, 2434 Atlantic Blvd.
To see the full report online, visit www.jcci.org.
356-2466
2011 Race Relations Progress Report Review Committee
Nathaniel Herring, chairman
Michael Aubin
James Boyle
Rod Brown
Tina Cornstock
Jackie Green
Coretta Hill
Tru Leverette
Paul Martinez
Dan Merkan
Ken Middleton
Doug Pickett
Marcelle Polednik
Tom Serwatka
Michael Wacholz
Cherrise Wilks
Dottie Wilson