[News] The Katrina Pain Index, 2012

[Anti-Imperialist News]

August 24-26, 2012
http://www.counterpunch.org/2012/08/24/the-katrina-pain-index-2012/

Seven Years After the Hurricane


  The Katrina Pain Index, 2012

by BILL QUIGLEY and DAVIDA FINGER

1 Rank of New Orleans in fastest growing US cities between 2010 and 
2011.  Source: Census Bureau.

1 Rank of New Orleans, Louisiana in world prison rate.  Louisiana 
imprisons more of its people, per head, than any of the other 50 
states.  Louisiana rate is five times higher than Iran, 13 times higher 
than China and 20 times Germany.  In Louisiana, one in 86 adults is in 
prison.  In New Orleans, one in 14 black men is behind bars.  In New 
Orleans, one of every seven black men is in prison, on parole or on 
probation. /Source: Times-Picayune./

2 Rank of New Orleans in rate of homelessness among US cities. /Source: 
2012 Report of National Alliance to End Homelessness. /

2   Rank of New Orleans in highest income inequality for cities of over 
10,000 /Source: Census. /

3 Days a week the New Orleans daily paper, the Times-Picayune, will 
start publishing and delivering the paper this fall and switch to 
internet only on other days.  (See 44 below). / Source: The Times-Picayune./

10 Rate that New Orleans murders occur compared to US average.  
According to FBI reports, the national average is 5 murders per 
100,000.  The Louisiana average is 12 per 100,000.  The New Orleans 
reported 175 murders last year or 50 murders per 100,000 residents. 
/Source: WWL TV./

13 Rank of New Orleans in FBI overall crime rate rankings. /Source: 
Congressional Quarterly. /

15 Number of police officer-involved shootings in New Orleans so far in 
2012.  In all of 2011 there were 16. /Source: Independent Police Monitor./

21 Percent of all residential addresses in New Orleans that are 
abandoned or blighted.   There were 35,700 abandoned or blighted homes 
and empty lots in New Orleans (21% of all residential addresses), a 
reduction from 43,755 in 2010 (when it was 34% of all addresses).  
Compare to Detroit (24%), Cleveland (19%), and Baltimore (14%). /Source: 
Greater New Orleans Community Data Center (GNOCDC)./

27 Percent of people in New Orleans live in poverty.  The national rate 
is 15%.  Among African American families the rate is 30% and for white 
families it is 8%.  Source: Corporation for Enterprise Development 
(CEFD) and Greater New Orleans Community Data Center (GNOCDC) Assets & 
Opportunity Profile: New Orleans (August 2012).

33 Percent of low income mothers in New Orleans study who were still 
suffering Post Traumatic Stress symptoms five years after Katrina. 
/Source: Princeton University Study. /

34 Bus routes in New Orleans now.  There were 89 before Katrina. 
/Source: RTA data./

37 Percent of New Orleans families that are "asset poor" or lack enough 
assets to survive for three months without income.  The rate is 50% for 
black households, 40% for Latino household, 24% for Asian household and 
22% for white households. /Source: Corporation for Enterprise 
Development (CEFD) and Greater New Orleans Community Data Center 
(GNOCDC) Assets & Opportunity Profile: New Orleans (August 2012)/

40 Percent of poor adults in New Orleans region that work. One quarter 
of these people work full-time and still remain poor. /Source: GNOCDC. /

42 Percent of the children in New Orleans who live in poverty. The rate 
for black children is 65 percent compared to less than 1 percent for 
whites. /Source: Census./

44 Rank of Louisiana among the 50 states in broadband internet access.  
New Orleans has 40 to 60 percent access. /Source: The Lens./

60 Percent of New Orleans which is African American.  Before Katrina the 
number was 67. /Source: GNOCDC. /

60 Percent of renters in New Orleans are paying more than 30 percent of 
their income on rent and utilities, up from 51 percent in 2004. /Source: 
GNOCDC./

68 Percent of public school children in New Orleans who attend schools 
that pass state standards.  In 2003-2004 it was 28 percent. /Source: 
GNOCDC. /

75 Percent of public school students in New Orleans who are enrolled in 
charter schools.  Source: Wall Street Journal.    This is the highest 
percentage in the US by far, with District of Columbia coming in second 
at 39 percent. /Sources: Wall Street Journal and National Alliance for 
Public Charter Schools. /

76 Number of homes rebuilt by Make It Right Foundation. /Source: New 
York Times. /

123,934 Fewer people in New Orleans now than in 2000.  The Census 
reported the 2011 population of New Orleans source as 360,740.  The 2000 
population was 484,674. /Source: Census./

/*Bill Quigley* and *Davida Finger* teach at Loyola University New 
Orleans College of Law.  A version of this article with complete sources 
is available.  The authors give special thanks to Allison Plyer of the 
Greater New Orleans Community Data Center.  You can reach Bill at 
quigley77 at gmail.com <mailto:quigley77 at gmail.com>/

-- 
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