Tangipahoa Parish is located on the Northshore of Lake Pontchartrain and is home to nine cities and towns, including Amite City, Hammond, Independence, Kentwood, Ponchatoula, and Roseland. The population of Tangipahoa Parish was 100,588 in 2000 and has grown substantially since then. Tangipahoa Parish is also home to several rivers, including the Tchefuncte and the Tickfaw, and experienced substantial damage in the aftermath of the 2016 Louisiana floods.
Incarceration disproportionately impacts poor and minority communities. Individuals with a criminal record often experience reduced earnings and employment after incarceration.[i] Many have difficulty successfully reintegrating into society — accessing housing and health care treatment, for example.[ii] Of those released from incarceration between 2004-2012 in Louisiana, 45 percent returned to custody within five years for a new crime or parole violation.[iii] When released detainees recidivate, all costs associated with an arrest and incarceration will be incurred again, along with the cost of additional victimizations. Community coalitions that work to overcome the multi-pronged challenges returning residents face are essential for reducing the costs associated with recidivism.[iv]
Prison releases are the number of people that were convicted of a state felony in this parish who were released from Louisiana Department of Corrections custody in 2018.
[i] Imprisoning communities, Todd R. Clear
[ii] Urban Institute. (2003). Outside the walls. A national snapshot of community-based prisoner reentry programs. Retrieved from http://webarchive.urban.org/UploadedPDF/410911_OTWResourceGuide.pdf
[iii] The Data Center analysis of https://www.doc.la.gov/media/1/Briefing%20Book/Jan%202019/3.recidivism.admissions.releases.pdf
[iv] Urban Institute. (2003). Outside the walls. A national snapshot of community-based prisoner reentry programs. Retrieved from http://webarchive.urban.org/UploadedPDF/410911_OTWResourceGuide.pdf
The ability to afford stable and adequate housing can significantly impact a family’s well-being. Adequate housing protects families from harmful exposures and provides them with a sense of privacy, security, and stability. Poor-quality housing contributes to health problems such as infectious and chronic diseases, as well as mental health problems, such as anxiety, stress, and low self-esteem. Moreover, inadequate housing can reduce children’s ability to do homework, can lead to conflict among family members, and can inhibit overall childhood development.[i] This indicator is the percent of households with at least one of four housing problems: overcrowding, high housing costs, lack of kitchen or plumbing facilities.
Notes: The percent of households with severe housing problems was calculated by dividing the total number of households by the number of households with at least one of the following housing problems: 1) Incomplete kitchen facilities, defined as a unit which lacks a sink with running water, a stove or range, or a refrigerator. 2) Incomplete plumbing facilities, defined as lacking hot and cold piped water, a flush toilet, or a bathtub/shower. 3) Overcrowding, defined as more than one person per room and 4) Severe cost burden, defined as monthly housing costs (including utilities) exceeding 50 percent of monthly income.
Notes: The percent of households with severe housing problems was calculated by dividing the total number of households by the number of households with at least one of the following housing problems: 1) Incomplete kitchen facilities, defined as a unit which lacks a sink with running water, a stove or range, or a refrigerator. 2) Incomplete plumbing facilities, defined as lacking hot and cold piped water, a flush toilet, or a bathtub/shower. 3) Overcrowding, defined as more than one person per room and 4) Severe cost burden, defined as monthly housing costs (including utilities) exceeding 50 percent of monthly income.
[i] Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. (2019). County Health Rankings & Roadmaps. Retrieved from http://www.countyhealthrankings.org/explore-health-rankings/measures-data-sources/county-health-rankings-model/health-factors/physical-environment/housing-transit/severe-housing-problems
Voting is a form of civic engagement that contributes to the shaping of public policy. In addition, high voter participation rates increase elected officials’ sense of accountability to voters. Historically, women and people of color did not have the right to vote. More recently, voter participation has been greater among individuals with higher education levels and higher incomes.[i] Increases in voter participation among historically disenfranchised voters can be an important step towards more inclusive and equitable policies.
Notes: Voter turnout rate is calculated by dividing the number of qualified voters who are registered to vote, as defined by the Louisiana Secretary of State, by the number of people who voted in the 2016 presidential election.
Notes: Voter turnout rate is calculated by dividing the number of qualified voters who are registered to vote, as defined by the Louisiana Secretary of State, by the number of people who voted in the 2016 presidential election.
[i] The U.S. Census Bureau. (2015). Historical reported voting rates. Retrieved from https://www.census.gov/library/visualizations/time-series/demo/voting-historical-time-series.html
