Quality of Life Diminishes for CT's Latino Community, Study Reveals

A newly completed comprehensive statewide survey of Connecticut’s Latino population reveals a community increasingly under siege from the economic downturn and diminished prospects for progress in critical areas including jobs, education and healthcare.  The study, for the state's Latino and Puerto Rican Affairs Commission (LPRAC)  points to “declines in socio-economic conditions in most areas,” including key aspects of daily life where the “declines are significant.”  Among the findings:

• Nearly two-thirds of all respondents indicated there was a time when they wanted to pursue additional education but could not because of cost.
• Concerns regarding discrimination remain strong, as respondents said they have felt discrimination in the workplace (38%), when pulled over by law enforcement (35.4%), when job seeking (31%) or when seeking housing (27.5%) or a loan (21.3%).

• When asked to rate the Connecticut court system on delivering justice in a fair manner, only 22.3% offered a positive rating, while nearly twice that number - 43.2% - provided a negative rating.
• As for their views regarding their local police department, 39.5% provided a positive rating as “treating people with respect” while one-third (32.8%) provided a poor rating.
• Regarding their overall quality of life, 28.3% said that when compared with two years ago, it was either “the same, but poor” or “worse.”  That is double the percentage offering those responses in 2007 (14%).
• Those who said they were “unemployed” or “looking for work” totaled 12% - more than double the percentage (4.8%) in 2007.
• The number of people holding 3 jobs quadrupled to 2.9%, from 0.7% in 2007 and 0.5% in 2002.
• Among those who own their own business or would like to do so, less than half (42.4%) indicated they would know where to go for advice or financial help to begin or expand a business.