What's New on Compass
Community Development
According to America's Youngest Outcasts [pdf], a report on child homelessness published by The National Center on Family Homelessness, Colorado ranks 35 out of 50 in its efforts at dealing with childhood homelessness. (3/10/09)
There are more than 15,000 homeless in Colorado. One-third are children and teens, according to the 2009 Housing Colorado Facts Book [pdf]. (11/12/08)
Stretched Thin: The Impact of Rising Housing Expenses on America's Owners and Renters [pdf] (Center for Housing Policy) - This report draws on the Consumer Expenditure Survey and other sources to put housing expenses in the context of the typical household budget. (11/12/08)
Estes Valley Housing Need Assessment [pdf] (11/12/08)
Housing 2006 Report [pdf] (11/12/08)
Community Living
The 2008 City of Fort Collins Citizen Survey [pdf], shows that, overall, Fort Collins residents are satisfied with their quality of life, community, and the services provided by the City. In general, results remained stable or were seen as improving since the 2006 survey was administered.(12/17/08)
According to the City of Loveland's 2008 Quality of Life Survey [pdf], 10 areas showed improvement since the 2006 survey. The four areas with the lowest ratings concerned transportation alternatives, youth activities, development that enhances the quality of life in Loveland, and better paying jobs with benefits. (12/17/08)
The most generous communities in the Northeast Region of Colorado included Estes Park and Loveland, according to The State of Giving, a Profile of Individual Charitable Giving in Colorado [pdf], published by Colorado Nonprofit Association in December 2007. Donors in Fort Collins gave a total of $96 million in 2005.
Crime and Safety
Loveland Police Department Annual Report [pdf] (6/29/09)
Loveland Police Department Public Safety Survey [pdf] - this survey, which is produced every three years, asks Loveland residents questions about their perceived level of personal safety and how they improve their sense of safety at home. Community opinions about improving public safety were also solicited. (6/29/09)
Indicators of School Crime and Safety, 2008 [pdf] - A joint effort by the Bureau of Justice Statistics and National Center for Education Statistics, this annual report examines crime occurring in school as well as on the way to and from school. Data are presented from the perspectives of students, teachers, principals, and the general population. (6/29/08)
Motor Vehicle Traffic Crash Fatality Counts and Injury Estimates for 2007 [pdf] - this report, produced by the National Center for Statistics & Analysis, Department of Transportation, states that in 2007, there was a 3.9% decline in fatal car crashes, resulting in the lowest level since 1994. (11/17/08)
Larimer County Citizen Survey [pdf] this report from May 2008 gives the results of a phone survey which asked citizens to rate community concerns and County services. Personal safety and health were among the major concerns of Larimer County residents. (11/17/08)
The Girls Study Group - Charting the Way to Delinquency Prevention for Girls [pdf] - while the majority of juvenile delinquents are male, by 2004 girls accounted for 30% of all juvenile arrests. This report takes a look at the factors behind this increase and what can be done to counteract it. (11/17/08)
Release Planning for Successful Reentry [pdf] - this report is designed to help the corrections community, service providers, and community groups prepare prisoners for the moment of release from prison and the time immediately following release. (11/17/08)
Federal Justice Statistics, 2005 [pdf] - presents federal criminal case statistics onsuspects and defendants processed in the federal criminal justice system. (11/17/08)
Identity Theft, 2005 [pdf] - provides data on the types of identity thefts and who is most vulnerable to having their identity stolen. (11/17/08)
Jail Inmates at Midyear 2007 [pdf] - presents data on numbers of jails and jail inmates at midyear 2007 and analyzes patterns of growth from 2000 through 2007. This report includes data on rated capacity of jails, percent of capacity occupied, and capacity added. (11/17/08)
Juvenile Arrests 2005 [pdf] - this Bulletin from the Office of Juvenile Justice & Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) reports that arrests for juvenile violent crime declined for the seventh consecutive year. (11/17/08)
Probation and Parole in the United States, 2006 [pdf] (December 2007) - this updated report by the Bureau of Justice, exames the number and characteristics of the Federal, State, and local adult correctional populations. (11/17/08)
Domestic Violence Cases: What Research Shows About Arrest and Dual Arrest Rates [pdf] - describes the results of a comprehensive, nationwide study that examined the factors leading to arrests and dual arrests in domestic violence cases. Dual arrests occur when police cannot determine a primary offender and arrest both parties involved in an incident. (11/17/08)
Demographics
America's Children: Key National Indicators of Well-Being, 2008 [pdf] describes population, family and social environment, health care and other topics as it relates to children in America. For example, in 2007, 3% of 8th graders reported smoking daily over the past 30 days. (11/17/08)
2007 American Community Survey - contains updated Census demographic and social data for Larimer County. (11/17/08)
Economy
According to the 2009 Colorado Business Economic Outlook , prepared by the University of Colorado, Leeds School of Business and released in December 2009, Colorado employers could shed between 4,300 and 20,000 nonfarm jobs in 2009. Governments, natural-resource companies, and health care providers are expected to show some of the larger employment gains. (12/15/08)
Pathways Past Poverty is a collaborative initiative headed by United Way of Larimer County in conjunction with Colorado State University, NCEDC, The Coloradoan, and other nonprofit organizations. (12/15/08)
According to the 2009 Northern Colorado Economic Outlook [pdf], the Northern Colorado economy will likely add 4,000 new positions in 2009, a projected 1.9% increase. Although 2009 is expected to be better, 'typical' employment growth remains a year away. (11/17/08)
Renewing America: A Blueprint for Economic Recovery [pdf] details how the United States can revive the stalling economy by focusing on energy independence by developing clean energy sources. This report was prepared by the environment Colorado Research and Policy Center. (11/17/08)
How Robust Was The 2001-2007 Economic Expansion? (Center on Budget and Policy Priorities - August 2008), states there is no evidence to support the claim that the tax cuts during this period generated especially robust economic growth. (11/17/08)
The June 2007 study, The Role of Health Care and Social Assistance in Larimer County's Economy [pdf] highlights the growing impact of this industrial sector, which currently employs over 10% of the County's workforce. (11/17/08)
The 2008 Colorado Business Economic Outlook [pdf] - In its 43rd year of publication, provides observations and assessments for various regions and Colorado counties, including Larimer, for the coming year. (Released by the Business Research Division of the Leeds School of Business, University of Colorado at Boulder) (11/17/08)
Kaufman Index of Entrepreneurial Activity 1996-2007 [pdf] - This report measures the rate of business creationat the individual owner level. (11/17/08)
Moving the Needle on Poverty [pdf] - according to this report, there were 104,000 Colorado children under the age of 18 living in poverty in 2000, but that number has risen to an alarming 190,000 in 2007. (11/17/08)
2008 Kids Count [pdf], this report, released by Colorado Children's Campaign, states "Between 2000 and 2006, Colorado had a 73 percent increase in the number of children living in poverty, putting our state first in the nation for the fastest growing rate of children in economic distress." (11/17/08)
Poverty and Philanthropy: Strategies for Change [pdf] was published in October 2008 by MDRC. (11/17/08)
Married and Poor: Basic Characteristics of Economically Disadvantaged Married Couples in the U.S. [pdf], this report published in July 2004 by MRDC is part of the research phase of the Department of Health and Human Services' Supporting Healthy Marriage program. (11/17/08)
Income, Poverty, and Health Insurance Coverage in the United States: 2007 [pdf] - (August 2008) - this Census Bureau report compares state and national averages for items such as median household income, lack of health insurance coverage, and poverty rates. (11/17/08)
The Self-Sufficiency Standard for Colorado 2008: A Family Needs Budget [pdf] - this report, produced by the Colorado Fiscal Policy Institute, uses the Self-Sufficiency Standard to calculate the income needed by families in each Colorado county to meet basic needs without public or private assistance. (For comparisons, see The Self-Sufficiency Standard for Colorado - 2004.) (11/17/08)
Education
Setting the Foundation [pdf] (March 2007) - This report explores the P-20 Educational System, which is designed to integrate learning from preschool through post-secondary education training. (11/17/08)
Six Principles in Early Childhood Education [pdf] (May 2007) - this report, published by the National Child Care Association , calls for a new public policy debate to create core public policy principles that will enhance the availability of early childhood educational opportunities for all children from birth to kindergarten. (11/17/08)
Stair Steps to Quality: A Guide for States and Communities Developing Quality Rating Systems for Early Care and Education [pdf] (July 2005) - this is a "how-to guide" for early childhood development professionals, child care resource and referral staff, child advocates, business leaders, and elected officials to creating quality rating systems for early childhood education. (11/17/08)
The 2008 KIDS COUNT Data Book [pdf] - this annual report, released by the Annie E. Casey Foundation, reports on national trends in child well-being. In addition to the report, customized graphs, maps, ranked lists, and state profiles can be generated through the online KIDS COUNT Data Center. (11/17/08)
NICHHD Study of Early Child Care & Youth Development - this study, supported by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, examines how variations in child care relate to children's development. (11/17/08)
The Right Start: The Condition of Babies and Their Families Across the Nation - this special report from the Annie E. Casey Foundation allows you to generate your own profiles, line graphs, national maps, rankings, and raw data on how children born in each state as well as the nation's 50 largest cities fared on eight selected measures of a "right start." (11/17/08)
Trends in the Well-being of America's Children & Youth - this report is published by the United Stated Department of Health and Human Services. (11/17/08)
Full-Day Kindergarten [pdf] - this short report, prepared by Colorado Children's Campaign, discusses the advantages to having full-day kindergartens throughout Colorado. (11/17/08)
Projection of Education Statistics to 2017 [pdf] (September 2008) - this publication provides projections for key education statistics including enrollment, graduates, teachers, and expenditures in elementary and secondary schools for all fifty states. (11/17/08)
Youth on the Go: Youth Transportation Needs Within Poudre School District [pdf] (May 2007), according to this report, 20% of Poudre School District children are in need of transportation to safe activities when they are not in school. (11/17/08)
Setting the Foundation [pdf] (March 2007) - This report explores the P-20 Educational System, which is designed to integrate learning from preschool through post-secondary education training. (11/17/08)
Alternative Compensation [pdf] (September 2008) - this four-page document explores the possibility of changing the way teachers are compensated in Colorado. (11/17/08)
Thompson School District Strategic Plan 2006 - 2011 [pdf] (11/17/08)
The Fiscal Consequences of Adult Educational Attainment in Colorado [pdf] (May 2008) - This report from the Colorado Literacy Research Initiative shows that Coloradans with a master's degree or higher earn four times more than those with less than a high school diploma. (11/17/08)
Colorado Women Outpacing National Average in Educational Attainment [pdf] (March 2008) - This report, by the Colorado Literacy Research Initiative, shows that Colorado women are surpassing the national average for women in terms of education attainment. (11/17/08)
Economic Consequences of Failure to Complete High School Far More Severe for Women [pdf] (June 2007) - Women who did not complete high school are far more likely to be unemployed than their male counterparts, according to this fact sheet produced by the Colorado Literacy Research Initiative. (11/17/08)
Enrichments
Environment
Human Development Report 2007/2008 [pdf] delves into climate change challenges and the strategies needed for mitigation. This report was commissioned by the United Nations Development Programme. (2007) (11/17/08)
Feeling the Heat: Global Warming and Rising Temperatures in the United States [pdf] states that the summer of 2007 was the tenth warmest on record for the continguous United States. The report examines the long-term trend toward rising temperatures and extreme weather events resulting from global warming. (Environment Colorado Research & Policy Center, October 2008) (11/17/08)
Global Warming Solutions That Work: Cutting Edge Efforts to Curb Global Warming Pollution and the Lessons They Hold for America [pdf] (June 2008) details more than 20 examples of of cutting-edge policies and practices that communities, states, and countries are using to reduce global warming pollution. (11/17/08)
Environmental America Congressional Scorecard 2008 [pdf] (June 2008) takes a look at the key environmental votes taken between March 2007 and February 2008. (Produced by the Environment Colorado Research & Policy Center) (11/17/08)
Front Range Water Meter: Water Conservation Ratings and Recommendations for 13 Colorado Communities [pdf] (November 2007) - provides an snapshot of how Colorado Front Range communities (including Berthoud and Loveland) compare across many water conservation categories, including rates of per capita use, breadth and depth of implementation of conservation programs, water loss, conservation funding, and many others. (Western Resource Advocates) (11/17/08)
Facing Our Future: A Balanced Water Solution for Colorado [pdf] - this report by the Western Resource Advocates, Trout Unlimited and the Colorado Environmental Coalition discuss how Front Range water demands can be satisfied over the next 25 years. (11/17/08)
Statewide Water Supply Initiative Phase I [pdf] (November 2004) and Statewide Water Supply Initiative Phase II [pdf] (November 2007) - According to this study, commissioned by the Colorado Water Conservation Board, Colorado water providers have planned for nearly all the State's increased water needs through 2030, with approximately 68,000 acre-feet still needed. See the study for more information on projected demand and shortfalls, and public comment on the initiative process. (11/17/08)
Colorado Air Quality Control Commission Report to the Public 2007-2008 [pdf] (October 2008) - Residential burning, dust from unpaved roads, and agricultural operations all contribute to air pollution in Fort Collins and Greeley. (Colorado Department of Public Health and Enviroment) (11/17/08)
The American Cancer Society's Latest State of the Air: 2008 summary gives Larimer County passing marks for particle pollution levels, and a 'D' (out of A-F) rating for ozone levels. (11/17/08)
Water Quality Reports:
- Fort Collins 2007 [pdf] (11/17/08)
- Loveland 2007 (11/17/08)
- Estes Park Water/Water Quality Report 2007 [pdf] (11/17/08)
Environment Protection Agency's Latest Findings on National Air Quality: Status and Trends Through 2006 [pdf] (January 2008) (11/17/08)
Health
F as in Fat: How Obesity Policies are Failing in America [pdf] report includes national and state obesity trends and statistics. According to this report, Colorado has the lowest obesity rate in the United States. (August 2008) (8/21/08)