Study authors Anne R. Pebley and Mary E. Vaiana set out to answer the question of how a neighborhood can affect the welfare of its children. The report breaks down three geographically close yet diverse communities by factors such as wealth, education, stability, health and race, and looks at how each relates to behavioral problems among the neighborhood children. The neighborhoods that appeared to be best for the well-being of children were those with low crime rates, that had neighbors who often knew each other, and had social cohesion – that is, adults monitored the neighborhood and intervened in issues involving youth. 37 pages. Free online. Contact: RAND, P.O. Box 2138, Santa Monica, CA 90407. (877) 584-8642, www.rand.org/publications/MR/MR1470.
– Mary Tess Driver, Della Mosley, Andrew Beadle, Patrick Boyle
