Nadereh Pourat is director of the Center's Health Economics and Evaluation Research (HEER) Program and lead author of an evaluation of L.A. County's Parks After Dark (PAD) program. In this brief interview, Pourat discusses the origin and evolution of the after-dark program, what makes it different, and whether it improved community-police interaction.
Q: The Parks After Dark program started in 2010 as an intervention to keep at-risk teens busy and out of trouble. Has its evolution over the past seven years made it more effective?
The program has been effective in advancing a number of its goals, such as addressing needs of a broader community by providing safe spaces for sports and recreation, and increasing perceptions of safety at parks. The spread of the program in many new parks speaks to the importance of this type of publicly funded programming in many areas of Los Angeles County. The success of the program is in part attributable to the County's recognition of the importance of such programming and dedicating funding and resources to the program.
Q: "Let's go to the park" is a retro idea in an age where most people interact through electronic devices. What makes the program work?
That is exactly the point. The lack of safety in public spaces, such as parks, contributes to kids and adults staying at home with their electronics instead of venturing out. Low-resource communities find it harder to join a gym or take the kids to the movies or to fun, paid activities. What has made the program successful is the opportunity to get out, exercise, and have fun with your family.
Q: Did the L.A. County Sheriff's Department see a difference in how they were viewed by the communities with PAD program, and vice versa?
In interviews with Sheriff's Deputies, they were acutely aware of the opportunity they had to interact with community members and building trust-based relationships. They were interested in showing kids and young adults what they do on a daily basis by bringing their mobile command centers to some parks and giving children tours. The PAD participants were particularly interested in seeing the deputies getting out of their cars and walking and interacting with people as a way of changing the perceptions of law enforcement.