Hurricanes Katrina and Rita displaced hundreds of thousands of people from their homes, and many of them evacuated to nearby cities and communities. Baton Rouge received perhaps the largest share of evacuees relative to its population size; as many as a quarter million added to a population base of about 400,000, according to some estimates and a substantial number of them are expected to remain long-term or permanently. This study investigates the strains on Baton Rouge's social fabric posed by this influx. It then builds on previous annual community surveys, and develops a panel sample that began the spring before the hurricanes and will continue for three additional waves over the course of the year following the event. The study focuses on the impact that social capital, community involvement, connections, and trust, has on a range of outcomes, including trust or blame of authorities, public policy preferences, fear of crime, feelings of stress and/or optimism, attitudes toward the evacuees, and intergroup relations, especially race relations. Given the magnitude of the event, the PIs expect to measure effects that are otherwise difficult to detect. The study addresses central concerns of sociology, political science, and criminology. The researchers also provide local government and civic, religious, relief, and economic organizations with findings they can use in their decision-making. This activity builds on on-going relationships with these leaders: the mayor has attended the PIs' briefings for the last four years, and the PIs have provided leaders and community groups with numerous briefings, fact sheets, and policy briefs.
