BURBANK : Gangs Downplayed in Student Survey

An overwhelming majority of Burbank students in the sixth through 12th grades said they do not feel personally threatened by gangs, while 49% said there is a gang problem in Burbank, according to an unprecedented survey of the city’s youth.

“This was the first effort to reach so many students and probably the most comprehensive to date,� said Mary Alvord, director of the Burbank Parks and Recreation Department, which polled students about crime and safety, city services and programs, as well as schools and jobs.

The survey of 4,000 Burbank students at 11 public and private schools was conducted last fall during question-and-answer sessions by city officials who visited individual campuses.

The results, tabulated by a group of high-school students hired by the city, were presented to a joint meeting of the Burbank City Council and the Burbank Board of Education last week.

The survey showed that while nearly half of the students think the city has a gang problem, 68% said gangs are not a problem on school campuses. A whopping 80% said they do not feel personally threatened by gangs. Also, 72% said they feel safe in city parks.

The survey is being used by the city to consider the kinds of youth services and programs needed in Burbank. It was prompted by a meeting of all youth agencies in Burbank last spring in which officials decided that they did not know enough about what youths want.

“I think there were some real clear signals that although we offer a lot of programs and services, I don’t think the word is getting to the city youth, especially at the high school level,� Alvord said.

Students also said they wish a public library would be open on Sundays; that they need to find more jobs, and that most would use a teen center that would offer recreation as well as tutoring, counseling and comprehensive services.

The survey found:

* 67% of students 16 and older were unemployed, and 37% said they were jobless because they could not find work.

* 67% of students ages 11 to 14 said there are enough activities for youths; 48% of those 14 to 18 agreed.

* 64% of those ages 11 to 14 said they would use a teen center, while 67% of those 14 to 18 said they would.

The City Council may use the survey to help set goals for the 1994-95 fiscal year, Alvord said.