Since August 2020, Children’s National Hospital—through its Child Health Advocacy Institute (CHAI)—has proudly hosted students from the Atlantis Fellowship program. This year marks the fifth consecutive year of the partnership. Over the course of three weeks, twelve undergraduate fellows were introduced to the powerful role data can play in improving child health. With mentorship from the CHAI team, students explored the Child Opportunity Index (COI) as a lens for understanding differences in neighborhood-level conditions in Washington, D.C., focusing specifically on health insurance coverage and employment rates. In just a few weeks, the students pulled together impressive research papers – we’ll be posting summaries of their research projects. This is post number two in the series.

Exploring the Relationship Between Unemployment and Crime in Low COI Neighborhoods in Washington, D.C.

Summary of Research Project by Lucille King (Boston College), Jerome Kim (Drexel University) and Ana Laura Vazquez Rodriguez (Florida International University)

In 2021, Washington, D.C. saw a sharp increase in crime across nearly every category, despite ongoing efforts to improve public safety. Many of the hardest-hit neighborhoods are also those with low scores on the Child Opportunity Index (COI)—a tool that measures access to key resources like quality education, healthcare, safe environments, and economic opportunity. For children living in these areas, the effects are far-reaching, impacting everything from mental health to academic success.

Motivated by these challenges, a student research team at Children’s National set out to study the connections between neighborhood opportunity, unemployment, and violent crime. Using the Child Opportunity Index (COI), a measure of neighborhood conditions that affect child development, they paired COI data with unemployment and crime statistics across D.C. neighborhoods. Their central question was whether job scarcity could help explain why communities with lower opportunity face higher levels of violence.

The students’ analysis offered valuable insights into how opportunity, work, and safety are connected in Washington, D.C. neighborhoods. The strength and relevance of their research made it clear that this work should continue. With support from faculty and researchers at Children’s National Hospital, the team will refine their analysis and prepare their results for publication.

This project highlights the promise of using neighborhood-level data to guide solutions that build healthier communities for all children in D.C.