DATA-COLLECTION IN DANGEROUS NEIGHBORHOODS - LESSONS FROM A SURVEY OFPUBLIC-HOUSING RESIDENTS IN CHICAGO

As part of an evaluation of the Chicago Housing Authority's (CHA) Anti -Drug Initiative-a comprehensive crime prevention program-the authors have conducted four waves of a cross-sectional, face-to-face survey in nine CHA buildings. This article describes the data collection proced ures developed, including using resident interviewers, the problems en countered and the lessons learned. The authors describe their experien ces in recruiting and training resident interviewers and addressing sa fety concerns. Using techniques developed for this study, the authors achieved consistently high response rates (more than 75%) despite the constraints of interviewing in public housing.