PROJECT

Understanding immigrant’s perceptions of police interactions in the Everett, MA community

Client

La Communidad, Inc and the Cambridge Health Alliance Department of Community Health Improvement

Topic Area

ICH Director of Research Leah Zallman provided technical assistance to La Communidad, a non profit dedicated to providing a better future to the Latino-American community in the city of Everett, MA and surrounding areas. La Communidad received a grant from the Aetna Foundation to work to improve the relationship between police and immigrants in the city of Everett. As part of this grant, La Communidad conducted a focus group with community members to gain a deeper understanding of immigrant’s perceptions of interactions with police in the community. ICH used a capacity building approach to guide the focus group process including helping design the focus group guide, training staff at La Communidad to conduct the focus group and providing a framework for analysis.