About SI Indicators
Staten Island Indicators
A Collection of Statistical Information about Life on Staten Island
A Project of:
The Center for the Study of Staten Island: The Staten Island Project (SIP)
The College of Staten Island, CUNY
The Staten Island Indicators website provides viewers with data about the measurable aspects of life on the Island. Typically, an indicator is a small, quantifiably measurable piece of information that provides some insight into how the social system under examination is performing. For example, information about average commuting time for Staten Island workers sheds light on how our transportation system is functioning. Information about the level of household income on Staten Island speaks to the performance of the local and regional economy.
We have identified ten important systems (called "policy areas") that, when taken cumulatively, define and determine the quality of life on Staten Island. (We will bring the full ten areas on-line throughout 2005-06.) Each policy area has up to thirty measures that offer insights into the day-to-day world Staten Islanders encounter.
An indicator rarely reveals the multiple causes or easy solutions to complex social problems. An indicator seldom yields the policy blueprint to sustain the momentum of a successful trend. But the information provided here lets residents learn more about the community they live in, and arms them with information they need to make informed choices about their future.
We have collected this information from many sources, including the US Census Bureau, the NYC Departments of Planning and Health, the NYS Department of Labor, as well as other government and not-for-profit institutions, including an excellent resource for New York State and City data, InfoShare. The Staten Island Indicators website collects and organizes data from these disparate sources to offer a single source for the uniform presentation of data about Staten Island, in the easily accessible and updateable medium of the World Wide Web.
An indicator can provide citizens and leaders with the information they need to solve problems. But we must note that both the College and the Center (SIP), by law and tradition, are nonpartisan institutions that do not engage in policy advocacy. Both institutions work best when they provide information and act as honest brokers of ideas. In this regard, the Staten Island Indicators Website exemplifies the aspirations of the College expressed in its mission statement, namely, "To extend the benefits of the College to the larger community by making educational, intellectual, and cultural activities available to all, and by supporting research programs that serve the people of Staten Island, its agencies, and institutions."
Richard Flanagan, PhD
The College of Staten Island, CUNY
