Haiti in Distress: The Impact of the 2010 Earthquake on Citizen Lives and Perceptions

264 Pages·2011·2.82 MB·English

by  Dominique Zephyr

Haiti in Distress: The Impact of the 2010 Earthquake on
1
Citizen Lives and Perceptions

Dominique Zéphyr, M.A.
LAPOP Research Coordinator
Vanderbilt University

Abby Córdova, Ph.D.
Vanderbilt University

With assistance from
Hugo Salgado

Mitchell A. Seligson
Scientific Coordinator and Editor of the Series
Vanderbilt University

This study was done with support from the Program in Democracy and
Governance of the United States Agency for International
Development. The opinions expressed in this study are those of the
authors and do not necessarily reflect the point of view of the United States Agency for International
Development.

March, 2011

1
We would like to thank Dr. Margaret Sarles for her important guidance in the design of this study.
Authors can be reached at:
Table of Contents
Table of Contents

List of Figures ............................................................................................................................... ix
List of Tables .............................................................................................................................. xiii
Preface ........................................................................................................................................ xv
Executive Summary .................................................................................................................. xvii
Introductory Chapter ................................................................................................................... 1
Chapter I. Background, Survey Design, and Population Characteristics ............................... 3
Background of the Study ............................................................................................................ 3
Sample Design ............................................................................................................................ 5
Demographic and Socio-Economic Characteristics of Respondents .......................................... 7
Part I: Core Elements of Democracy before and after the Earthquake ................................ 13
Chapter II. Assessing the Effects of the Earthquake on Democratic Governance and
Citizen’s Political Attitudes and Behavior ........................................................... 15
Introduction ............................................................................................................................... 15
Democratic Governance ............................................................................................................ 15
Citizens’ Political Attitudes and Behavior ................................................................................ 16
Methodological Framework ...................................................................................................... 17
Conclusions ............................................................................................................................... 25
Chapter III. Democratic Values and Citizens’ Political Views after the Earthquake .......... 27
Introduction ............................................................................................................................... 27
Citizen Evaluation of Government and Civil Society Response to the Earthquake ................. 28
Support for Democracy ............................................................................................................. 29
Support for Democracy in Comparative Perspective .......................................30
Support for Democracy before and after the Earthquake ................................31
Personal Experience with the Earthquake and Support for Democracy ..........33
Satisfaction with Democracy .................................................................................................... 36
Satisfaction with Democracy in Comparative Perspective ..............................37
Satisfaction with Democracy and the Earthquake ...........................................38
Support for the Political System ............................................................................................... 39
Support for the Political System in Comparative Perspective .........................40
Support for the Political System before and after the Earthquake ...................41
Interpersonal Trust .................................................................................................................... 43
Interpersonal Trust in Comparative Perspective ..............................................44
Interpersonal Trust before and after the Earthquake ........................................45

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Table of Contents
Personal Experience with the Earthquake and Interpersonal Trust .................47
Conclusions ............................................................................................................................... 50
Appendix ................................................................................................................................... 51
Chapter IV. Crime, Perception of Insecurity, and Support for the Rule of Law ................. 53
Introduction ............................................................................................................................... 53
Perception of Insecurity ............................................................................................................ 54
Perception of Insecurity before and after the Earthquake ................................55
Personal Experience with the Earthquake and Perception of Insecurity .........57
Crime Victimization.................................................................................................................. 58
Crime Victimization in Haiti in Comparative Perspective ..............................61
Crime Victimization Trends ............................................................................62
Personal Experience with the Earthquake and Crime Victimization ...............64
Other Characteristics of the Victims ................................................................67
Support for the Rule of Law ..................................................................................................... 68
Support for the Rule of Law in Comparative Perspective ...............................69
Support for the Rule of Law before and after the Earthquake .........................70
Determinants of Support for the Rule of Law .................................................72
Conclusions ............................................................................................................................... 74
Appendix ................................................................................................................................... 75
Chapter V. The Justice System .................................................................................................. 77
Introduction ............................................................................................................................... 77
Trust in the Justice System ....................................................................................................... 78
Trust in the Justice System in Comparative Perspective .................................79
Trust in the Justice System over Time .............................................................80
Determinants of Trust in the Justice System....................................................82
Trust in the Haitian National Police .......................................................................................... 84
Trust in the Haitian National Police over Time ...............................................85
Determinants of Trust in the Haitian National Police ......................................87
Approval of Civilians Enforcing the Law instead of the Proper Institutions ........................... 89
Approval of Civilians Taking the Law into their Own Hands in
Comparative Perspective .................................................................................90
Changing Levels of Approval of Civilians Taking the Law into their
Own Hands.......................................................................................................91
Conclusions ............................................................................................................................... 93
Appendix ................................................................................................................................... 94

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Chapter VI. Corruption ............................................................................................................. 95
Introduction ............................................................................................................................... 95
The Measurement of Corruption ............................................................................................... 97
Perception of Corruption in Haiti ............................................................................................. 98
Perception of Corruption in Comparative perspective .....................................98
Perception of Corruption over time ...............................................................100
Corruption Victimization in Haiti ........................................................................................... 102
Corruption Victimization in Comparative Perspective ..................................104
Corruption Victimization over Time .............................................................105
Characteristics of Corruption Victims ...........................................................107
Conclusions ............................................................................................................................. 108
Appendix ................................................................................................................................. 109
Chapter VII. Demand Making on Local Governments and their Effectiveness after the
Earthquake ........................................................................................................ 111
Introduction ............................................................................................................................. 111
Trust in Local Government ..................................................................................................... 112
Trust in Local Government in Comparative Perspective ...............................113
Trust in Local Government before and after the Earthquake ........................114
Personal Experience with the Earthquake and Trust in Local
Government....................................................................................................116
Demand-Making on Municipal Government .......................................................................... 117
Demand-Making on Municipal Government in Comparative Perspective ....118
Demand-Making on Municipal Government before and after the
Earthquake .....................................................................................................119
Personal Experience with the Earthquake and Demand-Making on
Municipal Government ..................................................................................121
Satisfaction with Local Government Services ........................................................................ 123
Satisfaction with Local Government Services in Comparative
Perspective .....................................................................................................124
Satisfaction with Local Government Services before and after the
Earthquake .....................................................................................................125
Personal Experience with the Earthquake and Satisfaction with Local
Government Services .....................................................................................127
Conclusions ............................................................................................................................. 129
Appendix ................................................................................................................................. 130
Chapter VIII. Civic and Political Participation ..................................................................... 131
Introduction ............................................................................................................................. 131
Civic Participation .................................................................................................................. 131

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Participation in Meetings of Civic Organizations ..........................................132
Participation in Community Improvement Committees ................................134
Participation in Job Related Associations ......................................................137
Civic Participation in Haiti vis-à-vis other Countries ....................................138
Participation in Local Government Meetings ......................................................................... 139
Participation in Municipal Meetings before and after the Earthquake ..........141
Protest Participation ................................................................................................................ 142
Participation in Protests in Comparative Perspective ....................................142
Participation in Protests before and after the Earthquake ..............................143
Personal Experience with the Earthquake and Participation in Protests ........145
Conclusions ............................................................................................................................. 146
Appendix ................................................................................................................................. 147
Part II: Citizens’ Economic Conditions and Basic Service Delivery in Haiti ..................... 149
Chapter IX. Citizens’ Well-Being in Haiti: An Overview ..................................................... 151
Introduction ............................................................................................................................. 151
Quality of Life in Haiti: The Macro-Picture ........................................................................... 152
Perceptions of the Personal Economic Situation .................................................................... 155
Household Income .................................................................................................................. 157
Job Quality .............................................................................................................................. 158
Conclusion .............................................................................................................................. 160
Chapter X. Quality of Life and Basic Service Delivery in Haiti ........................................... 161
Introduction ............................................................................................................................. 161
Electricity and Water Services ................................................................................................ 161
Electricity Service ................................................................................................................... 162
Access to Electricity ......................................................................................162
Quality of Electricity Service.........................................................................164
Water Service .......................................................................................................................... 166
Access to Water .............................................................................................166
Quality of Water Service ...............................................................................169
Food Insecurity ....................................................................................................................... 171
Health Services in Haiti .......................................................................................................... 173
Overall Satisfaction with Primary Health Care in Haiti ................................173
Personal Experience with Health Services ....................................................174
Satisfaction with Health Services among Users ............................................176
Education Services .................................................................................................................. 177
Satisfaction with the Education System .........................................................178

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School Enrollment among School-Age Children ..........................................179
Satisfaction with the Condition of School Buildings .....................................181
Satisfaction with the Quality of Education ....................................................183
Access to Basic Services and Life Satisfaction ...................................................................... 184
Support for Public Policies that Benefit the Poor ................................................................... 187
Conclusions ............................................................................................................................. 190
References ................................................................................................................................ 193
Appendixes ................................................................................................................................ 199
Appendix I. The IRB “Informed Consent” Document ........................................................... 201
Appendix II. Questionnaire in English ................................................................................... 203

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List of Figures
List of Figures

th
Figure I.1. Map of Haiti Showing the Epicenter of the January 12 Earthquake and Population
Affected ......................................................................................................................... 3
Figure I.2. Sample Distribution by Sex .......................................................................................... 8
Figure I.3. Sample Distribution by Age .......................................................................................... 8
Figure I.4. Sample Distribution by Geographic Area ..................................................................... 9
Figure I.5. Sample Distribution by Education .............................................................................. 10
Figure I.6. Sample Distribution by Quintiles of Wealth ............................................................... 11
Figure II.1. Percent of Respondents Living in Affected and Non-Affected Municipalities in
2010 with Comparisons of those same Municipalities for Prior Years .......................19
Figure II.2. Extent of Housing Damage in Affected Municipalities ............................................. 20
Figure II.3. Residence Condition after the Earthquake ................................................................. 21
Figure II.4. Basic Demographic Characteristics by Residence Condition .................................... 22
Figure II.5. Percent of People who have a Job by Residence Condition ...................................... 23
Figure II.6. Percent of Families Receiving Remittances by Residence Condition ....................... 24
Figure II.7. Percent of Families Receiving Remittances by Year ................................................. 25
Figure III.1. Performance of Government and other Institutions after the Earthquake ................ 28
Figure III.2. Performance of Government after the Earthquake ................................................... 29
Figure III.3. Support for Democracy in the Americas .................................................................. 31
Figure III.4. Support for Democracy by Year............................................................................... 32
Figure III.5. Support for Democracy in Affected and Non-Affected Municipalities by Year ..... 33
Figure III.6. Impact of Personal Experience with the Earthquake on Support for Democracy .... 34
Figure III.7. Support for Democracy in Haiti by Residence Conditions ...................................... 35
Figure III.8. Effect of Education and Evaluation of the Job Performance of the Current ............ 36
Figure III.9. Satisfaction with Democracy in Haiti, 2010 ............................................................. 37
Figure III.10. Satisfaction with Democracy in the Americas ....................................................... 38
Figure III.11. Satisfaction with Democracy by Year .................................................................... 39
Figure III.12. System Support in the Americas ............................................................................ 40
Figure III.13. System Support by Year ......................................................................................... 41
Figure III.14. System Support in Affected and Non-Affected Municipalities by Year ................ 42
Figure III.15. Effect of Satisfaction with the Performance of the Current ................................... 43
Figure III.16. Interpersonal Trust in Haiti, 2010 .......................................................................... 44
Figure III.17. Interpersonal Trust in Comparative Perspective .................................................... 45
Figure III.18. Interpersonal Trust by Year .................................................................................... 46
Figure III.19. Interpersonal Trust in Affected and Non-Affected Municipalities by Year ........... 47
Figure III.20. Impact of Personal Experience with the Earthquake on Interpersonal Trust ......... 48
Figure III.21. Interpersonal Trust by Residence Condition .......................................................... 49
Figure III.22. Impact of Self-Reported Damage on Interpersonal Trust ...................................... 49
Figure IV.1. Perception of Insecurity in Comparative Perspective .............................................. 55
Figure IV.2. Perception of Insecurity by Year .............................................................................. 56
Figure IV.3. Perception of Insecurity in Affected and Non- Affected Municipalities by Year ... 57
Figure IV.4. Perception of Insecurity by Residence Condition .................................................... 58
Figure IV.5. Individual and Household Crime Victimization ...................................................... 59

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