A decade after the 1992 Los Angeles riots

April 17, 2002



Most residents upbeat about race relations but fifty percent see the potential for more riots within the next five years, shows new study from the Center for the Study of Los Angeles at Loyola Marymount University.



NEARLY THREE-QUARTERS OF Los Angeles residents believe racial and ethnic groups in Los Angeles are getting along well, but half of all residents believe another riot is likely within the next five years, according to a new study by the Center for the Study of Los Angeles at Loyola Marymount University (LMU). Ten years after a jury acquitted four white police officers charged in the beating of a black motorist sparked the deadliest riots in U.S. history, the Center is set to release the findings of a major public opinion survey of Los Angeles residents.

The results will be broadcast live on April 25 from LMU’s Ahmanson Auditorium on KCRW 89.9 FM’s seminal public affairs program “Which Way, LA?,” beginning at 6:30 p.m. Distinguished panelists, including former mayoral candidate Antonio Villaraigosa, Councilman Mark Ridley Thomas and Los Angeles City Attorney Rocky Delgadillo, will be present to analyze and discuss the results alongside program host Warren Olney.

“Residents feel upbeat about many aspects of life in this city. They are optimistic about their neighborhoods, they see progress in ethnic relations, and they give high marks to the LAPD. But they understand that it could only take a spark to turn the city upside-down again. Ten years after the riots, we need to recognize how we have come together as a city and work to resolve those issues that continue to divide us,” said Dr. Mara Marks, the study’s author.

Results from the full study will be available to all outlets following the April 25 broadcast.


About The Center for the Study of Los Angeles

The Thomas and Dorothy Leavey Center for the Study of Los Angeles was chartered in 1994 by Loyola Marymount University. The Center focuses on undergraduate education, using Los Angeles as a laboratory for understanding the urban experience. The Center is dedicated to advancing knowledge and understanding in order to promote a more just and ethical community. In that spirit, the Center’s research and programs assist students, faculty and the University in becoming agents for change that leads to justice.

About “Which Way, LA?”
“Which Way LA?,” hosted by award-winning moderator Warren Olney, began broadcasting in 1992 in the days following the Los Angeles riots. The program airs weekdays from 6:30 – 7 p.m. PST on KCRW 89.9 FM.