Jim Key
Jim Key is the director of media relations at the USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences.
Stories by Jim Key:
Nearly 3 years since start of pandemic, USC Dornsife report shows how life in L.A. is changing
Overall life satisfaction continues to decline and racial discrimination against Asian and Black Angelenos remains high, but fewer people are planning to leave the county, according to a new LABarometer livability and affordability survey.
Rates of food insecurity in L.A. are spiking after sharp decline
Nearly a quarter of Los Angeles County households experienced food insecurity over the last 12 months, up 7 percentage points since the end of 2021, according to a study released by USC Dornsife’s Public Exchange.
Living expenses on the rise for a growing percentage of Angelenos
USC Dornsife’s latest LABarometer survey on affordability and prosperity finds that more than half the county experienced rising costs for local goods and services as well as housing in 2021.
What is a war crime? A former U.S. State Department foreign affairs officer provides a primer
Jeffrey Fields of international relations at USC Dornsife discusses the definition and origin of the term, and assesses President Biden’s allegations against Russia.
Public database offers fresh insight on officer-involved homicides, nationally and locally
The National Officer-Involved Homicide Database, developed by researchers at the USC Dornsife Center for Economic and Social Research, includes data from more than a dozen sources regarding factors that may be associated with officer-involved homicides.
Why troops on Ukraine’s border are driving up tensions in Moscow and Washington
Robert English of USC Dornsife’s School of International Relations, a former policy analyst with the U.S. Department of Defense and an expert on Russia, shares his assessment of the U.S.-Russia relationship and Biden’s recent meeting with Putin.
Adverse environmental conditions impact a growing number of Angelenos, LABarometer survey finds
The second annual USC Dornsife-Union Bank LABarometer survey regarding sustainability and resilience examines how Los Angeles County residents experience and interact with their natural environment in the midst of a warming climate.
Can a new type of question help make political polls more accurate?
An innovative question about people’s social circles used in USC Dornsife’s Daybreak Poll could end up being the remedy to increasingly incorrect election predictions.
How much does control of the Senate affect legislative policymaking?
Two USC Dornsife political science scholars examine a period in the 1950s when the Senate was evenly divided, nine U.S. senators died and party control flipped twice.
10% of Angelenos plan to leave county even as residents’ consumer confidence rises
Still, the USC Dornsife-Union Bank LABarometer livability survey finds people perceive less crime, vandalism and drug and alcohol use in their neighborhoods than they did in 2019.
Student-led think tank addresses problems that go beyond USC
Founded by an alum, the unconventional Novus Think Tank enables students to apply their lessons to real-world challenges while offering a place for Trojans to bond.
Half of U.S. adults don’t wear masks around people outside their households
Though a large majority of Americans believe wearing a mask provides protection from COVID-19, USC research finds that many — including 3 in 10 Angelenos — still don’t wear them in high-risk situations.
Two experimental poll questions may point to a Trump victory
New questions recently added to the USC Dornsife Daybreak Poll predict that the popular vote for president could be much closer than most polls are predicting.
Debating the American family: 5 important questions for Trump and Biden
As the final presidential debate approaches, experts with the USC Center for the Changing Family share the questions they’d most like to ask regarding family issues.
Voter confidence in Trump’s mental and physical fitness dropped after first debate
USC Dornsife’s Daybreak Poll also reveals a staggering two-thirds of voters plan to vote before Election Day and the way people will cast their vote is associated with their political leaning.
Food insecurity expands beyond low-income Angelenos during the pandemic
Research from USC Dornsife’s Public Exchange reveals that food insecurity peaked in April and remains significantly higher than pre-pandemic levels.
New USC poll shows Trump has lost ground among key supporters
USC Dornsife’s latest Daybreak Poll finds Joe Biden with a 13-point lead in the suburbs and tied with the president among white suburbanites.
How have people responded to pandemics throughout history?
Through their research on plagues dating back to the late 19th century, USC Dornsife historians have discovered striking parallels between the coronavirus and previous outbreaks.
COVID-19 pandemic may delay college graduation for students of color
According to USC’s ongoing coronavirus study, the pandemic has increased the perceived value of a college education among students of color while also likely reducing their course loads.
COVID-related discrimination disproportionately impacts racial minorities
About 1 in 3 Black, Asian and Latino people have experienced at least one incident of COVID-19 discrimination, according to an ongoing national COVID-19 attitudes study from USC Dornsife. Incidents include being threatened or receiving poor service at restaurants or stores.
America’s least educated and lowest paid remain hardest hit by pandemic
The latest data from USC Dornsife’s ongoing coronavirus study also reveal that L.A. residents have fared worse financially than the national average.
Parents say they’re satisfied with school communication, uncertain about the future
USC Dornsife’s latest coronavirus study reveals that, while parents in almost 80% of households are pleased with outreach from their child’s school, challenges lie on the horizon.
About 1 in 4 Americans believe they’ll avoid the coronavirus
A national USC study also reveals that the vast majority of Americans recognize the value of hand-washing and sanitizing to keep themselves safe.
Three years into his presidency, what’s the impact of Trump’s anti-Muslim actions?
How are Muslims perceived today and what’s the best way to counter Islamophobia? A USC Dornsife scholar on anti-Muslim bigotry shares her opinions.