PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY
CHAPTER 3:
Satisfaction with County
Services
County Government Services
The heart of this survey is the determination of
how satisfied the citizens of Prince William
County are with the services they receive from
their local government. Respondents were asked
whether they were very satisfied, somewhat
satisfied, somewhat dissatisfied, or very
dissatisfied with an array of government
services. For purposes of analysis, responses
were sometimes dichotomized into two
categories: satisfied or dissatisfied. We generally
report the percent of respondents satisfied with
each service. Those who were not familiar
enough with a service to respond were not
counted in either of the two categories. Their
responses are considered when the “visibility” of
a service is determined (Chapter 8).
This chapter will report the general level of
satisfaction with County government services,
and specific services relating to public safety,
public services, and social services.
The first question, and perhaps the most
important question in the survey, reads, “How
satisfied are you in general with the services the
County provides?” Figure 3-1 illustrates the
response to this question, and Figure 3-2
illustrates the mean level of satisfaction on this
question in 1993 and over the past 5 years. This
year, the total percentage is 90.2 percent
satisfied, which is not a significant increase from
89.6 percent in 2003. A total of 9.7 percent
expressed some level of dissatisfaction, and only
2.6 percent were very dissatisfied.
There were some trends in satisfaction by age
and level of education. Those over age 64 were
more likely to report being very satisfied than
somewhat satisfied. Those with a college degree
were less satisfied than others. Hispanics
reported more satisfaction than non-Hispanics.
Otherwise, there were not large differences in
satisfaction by other racial categories, home
ownership, or gender.
There were also some differences by geographic
region. Residents of Gainesville/Linton Hall
16
and Lake Ridge/Westridge/Occoquan expressed
above average levels of satisfaction regarding
County services in general (about 94%), while
residents of Mid-County, Brentsville, and North
County were less satisfied (about 85%).
Figure 3-1: Overall Satisfaction with County
Government Services, 2004
Very
Dissatisfied
Somewhat
Dissatisfied
7.1% 2.6%
Very
Satisfied
38.1%
52.2%
Somewhat
Satisfied
Figure 3-2: Overall Satisfaction with County
Government Services, 1993 and 2000-2004
1993
90.5
2000
93.5
2001
91.8
2002
92.9
2003
89.6
2004
90.2
0
20
40
60
80
100
Percent Satisfied
Residents were also asked if their satisfaction
with the services offered by Prince William
County had increased, decreased, or stayed the
same over the past year. The vast majority felt
the services had stayed the same (75.6%), with
about equal numbers reporting their level of
satisfaction had changed for the better or worse
(12.8% and 11.6%, respectively). This is
illustrated in Figure 3-3.
University of Virginia
CITIZEN SATISFACTION SURVEY
We asked about satisfaction in two areas of
County government services, specifically with
regard to providing convenient opportunities for
voters to register and keeping citizens informed
about government services. Over 94 percent
were satisfied with voting opportunities, and
81.0 percent were satisfied with the county’s
efforts at keeping residents informed. This
represents a high level of satisfaction for these
services, and for keeping residents informed it
represents a significant increase from last year –
a return to its 2002 level, as shown in Table 3-1.
Figure 3-3: Change in Satisfaction with
County Services over the Year, 2004
More
Satisfied
Less
Satisfied
12.8% 11.6%
75.6%
About the
Same
Table 3-1: Trends in General Satisfaction with Government Services, 1993 and 2000-2004
PERCENT SATISFIED
Item Number
Satisfaction Item
1993
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
Services of the County
Government in General
90.5
93.5 6
91.8
92.9 1, 6
89.6 2, 4, 5, 7, 9
90.2 2, 4, 5, 7, 9
Voter Registration
91.5
95.5 0, 5
96.4 0, 2, 5
97.1 0, 1, 2, 3
95.3 0, 2, 4, 5
94.5 0, 4, 5
70.9
86.9 0, 4, 5, 6
79.7 0, 1, 2, 6, 7
80.8 0, 1, 2, 6, 7
75.31, 3, 4, 5, 7, 9
81.0 0, 1, 2, 6, 7, 10
General Satisfaction with
Government Services
CTYSAT97
VOTE
GOVTSERV
Information on
Government Services
0
4
8
1
5
9
Significantly Different from 1993
Significantly Different from 1994
2
Significantly Different from 1995
3
Significantly Different from 1996
Center for Survey Research
Significantly Different from 1997
Significantly Different from 1998
6
Significantly Different from 1999
7
Significantly Different from 2000
Significantly Different from 2001
Significantly Different from 2002
10
Significantly Different from 2003
17
PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY
Residents had an opportunity to voice their
satisfaction with County emergency services.
This included police performance, police
attitudes toward citizens, efforts to reduce drug
and gang related activity, fire department
performance, rescue service performance, and
the prevalence of cardio-pulmonary resuscitation
(CPR) training among the public.
The great majority of residents, 93.7 percent, are
satisfied with the overall performance of the
police department, which is approximately the
same as in 2003. When reviewing individual
factors related to satisfaction with police
performance, age seemed to be the major
predictor. Younger residents were less satisfied
(85.7% for those 18-25) and older residents were
most satisfied (97.8% for those over 64). This is
likely the cause of similar trends observed based
on income (lower earners less satisfied) and
marital status (never married individuals less
satisfied), as those groups are younger on
average. This year, there were no significant
differences by race, gender, education, income,
or home ownership status. Geographic region,
however, did play a significant role in
satisfaction. Residents of Mid County and
North County were more satisfied (99.0% and
97.5%, respectively), and residents of
Woodbridge/Dumfries were the least satisfied
(89.2%).
“My daughter's middle school
is frequently visited by police on
preventive visits. The school is
very proactive in drug control.”
were also satisfied with the crime prevention
programs offered by the police department, with
82.8 percent expressing satisfaction, which is
not significantly different from when this
question was last asked in 2002.
Residents were also asked about satisfaction
with the attitude police demonstrate toward the
public. Not significantly different from prior
years, 86.3 percent were satisfied, but this varied
according to demographic factors. Young
people were less likely to express satisfaction
(70.4% for 18-25 year olds), while older
residents were more satisfied (93.6% for those
over age 64). Divorced, separated, and never
married residents also expressed less satisfaction
than their married counterparts (approximately
81% versus 89% satisfied, respectively). People
in the workforce full and part-time were more
satisfied than others such as students,
homemakers, and those seeking employment
(about 88% satisfied for workers versus 78% for
non-workers). Homeowners were more satisfied
than renters (88.1% versus 79.7%). Age effects
are illustrated in Figure 3-4.
Figure 3-4: Satisfaction with Police Attitude
by Age, 2004
65+
Age in Years
Emergency Services
93.6
50-64
86.3
38-49
86.5
26-37
86.6
18-25
When asked about the efforts law enforcement is
making toward reducing the use of illegal drugs,
84.1 percent expressed satisfaction. Responses
to this item were not significantly different from
last year and responses did not vary by area. For
the first time, residents were asked how satisfied
they were with the job police are doing to
combat gang activity. Eighty percent expressed
satisfaction on this item. Residents of
Brentsville, Lake Ridge/Westridge/Occoquan,
and Dale City were less satisfied than average
(approximately 73%) and residents of North
County were most satisfied (90.0%). Residents
18
70.4
0
20
40
60
80
100
Percent Satisfied
Unlike last year, there was no significant effect
for race, with blacks, whites, and Hispanics
expressing similar levels of satisfaction toward
police attitudes. Racial differences in responses
are shown in Figure 3-5.
University of Virginia
CITIZEN SATISFACTION SURVEY
Figure 3-5: Satisfaction with Police Attitude
by Race, 2004
White
86.6
Black
86.9
Hispanic*
84.1
Asian
Calling 911
94.4
Other
94.5
0
20
40
60
80
One important safety item that has been asked in
previous years is how many people in the home
are trained in CPR techniques. Our survey has
consistently found that about 70 percent of
households in the County have someone trained
in CPR, and this year is no exception. The
majority of homes, 69.9 percent, have at least
one person trained in the technique, while 30.4
percent have two or more.
100
Percent Satisfied
*Hispanic residents were able to choose a racial category in
addition to Hispanic (i.e., black, white, or Asian), and
approximately 50% elected to do so.
In sum, although most residents are satisfied
with the overall performance of the police
department, younger, single, and non-working
residents are more likely to feel dissatisfied with
the attitude shown by law enforcement officials.
Figure 3-6: Satisfaction with County
Emergency Services, 2004
Nearly 22 percent of our respondents had dialed
911 in the past twelve months, about the same as
the past two years. Most of them had called for
police (47.1%) or emergency medical service
(44.9%). About 11.4 percent had called for fire
fighters, and about 5.6 percent for something
else. These percentages sum to more than 100
percent because some respondents had called
911 for more than one service. Figure 3-6
illustrates these results.
Figure 3-7: Purpose of 911 Call, 2004
Police
47.1
Ambulance
or Rescue
Squad
44.9
11.4
Fire
Police Overall
93.7
Police Attitude
Something
Else
86.3
Reducing Drugs
5.6
0
84.1
20
40
60
80
100
Percent Satisfied
Combat Gang Activity
80.0
Crime Prevention Prog.
82.8
Fire Protection
98.2
Rescue Services
97.4
0
20
40
60
80
100
Percent Satisfied
As they have been in the past, residents are very
satisfied with fire and rescue services. This year
satisfaction with fire fighting was 98.2 percent,
and satisfaction with emergency rescue services
was 97.4 percent, both of these virtually
unchanged from last year.
Center for Survey Research
Asked about the last time they called 911, 79.7
percent said they were very satisfied with the
help they received from the person who took
their call, while an additional 12.2 percent said
they were somewhat satisfied, for a total of 91.9
percent satisfied. Responses did not vary
significantly by race or ethnic identification.
All respondents who had used 911 were also
asked questions about their satisfaction with the
length of time taken for emergency services to
arrive. Over seventy percent (71.2%) were very
satisfied, and an additional 15.1 percent were
somewhat satisfied, for a total of 86.3 percent
satisfied.
19
PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY
Figure 3-8: Satisfaction with 911 Services,
2004
Assistance
from 911
Operator
91.9
Time for
Help to
Arrive
86.3
Assistance
on Scene
89.7
0
20
40
60
80
Percent Satisfied
100
Respondents were also satisfied with the help
they received at the scene. Three-quarters
(75.9%) said they were very satisfied, while an
additional 13.8 percent were somewhat satisfied,
totaling to 89.7 percent. Figure 3-7 illustrates
the satisfaction findings pertaining to calling
911.
Safety from Crime
Residents of Prince William County continue to
feel safe in their neighborhoods. As we would
expect, a smaller number (86.3%) report feeling
satisfied with the safety in their neighborhood at
night than in the daytime (91.9%). These
figures are essentially unchanged from last year.
In terms of daytime safety from crime, women
felt somewhat less satisfied (90.2%) than men
(93.9%). Satisfaction also varied by
geographical area, with residents of
Woodbridge/Dumfries expressing the least
satisfaction (87.0%) and residents of
Gainesville/Linton Hall, North County, and Mid
County the most satisfied (97.8%, 97.7%, and
95.9% respectively).
area but not gender. Residents of Dale City and
Woodbridge/Dumfries expressed the least
satisfaction (80.6% and 82.8%, respectively) and
residents of Gainesville/Linton Hall and North
County expressed the most satisfaction (94.4%,
and 94.8%, respectively).
This year residents were asked how safe they
felt in commercial and business areas of the
County during daylight hours. The majority,
91.2 percent, felt safe during the day, and 81.7
percent felt safe at night. There were no
significant differences by gender or geographical
area for daytime safety, but residents of Lake
Ridge/Westridge/Occoquan and
Gainesville/Linton Hall reported more
satisfaction with commercial and business area
safety after dark (89.3% and 88.2%,
respectively), and females were less satisfied
than males (77.9% versus 86.5%, respectively).
Figure 3-9: Satisfaction with Safety from
Crime, 2004
Neigh. Safety A.M.
91.9
Neigh. Safety P.M.
86.3
Comm. Safety A.M.
91.2
Comm. Safety P.M.
81.7
0
20
40
60
80 100
Percent Satisfied
Public Safety
Trends for all public safety items from 1993 and
the last five years are shown in Table 3-3.
Satisfaction with neighborhood safety from
crime in the evening also varied by geographical
20
University of Virginia
CITIZEN SATISFACTION SURVEY
Table 3-2: Trends in Satisfaction with Public Safety Services, 1993 and 2000-2004
PERCENT SATISFIED
Item Number
Satisfaction Item
1993
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
Public Safety
POLICE
Overall Satisfaction with
Police
88.7
93.0 0
91.6
93.0 0, 1
93.2 0, 1
93.7 0, 1, 4
DRUGS
Reducing Illegal Drugs
79.2
82.9
82.9 1
83.6 1
82.6 1
84.1 0, 1
ATTITUDE
Police Behaviors Toward
Citizens
—
87.5
85.9
86.7
85.4
86.3
Combating Gang Activity
—
—
—
—
—
80.0
Fire Protection
97.2
97.3
97.31
97.5 1
97.1 1
98.2 1, 2, 6
Medical Rescue
96.6
97.0
96.7
97.6 4, 6
97.2
97.4 4, 6
911 Phone Help
—
95.6 3
91.2
93.3
91.0 4, 7
91.9
EMTIMEB
Time for Help to Arrive
—
87.5
—
80.8
85.3
86.3
EMASSTB
Assistance on the Scene
—
92.9 3
—
89.3
88.9
89.7
AMCRIME
Safety In Neighborhood in
Daylight
—
93.3 4
93.2 4
91.3 6
93.1 4
91.9 6
PMCRIME
Safety in Neighborhood in
Dark
—
86.5 3, 4, 5
87.8 2, 3, 4, 5, 6
85.6 2, 3, 4
86.22, 3, 4, 5
DYCRIMEB
Safety in Commercial
Areas in Daylight
—
93.0
—
90.9 2
—
91.2
NTCRIMEB
Safety in Commercial
Areas in Dark
—
82.1 5
—
77.9 2, 4, 6
—
81.7 2, 3, 4, 6
GANGS
FIRE
RESCUE
EMSATIS
0
4
1
5
Significantly Different from 1993
Significantly Different from 1994
2
Significantly Different from 1995
3
Significantly Different from 1996
Significantly Different from 1997
Significantly Different from 1998
6
Significantly Different from 1999
7
Significantly Different from 2000
86.3 2, 3, 4, 5
8
Significantly Different from 2001
Significantly Different from 2002
10
Significantly Different from 2003
9
Of course, residents of Prince William County
rely on their government for other kinds of
services than protection from crime and
emergencies. This year we again asked about
libraries, parks, and county water/sewer
services. Figure 3-10 illustrates the satisfaction
levels pertaining to these services.
respondents (76.4%) said they or a member of
their household had gone to one of the county
libraries or used their services. Of those who
had visited the library, 99.1 percent were
satisfied with the quality of service they received
from the library staff, with 89.9 percent very
satisfied. This is a notable increase from last
year, and also represents a return to the levels
prevailing in prior years.
Regarding the libraries, we first asked how
satisfied our respondents were with the job the
County is doing in providing library services to
County residents. Almost all, 96.2 percent, were
satisfied on this item, with 74.7 percent very
satisfied. More than three quarters of
Center for Survey Research
Although the great majority were satisfied with
the library service, several respondents
commented that library hours and number of
branches should be increased to meet the
demand. In the words of one resident, “They
need to expand the number of libraries, the
21
Public Services
PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY
collection of books and the hours of service. I
have to go to the main branch to enjoy a wider
selection of books and the local branch near my
house has limited hours.”
When asked about the County’s park and
recreation programs, almost two thirds (61.6 %)
said they had used the county parks or recreation
facilities and 91.0 percent were satisfied. There
were some geographical differences on this
items, as North County, Gainsville/Linton Hall,
and Brentsville residents expressed less
satisfaction (approximately 85%) than others.
About half of residents (55.5%) were familiar
with the County Park Authority and the vast
majority (94.6%) were satisfied that they
provided efficient and effective service.
Most (57.9%) were familiar with the County
Service Authority, which provides water and
sewer service to County residents. The majority
(89.8%) were satisfied that they provide efficient
and effective service. The few negative
comments focused on rates being too high, the
quality of the water, and not being notified
sooner about problems.
Figure 3-10: Satisfaction with Public Services,
2004
Library Services
Regarding the Health Department, 21.4 percent
were familiar enough to rate it. The response
was positive, with 82.1 percent expressing
satisfaction, which was not a significant
decrease from last year. Almost eighty percent
(77.9%) were satisfied with programs and
services available to the elderly, which was not a
significant change from last year’s satisfaction
rating, but is a significant increase from a decade
ago (68.3%).
“I had to get information from
the County office about
Alzheimer's Disease for a
relative. The County employee
was wonderfully informative.”
When asked specifically about the County’s
Department of Social Services, almost a quarter
were able to rate it (23.8%), with 75.4 percent
expressing satisfaction. This is not a significant
increase from last year, but does represent a
significant increase from 1993 when the percent
satisfied was 60.3.
Figure 3-11: Satisfaction with Human
Services, 2004
96.2
Library Staff
99.1
Park & Recreation
Programs
89.8
0
20
40
60
80
77.9
Department of
Social Services
94.6
Service Authority
82.1
Services for the
Elderly
91.0
Park Authority
Health
Department
100
Percent Satisfied
Human Services
We asked a series of questions about health and
human services, such as citizen satisfaction with
the health department, programs for the elderly,
social services, and services for the mentally ill.
We first asked respondents if they were familiar
enough with these services to be able to rate
them, as a relatively smaller number of
respondents had experience with them.
22
75.4
Mental Health
Services
72.6
Help Those with
Mental/Emotional
Problems
73.7
Helping People in
Financial Need
69.9
0
20
40
60
80
100
Percent Satisfied
Respondents were asked if they were familiar
with the community mental health, mental
retardation, and substance abuse services.
About fourteen percent were able to rate these,
University of Virginia
CITIZEN SATISFACTION SURVEY
Satisfaction for all human service items is shown
in Figure 3-11.
with 72.6 percent expressing satisfaction.
Although similar to last year, this represents a
significant decrease from 1993. Another
question not asked since 2002 was about
satisfaction with providing help to people with
financial need. Almost 30 percent were very
satisfied and 40.3 percent were somewhat
satisfied, for a total of 69.9 percent, a small and
non-significant decrease from the 2002 level of
72.4 percent.
Trends in Social Services
Trends for all public and human service items
from 1993 and the last five years are shown in
Table 3-3.
Table 3-3: Trends in Satisfaction with Public Services, 1993 and 2000-2004
PERCENT SATISFIED
Item Number
Satisfaction Item
1993
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
94.9 96.9
96.8 5
96.8 5
96.3 5
96.2 5
98.2 98.8
99.3
99.1
97.8 8
99.1 10
88.7 90.7 3, 5
88.4 2
88.2 2
89.5
91.0 1, 3, 5
—
95.4
94.5
94.3
93.8
94.6
—
89.9 5
91.6
91.8 5
92.3
89.8 5
Public Services
LIBRARY
Library Services
LIBRYSAT
Satisfaction with Library
Staff
Park & Recreation
Facilities
County Park Authority
Provides Efficient and
Effective Service
County Service Authority
Provides Efficient and
Effective Service
PARK
PARK2
CTYSERV2
ELDERLY
Helping the Elderly
68.3 83.1 0, 3
82.6 0, 1, 3 79.1 0, 1, 5
77.60, 1, 5, 7, 8
77.9 0, 1, 5, 7
HLTHSAT
Health Department
84.6 89.9
88.8 2
85.6
86.4
82.1 5, 7, 8
DSSSAT
Satisfaction with DSS
60.3 71.7 0
73.7 0, 2
72.5 0, 2
69.2 0, 5
75.4 0, 1, 2
MENTLSAT
Mental Health Agency
85.1 82.7
81.6
79.6
75.9
72.6 0, 4, 7
PROBLEMB
Providing Help to Those
with Emotional Problems
70.1 79.8 0
—
71.7 2, 4, 5, 6, 7
71.22, 4, 5, 6, 7
73.7 2, 5, 6, 7
FINNEEDB
Providing Help to Those
in Financial Need
61.0 73.5
—
72.4
—
69.9 0, 5, 6
0
4
1
5
Significantly Different from 1993
Significantly Different from 1994
2
Significantly Different from 1995
3
Significantly Different from 1996
Center for Survey Research
Significantly Different from 1997
Significantly Different from 1998
6
Significantly Different from 1999
7
Significantly Different from 2000
8
Significantly Different from 2001
Significantly Different from 2002
10
Significantly Different from 2003
9
23