The purpose of this review paper is to help recreation professionals understand poverty and inequality in the United States and to offer recommendations for better serving lower-income residents through the parks and recreation system. Scott initially outlines how economic status determines Americans' access to leisure choice and amenities, including green spaces. He points out how poor facilities in underserved areas can lead to a cycle whereby raising taxes to address a lack of services while property values remain low leads wealthier families to leave, thus concentrating poverty in certain areas. Past land acquisition decisions mean that poorer communities typically have fewer green space amenities, while wealthier neighborhoods have abundant parks and funding for them. These economic divides are concurrent with sharp racial divisions across America, all of which contribute to growing inequality in all aspects of life.
The current system for funding public parks and recreation facilities contributes to these divisions because wealthy areas have the money to put back into these programs. At the same time, many managers and wealthier residents do not see these problems because they believe that park use is a matter of choice, equally available to all. In order to address this issue, Scott suggests forming coalitions of allies across poor and non-poor communities, from sectors like government, education, faith-based groups, legal organizations, businesses, and conservation groups. He suggests drawing more attention to health benefits and disparities related to park access as well as to historical exclusion from parks as way to bring in allies who are interested in addressing environmental justice and civil rights issues.
Pointing out that many low-income Americans have not had the vacations or childhood opportunities to become familiar with outdoor sports, Scott recommends that leisure education programs provide people with the skills and comfort level in activities like camping that would make it more likely they would pursue these on their own. Safety, which most Americans do not have to worry about when recreating outdoors, is a major concern for many people in low-income areas where crime rates are high. Parks that are perceived as dangerous are often actively avoided, and managers must address safety concerns by trimming vegetation, providing police patrols, installing other safety features, and eradicating gangs or others who make parks unsafe if they are to bring in more people.
People who come from poor backgrounds are often made to feel unwelcome in parks frequented by wealthier residents. Therefore park agencies must demonstrate their commitment to inclusiveness by treating all visitors with equal respect. Scott also emphasizes that recreation programs must be made more affordable, from fees to access services to hidden costs like new uniforms or snacks for sporting events, all of which could be burdensome to those with fewer resources. He advocates programs such as making access free on certain days, providing fee waivers in return for volunteering, or creating financial assistance programs, with the caveat that sometimes these can be embarrassing and difficult to use.
Finally, Scott suggests that programs should be evaluated by researchers and practitioners in order to develop “best practices” for facilitating participation, and reducing long-term problems of exclusion and inequity.
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