STRID Scores are computed using 26 questions from the CPIS. Questions are grouped into each of the ve areas of civic health – social, trust, responsibility, information and duty. The STRID Score is a percent of the possible score on those questions for each of the ve areas of civic health. A perfect score of 100% although highly unlikely, would demonstrate a region or group of people that are completely engaged in that component of civic health.

STRID scores provide a meaningful benchmark that policy makers can use to develop policy initiatives to enhance civic health. Increasing the levels of each of these indicators promotes greater civic health. Understood formulaically, civic health is the sum total of social, trust, responsibility, information, and duty practiced by a community, its citizens, and organizations. Simultaneous efforts can be directed at celebrating, building, and promoting each of these indicators.

An increase in any of the ve individual indicators will correspond to an increase in a specic civic behavior measured by the Civic Health Index . All other things being equal, for example, if trust in local government increased at the same time that attendance at local meetings and charitable giving increased, not only would we nd a measurable uptick in trust, duty and responsibility, but New York State civic health also would be enhanced overall. We believe that for a community to increase its civic health overall, policy makers must address these ve indicators in concert.

Geographically, New York City scores lower than the state as a whole in every STRID category. Specically, New York City and other urban areas signicantly draw down the statewide performance in Responsibility. Duty is the lowest category across all regions and social locations followed by Responsibility. Information is fairly consistent at about 60% and New Yorkers score highest on Trust and Social. While overall civic health will increase with continuing enhancement of New Yorkers social connectedness, trust in people and institutions and access to community information, the STRID scores clearly show that the greatest room for promoting civic health lies in increasing Responsibility and Duty.