If they were offered they came at a high price. Many of these neighborhoods did not retail shops, grocery stores. They often had to travel outside their community for goods. The neighborhoods didn't have a short supply of fast food restaurants. Stores like Food 4 Less often charged higher prices citing the increased cost of doing business in these regions, including security expenses and losses from theft (Starr). .
Besides not having any stores being offered in their communities the people of South Central had a poverty rate that surged to over thirty percent. More than forty percent of adults there were listed "not in labor force" (Saul). Many were disadvantaged when it came to working. Many had to compete with other low-skilled workers. For those who had anything less than a high school diploma finding a job was near impossible. .
The use of excessive force by police officers added more fuel to the fire. Residents of Los Angeles County had made many complaints on LAPD officers for using excessive force on them. These complaints generally came to nothing when brought before a police review board dominated by officials from the police hierarchy. The Rodney King beating was the confirmation of everything community members had made complaints about. The LAPD earned the prize for being, statistically, the most trigger happy police force in the nation responsible for killing civilians at a rate more than double that of the next most lethal police force (Saul). Since the LAPD is known for being trigger happy this just shows how they would be willing to use excessive force without a problem or remorse. .
The relationships of community members had been shaped due to race and ethnicity in South Central LA. Many of the stores in South Central were Korean owned and operated. There were cultural misunderstandings and language barriers there. A significant event that added to the misunderstandings and tension of both groups happened in 1991.