Special Census Supporting Statement- Part B

B. Collections of Information Employing Statistical Methods

1. Universe and Respondent Selection

Sampling methods are not employed. Each special census consists of a 100-percent enumeration. Each living quarters within the selected special census area of the local government is enumerated. The local government can elect to have their entire community enumerated (Full special census) or part of their community enumerated (Partial special census).

2. Procedures for Collecting Information

The local government identifies area boundaries and annexations and then confirms the special census area via a map. The “special census area” is the only area where the 100-percent enumeration will occur. This area is then divided into Assignment Areas (AA) for data collection purposes.

AAs are small geographic areas, usually a block or group of blocks, established by the Census Bureau as a basic unit for data collection by a single enumerator or other field staff. Enumerators use the SC-1 Questionnaire, the AA maps and the Address Register to facilitate data collection. The Address Register is a book that lists all of the known addresses in an AA. The enumerator uses the Address Register to record, verify or identify addresses and related information for all living quarters in an assignment area.

The data collection instrument is the SC-1 Questionnaire; each SC-1 has a pre-filled address label affixed. There is a labeled SC-1 Questionnaire for each address in the Address Register. The enumeration consists of personal visits to each living quarters to conduct a face-to-face interview with the occupants to complete the census questionnaires. The purpose of the special census is to obtain a population and housing count for the community as of the referenced day, “special census day”.

3. Methods to Maximize Response

Prior to a special census being conducted, the Special Census program recommends that local governments educate their residents of the upcoming census by way of public service announcements, mailings, community service boards and web site postings to ensure that residents are at ease when enumerators knock on their doors. However, these activities are at the discretion of the local government. In addition, the Special Census SC-31 Privacy Act and Interview Information form is distributed at each unit whether a respondent is available or not. The SC-31 informs residents of the legal authority by which all U.S. Census Bureau employees are bound, for life, to protect the confidentiality of information contained in questionnaires. While participation is voluntary, refusals are rarely encountered. After the enumerator makes three unsuccessful attempts to complete a questionnaire for a residential unit it is referred to the Crew Leader to contact the resident and complete the questionnaire. If neither the enumerator nor Crew Leader is able to elicit a response, a proxy respondent will be used, usually a next-door neighbor. Local governments can also elect to participate in the Were You Counted (WYC) program. The program allows residents who think they (or their entire household) were missed in the census to contact the special census office (SCO) during the final week of enumeration and be counted. However, if no proxy respondent is available and the local government does not elect to have the WYC program (or the respondent does not use the WYC service), missing data will be imputed.

4. Tests of Procedures or Methods

When information is missing or inconsistent, the Census Bureau uses a statistical method called imputation to assign values. Imputation relies on the statistical principle of homogeneity and the tendency of households within a small geographic area to be similar in most characteristics. Imputations for missing data characteristics in the Special Census processing involve a modification of the 2000 Census edit. It uses nearest neighbor hot deck matrices to do the imputation.

5. Contacts for Statistical Aspects and Data Collection

For information regarding the statistical aspects of the Special Census Program, contact Dan E. Philipp, Decennial System and Contract Management Office, Bureau of the Census, at (301)-763-8789. The supervisor responsible for data collection is J. Michael Stump, Acting Chief, Special Census Branch, Field Division, Bureau of the Census; he can be reached at (301) 763-1429.

Attachments:

Attachment A List of participating communities

Attachment B SC-1 Special Census Enumerator Questionnaire

Attachment C SC-1SUPP Continuation Questionnaire

Attachment D SC-1 (Phone/WYC) Special Census Telephone Questionnaire

Attachment E SC-2 Special Place Questionnaire

Attachment F SC-116 Group Quarters Enumeration Control Record

Attachment G SC-351 Initial Contact Checklist – Special Place Operations

Attachment H SC-920 Address Listing Page

Attachment I SC-921(HU) Housing Unit Add Page

Attachment J SC-921(SP) Special Place/Group Quarters Add Page

Attachment K Flashcards

Attachment L SC-26 Notice of Visit

Attachment M SC-31 Privacy Act Notice