2010 Census_Part B_Info Collection Stat Methods _0607-0860_IslandAreas

SUPPORTING STATEMENT

U.S. Department of Commerce

U.S. Census Bureau

2010 Census – American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands

OMB Control No. 0607-0860

Part B. Collections of Information Employing Statistical Methods

1. Universe and Respondent Selection

The total respondent universe consists of approximately 158,700 respondents in American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Below describes the statistical methods used for the following operations:

For the 2010 Island Areas Decennial Census, the response rate we expect to obtain from the Advanced Census Report mailout operation is 23%. The remainder of the responses will be obtained through enumerator interviews using Enumerator Questionnaires. Historically, we have achieved 100% enumeration of the population.

Reinterview Process

A sample of each enumerator’s work is selected for reinterview. Reinterview involves the verification of some of the information on the enumerator completed questionnaires to detect falsification of data. During the reinterview, the original respondent or proxy respondent is asked some of the same questions that the original enumerator was supposed to ask on the initial contact with the household.

The Field Operations Supervisor (FOS) is responsible for the reinterview and is assisted by an FOS clerk, crew leader, and crew leader assistants that he/she supervises for reinterview.

2. Procedures for Collecting Information

   1. Delivery Strategy for Questionnaires and Letters

The Census Bureau will conduct a blanket mailing of unaddressed Advance Census Reports (ACRs) to residential customers in each of the Island Areas. Housing units also will receive an advance letter before questionnaire delivery. Enumerators will visit each housing unit and pick up a completed ACR or conduct an interview with an Enumerator Questionnaire (EQ) if the respondent did not complete the ACR. Enumerators also will develop an address list for the area and map spot the location of each housing unit at the time of enumeration. This operation is called list/enumerate.

B. Group Quarters (GQ) Operation

Between January and March of 2010, crew leaders will carry out the Group Quarters Advance Visit operation. Crew leaders will visit all GQs and conduct an interview with the designated contact person to verify the GQ name, address, contact name, and phone number, and obtain a mutually agreed-upon date and time to conduct the enumeration and obtain an expected Census Day population. The information collected during the interview is used to prepare the correct amount of census materials needed to conduct the enumeration at the facility.

The Group Quarters Enumeration (GQE) operation will be conducted at the Group Quarters on the date determined during the Advance Visit. During the GQE, three different enumeration methods can be used to enumerate the population: 1) interview residents in group quarters like skilled nursing facilities; 2) distribute questionnaire packets for residents in colleges and universities to complete; and 3) use administrative records in places where it is disruptive or unsafe for Census personnel to conduct the enumeration, such as prisons. Enumerators will visit group quarters to develop a control list of all residents and distribute census questionnaires, Individual Census Reports (ICRs), for residents to complete, interview the residents and enter the data on the ICR, or use administrative records to complete the ICRs. Enumerators collect and review completed ICRs to ensure that they are complete and legible. They will also complete an ICR for any resident on the control list who did not complete one.

Military Group Quarters Enumeration is a special component of the GQE designed to enumerate military personnel assigned to barracks, dormitories, military treatment facilities, and disciplinary barracks and jails. Military Census Reports (MCRs) are distributed to the residents of the military facilities. (Military families living in housing units on bases are enumerated using the list/enumerate methodology). For people living or staying in Military GQs, the Census Bureau provides enumeration procedures, training and questionnaires to military personnel on the base who then conduct the actual enumeration. During the military enumeration, designated base personnel distribute census questionnaires to all military personnel assigned to the GQs, including all people in the disciplinary barracks and jails. Within a few days, base personnel collect the completed questionnaires, obtaining census information for any missing cases. Census staff returns to the base to collect the completed questionnaires.

C. Field Follow-Up (FFU) Operations

The field follow-up operation tries to improve data quality and coverage by correcting Assignment Areas (AAs) with failed edit or missing questionnaires. Additionally, enumerators will also confirm that housing units are correctly classified as vacant units.

Failed-Edit Questionnaires: During the clerical edit operation, questionnaires are examined by the Local Census Office (LCO) clerks for completeness. Missing person or housing data are identified. Questionnaires which fail the office edit operation are assigned to LCO clerks to attempt a telephone interview with the households for which telephone numbers were provided on the questionnaires. Households that did not provide telephone numbers must be visited by enumerators to obtain the missing data.

Missing Questionnaires: After the initial field office merge operation is conducted, addresses are identified in the address registers for which there are no questionnaires. Enumerators will visit these addresses and complete questionnaires for each address.

Vacant Check (VC) Field Operation: The VC Operation is an independent follow-up of selected addresses that are classified as vacant. These addresses are assigned to a different enumerator than the enumerator who made the original classification. Enumerators will verify the Census Day (April 1, 2010) status of the assigned addresses and complete a census questionnaire for all VC cases. In some cases, the enumerator must conduct an interview with a proxy respondent (e.g., neighbor or mailman) to confirm that the housing unit was vacant on Census Day. If the housing unit looks occupied, an interview will be conducted with a household member to confirm the status of the unit on Census Day. Although the VC workload is comprised of only cases identified as vacant, the V=C enumerator may determine that a case is vacant or occupied.

D. Reinterview Operation

Reinterview involves the verification of some of the information on the enumerator completed questionnaires to detect falsification of data. A sample of each enumerator’s work is selected for reinterview. During the reinterview, the original respondent or proxy respondent is asked some of the same questions that the original enumerator asked on the initial contact with the household.

The Field Operations Supervisor (FOS) is responsible for the reinterview and is assisted by an FOS clerk, crew leader, and crew leader assistants that he/she supervises for reinterview.

2. Methods to Maximize Response

The 2010 Census will use a combination of mailing strategies that historically have been shown to improve response rates, (e.g., first class mailing of the questionnaires and user-friendly design features such as easier-to-read fonts). We plan to use mailing strategies consisting of an advance letter and a questionnaire. All forms and letters include a statement informing respondents that completing the questionnaire is required by law. Table 1 provides an index of the 2010 Census forms, while Attachments A through D provide actual copies of all letters, questionnaires, and other public use forms.

• Advance Letter – In early March, the USPS will deliver the advance letter [forms D-5(L) AS, D-5(L) CNMI, D-5(G), or D-5(VI)] to all residential customers. The letter alerts the respondent to look for their questionnaire and explains why it is important for them to participate.

• Questionnaire Package – Approximately a week later, the USPS will deliver a questionnaire package to all residential customers. This package will consist of a cover letter [form D-13(L) AS, D-13(L) CNMI, D-13(L) G, or D-13(L) VI] and an Advanced Census Report [form D-13 AS, D-13 CNMI, D-13 G, or D-13 VI]. The cover letter will explain the purpose of the census. The mailing package will also inform residents that responding to the questionnaire is mandatory and that their responses are confidential.

4. Testing of Procedures

While no specific testing was done for the Island Areas 2010 Census, the forms and procedures do utilize insights gained during this decennial cycle from Stateside testing.

5. Contacts for Statistical Aspects and Data Collection

Contact Frank Vitrano, Chief, Decennial Management Division, at (301) 763-3961, or at Internet address <frank.a.vitrano@census.gov>.

Table 1. Index of 2010 Census Forms

Form Description	Form #
Letters - (Contained in Attachment A)
Advance Letter, American Samoa	D-5(L) AS
Advance Letter, CNMI	D-5(L) CNMI
Advance Letter, Guam	D-5(L) G
Advance Letter, U.S. Virgin Islands	D-5(L) VI
Advance Letter, U.S. Virgin Islands, Spanish	D-5(L) VI (S)
ACR Cover Letter, American Samoa	D-13(L) AS
ACR Cover Letter, CNMI	D-13(L) CNMI
ACR Cover Letter, Guam	D-13(L) G
ACR Cover Letter, U.S. Virgin Islands	D-13(L) VI
Questionnaires – (Contained in Attachment B)
Advanced Census Report, American Samoa	D-13 AS
Advanced Census Report, CNMI	D-13 CNMI
Advanced Census Report, Guam	D-13 G
Advanced Census Report,VI	D-13 VI
Enumerator Questionnaire, American Samoa	D-2(E) AS
Enumerator Questionnaire, CNMI	D-2(E) CNMI
Enumerator Questionnaire, Guam	D-2(E) G
Enumerator Questionnaire, U.S. Virgin Islands	D-2(E) VI
Enumerator Questionnaire, U.S. Virgin Islands, Spanish	D-2(E) VI (S)
Enumerator Questionnaire Supplement, American Samoa	D-2(E) SUPP AS
Enumerator Questionnaire Supplement, CNMI	D-2(E) SUPP CNMI
Enumerator Questionnaire Supplement, Guam	D-2(E) SUPP Guam
Enumerator Questionnaire Supplement, U.S. Virgin Islands	D-2(E) SUPP VI
Enumerator Questionnaire Supplement, U.S. Virgin Islands, Spanish	D-2(E) SUPP VI (S)
Individual Census Report, Pacific Islands	D-20 PI
Individual Census Report, U.S. Virgin Islands	D-20 VI
Individual Census Report, U.S. Virgin Islands, Spanish	D-20 VI (S)
Military Census Report, Pacific Islands	D-21 PI
Shipboard Census Report, Pacific Islands	D-23 PI
Reinterview and Reconciliation Questionnaire	D-806 IA
Envelopes – (Contained in Attachment C)
Outgoing Envelope for ACR, American Samoa	D-7 AS
Outgoing Envelope for ACR, CNMI	D-7 CNMI
Outgoing Envelope for ACR, Guam	D-7 G
Outgoing Envelope for ACR, U.S. Virgin Islands	D-7 VI
Outgoing Envelope for Advance Letter, American Samoa	D-5 AS
Outgoing Envelope for Advance Letter, CNMI	D-5 CNMI
Outgoing Envelope for Advance Letter, Guam	D-5 G
Outgoing Envelope for Advance Letter, U.S. Virgin Islands	D-5 VI
Outgoing Envelope for ICR and MCR, Pacific Islands	D-40 PI
Outgoing Envelope for ICR and MCR, U.S. Virgin Islands	D-40 VI
Outgoing Envelope for ICR and MCR, U.S. Virgin Islands, Spanish	D-40 VI (S)
Other Public Use Forms – (Contained in Attachment D)
Confidentiality Notice, Pacific Islands	D-31 PI
Confidentiality Notice, U.S. Virgin Islands (English/Spanish)	D-31 VI
Enumerator Job Aid, Pacific Islands	D-1(F) PI
Enumerator Job Aid, U.S. Virgin Islands	D-1(F) VI
Enumerator Job Aid, U.S. Virgin Islands, Spanish	D-1(F) VI (S)
Notice of Visit, Pacific Islands	D-26 PI
Notice of Visit, U.S. Virgin Islands (English/Spanish)	D-26 VI
Informational Questionnaire, American Samoa	D-61 AS
Informational Questionnaire, CNMI	D-61 CNMI
Informational Questionnaire, Guam	D-61 Guam
Informational Questionnaire, U.S. Virgin Islands	D-61 VI
Informational Questionnaire, U.S. Virgin Islands, Spanish	D-61 VI (S)

Attachments

Attachment A - Letters

Attachment B - Questionnaires

Attachment C - Envelopes

Attachment D - Other Public Use Forms

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