Enumerators started knocking on doors on Saturday, May 1, 2010, in the No Response Follow-Up (NRFU) phase of Census 2010. Their job is to help households get their information to the Census Bureau so that their information can be added to the statistics needed to meet the requirements established by the U.S. Constitution.
Personal data collected during the census is stripped from the data added to the statistics and held confidential for 72 years. Information released to the Census Bureau is not shared with any other governmental agencies.
Households who have completed one of the questionnaires mailed to them by the Census Bureau and who have not mailed them yet can hand them to the enumerator when he or she calls. That will speed the process and reduce the time the enumerator needs to take with the family.
The Census Bureau does not have names of people living at residences. Questionnaires were mailed to "residents." People who do not want to share their names can share other information and their names will not be collected. If you are a neighbor and know that a house near you was vacant on April 1, 2010 (Census Day), please tell the enumerator in your neighborhood so that time will not be lost waiting for someone to respond from an empty house.
In some neighborhoods, 80% of the residents have responded by mail. This probably means that the balance of households are either vacant or did not understand English. (The questions are available in 18 languages.)
After an in-person visit to each home that needs a questionnaire follow-up, telephone interviews work to gather the information required. While visits to homes to collect the information are budgeted to cost $57 dollars, that is much more than the enumerators make. Enumerators are required to visit homes in person at least three times. The quicker the enumerator can gather the information or determine that the house is vacant, the lower the cost of the in-person enumeration.
If a home needs a language other than English, they can tell the enumerator who will make a note on the questionnaire and someone will follow-up with the appropriate language. If someone in the household (especially 15 or above) is available to translate, that works, too.
Remember, each completed questionnaire generates about $19,400 in federal funds for highways, schools, etc. within a state as well ad contributing to the number of representatives for each state in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Showing posts with label questionnaires. Show all posts
Showing posts with label questionnaires. Show all posts
Sunday, May 2, 2010
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Responding to Census 2010
On Saturday, May 1, 2010 enumerators (census takers) will start visiting households from whom the Census 2010questionnaire has not yet been received by the Census Department.
In the creation of the US Constitution, Congress stated that, beginning in 1790 and every tens years thereafter a Census would be held in the United States. "Enumerators" would count the people living in the USA and representation in the House of Representatives as well as the division of tax monies collected from the states would be based on each 10-year census. The 2010 Census is the 23rd Census conducted in the USA. Each Census will cover items "determined by law." This year part of the focus of the Census is on Hispanic heritage.
In recent ABC 7 Chicago morning news program, an official from the Census Bureau reported that each questionnaire returned to the Census Bureau generates $19,400 in monies for the state--for roads, schools, health facilities, and more.
It cost $.42 to send a questionnaire to a household. For an enumerator to go to the home to conduct or collect the survey, the cost jumps to $57.00 per questionnaire (per visit to the home).
Confidentiality of Census data--United States laws (Title 13) cover information gathered during the Census. The Department of Commerce and the Census Bureau are not allowed to share personal information with any other governmental or nongovernmental department or agency. The Census Bureau summarizes the data into statistical reports after stripping off the personal information originally collected as part of the Census process.
When an enumerator comes to someone's door, it is making an extra effort to be sure that that household's information can be shared for the $19,400 that will be going to the state over the next 10 years. The service is available in 18 languages, though the person coming to the door may be monolingual.
If any questions are asked that a respondent does not want to answer, those can be skipped. It is important to collect as much of the targeted information as accurately as possible.
See previous posts about Census 2010.
In the creation of the US Constitution, Congress stated that, beginning in 1790 and every tens years thereafter a Census would be held in the United States. "Enumerators" would count the people living in the USA and representation in the House of Representatives as well as the division of tax monies collected from the states would be based on each 10-year census. The 2010 Census is the 23rd Census conducted in the USA. Each Census will cover items "determined by law." This year part of the focus of the Census is on Hispanic heritage.
In recent ABC 7 Chicago morning news program, an official from the Census Bureau reported that each questionnaire returned to the Census Bureau generates $19,400 in monies for the state--for roads, schools, health facilities, and more.
It cost $.42 to send a questionnaire to a household. For an enumerator to go to the home to conduct or collect the survey, the cost jumps to $57.00 per questionnaire (per visit to the home).
Confidentiality of Census data--United States laws (Title 13) cover information gathered during the Census. The Department of Commerce and the Census Bureau are not allowed to share personal information with any other governmental or nongovernmental department or agency. The Census Bureau summarizes the data into statistical reports after stripping off the personal information originally collected as part of the Census process.
When an enumerator comes to someone's door, it is making an extra effort to be sure that that household's information can be shared for the $19,400 that will be going to the state over the next 10 years. The service is available in 18 languages, though the person coming to the door may be monolingual.
If any questions are asked that a respondent does not want to answer, those can be skipped. It is important to collect as much of the targeted information as accurately as possible.
See previous posts about Census 2010.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)
Posts
