You are viewing a javascript disabled version of the site. Please enable Javascript for this site to function properly.
Go to headerGo to navigationGo to searchGo to contentsGo to footer
In content section. Select this link to jump to navigation

Plans and innovations for the 2020 decennial census of the United States1

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Blumerman, Lisa M.a | Bishop, Deirdre Dalpiazb | Dinwiddie, James L.a; *

Affiliations: [a] Decennial Census Programs, United States Census Bureau, Washington, DC, USA | [b] Decennial Census Management Division, United States Census Bureau, Washington, DC, USA

Correspondence: [*] Corresponding author: James L. Dinwiddie, United States Census Bureau, 4600 Silver Hill Road, Washington, DC, USA. Tel.: +1 301 763 1346; E-mail:[email protected]

Note: [1] Any views expressed on statistical, methodological, technical or operational issues are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the U.S. Census Bureau.

Keywords: Decennial Census, planning, innovations, cost savings, administrative records, data collection technology, Internet data collection, address list

DOI: 10.3233/SJI-161006

Journal: Statistical Journal of the IAOS, vol. 32, no. 2, pp. 159-166, 2016

Published: 20 May 2016
Get PDF open access

Abstract

The purpose of the 2020 Census is to conduct a census of population and housing and disseminate the results to the President, the states, and the American people. The goal of the 2020 Census is to count everyone once, only once, and in the right place, and the challenge is to do this at a lower cost per household than the 2010 Census, while maintaining high quality results.

The Census Bureau addressed this challenge first by identifying the major cost drivers of the decennial census. From 2013 through 2015, the Census Bureau conducted research and testing related to major innovations that showed promise of significant cost savings. Across four key innovation areas, the Census Bureau believes it can avoid over $5 billion in costs relative to the cost of repeating the 2010 Census design and operations in 2020. The Census Bureau used the results of the research and testing, other key information, and input from a wide variety of stakeholders to design the 2020 Census. The Census Bureau documented and published its 2020 Census Operational Plan on October 6, 2015, accompanied by revised lifecycle costs estimates and the overall 2020 Census lifecycle budget.

References

[1] 

U.S. Census Bureau. Summary of estimates of coverage for persons in the United States [Internet]. DSSD 2010 Census Coverage Measurement Memorandum Series; \#2010-G-01. May 22, (2012) . Available from: http://www.census.gov/ coverage_measurement/pdfs/g01.pdf.

[2] 

U.S. Census Bureau. 2020 Census operational plan - a new design for the 21st century [Internet]. Version 1.1. November (2015) . Available from: http://www2.census.gov/programs- surveys/decennial/2020/program-management/planning- docs/2020-oper-plan.pdf.

[3] 

U.S. Census Bureau. 1940 Decennial Census population and housing questionnaires [Internet]. Available from: https:// www.census.gov/history/pdf/1940_population_questionnaire. pdf and https://www.census.gov/history/pdf/1940_housing_ questionnaire.pdf.

[4] 

Trainor T., The MAF/TIGER enhancement program: the mechanics and maintenance of a large-scale national spatial database. Presented to the International Cartographic Association, (2005) .

[5] 

U.S. Census Bureau. Testimony of Director Robert M. Groves concerning 2010 Census: master address file, issues and concerns [Internet]. Before the Subcommittee on Information Policy, Census, and National Archives; Committee on Oversight and Government Reform; United States House of Representatives. October 21, (2009) . Available from: https://www. census.gov/newsroom/releases/pdf/Groves_House_Testimony _10-21_Final.pdf.

[6] 

U.S. Census Bureau. 2010 Census address canvassing operational assessment [Internet]. January 17, (2012) . Available from: http://www.census.gov/2010census/pdf/2010_Census_ AC_Operational_Assessment.pdf.

[7] 

National Research Council. Envisioning the 2020 Census. Panel on the Design of the 2010 Census Program of Evaluations and Experiments; Committee on National Statistics; Division of Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education. Washington, DC. The National Academies Press. (2010) .

[8] 

Groves R.M., Three eras of survey research, Public Opinion Quarterly 75: (5) ((2011) ).

[9] 

U.S. Census Bureau. 2000 Census final report on Internet data collection [Internet]. August 14, (2002) . Available from: https:// www.census.gov/pred/www/rpts/A.2.b.pdf.

[10] 

MITRE Corporation. An assessment of the risks, costs, & benefits of including the Internet as a response option in the 2010 Decennial Census. Report prepared for the U.S. Census Bureau. Version 2.0, January 17, (2007) .

[11] 

Griffin D.H., , Fischer D.P., and Morgan M.T., Testing an Internet response option for the American Community Survey [Internet]. Presented at the annual conference of the American Association for Public Opinion Research Montreal, Quebec, Canada; May 17-20, (2001) . Available from: https://www. census.gov/content/dam/Census/library/working-papers/ 2001/acs/2001_Griffin_01.pdf.

[12] 

U.S. Census Bureau. Census Bureau to offer American Community Survey Internet response [Internet]. Press Release. December 17, (2012) . Available from: https://www.census.gov/ newsroom/releases/archives/american_community_survey_ acs/cb12-247.html.

[13] 

Statistics Canada. Overview of the Census [Internet]. Catalogue no. 98-302-XIE. (2011) . Available from: https://www12. statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2011/ref/overview-apercu/ 98-302-XIE.pdf.

[14] 

Statistics Canada. Final report on 2016 Census options: proposed content determination framework and methodology options [Internet]. (2012) . Available from: http://www12.statcan. gc.ca/census-recensement/fc-rf/reports-rapports/census%20 strategy_final%20report-strategie%20du%20recensement_ rapport%20final-eng.pdf.

[15] 

Valente P., Use of the Internet response for censuses of the 2010 round in the UNECE region [Internet]. United Nations Economic Commission for Europe. November (2012) . Available from: http://unstats.un.org/unsd/demographic/meetings/ Conferences/Korea/2012/docs/s07-2-1-UNECE.pdf.

[16] 

Keller A., Imputation research for the 2020 Census. Presented at the Joint Statistical Meetings, Seattle, WA, August (2015) .

[17] 

Morris D.S., , Keller A., and Clark B., An approach for using administrative records to reduce contacts in the 2020 Census. Presented at the Joint Statistical Meetings, Seattle, WA, August (2015) .

[18] 

U.S. Census Bureau. History of the 1990 Census [Internet]. See p. 6-48 through 6-55. Available from: http://www.census . gov/history/pdf/1990proceduralhistory.pdf See also the histories of the 1970, 1980, and 2000 Censuses; available from: http://www.census.gov/history/www/through_the_decades/ overview/.

[19] 

U.S. Census Bureau. History: 2000 Census of population and housing [Internet]. Page 519. Available from: http://www. census.gov/history/pdf/Census2000v2.pdf.

[20] 

Bradburn N., Letter report to B.E. Bryant, Director, Bureau of the Census. Panel on Census Requirements in the Year 2000 and Beyond; Committee on National Statistics; National Research Council. Washington, D.C. December 14, (1992) .

[21] 

National Research Council. Modernizing the U.S. Census [Internet]. Panel on Census Requirements in the Year 2000 and Beyond; Commission on Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education; Division of Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education; National Research Council. (1995) . Available from: http://www.nap.edu/catalog/4805/modernizing-the-us-census.

[22] 

U.S. Census Bureau. History: 2000 Census of population and housing [Internet]. p. 35. Available from: http://www.census. gov/history/pdf/Census2000v1.pdf.

[23] 

U.S. Census Bureau. History: 2000 Census of population and housing [Internet]. p. 37. Available from: http://www.census. gov/history/pdf/Census2000v1.pdf.

[24] 

U.S. Census Bureau. History: 2000 Census of population and housing [Internet]. p. 38, 51, 62, and 94. Available from: http: //www.census.gov/history/pdf/Census2000v1.pdf.

[25] 

U.S. Census Bureau. Administrative records and design alternatives for the 2000 Census. Design Alternative Recommendation (DAR) \#2. Year 2000 Research and Development Staff. September (1992) .

[26] 

U.S. Census Bureau. History: 2000 Census of population and housing [Internet]. p. 451. Available from: http://www.census. gov/history/pdf/Census2000v2.pdf.

[27] 

U.S. Census Bureau. History: 2000 Census of population and housing [Internet]. p. 450. Available from: http://www.census .gov/history/pdf/Census2000v2.pdf.

[28] 

U.S. Census Bureau. System of records notice; Census-8; Statistical Administrative Records System [Internet]. Available from; https://www.census.gov/content/dam/Census/about/ about-the-bureau/SORNs/CEN-08.pdf.

[29] 

Prevost R., Administrative records and a new statistical era. Presented at the annual meeting of the Population Association of America; New Orleans, Louisiana; May (1996) .

[30] 

Prevost R., and Leggieri C., The implementation of administrative records at the Census Bureau: a long-range research plan. Presented at the annual meeting of the Federal Committee on Statistical Methodology; Arlington, Virginia; November (1999) .

[31] 

Blumerman L., , Prevost R., and Simon C., Managing the balancing act: Administrative records and the U.S. Census Bureau. Presented at the annual meeting of the Population Association of America; Boston, Massachusetts; April (2004) .

[32] 

Prevost R., and Obenski S., A policy application: using administrative records to supplement Census Bureau programs. Presented at the annual Joint Statistical Meetings of the American Statistical Association; Toronto; Canada, August (2004) .

[33] 

United Nations Statistics Division. Population registers [Internet]. 2013. Available from: http://unstats.un.org/unsd/ demographic/sources/popreg/popregmethods.htm.

[34] 

Valente P., Census taking in Europe: How are populations counted in 2010 [Internet]? United Nations Economic Commission for Europe. May (2010) . Available from: http://www. unece.org/fileadmin/DAM/publications/oes/STATS_popula tion.societies.pdf.

[35] 

Statistics Canada. Final report on 2016 Census options: proposed content determination framework and methodology options [Internet]. Available from: https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/ census-recensement/fc-rf/reports-rapports/r2_part-partie_c-eng.cfm.

[36] 

Konicki S., and Adams T., Adaptive design research for the 2020 Census. Presented at the Joint Statistical Meetings; Seattle, WA; August (2015) .

[37] 

U.S. Census Bureau. The Hollerith machine [Internet]. Available from: https://www.census.gov/history/www/innovations/ technology/the_hollerith_tabulator.html.

[38] 

U.S. Census Bureau. UNIVAC I [Internet]. Available from: https://www.census.gov/history/www/innovations/technology /univac_i.html.

[39] 

U.S. Census Bureau. History of the 1990 Census [Internet]. p. 1-28. Available from: http://www.census.gov/history/pdf/ 1990proceduralhistory.pdf.

[40] 

U.S. Census Bureau. History of the 1990 Census [Internet]. p. 2-38. Available from: http://www.census.gov/history/pdf/ 1990proceduralhistory.pdf.

[41] 

U.S. Census Bureau. 2010 Census address canvassing operational assessment report [Internet]. January 17, 2012. Available from: https://www.census.gov/2010census/pdf/2010_ Census_AC_Operational_Assessment.pdf.

[42] 

Statement of U.S. Secretary of Commerce Carlos M. Gutierrez Before the United States Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs [Internet]. April 15, (2008) . Available from: http://2010-2014.commerce.gov/sites/default /files/documents/2013/january/gutierrez0415.pdf and Statement of Steve H. Murdock, Director U.S. Census Bureau Before the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, U.S. Senate [Internet]. April 15, 2008. Available from: http://2010-2014.commerce.gov/sites/default/files/ documents/2013/january/murdock_041508_final.pdf.

[43] 

United Nations Economic Commission for Europe. Measuring population and housing - practices of UNECE countries in the 2010 round of censuses [Internet]. 2014. Available from: https://www.unece.org/fileadmin/DAM/stats/publications/ 2013/Measuring_population_and_housing_2010.pdf.

[44] 

Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics. The 2010 Brazilian Population Census: innovations and lessons learned [Internet]. Presented to the Economic Commission for Europe Conference of European Statisticians; Sixtieth plenary session; Paris, France; June (2012) . Available from: https://www. unece.org/fileadmin/DAM/stats/documents/ece/ces/2012/38-SP_Brazil.pdf and Bianchini, Z. The 2010 Brazilian Population Census: innovations and impacts in data collection. Presented at the Int. Statistical Inst.: Proc. 58th World Statistical Congress, Dublin, Ireland. 2011. Available from: http://2011.isiproceedings.org/papers/650048.pdf.

[45] 

Statistics Canada. Field reengineering of the Canadian Census. Presented at the International Conference on Census Methods; July 31, (2014) . Available from: http://sites.national academies.org/cs/groups/dbassesite/documents/webpage/ dbasse_088798.pdf.

[46] 

U.S. Census Bureau. 2020 Census research and testing management plan. December 28, (2015) . Available from: http:// www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial/2020/progr am-management/planning-docs/research-testing-plan.pdf.

[47] 

U.S. Census Bureau. 2020 Census monthly status reports. Available from: http://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/ decennial-census/2020-census/planning-management/status-reports.html.

[48] 

U.S. Census Bureau. 2020 Census program management reviews. Available from: http://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census/2020-census/planning-manageme nt/program-briefings.html.

[49] 

U.S. Census Bureau. Census advisory committees. Available from: https://www.census.gov/cac/.

[50] 

The National Academies of Sciences; Committee on National Statistics; Standing Committee on Reengineering Census Operations. Available from: http://sites.nationalacademies.org/ DBASSE/CNSTAT/Reengineering_Census_Operations/index . htm.

Show more