Census Still ‘Struggling’ With IT Problems That May Affect Count’s Accuracy

CNSNews.com ^ | April 30, 2010 | Edwin Mora

[Man50D]

The U.S. Census Bureau is still having problems with its computer system that handles the data for households that did not return a census form. However, the Census Bureau director said the system has successfully printed out the assignments for the enumerators who will conduct in-person interviews with households that did not mail in their forms.

“We continue to struggle with the software system called the paper-based operation control system, but we passed, just amazingly, a wonderful threshold last week where we printed out assignments for all these enumerators,” said Census Bureau Director Robert Groves. “It worked.”

The Census director made the comments at a press briefing on the Census participation rate, which took place at the National Press Club in Washington on Thursday.

Groves said the Bureau is not fond of its paper-based operation control system (PBOCS), which is used to manage the non-response follow-up (NRFU). The NRFU, set to begin May 1, is the Census’ largest operation and involves census workers personally interviewing millions of people nationwide who did not respond to the mailed Census questionnaire.

"Slightly more than 72 percent of U.S. households believed to be occupied mailed back their 2010 Census forms, the same rate that was achieved in 2000,” the U.S. Census Bureau announced on Apr. 28.

“Not that it is the most loved piece of software in the Census Bureau, but it’s working well enough to get the census down so far,” said Groves.

“We have assignments ready for 600,000 people who are ready to hit the streets on Saturday,” he added. “So we're proceeding.”

[Man50D]

They are more concerned about counting illegals than citizens.

In their minds illegals are citizens.

[johniegrad]

I am suspicious that this is being orchestrated to extend the census in order to keep the census takers employed improving the unemployment numbers until after the midterms.

[opentalk]

good point

[Strategerist]

Constituationally, they’re counting people, not citzens. There’s nothing in the Constitution about counting citizens.

The “Long Form” or American Community Survey does ask about citizenship. It doesn’t ask about legal status.

The count for Congressional districting doesn’t distinguish between citizens and non-citizens - and it never has.

[GVnana]

I signed-on as an enumerator, also. All of the questionaires are optically scanned — that’s the difficult part. The forms must be clean, unfolded, and the handwriting must be legible in order to be “read” by the scanners.

[Strategerist]

This is normal and nothing different from any of the previous censuses.

[dfwgator]

As if they weren’t going to fudge the numbers, anyway.

[usconservative]

They are just trying to figure out how much fraud they can get away with.

DING! WINNER!!!!

[opentalk]

Their emphasis with the advertising in Latino areas and churches and Spanish forms seems this is a big priority.

[Grunthor]

I never sent mine in, no one has come to my house.

[unixfox]

The U.S. Census Bureau is still having problems with its computer system that handles the data for households that did not return a census form.

Yep, let's blame it on the "computer system" instead of the real problem.

LAZY, INEFFICIENT GOVERNMENT WORKERS!

[VOA]

“
Census Still ‘Struggling’ With IT Problems That May Affect Count’s Accuracy
“

Can you say “gerrymandering”?
(or cheating to redistrict to make safe multiple-generation,
if not ETERNAL Democratic Congressional districts?)

Yes, I knew you could.

[MikefromOhio]

Actually what I’ve heard through the grapevine is when someone hasn’t returned the form, the program they use to input the data crashes time and again with a “blank field not found” error or something to that effect.

I think it’s hilarious myself, but whatever....

[GeorgiaDawg32]

printed out the assignments for the enumerators who will conduct in-person interviews with households that did not mail in their forms.

You can’t mail them in if you don’t get one. I live in Cherokee County, Georgia, in the top 10 of reddest counties in the country. Gee, I wonder why it never got here.

[JHENN22499]

Me either in Ftn Hills AZ. Neither did my sister. up the street. Really organized. Perhaps we should have sent them via Fed Ex...I can't even find a form thru the internet. If
anyone knows how to get one of the mysterious forms let me know.

[greyfoxx39]

I fear you are correct.

Pinging the political ping list to your post #9.

[Kakaze]

We answered 2 people and sent the form in.....I am not talking to anyone that shows up at the door.

[greyfoxx39]

The “Long Form” or American Community Survey does ask about citizenship. It doesn’t ask about legal status.

It asks where you are born in question 7, "Where was this person born", and asks for state name, or "outside the US", then Question 8, "Is this person a citizen of the US".

Just filling out this form since this thread reminded me I received it.

[chooseascreennamepat]

I answered all the questions but the answers were not likely to be what 0 would want. On a few I said None of the government's business. On a couple I said I would not answer because I had no faith that the information would NOT be sold to 3rd party (SEIU/ACORN) types and could be used against me later.

I haven't heard a word back yet.

[JDW11235]

“So we shouldn’t be surprised when DC ends up with 270 electoral votes.”

Well, they’re pushing for 370, so like unemployment, that would be so “Unexpected.”