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.”

[LibLieSlayer]

Amen Unk... how about that car bomb in Times Square? No one talking about it in the media... obama kissing up to the muslims at every opportunity... and now the kenyan is going to come to the Coast tomorrow to see the oil spill... HE waited too long.. and unlike Bush and Katrina... down here... IT IS obama’s FAULT! I hope many meet him with signs that simply state... TOO LITTLE... TOO LATE! GOD help our Nation. Pray.

LLS

[Ro_Thunder]

Race could be Indy 500 or Daytona, I suppose....

[PA Engineer]

I actually gave that a thought. ;-)