Measuring the Group Quarters Population in the American Community Survey
Interim Report
Krisztina Marton and Paul R. Voss, Editors
NATIONAL RESEARCH COUNCIL
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NOTICE: The project that is the subject of this report was approved by the Governing Board of the National Research Council, whose members are drawn from the councils of the National Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Engineering, and the Institute of Medicine. The members of the committee responsible for the report were chosen for their special competences and with regard for appropriate balance.
This study was supported by contract number YA132309CN0089 between the National Academy of Sciences and the U.S. Census Bureau. Support for the work of the Committee on National Statistics is provided by a consortium of federal agencies through a grant from the National Science Foundation (award number SES-0453930). Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the view of the organizations or agencies that provided support for this project.
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Suggested citation: National Research Council. (2011). Measuring the Group Quarters Population in the American Community Survey: Interim Report. Panel on Statistical Methods for Measuring the Group Quarters Population in the American Community Survey, Krisztina Marton and Paul R. Voss, Editors. Committee on National Statistics, Division of Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.
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PANEL ON STATISTICAL METHODS FOR MEASURING THE GROUP QUARTERS POPULATION IN THE AMERICAN COMMUNITY SURVEY
PAUL R. VOSS (Chair),
Odum Institute for Research in Social Science, University of North Carolina
WILLIAM A.V. CLARK,
Department of Geography, University of California, Los Angeles
SUSAN COPELLA,
Pennsylvania State Data Center, Pennsylvania State University
DAVID DOLSON,
Statistics Canada, Ottawa
RALPH FOLSOM,
RTI International, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina
RACHEL HARTER,
National Opinion Research Center, University of Chicago
STEVEN HEERINGA,
Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan
JOSEPH SALVO,
New York City Department of City Planning
RICHARD VALLIANT,
Joint Program in Survey Methodology, University of Maryland and Survey Research Center, University of Michigan
KRISZTINA MARTON, Study Director
AGNES E. GASKIN, Administrative Assistant
COMMITTEE ON NATIONAL STATISTICS 2010-2011
LAWRENCE D. BROWN (Chair),
Department of Statistics, University of Pennsylvania
JOHN M. ABOWD,
School of Industrial and Labor Relations, Cornell University
ALICA CARRIQUIRY,
Department of Statistics, Iowa State University
WILLIAM DuMOUCHEL,
Phase Forward, Inc., Waltham, Massachusetts
V. JOSEPH HOTZ,
Department of Economics, Duke University
MICHAEL HOUT,
Department of Sociology, University of California, Berkeley
KAREN KAFADAR,
Department of Statistics, Indiana University
SALLIE KELLER,
Science and Technology Policy Institute, Washington, DC
LISA LYNCH,
Heller School for Social Policy and Management, Brandeis University
SALLY C. MORTON,
Department of Biostatistics, University of Pittsburgh
JOSEPH NEWHOUSE,
Division of Health Policy Research and Education, Harvard University
SAMUEL H. PRESTON,
Population Studies Center, University of Pennsylvania
HAL STERN,
Department of Statistics, University of California, Irvine
ROGER TOURANGEAU,
Joint Program in Survey Methodology, University of Maryland, and Survey Research Center, University of Michigan
ALAN ZASLAVSKY,
Department of Health Care Policy, Harvard Medical School
CONSTANCE F. CITRO, Director
Acknowledgments
I am very pleased to see this interim report of The Panel on Statistical Methods for Measuring the Group Quarters Population in the American Community Survey (ACS) come together so extraordinarily well after just four meetings of a group of talented individuals, many of whom did not know one another just eight busy months ago. I wish to thank the many people who have assisted our work and contributed to the report.
The ACS staff of the U.S. Census Bureau, under the leadership of Daniel Weinberg (assistant director for decennial census and American Community Survey) and Susan Schechter (formerly chief of the ACS Office), have been generous in providing information to the panel and addressing our inquiries. The communication between the panel and the Census Bureau was greatly facilitated by lead technical liaison, Alfredo Navarro, who was a pleasure to work with; Philip Gbur served as contracting officer, and was always accessible. A number of Census Bureau staff made very informative presentations and provided useful materials to the panel, including Mark Asiala, Michael Beaghen, Scott Boggess, Edward Castro, Annetta Smith Clark, Sandy Clark, Steven Hefter, Todd Hughes, Sharon Stern, Amy Symens Smith, Victoria Velkoff, and David Whitford.
We also sought input on data collected about major segments of the group quarters population from experts in other agencies in the federal statistical system. In particular, William Sabol from the Bureau of Justice Statistics gave an overview of that agency’s portfolio of data series on the correctional population. We also benefited from a discussion with Lauren Harris-Kojetin from the National Center for Health Statistics about health care facilities.
At our first meeting in March 2010, the panel formed two working groups to pursue specific tasks between meetings, and our work to date has been accomplished with few disagreements and with a keen sense of remaining within the boundaries of our charge from the Census Bureau and delivering the interim report on schedule. This could not have happened without the steady guidance and excellent writing talents of our study director, Krisztina Marton, and the strong support of other CNSTAT staff. We extend our sincere appreciation to Constance Citro, CNSTAT Director, for her always deeply knowledgeable guidance when questions of procedure arose or when advice was requested. We thank CNSTAT senior program officers Daniel Cork and Michael Cohen for taking time from their own busy schedules to attend the panel’s meetings and provide occasional counsel. We also thank Christine McShane for the expert technical editing of the draft report, and Agnes Gaskin for handling a variety of logistical matters so capably.
This report has been reviewed in draft form by individuals chosen for their diverse perspectives and technical expertise, in accordance with procedures approved by the Report Review Committee of the National Research Council (NRC). The purpose of this independent review is to provide candid and critical comments that will assist the institution in making its published report as sound as possible and to ensure that the report meets institutional standards for objectivity, evidence, and responsiveness to the study charge. The review comments and draft manuscript remain confidential to protect the integrity of the deliberative process. We wish to thank the following individuals for
their review of this report: Alicia L. Carriquiry, Department of Statistics, Iowa State University; John L. Czajka, Mathematica Policy Research, Inc., Washington, DC; David Hubble, Westat, Inc., Rockville, MD; Bruce D. Spencer, Department of Statistics, Northwestern University; and Preston Jay Waite, Consultant, Logan, UT.
Although the reviewers listed above have provided many constructive comments and suggestions, they were not asked to endorse the conclusions or recommendations nor did they see the final draft of the report before its release. The review of this report was overseen by Richard A. Kulka, Abt Associates, Inc., Durham, NC and Charles F. Manski, Department of Economics, Northwestern University. Appointed by the National Research Council, they were responsible for making certain that an independent examination of this report was carried out in accordance with institutional procedures and that all review comments were carefully considered. Responsibility for the final content of this report rests entirely with the authoring panel and the institution.
Finally, we recognize the many federal agencies that support the Committee on National Statistics directly and through a grant from the National Science Foundation. Without their support and their commitment to improving the national statistical system, the committee work that is the basis of this report would not have been possible.
Paul R. Voss, Chair
Panel on Statistical Methods for Measuring the Group Quarters Population in the American Community Survey