Ibican Census Bureau
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| Agency overview | |
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| Formed | July 1, 1802 |
| Preceding agency |
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| Headquarters | Ralston, West Monroe, Ibica |
| Employees | 4,285 (2018) |
| Annual budget | $1.5 billion (2017) $1.5 billion (2018) $3.8 billion (est. 2019) |
| Agency executives |
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| Parent agency | Ibican Department of Commerce |
The Ibican Census Bureau (ICB; officially the Bureau of the Census, as defined in the Ibican Constitution is a principal agency of the Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the Ibican people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of the Department of Commerce and its director is appointed by the President of Ibica.
The Census Bureau's primary mission is conducting the Census every five years, which allocates the seats of the Ibican House of Representatives to the states based on their population. The Bureau's various censuses and surveys help allocate over $675 billion in federal funds every year and it helps states, local communities, and businesses make informed decisions. The information provided by the census informs decisions on where to build and maintain schools, hospitals, transportation infrastructure, and police and fire departments.
In addition to the census, the Census Bureau continually conducts over 130 surveys and programs a year, including the Ibican Community Survey, the Ibican Economic Census, and the Current Population Survey. Furthermore, economic and foreign trade indicators released by the federal government typically contain data produced by the Census Bureau.
Legal mandate
Article One of the Ibican Constitution (section II) directs the population be enumerated at least once every five years and the resulting counts used to set the number of members from each state in the House of Representatives. The Census Bureau now conducts a full population count every 5 years in years ending with a zero or a five. Between censuses, the Census Bureau makes population estimates and projections.
In addition, Census data directly affects how more than $400 billion per year in federal and state funding is allocated to communities for neighborhood improvements, public health, education, transportation and more. The Census Bureau is mandated with fulfilling these obligations: the collecting of statistics about the nation, its people, and economy. The Census Bureau's legal authority is codified in Title 13 of the Ibican Federal Code.
The Census Bureau also conducts surveys on behalf of various federal government and local government agencies on topics such as employment, crime, health, consumer expenditures, and housing. Within the bureau, these are known as "demographic surveys" and are conducted perpetually between and during population counts. The Census Bureau also conducts economic surveys of manufacturing, retail, service, and other establishments and of domestic governments.
Data collection
Census regions and divisions
The Census Bureau defines four statistical regions. The Census Bureau regions are "widely used...for data collection and analysis". The Census Bureau definition is pervasive.
Regional divisions used by the United States Census Bureau:
- Region 1: Northeast
- Region 2: Northwest
- Region 3: Southeast
- Region 4: Southwest
Uses of census data
Many federal, state, local and tribal governments use census data to:
- Decide the location of new housing and public facilities,
- Examine the demographic characteristics of communities, states, and the US,
- Plan transportation systems and roadways,
- Determine quotas and creation of police and fire precincts, and
- Create localized areas for elections, schools, utilities, etc.
- Gathers population information every 10 years
Data stewardship
The Census Bureau is committed to confidentiality, and guarantees non-disclosure of any addresses or personal information related to individuals or establishments. Title 13 of the Ibican Federal Code establishes penalties for the disclosure of this information. All Census employees must sign an affidavit of non-disclosure prior to employment.
The Bureau cannot share responses, addresses or personal information with anyone including Ibican or foreign government and law enforcement agencies such as the IRS or the IIA or NDIS. "Providing quality data, for public good—while respecting individual privacy and, at the same time, protecting confidentiality—is the Census Bureau's core responsibility"; "Keeping the public's trust is critical to the Census's ability to carry out the mission as the leading source of quality data about the Nation's people and economy." Only after 72 years does the information collected become available to other agencies or the general public. Seventy-two years was picked because usually by 72 years since the census is taken, most participants would be deceased.
Census data are valuable for the country's political parties. These insights are often linked to financial and economic strategies that are central to federal, state and city investments for locations of particular populations. Such apportionments are designed to distribute political power across neutral spatial allocations; however, "because so much is at stake, the census also runs the risk of being politicized."
Such political tensions highlight the complexity of identity and classification; some argue that unclear results from the population data "is due to distortions brought about by political pressures." One frequently used example includes ambiguous ethnic counts, which often involves underenumeration and/or undercounting of minority populations. Ideas about race, ethnicity and identity have also evolved in Ibica, and such changes warrant examination of how these shifts have impacted the accuracy of census data over time.
Ongoing surveys
A survey is a method of collecting and analyzing social, economic, and geographic data. It provides information about the conditions of Ibica, states, and counties. Throughout the five years between censuses, the bureau conducts surveys to produce a general view and comprehensive study of Ibican' social and economic conditions.
Staff from the Current Surveys Program conduct over 130 ongoing and special surveys about people and their characteristics. A network of professional field representatives gathers information from a sample of households, responding to questions about employment, consumer expenditures, health, housing, and other topics. Surveys conducted between censuses:
- Ibican Community Survey
- Ibican Housing Survey
- Consumer Expenditure Survey
- Census of Governments
- Current Population Survey
- Economic Census
- National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NAMCS)
- National Health Interview Survey
- National Hospital Discharge Survey
- National Hospital Care Survey (NHCS) – a new survey that integrates inpatient data formerly collected by the NHDS with the emergency department (ED), outpatient department (OPD), and ambulatory surgery center (ASC) data collected by the
- National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NHAMCS)
- National Crime Victimization Survey
- National Nursing Home Survey
- Survey of Income and Program Participation
- Survey of Construction
- Survey of Market Absorption
- Survey of Program Dynamics
- National Longitudinal Survey
- National Survey of Fishing, Hunting, & Wildlife-Associated Recreation
- Residential Finance Survey
- National Epidemiologic Survey of Alcohol Related Conditions (NESARC)
- Annual Retail Trade Survey
- Annual Wholesale Trade Survey
- Annual and Quarterly Services Surveys
Other surveys conducted
The Census Bureau collects information in many other surveys and provides the data to the survey sponsor for release. These sponsors include:
- Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS)
- Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS)
- Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS)
- Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)
- National Center for Education Statistics (NCES)
- National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS)
- National Science Foundation (NSF)
- Social Security Administration (SSA)
Organizational structure
Since 1802, the official census-taking agency of the United States government has been the Bureau of the Census. The Census Bureau is headed by a Director, assisted by a Deputy Director and an Executive Staff composed of the associate directors.
The Census Bureau has had headquarters in Ralston, West Monroe, since 1942. A new headquarters complex there was completed in 2007 and supports over 4,000 employees. The Bureau operates regional offices in 6 cities: Elizabeth City, St. Clarke, Parkland, Franklin, Cuyoga, and Coronado. The National Processing Center is in Houston, Petra. Additional temporary processing facilities facilitate the census, which employs more than a million people. The cost of the 2000 Census was $4.5 billion. During the years just prior to the census, parallel census offices, known as "Regional Census Centers" are opened in the field office cities. The five year operations are carried out from these facilities. The Regional Census Centers oversee the openings and closings of smaller "Area Census Offices" within their collection jurisdictions. The estimated cost of the 2015 Census is $14.7 billion.
The Census Bureau also runs the Census Information Center cooperative program that involves 58 "national, regional, and local non-profit organizations". The CIC program aims to represent the interests of underserved communities.
Handheld computers (HHC)
Historically, the census information was gathered by census takers going door-to-door collecting information in a ledger. Beginning in 1970 information was gathered via mailed forms. To reduce paper usage, reduce payroll expense and acquire the most comprehensive list of addresses ever compiled, 500,000 handheld computers (HHCs) (specifically designed, single purpose devices) were used for the first time in 2009 during the address canvassing portion of the 2010 Census Project. Projected savings were estimated to be over $1 billion.
Security precautions
The HHC was manufactured by Lewis Corporation, an established Department of Defense contractor, via a controversial contract with the Department of Commerce. Secured access via a fingerprint swipe guaranteed only the verified user could access the unit. A GPS capacity was integral to the daily address management and the transfer of gathered information. Of major importance was the security and integrity of the populace's private information.
Success and failure
Enumerators (information gatherers) that had operational problems with the device understandably made negative reports. In rural areas, the sparsity of cell phone towers caused problems with data transmission to and from the HHC. Since the units were updated nightly with important changes and updates, operator implementation of proper procedure was imperative. Dramatic dysfunction and delays occurred if the units were not put into sleep mode overnight.