The Census is invasive, says Michigan

[DrPhil]

Originally Posted by summer_gphib

I have a problem with all the mail that they send out that is unnecessary--
I got a letter telling me they were sending a packet... um ok, but wouldn't I know that when I got the packet?
I got the packet and found it rather annoying, especially all the race questions. But I filled it out and sent it in.
Then I got a letter telling me that they had sent me a packet and hopefully I sent it back in. Ok... was that necessary?

Why not send the packets and then only send follow ups to people who don't respond in a month?

The methods they use are for a very good reason. This is like an Intro to Survey Methods class.

There is a lot invested in the Census so they'd rather annoy you than have some others try to excuse their lack of participation; or try to say that "certain groups of people" had more access to the Census than others. That's why they alert you of the Census mailing (so people will check their mail and not discard it for any reason); and send 2-3 bilingual follow-up postcards. It takes more time and money to narrow it down to those who didn't mail it back than it takes to just alert everyone who received it in the first place.

I mailed back my Census the same day. It took about 5-10 minutes to complete. There was nothing invasive about it (since when are race questions invasive?). I didn't like "Negro," but I made a note of it for the Census people and moved on. GOOOOOOO CENSUS!

[PiKA2001]

Originally Posted by DrPhil

It takes more time and money to narrow it down to those who didn't mail it back than it takes to just alert everyone who received it in the first place.

I was watching a news story on the Census follow up letters and how it cost $64 million to send them out.

[DrPhil]

Originally Posted by PiKA2001

I was watching a news story on the Census follow up letters and how it cost $64 million to send them out.

Are you surprised?

Now how much time and money would it take to wait for everyone to send it back...whenever they sent it back, allow a grace period, figure out who didn't return it and THEN send follow-up postcards?

Small-time survey researchers sometimes wait to check addresses off of a list before following-up with a postcard. I wouldn't expect the Census massive survey researchers and employees to do that.

[PiKA2001]

Originally Posted by DrPhil

Are you surprised?

Not at all, but $64 mil just for one set of follow up letters...damn. I'm familiar with how the typical U.S. Government agency works and efficiency isn't exactly a high priority.

[DrPhil]

Originally Posted by PiKA2001

Not at all, but $64 mil just for one set of follow up letters...damn. I'm familiar with how the typical U.S. Government agency works and efficiency isn't exactly a high priority.

Efficiency (as far as outsiders can comprehend it) isn't exactly a high priority for most bureaucracies that have red tape, etc.

One thing is certain, people will always find something to critique.