Michigan State University Extension
Diversity and Pluralism - 02150004
12/95/
ERIC TITLE NUMBER: ED303406 AUTHOR: Wallman, Katherine K.
TITLE: Losing Count: The Federal Statistical System.
Population Trends and Public Policy Occasional Paper Number
16.
YEAR PUBLISHED: 1988
NOTE: 21 p.
AVAILABILITY: Population Reference Bureau, Inc., Circulation
Department, P.O. Box 96152, Washington, DC 20090-6152 ($3.00
plus $1.00 shipping and handling).
ABSTRACT: The main responsibility of the U.S. Bureau of the
Census, Bureau of Labor Statistics, and the National Centers
for Health and Education Statistics is to collect, process,
analyze, and disseminate statistical data on the economic,
physical, and social characteristics of the United States.
Under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1980, the federal
statistical system was curtailed because of major shifts in
government policies and the subsequent budget cuts.
Statistics have a powerful impact on the economy, and public
and private use of federal statistics include: (1) the
determination of workers' and retirees' income; (2) moving
from market research to affirmative action programs; (3)
allocation of monies for domestic assistance programs; (4)
research in many fields; and (5) comparison studies. Under
the budget constraints, which meant that in the future fewer
statistics would be available, federal agencies were
beginning to: (1) collect information less frequently; (2)
reduce the sample size, content, and/or geographic coverage;
(3) extend the time between data collection and publication;
(4) reduce frequency, scope, and distribution of
publications; and (5) release statistics only on computer
files or on microfiche. Some cutbacks are affecting the 1990
Census, and when the Office of Management and Budget (OMB)
issued a directive to reduce content and coverage, it met
with unprecedented resistance from Census users. Some future
consequences for statistical users include: (1) a loss of
quality And usefulness of statistics, programs, and reports;
(2) reduced funding for technological advancements; (3) data
available through private vendors limiting accessibility;
and (4) the situation where the collection burdens fall to
state and local governments. (DJC)
KEY DESCRIPTORS: Census-Figures; Social-Indicators; User
Satisfaction-Information; Use-Studies
KEY DESCRIPTORS: *Budgeting-; *Federal-Government; *Public
Agencies; *Retrenchment-; *Statistical-Data
This is an ERIC database document. ERIC is the National
Education Information Network for providing ready access
to the literature of education -descriptions of exemplary
programs, research and development efforts, and related
information that can be used in developing more effective
educational programs. The ERIC database is currently
available on CD-ROM in the main library (ground floor of
the west wing) at Michigan State University. To locate
ERIC documents in the library identify the first line of
each record (i.e., the field ERIC TITLE NUMBER). ED
following ERIC TITLE NUMBER indicates an ERIC document,
an unpublished research study. Most of these items are
available in the Microforms library, located on the 3rd
floor of the west wing. All you need is the six digit ED
number. If EJ follows ERIC TITLE NUMBER the item is a
journal article. The complete journal name is listed after
the code JOURNAL.
This information is for educational purposes only. References
to commercial products or trade names does not imply
endorsement by MSU Extension or bias against those not
mentioned. This information becomes public property upon
publication and may be printed verbatim with credit to MSU
Extension. Reprinting cannot be used to endorse or advertise
a commercial product or company.
This file was generated from data base DP on 06/25/02.
Data base DP was last revised on 12/95/ .
For more information about this data base or its contents please contact
cook@msue.msu.edu . Please read our
disclaimer for important
information about using our site.