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Snelman Spotlight March 28. 1980 Pt
Modifications in 1980 Census Local Review
Program Announced by Census Bureau
Modifications in a plan to seek
local review of the population
and housing field counts obtained
in the 1980 census were an
nounced today (March 3, 1980)
by the Bureau of the Census, U.S.
Department of Commerce.
The Local Review Program,
announced last year to officials in
39,500 counties, cities, and town
ships, will give these officials a
chance to study the accuracy of
census totals before the Bureau’s
temporary district offices are
closed.
Under the modified program, a
single review of the population
and household counts will take
place in June of this year.
Previously, the program called
for a review prior to Census Day
(April 1) and a second review af
ter the enumeration had been
completed by census field
workers. The precensus review
was to have covered only counts
of addresses on the mailing lists
used for mailing out question
naires and for checking in
questionnaires as they are retur
ned. Elimination of the precensus
review was decided upon when it
became clear that the address
counts would not include an
unanticipated number of ad
dresses to be added clerically just
prior to April 1. The Bureau adds
addresses to the mailing lists right
up to the time of mailing out
questionnaires in order to insure
a complete an accurate census.
A secondary factor in the
decision involved maps needed
by local officials to check the
counts. To produce the maps
early enough for the precensus
review would have imposed
strains on the tight schedule of
census operations which Bureau
officials believed it was necessary
to avoid.
The postcensus review which
covers both nooulation and
housing counts will be done at an
earlier point in the census
process than had been previously
scheduled.
“Although changes have been
made to technical elements of the
program,” Census Director Vin
cent P. Barabba wrote in a letter
to local officials, “the basic ob
jectives remain the same and are
being met by the present Local
Review Program. The revised
plan reflects our continued com
mitment to joint Federal-local
cooperation in the interest of a
complete and accurate census.
‘The decision to modify the
scope and timing of the Local
Review Program has both ad
vantages and disadvantages,” an
attachment to the Director’s let
ter points out. “On balance,
however, we believe the purpose
of local review is being served ef
fectively. Housing unit counts are
being provided at a time when
they are virtually final. While
population counts may be revised
slightly during the final phase of
the census, the impact is likely to
be insignificant for the local
government unit as a whole.
“Because the counts are being
provided at an earlier point in the
census, there will be a longer
period during which the
problems reported by local of
ficials can be resolved.
“It should be noted,” the at
tachment adds, “that while the
length of the review period for
local officials will still be 10
working days, the census district
offices will remain open for about
another month duriang which
district office personnel can work
with local officials to solve
problems. Under the original
plan, the offices would have
closed approximately 7 to 10 days
after postcensus local review.”
The Local Review Program is
an effort by the Census Bureau to
satisfy local officials concerning
the accuracy of the counts. In the
1970 census, questions con
cerning accuracy could not be in
vestigated fully by the Bureau
because local governments often
did not have clear evidence ot
alleged mistakes and their con
cerns were raised after the tem
porary census offices had been
closed.
Since early 1979, the Bureau
has been working closely with
local government officials and
their national organizations to ex
plain how the Local Review
Program will work. Technical
manuals have been sent to the
39,500 local governments which
have agreed to take part, and
Bureau staffers have conducted
workshops for local officials.
Alpha Phi Alpha Calls for Accurate Black Count in Census
Alpha Phi Alpha, one of the
nation’s largest Black fraternities,
has unanimously approved a
resolution urging support in the
Black community for the 1980
census.
In calling on each member of
the fraternity to take an active
role in the census effort. Alpha
President James Williams said.
“We should all be aware that the
Census is vital to the progress of
our communities and the effort to
reach minority groups deserves
the strong support we have
always given to voter registration
and other humanitarian efforts.”
Results of the 1980 census will
help determine how and where
more than 50 billion dollars in
Federal funds are spent each
year. In addition, census figures
will be used to apportion seats in
the U.S. House of Represen
tatives, and most States will use
the data to redraw their
legislative boundaries as well.
Noting the critical importance
of the 1980 census to the Black
community. Williams pointed out
that “We must make certain that
our population receives an ac
curate count—and the benefit of
the attendant governmental ser
vice upon this information.”
A census questionnaire will be
mailed to every household on
March 28. The questionnaire
should be completed as soon as
possible, and depending upon the
.instructions, either mailed back
on April 1 or held until a census
taker arrives to pick it up.
Williams noted that the
resolution encourages each chap
ter and Alpha member to actively
seek minority participation in the
1980 census. During the Alpha
convention he observed that “We
urged the Census Bureau to strive
to fully involve ethnic minorities
in the Agency’s efforts. We are
thus far pleased with the Bureau’s
work with individuals and
organizations in our community,”
he said.
CEP !g§^
Were counting
on you.
You, the people. That's
what the Census has been
about since the first one
was taken in 1790.
Now, the Census is help
ing people more than ever
bv providing information
needed to allocate funds for
jobs, schools, hospitals,
parks and much more. Your
answers also assure vour
area of equal representation
in Congress.
All answers are kept
confidential bv law.
Blacks Living Longer Despite Increase in Cancer, Heart Disease Death Rate
Since the turn of the century,
the life expectancy at birth of
Black Americans has shown a
dramatic increase. An equally
dramatic increase in the death
rate from cancer and heart diease
has occurred.
These findings are contained in
a statistical profile, released last
J une, that traces the growth and
development of the Black
population from 1790 to 1978.
The report noted that a sub
stantial increase in the life ex
pectancy at birth of Blacks has
occurred in the present century.
However, life expectancy for
Blacks is still six years less than
that for White.
BLACK FEMALES STILL LIVE
LONGER THAN BLACK
MALES
The report also shows that
Black females continue to have a
longer life expectancy at birth
than Black males. In 1900-1902,
Black males could expect to
average 33 years, and Black
females, 35 years. However, by
1974 the life expectancy of both
Black males and females had
shown a dramatic increase to 63
years at birth for the Black male,
and 71 years for the Black
female. Most of these gains oc
curred during the first half of the
decade.
CANCER AND HEART
DISEASES ON THE INCREASE
Death rates from cancer and
heart disease have inccreased
among Blacks. In 1910, cancer
and heart disease accounted for
12 percent of all Black deaths and
16 percent of all White deaths.
By 1974 the same diseases ac
counted for 46 percent of all
Black deaths and 58 percent of all
White deaths.
HOMICIDE RATE IN
CREASING
From 1960 to 1974, the death
rate due to homicide almost
doubled for both Blacks and
Whites. The rate for 1974 was
39.7 deaths per 100,000 for the
Black population and 5.8 deaths
per 100,000 for the White
population.
ACCURATE COUNT OF 1980
BLACK POPULATION
SOUGHT
Additional information about
the Black population will be ob
tained from the 1980 Census of
Population and Housing, which
begins April 1. Every household
will receive a census question
naire on or about March 28, and
everyone is urged to complete
the questionnaire accuratelv.
An individual’s census answers
are confidential by Law, and can
be published only as part of
statistical totals.
Results from the 1980 census
will help decide how billions of
dollars in State and Federal funds
are allocated. Interested persons
seeking more information about
the importance of the 1980 cen
sus to the Black community are
urged to call their nearest
regional census center.
Single copies of the report, The
Social and Economic Status of
the Black Population in the
United States: An Historical
View. 1790-1978, P-23, No. 80,
are available for $4.50 from the
Superintendent of Documents,
U.S. Government Printing Of
fice, Washington, D.C. 20402, or
from Commerce District Offices
in major cities throughout the
United States.
Answer the Census.
A Public Service of This Magazine & ®5|
The Advertising Council COUKl
At one time in Scotland fish
ermen would help ensure a
catch by throwing one of
their number from the boat
and then hauling him out of
the water as if he were a fish.