This year’s federal census forms are scheduled to arrive in mailboxes from today. The system has continued for the last 220 years, though this will be the first census since 9/11 terrorist attacks. There has been a growing rejection of the same among Americans of all classes and cultures.
The Census Bureau has spent $133 million on media campaigns to increase public awareness in this regard. This time even the number of questions has been reduced to 10, which include race, sex, age, total number of family members and their relationship with each other, etc. Fears of decline in participation have made a mockery of the 220-year-old system that had begun during the time of George Washington.
Robert Coffey, the Buffalo census office manager, says, "This is the shortest one in history — 10 question. It shouldn't be a big deal."
As forms of the 23rd US census start arriving today, there is widespread fear that distrust among the public is increasing, which is clear from the poor response to census returns in previous years. Only 67 percent of US households responded to the census by mail in 2000. Frank Yavicoli, manager, Census Bureau office in Amherst, says, "Take 10 minutes, fill it out, and pop it in the mail, and we won't bother you."
There are varying reasons for people’s lack of interest in filling the forms. Some of them are:
· People fear that their personal information is primarily misused by the agencies. To which Michael Lavin, a librarian at the University of Buffalo and author, replies, "I am just amazed at the level of fear and mistrust and opposition to the census this time around. I have never seen this kind of backlash. I wouldn't call it mainstream now, but it's much more prevalent."
· Since 9/11 terrorist attacks, the government has secured broader surveillance power, which has irked many of the Americans. As this will be the first census since then, it is widely expected that the response to the census will be minimal.
· Migrants feel that with the census, the government might launch a crackdown on them and those living illegally in the country. This has made them weary of participating in the census.
Amidst all these fears, the Census Bureau has vowed to keep the information confidential. It has called for increased participation in the national headcount.
The census primarily strives to determine the number of seats of states in the House; delineate boundaries for state, congressional, and local legislative districts; distribute more than $446 billion as federal aid every year, of which $2 billion is meant for the Buffalo Niagara region.
Lavin adds: "The interesting thing about the 2010 form is it has a little more explanation. It asks two questions explicitly that it had not before: ‘Were there any additional people you didn't count?' And secondly, ‘Does the person sometimes stay somewhere else?' The bureau is trying to do two things; make sure they don't miss anyone and do the best they can at not double counting people."
However, it is going to be a difficult task ahead for the government, as hundreds of thousands of Americans have been displaced from their homes due to the foreclosure crisis. From May to July, the census bureau will send census-takers to the homes that don't reply.
The task ahead seems difficult for the census bureau, which is striving hard to involve as many people in the census.
