Gaining cooperation from a multi-cultural society of respondents: A review of the U.S. Census Bureau's efforts to count the newly immigrated population

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Raines, Marvin D.

Affiliations: U.S. Census Bureau, Suitland Federal Center, Building 3, Room 2027, Washington DC, 20233-500, USA. Tel.: +1 301 457 2072; Fax: +1 301 457 2111; E-mail: marvin.d.raines@ccmail.census.gov

Abstract: The United States Census Bureau, in planning Census 2000, developed a network of community-based and national organizations (called Census Partners) that were tasked with helping to increase awareness, knowledge, and cooperation among their constituent populations. Historically, new immigrant groups, especially those from non-democratic societies, have been difficult to accurately enumerate using traditional methods and procedures. This paper discusses the preliminary results from a review of the partnerships established in five separate communities of new immigrants across the US, specifically, the Laotian community of Fresno, California; the Haitian community of Miami, Florida; the Bosnian community of Saint Louis, Missouri; the Iraqi community of Dearborn, Michigan; and the Somali community of Minneapolis, Minnesota. It provides information on the innovative initiatives implemented by the Census Partners in these communities; examines the effectiveness of the relationships that existed between the local Census Bureau officials and local partners; and reports on the extent to which these partnerships accomplished the Partnership Program goals. Recommendations for future research on effective strategies for gaining cooperation among diverse populations are also provided.

DOI: 10.3233/SJU-2001-182-309

Journal: Statistical Journal of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe, vol. 18, no. 2-3, pp. 217-226, 2001