Toward the Social Meaning of the Census to the Inner City Poor: Considerations for the Census Undercount

Written by:
EX2007-02

Introduction

The issue of the undercount of poor, black, inner-city residents in the past two censuses has generated considerable controversy. Although no one disputs the fact of the undercount, there is substantial disagreement as to its significance and its cause. Prejudice in the Census Bureau has been cited in the past. A hostile attitude towards the poor black population has in the past resulted in indifference towards the gathering of accurate information, and hence in an inability to overcome the difficulties a through census-taking entails in so many poor inner city communities.

Page Last Revised - October 8, 2021