Consensus On Census: Door To Door Is Deadly
Everywhere, US– It is Census time in the US.
This very important initiative occurs every 10 years.
Census Forms, which are filled out and returned, began mailing in February of this year. For those that either did not execute the survey, or receive it, you will be on the list for a vist from a census worker.
Yes, in 2010, we have a government program that encourages citizens to open their door without appointment, to strangers, and share the specifics about who lives in your home, including ages, employers and social security numbers. I don’t do politics here, that is not the issue.
The U.S. Census Bureau has made the screening process for employees more rigorous than in any previous census. Each applicant is required to accurately disclose information about any conviction, imprisonment, probation, or parole in the last 10 years. All census takers must undergo both an FBI name check and an FBI fingerprint check. We disqualify any applicant whose screening indicates prior convictions or a pending charge for certain categories of crimes, such as murder, sex offenses, robbery, voter fraud, or other crimes that suggest a threat to safety or the integrity of census data.
Safety of our Families against victimization, and frankly the safety of someone ENTERING a strangers home, is paramount.
Bad Idea. If you cannot guarantee our safety against crime, we do not want you in our homes or on our property. Online Forms Will Work.
This dude, was in my area:
Camden sex offender charged with lying to get job as Census worker
Peer Review:
Terror in Kentucky: Census Worker’s Murder
Investigators: Kentucky Census Worker Killed Himself
Man Killed After Fake Census Workers Invade Home
Census Worker Arrested On Drug Charge
Volunteer Census Worker Arrested for Rape
Census worker files charges against Mt. Laurel resident
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Since I’m still up, doing homework, teehee, I’ll put in my 2 cents and say….NEVER will I answer my door if I’m not expecting company. I’m often alone with my son. We’re in a new neighbourhood, so unsolicited visitors are so common (religious, political AND a recent census).
I’ll open my door when the better half is home.
Great late night read, as always B. xo
Let’s just say this is a very odd coincidence. Census dude appeared at my door at odd times of the day, both when Mr. B was not home. I was completely unaware of the RSO incident until Al Miller mentioned it.
I have a neighbor who is one of the top forensic criminalists in the country, and as a result, he thinks everyone is a criminal until he learns differently.
He actually stopped over to tell me he had seen Census dude park in my driveway after I left one day, eat his lunch, and proceed to put his trash in mine, which was out for the waste management co, in sealed trash bags.
This guy rang my doorbell, front and back, and then pounded on both interior doors (opened the storms).
That is an unsafe position for both parties, imo. I could be some pistol happy recluse- how would he know?
I know I am anal about this stuff, but apparently there is good reason. There needs to be a safer solution.
In fairness, I did put the census on the “to do list”, until yesterday, when I filled it out and sent it in.
B
PS….too close to home B. Thank you for writing this up!
I was in a class with a lady who took as concensus work last month. I was actually quite surprised she did/her husband allowed her because I do consider it very dangerous and such a waste. Anyway, she said when she was interviewed her supervisor asked her if she could run and that she would need to wear tennis shoes each day just in case? Can you imagine still taking the job?
Sorry for typos. Been out of starting gate very fast lately.
Here’s is a novel idea, fill out your census form when it comes in the mail. Seems like an easy solution. Honestly, my mother-in-law WAS a door-to-door census worker until she was viscously bitten by a pit bull. I agree, though, an online solution would be far more practical. Living in fear, well….., not so practical…
I absolutely agree with that. Thus why I disclosed it, however there are some folks that simply did not receive it, and it does not eliminate the problem that there is a perception of public trust being conveyed that apparently needs to be addressed, imo.
B
I have a PO Box and was told by the local postmaster (when I inquired
about the census forms) that he could not put it in my PO Box and
bundled all like forms and sent them back. Later I inquired of a
friend who was doing census in another neighborhood about my not
being interviewed because of not getting a form. I had a pleasant
experience yesterday (sheer luck) and saw someone driving up my long
driveway. I went out into the yard to greet her (us farmers are often
outside) It was short, simple and no one asked about SS numbers.
But….there is sure a potential for being unsafe – for the worker
or for myself. Is there a place to write to voice concerns?
Blink! Are you kidding me? NJ? Maybe I should just stay put. You’re gonna laugh but my mother kept a can of Raid at our front door always! She thought if she needed to use it…it would be there. I guess it was before she learned about pepper spray.
But this is no joking matter. Our personal safety and that of our families is first and foremost. What is the problem with running backgrounds? I do it all the time.
Knowledge is power and with it you can make more informed decisions.
Thanks for sharing this. We sent our form in, and the census worker has still come three times in about two weeks, even though I’ve explained this. The third visit was last *night*. My husband works long hours, and being home with two small children I’m not at all comfortable with any stranger pounding on my door, especially after I’ve requested them not to. The fact that the government is actually encouraging it is disappointing. Someone doesn’t need a prior conviction to do harm.
Blink, if a Census Taker person asked you about your employer, or social security number, then they were not a official Census Taker question asker. They are authorized only to ask the 10 questions that are on the mail in form. I was hired as a Census Taker, and took the 4 day training program but due to other responsibilities, I had to turn the job down.
http://2010.census.gov/2010census/how/interactive-form.php
eery that you would touch on this subject Blink…
we had a census worker basically stalking us for the last month…
he was never there when i was home, only when i was away, and occassionally when my wife and i were both away and only my 14 yr. old daughter was home alone[instructed to never answer the door for anyone of course], however i dont think he knew anyone was home……scary nonetheless…
Ok, I am seriously not kidding, he was just here again, lol.
He may be fine, and people have to do their jobs, but this is my home and my family and my rules stand.
B
QUOTE
I know I am anal about this stuff, but apparently there is good reason. There needs to be a safer solution.
UNQUOTE
B, you can’t be anal enough about this stuff! And I gotta hand it to you, you’ve been a mentor to so many of us who don’t keep our guard up! Because of you, I’ve been more involved in community policing and learning who’s in my neighbourhood. Whether or not I’m successful, I want to push for a RSO that allows a person to see who’s in residing in our neighbourhoods. The only way we find out, at this time, is by notification by RCMP via a newsletter or the local paper (which identifies the individual but does not reveal the exact neighbourhood he’s living in). This angers me to the hilt!
I’m grateful you are anal, B. No joke. There are changes taking place in this household because of your willingness to spend time sharing what you know. I’m taking advantage of it!!!!
I know you hear it all the time but I’m gonna say it again…..thank you, thank you, THANK YOU for all that you do. Sometimes, we don’t know what to do in certain situations but you’ve laid it out. We’ve been given a sense of confidence and understanding relative to a self defense course for the mind.
Did I say thank you, Blink?
B says:
…does not eliminate the problem that there is a perception of public trust being conveyed that apparently needs to be addressed, imo
—————————–
I agree, perception is rarely reality, especially when a governmental agency is involved. However, no system is 100% accurate unfortunately, particularly when there is a human element and bureaucracy involved in the checks.
I am of the strong belief (mainly to stay mentally sane) that negative scenarios are the exception and not the rule. This does not mean that one should not be vigilant and aware, but a sense of rational perspective should still be taken. The vast majority of the census workers are just trying to help feed their families and are good people.
Placing the information out there, however, is a great step towards awareness and you should be commended for doing so Blink.
I hear you, and I want to underscore I think the safety issue is two-fold. Both the worker and the homeowner can be compromised. I try to pick my “alarmist” causes carefully.
B
I am in the same boat- I filled out the census, but dropped the ball on sending it in- I too, have the census person stopping by ALOT- I don’t begrudge anyone doing a job- having a job- I will send my form in tday and hope that will be enough-
Youre right Blink. It is a safety issue all around- remember during the last census- one of the workers was murdered, and hung from a tree?! There has to be a better way.
That article is actually linked. If you can believe it, that was initially ruled a suicide and it had my partner calling everyone in Washington. It was a mess.
B
How could I have missed that link?… DUH- You are always so good at informing us Blink- Thanks- and thanks to your partner for making waves!
Lol, he called me ranting this morning over yesterdays issue, he is editor of Scared Monkeys and I just put the phone on speaker and let him rant. I say affectionately, tee hee.
B
One time I was chopping veggies with a huge knife and the door bell rang. I answered it with the huge knife in my hand and was greeted by two young Jehovas Witnesses. I kept the knife in my hand while we chatted, gesturing with it (pointing toward heaven or hell when necessary) and using it like a baton to punctuate my resistant to converting from a zen buddhist to a jehovas witness. I didn’t even think about the knife until after I closed the door, when I noticed my husband laying on the floor laughing. The witnesses haven’t visited me again since then. But I do take the knife with me when I answer the door to other adult strangers. I can always say I was chopping veggies.
Your a hoot.
B
My grown daughter did not receive the census form in the mail. She called to get the form so she could fill it out and was told that she did not need the form someone would contact her if no form was submitted. We both thought this was ridiculous, and it seems they are encouraging the door to door contacts. Why pay someone to contact her when she is requesting the form and she also works so is not home during the day.
B, that is so creepy that the worker ate lunch in your driveway and threw his stuff in your trash! Did you call anywhere to report it? It scares me how comfy government has become intruding into our lives in the last couple years. (trying not to get too political)
Oh yes twinkletoes, I needed that laugh, what a riot!!
Thanks for this article Blink. I remember about the guy in the woods and the ? suicide. Wow!
I think we sent ours in. lol. This system absolutely needs to be addressed.
Why can’t they do this by phone?
OK, I am just catching up on this thread (ahem, have been busy researching other things, as challenged by Ms. J2K).
I have spoken to several officers in my city’s PD and they give precisely the same advice: do NOT open your door to a person you do not know. If someone is on the up and up, they will understand. This appears to be the official message from my city’s police department.
They are gov’t employees, just like the Census workers. How does the Gov’t want to reconcile that discrepancy?
Sorry, Gov’t, I am a proud American but I say citizen safety is far more important than your records.
I don’t care if you are a delinquent form filler outer; be safe. And thank you, B, for calling it to everyone’s attention.
Let me say this in the most calm and direct manner I can.
If I have to go to THE HILL, my freaking self, and lobby for the immediate cessation of these home visits until there is a COMPLETE background check on every worker tasked to go to someone’s home, so help me God I will do it.
If I could share with you, what occurred this afternoon in this regard, I promise you that you would all be loading the car. Let’s just say that my decision to NOT allow the census dude in our home was prudent.
I will say this again. Under no circumstances do I advocate a “Census” that promotes door to door visitation of any kind.
B
Blink, did something further happen beyond the freaky lunch eating garbage throwing incident? I also was a delinquent form filler outer and the chuck who came to my door twice was super weird. Many voting precincts have been moved to online voting. Like the census couldn’t be administered that way. Imagine the savings in tax dollars (as If it even matters at this point) on the wages for the hundreds of thousands of census workers. I can’t hide my political views very well……I heard that they went with door to door instead of internet census because all of those census workers being hired boost jobs figures and make the Prez look cool…..for a while. Then, of course this week we had the biggest spike in new unemployment applicants in 3 months….coincides with the start and end of the census. So I don’t think you will get too far in the bid to get rid of the door to door concept unless 10 years from now there is a better economic climate and a less sucky administration. The census unfortunately is also a dirty way to skew mapping for electoral votes…but I can’t rant about this or else I will be tempted to use the A word (Acorn). I digress.
Al-
I try really hard to keep the political from the crime, so as much as I respect your opinion, let’s go to my sisters house at scaredmonkeys.com.
I cannot say a word about what happened today right now, but you have my word, when I can, I will.
B
I meant chick not chuck, i and u share a key on my Crackberry.
B, I do so love Scaredmonkeys! I can’t wait to hear about your census incident numero 2.
Bringing over from another thread–didn’t know this one was up.
OT–Quickly re: Census.
Use your Gifts.
Census Workers do not ask to go into homes. They have taken the same oath of office as Congress and the President, but that doesn’t necessarily catch the bad actors. Initial background screens and FBI fingerprints have deleted many criminals from the Census project. Criminals will use every and all opportunities to commit crimes.
Please also remember that the reason Census Workers are on the streets is because residents made errors or did not submit their forms. In some cases their were glitches in the machinery or processing of the questionaires which passed them on to this current operation.
Do not invite ot let a Census Worker into your home. If you are not comfortable talking at the door, a phone enumeration is easily arranged.
REPLY FROM BLINK:
Thank you WG, If anyone gets a chance and can move this to the new piece, I would appreciate it-
The thing is, there is a system flaw. An individual, way too close to me, DID in fact use a fake social, alias and he was a RSO. It was only through the keen eye of a NJ woman that acted on her “satellite” that he was caught.
I am not sure about the opportunity to do the census telephonically, but that is a good suggestion if possible.
B
RE PHONE ENUMERATION:
Yes, it is possible. If you’ve gotten a Notice of Visit at the door, just call your Local Census Office and asked to be enumerated over the phone. Or just search for the LCO office online and call them to say you don’t want anyone coming to your home.
Oh, and guess what? If you just filled out, or recently sent in, the form,it’s too late and a Census worker will come to your door. If it doesn’t get resolved, they will keep coming back, ask your neighbors for information, and do all they can to get you counted.
Some workers come from the un-employable pool and have social skill issues–perhaps minor in a training environment…They should always be partnered up, in my opinion. Training also should have included “we don’t go into garages, around to back doors (unless unclear which is which), or ever open the storm/screen doors.”
It’s definitely a huge and dangerous cluster out there in Censusland.
You have no idea. I had myself a census stalker, no kidding. At first I was half kidding about the nuisance factor, not about the safety.
I would like to make something perfectly clear. AT NO TIME is anyone permitted to ask your neighbors for information about you, or anyone else but you, for that matter.
Here’s what I want to know- I want to know which workers were sent to which neighborhoods.
B
Right you are, B. I hope you got him jacked up for his behavior. It might just save his life.
As for seeking out information: Census workers are trained to seek a proxy/neighbor to get the names, ages, dob, race, owner or renter status if they are unable to get that information from the respondent (who may protest or decline to give it ) or if the respondent is not at home. Ironically, the worker is “allowed” three personal visits to a residence, but internally is told to go back as many times as it takes to get the information. They can’t get more work to do until they finish what they’ve got=fewer hours=less money.
That said, please do not ever give information about your neighbors to anyone, including a Census Worker. Do not tell them “oh, they’re out of town, are Snowbirds, work a lot, etc.” Egads, you can’t believe how many “helpful” people are out there.
As for which workers are sent to which neighborhood…Generally, workers are hired to work within a few miles of their own homes. Of course that varies in our vast, rural areas. They are paid for their mileage so the gov’t wants to keep that down.
However, this does not stop a worker from giving an address in an area and getting a job there. Who’s checking up on these people?!
Blink- I think I know exactly what you are talking about- During the last census- I had very nice but very -um… paranoid neighbors- They disagreed with the whole census taking philosophy, which I can’t say, I blame them. (dont seem so paranoid now either LOL)
They however, refused to send in a census- and refused to answer questions- the census worker went from neighbor to neighbor asking questions about them- I was very taken aback- they would park outside and wait till one of us were doing yardwork then, wham there they were…
At the time, I thought it was because of my neighbors stance on the census- and their refusal, but after reading your words:
“I would like to make something perfectly clear. AT NO TIME is anyone permitted to ask your neighbors for information about you, or anyone else but you, for that matter.”
I’m now thinking, they may be trained to do this no matter what the person or reason, for not answering…….
Be Counted! (as a crime statistic!)
*And now for another edition of, “Your Tax Dollars At Work”* …
Incidentally, I work in the mayor’s office of a city right near where this incident occurred. As such, I had the frustrating (and disheartening) experience of being the point-person coordinating a “‘Census 2010!’ Kick-Off!” event in our community center with the Census Bureau’s regional field office this year.
Let me just tell you all: The U.S. Census process is an utter disgrace.
These people (running a variety of census-related offices in my area) were the most disorganized, incompetent, clueless, bureaucracy-gelatinized cadre of fools I have ever tried to orchestrate a simple (and seemingly pointless) event with – and I work in government too!
Two months of fumbling and time-wasting after I took the initial call asking that my municipality host this critically important “educational” affair, at least ten paid census employees staggered into our venue (7 p.m. on a Tuesday, mind you – cue *crickets*) under the weight of huge boxes stuffed to the brim with useless promo materials.
(I mean, seriously folks – how many people even *have* pencil sharpeners anymore, and you’re seriously gonna line multiple 12-foot-long tables with thousands of “Census 2010!” pencils? How many trees is that?? And don’t even get me started on the massive piles of size-XL “Census 2010!” T-shirts that could have clothed half of Sub-Saharan Africa…)
Anyway! Mid-way through the seemingly endless “Census 2010!” instructional film they showed, I glanced around the room at the hundreds of empty folding-chairs that some poor maintenance guy had worked all afternoon setting up (and would soon have to break down) at the regional director’s insistence that we would be inundated with a mass of residents eager to know how this complex “census” process worked. To kill time, I started adding up in my head all of the dumbfounding and utterly needless expenses the “promotional” process was racking up.
In addition to throwing tens of thousands of stupidly expensive “Kick-Off!” events (like the big ol’ Fail in my city) and paying for TV, radio, Web and other media-driven ads hitting every market in the country, – they also do a friggin’ *pre*-Census mass mailing to further alert people that It’s Coming! It’s Coming! (They actually sent two “reminders” to my house because my boyfriend and I have a home together but are not married.) I may have been an English major, but at the 30-cent rate those toss-away “reminder” postcards likely ran, multiplied by more than 100 million U.S. households … well, it must have cost A Lot.
But, I digress. My real complaint – and pressing concern – actually pertains to the exact subject matter in this thread, and the proximity of the RSO incident to my jurisdiction.
Last week (prior to that story hitting the papers), I received a call from an elderly female constituent who had received a knock on her door from a self-identified census worker. Clearly being a B-Brain (or maybe an anonymous BOC reader), she asked for ID before she would answer any questions or allow the inquisitor inside. She was subsequently shown a laminated-paper “Census 2010!” ID card bearing a name… with no picture.
My caller informed the man that she did not feel such an ID was adequate, and that he’d have to return once she verified that he was indeed employed by the federal government. He politely left. Then, she called me. On her behalf, I dialed the “direct line” to the Camden-based “Census 2010!” employment office, which I was given by the regional director.
Got a recording. Tried another number; it rang and rang – and not even a recording picked up.
While the mayor himself was not in that day, I quickly decided that he would be as irritated by this as I was, and ready to breaks some balls (as I was).
After some digging, I found the Philly-central “Census 2010!” number, called, and after holding for way too long (complete with repeated “Hello? Who are you holding for?” pickups punctuating the fun, pre-recorded U.S. Census facts I was forced to listen to), I informed the requested authority on the other end of the line that I was calling on behalf of a resident who had asked me to verify the employment of the self-described census worker in question.
I was then helpfully reminded that, well, this was, in fact, the exact period when their door-to-door “enumerators” were scheduled to be fanning throughout the community, so the man was more than likely working on behalf of the Bureau as he said. I persisted, insisting that this be duly verified. (Here is where I picture the supervisor shrugging helplessly and dramatically rolling his eyes at me to some hapless co-worker trying not to laugh.)
Me: “So, let me get this straight: You publicly pat yourselves on the back for creating (well-paying) temporary census jobs wherein workers are hired to knock on doors for follow-up… but you have no records indicating that these ‘public officials’ hired by the Census Bureau actually work for the agency?”
Back on hold.
… Suddenly he is able to reference the payroll!
Turns out that my resident-caller’s unexpected federal guest was indeed legit. But, for me, this official reassurance did nothing to lower the red flag that had been raised. I asked Mr. Supervisor if, going forward, *his* office was where I should direct any and all city residents looking to verify a self-proclaimed census worker’s employment, if unsatisfied with their (fairly useless) non-photo ID. This question was met with a decidedly less-helpful “Um… I suppose. Uh, If you need to, I guess. Sure.”
While his feeble response was taken as an affirmative by me, I could not help but inquire as to why the Census Bureau would not issue basic picture IDs to the thousands of door-to-door representatives they were hiring – it seemed like a reasonable safety measure. His stammering, (poorly) regurgitated answer was that U.S. Census enumerator positions were, obviously, temporary in nature (April through August every 10 years); as such, the expense of producing picture IDs could not be justified. (Uh, and producing thousands of “Census 2010!” novelty foam fingers can be…?)
[fast forward one week]
http://cbs3.com/topstories/Frank.Kuni.United.2.1702110.html
Better yet, let me save you the click trouble and just pull a few points out of the piece (emphasis mine):
“A convicted sex offender has been arrested after *using a fake name* to get a job as a United States Census worker* in New Jersey, police said.”
(Still don’t see a need for requiring picture ID, do you?
Hmmm. I wonder if a class-action lawsuit filed on behalf of the 1.1 million citizens targeted for Census 2010 “Follow-Up” v. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce for gross negligence would be considered too much an expense to” justify”?)
“Frank J. Kuni, a registered sex offender in Pennsauken, is facing several charges after he portrayed a census worker during a visit to a home on May 4.
… Investigators said the 47-year-old Kuni apparently used an alias to get the census job. Kuni is being held at the Camden County Jail. He is facing charges of impersonating a *public official* and false representation.”
I guess the Census Bureau didn’t get the memo: “Public officials” – even if deemed so temporarily – are *required* by law to be vetted and background-checked. (More on that in my next post, which will link to a piece on the attempted rape in early May of a disabled woman in Indiana at the hands of a census worker who had been at her home the day before.)
Here’s the coup de grâce, people: We, as taxpayers, have forth more than $8 billion for this decentenial head-count. Note: That 2010 price-tag is just *projected* (read: it’ll cost more than that), and I don’t know what the U.S. Chamber’s annual budgetary allocation is for the Census Bureau, which would significantly add to the overall cost.
But the following passage from the below-linked “Census 2010!” budget does help clarify what areas of importance all of this money is sloshed into (again, any emphasis is mine):
http://www.census.gov/aboutus/FY_2010_Congressional_Submission.pdf
“…
The FY 2010 request reflects the following Census Bureau *priorities*/objectives:
• To meet constitutional and legislative mandates by implementing a reengineered 2010 Decennial Census Program designed to take advantage of opportunities for innovations made possible through the expanded use of technology. …
• To meet the needs of policymakers, businesses, non-profit organizations, and the public for current measures of the U.S. population, economy, and governments.
• To support the economic and political foundations of the U.S. by producing benchmark measures…
• To support innovation, promote data use, minimize respondent burden, respect individual privacy, and ensure confidentiality.
[end of section]
…”
Um, anyone see a bullet noting that the Census Bureau seeks to ensure that this constitutionally mandated people-counting process is conducted in a secure, aptly supervised, and – above all – safety-minded manner, as to not put the taxpayers funding it in harm’s way?
Yeah. Me neither.
That said, I’ll gladly volunteer to comb through the assumed $10-billion *2020* federal census budget for potential cost-savings, and then use them to create a “Mandatory Security Measures” section within the next fiscal plan… Who would like to be on my committee?
(Fish! – you can round up a posse … of auditors, controllers and mathematicians!)
O J2K-
As usual, you manage to put a fine point on this mess.
I am very careful to focus on the non-political issue at hand here and you really did a masterful job at making what is my issue, safety, predominant. I say that because regardless of anyone’s political beliefs, we have identified a breach to safety, and compromising a citizen potentially for this initiative
is unacceptable.
I know this will be almost laughable as a request, but just for once, can anyone effing say “This was a BAD IDEA” and hault the process. I nearly died when I saw the campaign “open your door to census workers..”
There is a perception of public trust associated with a Govt. employee, I liken this to everyone thinking a security guard is the same thing as a cop. Sheesh.
You have given me even more to think about, it is astounding.
B
ESR NEWS: Employment Screening Information for Employers
May 13, 2010
ALLEGED CRIME BY CENSUS WORKER CASTS SPOTLIGHT ON GOVERNMENT BACKGROUND CHECKS
(By Thomas Ahearn, ESR Staff Writer)
In the wake of a census worker being accused of assaulting a young disabled woman in southern Indiana, questions have arisen about security issues surrounding the government background checks of the thousands of workers for the once-in-a-decade U.S. Census.
According to a report on the WRTV Indianapolis News website, the mother of a disabled 21-year-old woman in Pekin, IN told police that her daughter was raped and beaten by a 39-year-old male census worker who had come to the family’s home last week asking for census information and then returned early Saturday morning and assaulted her daughter.
The County Sheriff was quoted in the story as saying the accused census worker – who Census officials said started working for the agency two weeks ago – gave the victim a black eye and tried to strangle her, and that there are marks around her neck. Police also said the man left his wallet, which had his driver’s license, on the victim’s bedroom floor.
According to officials, the U.S. Census Bureau performs stringent FBI background checks and “turns away anyone who fails check out OK.” Census workers should never ask to come inside a home, and should show an official identification badge with a Department of Commerce watermark and carry a black census bag with titling and a seal. Anyone suspecting a census worker of inappropriate behavior should call the Bureau.
…
According to the ‘Background Check FAQ’ page of the http://www.census.gov/ website, the Census Bureau takes public trust seriously and works to ensure that temporary workers undergo the most thorough and accurate background checks possible. The Census Hiring and Employment Check (CHEC) Branch of the Administrative and Management Systems Division (AMSD) performs background checks for all applicants and employees.
Applicants for temporary Census jobs go through a name check against the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (FBI) Name Index. The FBI database is searched to see if it contains a criminal history record file that matches an applicant’s name, date of birth, and social security number. This criminal history record file contains records of individuals that have been arrested and fingerprinted. All employees are fingerprinted on their first day of training and the fingerprint card(s) are submitted to FBI for processing.
Sources:
http://www.theindychannel.com/news/23526493/detail.html
http://www.census.gov/hrd/www/jobs/background.html
Here is the problem, the database does NOT sync up the social, meaning, you can obviously put in a faux social.
B
Thanks, J2K, for sharing the harrowing tales of squander. For the price of one Census Super Bowl ad ($2.5 million), every worker could have been interviewed (not done; only test scores qualify you) and issued a Photo ID card. For the cost of foam fingers, t-shirts, and more folly, Census workers could be electronically fingerprinted and checked in a fingerprint, social security number, name/address national database. Instead, Census managers were trained (oh, and re-trained because they were so bad), to print people manually.
No Excuses. Why was this not done?
Btw, I believe the Census is not paid for by tax revenues. Census statistics are for sale. Maybe Walmart, McDonald’s or Starbucks have funded this decennial boondoggle?
Some sources:
CNN wrote about the “communications” budget of this agency. It’s hard to believe none of that budget used to insure the safety of the respondents it so dearly wishes to reach.
http://money.cnn.com/2010/01/26/news/companies/super_bowl_census/index.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Census_bureau
[Personal note: If the Census poop I'm stepping in doesn't clear up soon, it's going National--it's that big and that bad.]
WG, Count on it.
I have been in the PR Industry forever, that budget rivals a new drug trial in some cases.
Excellent Point about the marketing data.
B
WG -
*clink*
Ehhhhhhxcellent points, woman. B nailed this whole thing with the term “astounding.”
One note:
(WordGirl:) “… Btw, I believe the Census is not paid for by tax revenues. Census statistics are for sale. Maybe Walmart, McDonald’s or Starbucks have funded this decennial boondoggle?”
WordG, any paid-for statistics, in regard to census findings, would certainly be a solid stream of budget revenue for the Bureau’s marketing, discretionary spending, etc., but make no mistake – this is a taxpayer-funded initiative/constitutional mandate.
*CLINK* CHALLENGE:
I am not able to do this right now (the Census 2010 budget pages scroll un-bee-lievably slow), but I am very curious how the budgetary allocations for this department:
*Census Hiring and Employment Check (CHEC) Branch of the Administrative an Management Systems Division (AMSD) (performs background checks for all applicants and employees)
…matches up with the other Census Bureau and related spending that WG is notes.
http://www.census.gov/aboutus/FY_2010_Congressional_Submission.pdf
Twinkletoes says:
May 21, 2010 at 2:00 pm
LMFAO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
SOOOOOOOOOOO been there but unfortunately, my visits never coincided with chopping veggies.
Some census dude was visiting this poor lady late at night. She refused to answer questions and the police shot and killed her. Part of Obama’s initiatives included arming census workers or allowing them to use police force If necessary. Not sure how publicized that initiative is, but I heard it somewhere. Scary! http://m.appeal-democrat.com/appeal/pm_13541/contentdetail.htm;jsessionid=BB898951AE01457F775F35206149D55C?contentguid=ijdcRsFM
http://abclocal.go.com/wpvi/story?section=news/crime&id=7454726
Al- I do not see any information about a census person and the woman shot by police, am I missing it?
B
Sounds like the lady in that link I posted AND her neighbors had repeated laTE night stalking by a census worker. Who is investigating this census worker? Hopefully someone! Maybe she was threatening this poor lady to the point she felt she had to defend herself and her home with a weapon! She never shot her gun, the police just shot her. Freaky!
http://www.news10.net/video/default.aspx?bctid=87313463001#/Police+kill+Yuba+City+woman+following+census+worker+run-in/87313463001
Al, found it.
There are no words, my heart goes out to this woman’s family.
I have a feeling we will be seeing her bereaved son, Matt Biscotti, on several news programs next week.
Also, wrt to the Federal warrants on Kuni, I am outraged.
Here is why-
It is clear the initiative is to take the emphasis off of the fact he was allowed to be employed PRIOR to the Federal background check coming back.
I want an immediate accounting of who else was hired, put in the field, and then let go based on background checks.
Blink, exactly. What is the point of doing background checks if you don’t wait for the results before sending people out into the field? Did we open a can of worms or what?
[...] Previous blinkoncrime.com coverage [...]
maybe it’s already been said
but why can’t the cencus takers just leave the form in the door with a return envelope and a DUE BY date
really only takes 2 minutes to fill out the form
on the form have a reference #
and if the gov’t doesn’t receive your form back in a reasonalbe alloted time, you recieve a ‘fine’ not anything exorbinant, but like $5.00,
if you recieve the ‘fine’ in the mail, and you have already submitted your information, you can call a 1-800 number and reference your reference number to see if they received it
maybe they should have some sort of arrangement with the post office that ‘delivery confirmation’ can be free (don’t know it it is already) and that way people can’t say I sent it when they have not
i have no problem answering my door (nra member . . .) but if someone on the other side is RUDE and on my property threatening me, then there will be a problem
but if someone (and it happens all the time) comes to share their faith, i have no problem chatting with them
(i think my big black barker makes them feel uncomfortable)
in my state we have to pay excise tax, and if you don’t pay it you get a warrent, my excise is like $16 a year and i’ve forgotten to pay it and have received the warrent, it was enough for me to just pay the dang thing and get it outa my hair
in this day and age i’m shocked that the govt’ didn’t have a better way of doing this
i saw the ads in the paper looking for workers, i would never even entertain the idea of applying for it, and i was unemployed at the time! funny how the census happens on during the worst unemployment crisis is recent history! so many people need jobs these days