YES....BUT......

by joelaro , Friday, September 14, 2012, 14:28 @ Theresa

Theresa,
I'll be the first to admit that breaking down an old lady's door is a bit over the top. Let me speculate on that. The Census Enumerator may well have been an a**hole. The Census Bureau hires a lot of part-time people to beat the pavement and the only screening they do is to find out if the applicants can read a map and do simple math. Almost anyone can get a job as an enumerator (canvasser). I've met some real losers who shouldn't be allowed to carry an enumerator's shoulder bag (the ONLY real ID we carry). One that I worked with in 2010, for example, considered herself an appointed policeman/judge. She was a holy terror in the field and tried to use intimidation to force reluctant residents to divulge information. She, of course, didn't get support or authorization from the Bureau Chiefs but that didn't stop her from attacking innocent victims. It takes all kinds and every census taker is different. I was successful by being patient and understanding with people. Most of them thanked me for making the task quick and non-confrontational.

If the census taker in question was one of the disagreeable types, he may have called the police (totally unauthorized, I assure you) and asked them to look into the well being of the old lady who wasn't answering her door. The police may have gotten concerned and decided to break in to see if the old lady needed assistance. It happens all the time when a neighbor or relative calls the police to check on someone who isn't be responsive. I guarantee the police didn't knock the door down to give the census taker access to a reluctant resident who didn't want to answer census questions. Although the Census Bureau has laws at their disposal to require compliance, in all the time I've worked for them, I've never seen a single case where law enforcement or the courts have been used to get answers. Instead, we are encouraged to talk to neighbors (I don't like doing that because it makes us look like spies) to get what we need.

The lady you cited may have had a narrow definition of what she considered appropriate for the census taker to ask. Some of the questions can be down right invasive. If the census taker decided the lady was being evasive, he may have decided to take matters in his own hands and show her how much "power" he had. Calling the police on a trumped up "citizen may need assistance" ploy could have been his way of retaliation.

I'm not sure about the lack of ID issue. As I recall, part-time workers are only given a generic "badge" without a picture to establish their credentials. I think it might have something to do with people misusing them after their term of duty has expired. I could be wrong on that, but I don't remember having any form of identification to show people, just a phone number that people could call if they had questions.

People are free to deal with census takers however they chose but my advice would be to bite the bullet, answer the questions, and get it over with. Why subject yourself to numerous repeat visits, having your neighbors questioned, and putting up with even more harassment from obnoxious field supervisors? Civil disobedience may feel good but it isn't very effective with lowly census takers.

And a belated Happy Birthday, Theresa. Sorry I missed the exact day but things have been a little hectic around my house lately.
Love, Joe