[PW] Release of Census Data

[Dan Clinton]

"Under federal law, personal census data can't be released until 72
years after its collection. Lawmakers believed this would protect most
peoples' privacy, although that might be wishful thinking today:
Census Bureau officials note that 20 million people listed in the 1930
census are still alive and life expectancy has increased from 60 years
in 1930 to 77 now."

The proper answer to the question is that most regulations regarding
the census are dictated by Congress. The 72-year moratorium is one
such federal law (and should probably be revised). A previous poster
gave the reference to the appropriate 1978 federal statute.

All Census federal employees and Special Sworn Status individuals --
such as myself -- are sworn not to reveal any data which would
identify a specific individual or business, ever. Consequently,
Congress must pass an exception to its mandated privacy rules in order
for us to release old decennial census data. I assume they asked us to
choose an appropriate date when they wrote the law.

Dan Clinton / Technical Services Librarian / US Census Bureau Library

On Nov 16, 2007 9:15 AM, Callum Finlayson <c at llum.org> wrote:
> I've heard 2 reasons, neither of which I'm able to verify.
>
> 1. The life expectancy at birth of the average (white) american in 1950
> 2. The longest period that would permit the 1880 census to be opened when the law was enacted in 1952
>
> Of the two I'm inclined to favour the latter as I believe that in the early 50s medical opinion placed LEAB significantly lower than ~70 years
>
>
>  Callum
>
>
>
> >It is assumed by that time all of the people or most would have passed away.
> >It was chosen in a time when people did not live as long as they do today.
> >
> >Something I learned doing genealogy.
> >
> >Suzanne Guinn, director
> >Hilda Kroeker Library
> >Calvary Bible College
> >15800 Calvary Road
> >Kansas City, MO 64147
> >
> >-----Original Message-----
> >From: project-wombat-fm-bounces at lists.project-wombat.org
> >[mailto:project-wombat-fm-bounces at lists.project-wombat.org] On Behalf Of
> >Joan Small
> >Sent: Thursday, November 15, 2007 3:34 PM
> >To: list at project-wombat.org
> >Subject: [PW] Release of Census Data
> >
> >Patron wants to know why census data is released only after a period of 72
> >years.  Is there a particular reason why this number of years was chosen?
> >We checked Google and the Census Bureau website.  Thanks.
> >
> >
> >
> >Joan Small
> >
> >Mantor Library
> >
> >University of Maine at Farmington
> >
> >Farmington ME
> >
> >_______________________________________________
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> >list at project-wombat.org
> >http://www.project-wombat.org
> >
> >
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>



-- 
IMNSHO,
Dan