Putting Humpty Together Again: Problems in Developing Adequate Bridging Techniques

• Activity Number: 63
• Type: Topic Contributed
• Date/Time: Monday, August 12, 2002 : 8:30 AM to 10:20 AM
• Sponsor: Section on Government Statistics*
• Author(s): Roderick Harrison*+
• Affiliation(s): Howard University
• Keywords: Race Reporting ; Bridging Methodologies ; Census 2000 ; Race/Ethnicity ; Civil Rights

Abstract

The OMB has found in simulations that the performance of several "bridging" deteriorates "as the number of multiple race respondents increases, suggesting that the allocation methods may be of decreasing utility over time, especially in some areas of the country" (OMB, 1999: 151). In several counties in the 2000 Census, high multiple response rates may already render proposed "bridging" techniques inadequate, especially using the OMB's Guidance on Aggregation and Allocation of Data on Race for Use in Civil Rights Monitoring and Enforcement. This paper will examine counties and MSA's, where the ratio of multiple race and of "civil rights" to single race responses are high for major race groups with substantial representation in the area. These counts will be compared with 2000 population estimates and, if available, with Census Bureau's "bridging" survey data, to identify areas where these counts differ substantially from what might have been obtained if the race question had not changed and, hence, may be vulnerable to legal challenge. Alternative allocations using the racial compositions of neighborhoods and households will be examined to see if they produce less vulnerable counts.