Citation

Prewitt K. Ann. Am. Acad. Polit. Soc. Sci. 2010; 631(1): 225-238.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2010, SAGE Publishing)

DOI

10.1177/0002716210373737

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Federal statistical agencies are funded and supervised by elected and appointed politicians. What counts as political interference is not self-evident. This article offers a working definition of interference, emphasizing the importance of an agency offering its best judgment regarding accurate measurement of a given phenomenon, its ability to apply state-of-the-art science in that measurement, and its protection from pre-clearance of the resulting statistical product. Interference is indicated by efforts to shape statistical products to achieve political advantage. Statistical adjustment to correct the differential under-count in the decennial census is used to illustrate political interference.