Output
Limitations
To maintain confidentiality, limitations are placed on the type and quantity of output that researchers are allowed to remove from the center.
- The Census Bureau must approve all statistical output removed from the center.
- Supplementary documentation is required for release of output.
- The clearance process can take three weeks or longer. Be sure to discuss timelines with RDC staff.
- Projects must emphasize output from statistical models as opposed to tabular output.
- Release of intermediate or tabular output is not allowed due to complementary disclosure risks.
- Advisors of graduate students should expect to visit the center to look over intermediary output.
- The Census Bureau has final say on what is cleared for release.
- The Census Bureau considers it important not only to avoid disclosure of confidential information but also to avoid the perception of disclosure.
Disciplinary Measures
Security policies are taken very seriously. Researchers will be held accountable for their actions and may be subject to disciplinary measures ranging from termination of project to fines of up to $250,000 and/or five years or less of imprisonment.
Literature on Disclosure Analysis
- Merrell, David R., and Arnold P. Reznek. 2002. "On disclosure protection for non-traditional statistical outputs."
- Merrell, David R., and Arnold P. Reznek. 2001. "On disclosure protection for non-traditional statistical outputs: Kernel density estimators." Proceedings of Statistics Canada Symposium 2001. Achieving Data Quality in a Statistical Agency: A Methodological Perspective.