Too big to ignore:
How counting people in prisons distorted Census 2000

By Rose Heyer and Peter Wagner
Prison Policy Initiative
April 2004

• Press release
• Executive Summary
• Report:
  • Introduction
  • Impact on county size
  • Impact on race, ethnicity and age statistics
  • Impact on gender statistics
  • Impact on income statistics
  • Conclusion
  • Acknowledgements
• Interactive data tables

Followup research and articles, often with data tables

• Census data asks: Where are the Hispanic children? But it's the wrong question October 11, 2004
• Outdated methodology impairs Census Bureau's count of Black population May 3, 2004
• Prison expansion made 56 counties with declining populations appear to be growing in Census 2000 April 26, 2004
• Twenty one counties have twenty one percent of their population in prisons and jails April 19, 2004

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Speaking engagements

• February 8, 2010: We'll be doing briefings about prison-based gerrymandering by conference call at 1pm and 4pm EST. Join us. More info.
• February 16, 2010: We'll be doing a briefing about prison-based gerrymandering in New York by conference call at 1pm EST. Join us. More info.
• March 25-28, 2010: Peter Wagner will be attending the National Redistricting Seminar in Austin, Texas organized by the National Conference of State Legislatures

Not near you? Invite Peter to your town.

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