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Prison Gerrymandering Project for August 5, 2016 The 2010 Census counted more than 2 million people in the wrong place. How does your vote suffer as a result?

Census Bureau extends deadline for residence rule comments

Should the Census Bureau count incarcerated people as willing residents of prisons?

The Census Bureau has extended the deadline to submit comments to September 1, 2016, explaining:

“Because of the scope of the proposed criteria, and in response to individuals and organizations who have requested more time to review the proposed criteria, the Census Bureau has decided to extend the comment period for an additional 31 days.”

The Bureau has requested comments on its proposed residence rules for the 2020 Census, which include a plan to once again count incarcerated people as if they were residents of the facility where they happen to be located on Census Day, rather than at home.

Written comments regarding the proposed “2020 Census Residence Rule and Residence Situations” can be emailed by September 1 to Karen Humes, Chief, Population Division at POP.2020.Residence.Rule@census.gov

If you submit a comment letter to the Bureau, we'd greatly appreciate it if you could please forward a copy to us at FRN@prisonpolicy.org

New to prison gerrymandering? We have the talking points to get your comment letter started.

 

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Prison Gerrymandering Comment of the Day series

In case you missed it, we've been highlighting key passages from the 155 comments the Census Bureau received last year in favor of counting incarcerated people at their home addresses. They include:

  • Four members of the Massachusetts Legislature explaining that the prison miscount undermines the one person, one vote principle and opens states up to costly litigation.
  • A law professor and empirical economist discussing the importance of accurate redistricting data.
  • The Formerly Incarcerated and Convicted People's Movement objecting to being counted in the wrong jurisdictions on Census Day.

Check out our Prisoners of the Census blog for more.


The New York Times: prison gerrymandering a "discredited practice"

Also joining the opposition to the Census Bureau's proposed residence rules is the Editorial Board of The New York Times. In "The Wrong Way to Count Prisoners," they call on the Census Bureau to stop "counting prison inmates as 'residents' of prisons — where they typically remain for only a short time — instead of the communities they call home."

 

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Prison Policy Initiative
PO Box 127
Northampton, Mass. 01061