07/18/2001 

Norval D. Glenn, Ph.D.
Ashbel Smith Professor and Stiles Professor
in American Studies
University of Texas
Campus Mail Code: A1700
Austin, TX 78712

Dear Dr. Glenn:

Thank you for your cosigned letter regarding the U.S. Census Bureau's report. Living Arrangements of Children: Fall 1996.

As you note, the report attracted considerable media attention concerning one of the results we described - the increase in the proportion of children living with only their married biological parents and full siblings, which we had defined as the "traditional nuclear family." We have seen how this term may be interpreted differently by the media, as well as other data users, and agree that a more detailed set of tabulations could have assisted the reader in understanding the complexities of the issues and the trends between 1991 and 1996. The presentation of this statistic in the 1996 report was kept consistent with the previous report to establish a comparable trend. In future reports, we are considering an expanded distribution of living arrangements that would address the definitional concerns you raised.

We are not able to produce the types of additional tabulations mentioned in your letter now. The data in the 1991 and 1996 panels of the Survey of Income and Program Participation (SIPP) were collected and processed somewhat differently, and considerable programming time is required to investigate the issues that you raise. We cannot commit the needed resources because, of the urgent need to process and release data from Census 2000. The 1991 and 1996 "Wave 2" files from the SIPP are available on the Census Bureau Web site <www.census.gov> for researchers to analyze, and we encourage further analyses of the issues you raise.

We are interested in a continuing dialogue with researchers who would like to discuss their analytic results on this issue using the SIPP or other data sources. Mr. Martin O'Connell and. Mr. Jason Fields of the Fertility and Fanuly Statistics Branch in the Population Division will be happy to review any additional research you conduct or to answer any technical questions about these data. They can be reached on (301) 457-2416 or by e-mail at <moconnel@census.gov> and <jfields@census.gov>, respectively.

We recognize our responsibility to provide a wide array of data and information to the public, and letters like yours help us meet· this responsibility.

Sincerely,             
William G. Barron, Jr.
Acting Director
US CENSUS BUREAU
 

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