The Census Bureau reports public sector information from several surveys and programs. It is important to understand that different surveys and methods, which are designed to meet different needs, may produce different results.

Background information and links to each survey or program’s website are provided below.

Annual Parole Survey and Annual Probation Survey

These surveys collect administrative data from probation and parole agencies in the U.S. Published data include both national and state-level data.

Annual Survey of Jails (ASJ)

Collects data from a nationally representative sample of local jails on jail inmate populations, jail capacity, and related information.

Annual Survey of Public Employment & Payroll (ASPEP)

Provides state and local government data on full-time and part-time employment, part-time hours worked, full-time equivalent employment, and payroll statistics.

Annual Survey of Public Pensions (ASPP)

The Survey of Public Pensions provides revenues, expenditures, financial assets, and membership information for the defined benefit public pensions.

Annual Survey of School System Finances

Provides statistics about the finances of elementary and secondary public school systems.

Annual Survey of State Government Finances

State Government Finances provides a comprehensive summary of annual survey findings for state governments.

Annual Survey of State Government Tax Collections (STC)

The STC provides a summary of taxes collected by state for 5 broad tax categories and up to 25 tax subcategories.

Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances

Statistics on revenue, expenditure, debt, and assets (cash and security holdings) for governments.

Building Permits Survey (BPS)

The purpose of the Building Permits Survey is to provide national, state, and local statistics on new privately-owned residential construction.

Census of Governments

Identifies the scope and nature of the nation's state and local government sector including public finance and public employment and classifications.

Census of Jails

Collects information on each facility, including admissions and releases, use of space, crowding, staffing, inmate work assignments, and counseling programs.

Census of Juveniles in Resident Placement (CJRP)

Collects detailed information on youth residing in detention, correctional, and other shelter facilities.

Census of State and Federal Adult Correctional Facilities

Provides information on the types of inmates housed, facility age and type, building plans, security level, security conditions, and staff characteristics.

Common Core of Data (CCD)

Collects fiscal and non-fiscal data about all public schools, public school districts and state education agencies in the United States.

Criminal Justice Administrative Records System (CJARS)

Data infrastructure for the next generation of statistics and research on the criminal justice system and the population that interacts with it.

Education Demographic and Geographic Estimates (EDGE) Program

Uses spatial data to create geographic locale indicators, school point locations, school district boundaries, and other data to support spatial analysis.

Federal Audit Clearinghouse (FAC)

Distributes single audit reporting packages to federal agencies.

Government Units Survey (GUS)

The GUS collects current information to update the universe of county, municipal, township, special district, and school district governments.

Justice Assistance Data Survey

This direct survey of governments collects detailed justice expenditure data.

Justice Expenditure and Employment Extracts

Data include the expenditures and employment of the federal government, state governments, and a sample of county, municipal, and township governments.

Juvenile Residential Facility Census (JRFC)

Provides a count of juveniles in state, county, municipal and privately run juvenile correctional facilities.

Local Education Agency (School District) Finance Survey (F-33)

Provides revenue and expenditure data for all school districts in the United States.

Mortality in Correctional Institutions (MCI)

Collects inmate death records from each of the nation's 50 state prison systems, Federal Bureau of Prisons, and approximately 2,800 local jail jurisdictions.

National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS)

The nation's primary source of information on criminal victimization.

National Juvenile Justice Directory Program

Directory of all juvenile facilities in the US; Maintained by CJSB and serves as the universe for both Juvenile surveys (OJJDP).

National Prisoner Statistics (NPS) Program

Produces annual national and state-level data on the number of prisoners in state and federal prison facilities.

National Teacher and Principal Survey (NTPS)

Provides descriptive data on elementary and secondary education and provides a variety of statistics on the condition of education in the United States.

Police-Public Contact Survey (PPCS)

Provides detailed information on the characteristics of persons who had some type of contact with police during the year.

Principal Follow-Up Survey (PFS)

The purpose of the Principal Follow-up Survey (PFS) is to determine how many principals in the base (NTPS) school year still work as a principal.

Private School Universe Survey (PSS)

Provides biennial data on the total number of private schools, teachers, and students; and provides a complete list of private schools.

Public Libraries Survey (PLS)

Provides statistics on the status of public libraries in the United States.

Quarterly Summary of State & Local Tax Revenue (QTAX)

The Quarterly Summary of State and Local Government Tax Revenue provides quarterly estimates of state and local government tax revenue at a national level.

Quarterly Survey of Public Pensions (QSPP)

Provides national summary data on the revenues, expenditures, and composition of assets of the largest defined benefit public employee retirement systems.

School Crime Supplement (SCS)

Collects information about victimization, crime, and safety at school.

School District Review Program (SDRP)

The SDRP allows state officials to review the Census Bureau school district information and to provide the Census Bureau with updates and corrections.

School Survey on Crime and Safety (SSOCS)

Provides estimates of school crime, discipline, disorder, programs and policies.

Page Last Revised - November 22, 2021

Is this page helpful?
Thumbs Up Image

Yes

NO THANKS

255 characters maximum

255 characters maximum reached

Thank you for your feedback.
Comments or suggestions?

Top