We encourage states to retain the question concerning race on the birth and death certificates and we encourage states to include questions on race on marriage and divorce certificates. This can be accomplished by having this item in the confidential section as recommended for the standard certificates of 1968.
We urge the National Center for Health Statistics to continue and expand studies of the completeness of death registration and studies of the quality of data obtained on death certificates.
We urge the National Center for Health Statistics to encourage local agencies to classify both birth and death certificates by city block or census tract, perhaps using the address register being developed by the Bureau of the Census for the Census of 1970. This will make possible further studies of the vital rates of minority groups.
We support efforts to obtain a quinquennial census and we recommend that such a census obtain adequate information to permit study of the vital rates of minority groups.
We urge states to affiliate as rapidly as possible with the Marriage and Divorce Registration Areas established by the National Center for Health Statistics.
We encourage the National Center for Health Statistics and the Bureau of the Ceneus to explore, support and conduct surveys of fertility expectations and performnace. In particular, adequate information should be obtained for minority groups with distinctive fertility patterns.
Needed Enlargement in Available Social Statistics for Negroes, Puerto Ricans, and Mexicans
The Conference recommends that the Census Bureau continue to clearly identify Negroes, Puerto Ricans, Cubans, Mexicans, white persons of Spanish surname, and American Indians in the Census. For the specific groups for which more data are desired Census publications should replace the categories of white and non-white with more specific ethnic or racial designations; for example, Negro, American Indian, and Cuban.
Federal statistical surveys should be designed from the beginning to provide data for specific minority groups. This may require special sampling and tabulation programs in addition to specifications of content appropriate to the social situation of minorities.
The Bureau of the Census and other statistical agencies should continue to experiment with methods of identifying ethnic groups; for example, by ethnic origin, language spoken in the home and birthplace of grandparents.
The presentation of survey and census results should be expanded in two ways--in summary form for general users and in easily available special tabulations for professional users.
The Conference recommends that the Census Bureau conduct frequent surveys to provide for individual cities and the minority groups within cities data of the type included in the program of the Current Population Survey.
A full census should be carried out more frequently than at present. A 5 year census should replace the present 10 year census.
Apprising Organizations About the Census and other Sources of Social Statistics
The Joint Center for Urban Studies of M.I.T. and Harvard should apprise organizations interested in social statistics, particularly those concerned with minority groups, of the proceedings of this Conference