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POLI 381: Senior Seminar in Public Administration

This is a guide for Professor Holoviak's POL 381 class.

Statistics Online

Berks County Statistics (also search using the search box on the upper left)

CensusScope A useful tool for investigating US demographic trends presented as graphics and maps.

Economic Indicators Provided by the White House. Drawing on the research and statistical databases of several dozen federal agencies (including the National Agricultural Statistics Services).

EconStats Provides access to a "... range of economic data from the United States, such as information about inflation, unemployment levels, productivity, new factory orders, and the price of crude oil. The homepage also contains links to economic data from Canada, Britain, Germany, the European Union, France, Italy, Russia, and China."

Statistical Abstracts Site presents editions of the annual U.S. Census Bureau publication, from the document's inception in 1878 to the present.

International Statistical Agencies A list of links compiled by the BLS to the national agencies for statistics for many countries throughout the world. (Scroll down for list of countries.)

Pennsylvania State Data Center The Pennsylvania State Data Center is a cooperative program between Pennsylvania and the U.S. Census Bureau.

Pennsylvania Department of Health: Bureau of Health Statistics and Research Create customized data tables, charts, maps and county assessments/profiles of birth, death, cancer, behavioral risk, and population statistics. 

PollingReport.com Online presence of The Polling Report , a bi-monthly "independent survey of trends affecting elections, government, and business."

United Nations Statistical Division Contains links to many resources of global statistical information some available without fee.

Major US Govemrnment Agencies

Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA)

The Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) promotes a better understanding of the U.S. economy by providing the most timely, relevant, and accurate economic accounts data in an objective and cost-effective manner. The cornerstone of BEA’s statistics is the national income and product accounts (NIPAs), which feature the estimates of gross domestic product (GDP) and related measures.

Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS)

Access to statistics on several subjects including Crime and Victims, Criminal Offenders, and other special topics such as homicide trends, drugs and crime, reentry trends, and international statistics.

Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS)

Principal fact-finding agency for the Federal Government in the broad field of labor economics and statistics. The BLS is an independent national statistical agency that collects, processes, analyzes, and disseminates essential statistical data to the public, the U.S. Congress, other Federal agencies, State and local governments, business, and labor. Also serves as a statistical resource to the Department of Labor. BLS data must satisfy a number of criteria, including relevance to current social and economic issues, timeliness in reflecting today's rapidly changing economic conditions, accuracy and consistently high statistical quality, and impartiality in both subject matter and presentation.

Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS)

The Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) was born as a statistical agency in 1992. As a statistical agency, is policy-neutral-an objective broker for the facts; covers all of transportation; does independent data collection and analysis; has unique competencies in statistics, economics, information technology, geographic information systems, and transportation.

 Census Bureau

Publishes more statistics than any other agency. Provides easy A-Z subject access. Also includes a section on state and county quick facts which provides statistical profiles of geographical areas. It also includes more than 60,000 bibliographic and textual products, historical information as well as the most recent Census data, increasing amounts of background information as well as tables that supplement published articles and studies. The Census Bureau also publishes subject censuses on agriculture, economics, trade, etc.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is one of the 13 major operating components of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), which is the principal agency in the United States government for protecting the health and safety of Americans and for providing essential human services, especially for those people who are least able to help themselves. Contains a seperate section on statistics and data which covers a comprehensive list of subjects.

 CentStats

Provides detailed searching of demographic and economic information at the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Children’s Bureau—Data and Information Systems

The Administration for Children and Families (ACF), within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is responsible for federal programs that promote the economic and social well-being of families, children, individuals, and communities. The site provides includes access to child welfare statistics.

ChildStats.gov

Easy access to statistics and reports on children and families, including: population and family characteristics, economic security, health, behavior and social environment, and education. The Forum fosters coordination, collaboration, and integration of Federal efforts to collect and report data on conditions and trends for children and families.

Economic Research Service (ERS)

Main source of economic information and research from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. ERS’ program encompasses research, analyses of food and commodity markets, policy studies, and development of economic and statistical indicators. The information and analyses are produced for the private sector and to help the executive and legislative branches of the Federal Government develop, administer, and evaluate farm, food, rural, and resource policies and programs.

Economic Statistics Briefing Room (ESBR)

Provides easy access to current Federal economic indicators. Also provides links to information produced by a number of Federal agencies. All of the information included in the Economic Statistics Briefing Room is maintained and updated by the statistical units of those agencies. All the estimates for the indicators presented in the Federal Statistics Briefing Rooms are the most currently available values. The site includes statistical information on employment, income, international transactions, money, transportation, production, output, and prices.

Energy Information Administration (EIA)

The Energy Information Administration (EIA), created by Congress in 1977, is a statistical agency of the U.S. Department of Energy. Provides policy-independent data, forecasts, and analyses to promote sound policy making, efficient markets, and public understanding regarding energy and its interaction with the economy and the environment.

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

While there is not a specifc section on statistics this agency website contains valuable data on numerous environmental topics. Use the search function to locate items on specific subjects.

Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

Provides comprehensive data on national security issues and concerns. Also provides links to FBI reports and publications.

Federal Election Commission (FEC)

In 1975, Congress created the Federal Election Commission (FEC) to administer and enforce the Federal Election Campaign Act (FECA)—the statute that governs the financing of federal elections. The duties of the FEC, which is an independent regulatory agency, are to disclose campaign finance information, to enforce the provisions of the law such as the limits and prohibitions on contributions, and to oversee the public funding of Presidential elections.

Federal Reserve System (the Fed) Online

As the central bank of the United States the Fed provides reliable resources on a variety of economic topics. Particularly valuable are the links to the Fed in Print and the financial and regulatory reports.

Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) Statistical Database

FAOSTAT is an on-line and multilingual database currently containing over 3 million time-series records covering international statistics in the following areas: production, trade, food balance sheets, producer prices, forestry trade flow, land use and irrigation, forest products, fishery products, population, food quality control, fertilizer and pesticides, agricultural machinery, food aid shipments, and exports by destination.

Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS)

The Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) works to improve foreign market access for U.S. products, build new markets, improve the competitive position of U.S. agriculture in the global marketplace, and provide food aid and technical assistance to foreign countries.

Internal Revenue Service (IRS)

Use Tax Stats link to find comprehensive statistical data.

Internal Revenue Services Statistics of Income

Provides a wide range of tables, articles, and data that describe and measure elements of the U.S. tax system.

National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS)

NASS publications cover a wide range of subjects, from traditional crops, such as corn and wheat, to specialties, such as mushrooms and flowers; from calves born to hogs slaughtered; from agricultural prices to land in farms. The abundance of information produced has earned for NASS employees the title, “The Fact Finders of Agriculture.”

National Center for Education Statistics (NCES)

NCES is the primary federal entity for collecting and analyzing data that are related to education in the United State and other nations. This is an excellent resource for detailed information on schools, colleges (both public and private), and libraries.

National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS)

The mission of the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) is to provide statistical information that will guide actions and policies to improve the health of the American people. As the Nation’s principal health statistics agency, NCHS leads the way with accurate, relevant, and timely data.

National Clearinghouse on Child Abuse and Neglect Information

National Criminal Justice Reference Service

Provides access to statistical information on a variety of topics including homicide, gun violence, law enforcement, and juvenile justice.

National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) is the federal agency responsible for conducting research and making recommendations for the prevention of work-related injury and illness. NIOSH is part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the Department of Health and Human Services.

Occupational Safety and Health Admin. (OSHA)

Use Statistics link to access comprehensive statistical data.

Poverty Guidelines, Research, and Measurement

Resources for poverty data.