Assaults on census workers up dramatically in 2010

Temporary Census Bureau workers were the target of about 700 incidents of violence this year, more than four time as many than ten years ago, reports The Post's Carol Morello:

Robert M. Groves, director of the Census Bureau, said that there were only a few cases in which weapons were discharged. He estimated that census workers seeking information from people who didn't mail back their census forms in April had paid approximately 100 million visits to homes - a figure that includes multiple visits before census workers found anyone present. Groves said that statistically, the potential for violence was "fairly rare."

"Each is a horrible event," Groves added, speaking at the National Press Club while briefing reporters on how the census is winding down operations. "But in terms of risk, it's really quite rare."

Though the number of incidents is significantly higher than the 181 reported during the last census, officials have said that the comparison is less alarming than it appears. Not only is the population larger, but census officials believe workers this year were more aware of the potential threat, so they were more likely to report incidents.

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