Don't answer Census, don't face going to jail, 11-14-07

Government demands answers, but official confirms penalties not applied

Another month is coming, and another 250,000 forms are being mailed out in the U.S. Census Bureau's perpetual American Community Survey, which demands responses to personal questions about a family's lifestyle, housing accommodations, work schedules, physical and mental disabilities, income and the like.

That means roughly 250,000 times recipients will see the warning that participation is required by law, and there are penalties including fines for not answering each question. But, in fact, U.S. Census Bureau officials say they've never had anyone prosecuted for refusing to provide those intimate details to the government.

Read entire article, November 14, 2007