PROFESSIONAL AUTONOMY FOR

STATISTICAL AGENCIES–

FINDINGS FROM AN ASSESSMENT

Constance F. Citro 

Independent Consultant and 

CNSTAT Senior Scholar

October 25, 2022
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 What protects the autonomy of the federal statistical 

agencies? An assessment of the procedures in place to 

protect the independence and objectivity of official U.S. 

statistics (Citro, Potok, et al., forthcoming, Journal of Statistics 

and Public Policy)

 Defines “professional autonomy” as—

An agency’s ability to act independently from political or other 

undue external influence with regard to its operations, such as 

data collection and analysis, staffing, and publications.

 Language borrowed in part from CNSTAT’s Principles and 

Practices for a Federal Statistical Agency (2021, 7th Edition)

What Is It (Professional Autonomy)?
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 Statistical agencies of course operate within framework 

of congressional and executive oversight

 Professional autonomy does not mean that agencies 

wall themselves off from/hold themselves above 

direction/criticism

 Agencies must keep in close touch with the information 

needs of the nation and various user constituencies

 Agencies must seek outside expert advice to keep up to 

date with latest methods and to contribute to same

What Is It Not?
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6 Elements of Professional Autonomy

Statistical Policy 

Directive No. 1/ 

Evidence Act 

Protections for All 

Agencies

Additional Statutory Protections for Specific Agencies

BTS EIA BJS Census

(1) Data Collection 

& Analysis

YES STRONG STRONG

(2) Systems YES INTERMEDIATE

(3) Publication YES STRONG STRONG

(4) Staffing YES (HIRING);

NO (STAFFING 

LEVELS)

WEAK

(HIRING)

STRONG WEAK

(5) Budget NO WEAK

(6) Contracting NO WEAK STRONG

Five agencies (BEA, ERS, NASS, ORES, SOI) lack even basic enabling legislation, 

and most agencies’ legal authorization does not address autonomy.
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 YES, statistical agencies need credibility with data users 

and stakeholders and trust of data responders—

perception and reality of professional autonomy are 

critical to credibility and trust

An object lesson – CDC was in part politicized under the previous 

administration, and it is not trusted by half the population

 Stat agencies not in that dire straits—indeed, NYTimes 

documented resistance of Census Bureau career staff to 

attempted politicization of the 2020 census, and ERS/USDA built 

back up its staff after forced move to Kansas City—but the 

system would be naive to rest on its laurels

Does Autonomy Really Matter?
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 YES, previous administration was 

egregious, but other administrations have 

tried to influence timing/content of 

statistical publications, retaliated against 

agencies/ staff, etc.

 Agencies have remarkably little legislative 

protection against undue external 

influence

Is It (Can It Be) Threatened?
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 LEGISLATION (based on blue-ribbon panel)

to authorize all principal statistical 

agencies and strengthen their 

professional autonomy

 STRENGTHENED role of CHIEF STATISTICIAN

and PERIODIC ASSESSMENTS of health and 

performance of statistical agencies

Recommendations 
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 Of course, norms/laws can be broken, but 

without authorization/protections in law, 

agencies don’t have a leg to stand on

 “Informal” protection is also key—namely, 

user/stakeholder community that trusts an 

agency and will rise to its defense

 Requires transparency, adherence to standards, 

good documentation at different levels

 Requires strong two-way relationships with users

Is Legislation Fool-Proof? 

What Else Can Help?
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 Agencies (understandably) focus on data 

collection/production/release

 Often don’t sufficiently prioritize/internalize 

user needs/documentation/et al.

 Detail staff to users (e.g., states, businesses)

 Get user input well ahead of proposed 

changes; respond to user feedback

 Do crosswalks, parallel series

 Elevate/empower user viewpoint in agency

Building User Relationships
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Strengthened Laws/Stakeholder 

Relationships << Stronger Agencies

THANK YOU!

Connie Citro

ccitro@nas.edu

Principles and Practices for a Federal 

Statistical Agency (7th edition)

available from the 

National Academies Press 

http://www.nap.edu