Changes

In addressing the potential of manipulation of Hot-Deck Imputation, the court said, "The Court need not decide here the precise methodological limits foreseen by the Census Clause. It need say only that in this instance, where all efforts have been made to reach every household, where the methods used consist not of statistical sampling but of inference, where that inference involves a tiny percent of the population, where the alternative is to make a far less accurate assessment of the population, and where consequently manipulation of the method is highly unlikely, those limits are not exceeded."

In addressing the potential of manipulation of Hot-Deck Imputation, the court said, "The Court need not decide here the precise methodological limits foreseen by the Census Clause. It need say only that in this instance, where all efforts have been made to reach every household, where the methods used consist not of statistical sampling but of inference, where that inference involves a tiny percent of the population, where the alternative is to make a far less accurate assessment of the population, and where consequently manipulation of the method is highly unlikely, those limits are not exceeded."

This statement seems to contradict itself.  If hot-deck imputation is used for such a "tiny percent of the population", how can it's omission cause a "far less accurate assessment of the population"?  In order to skew the results that much, hot-deck imputation would have to be used for much more than a "tiny percent".  The court is exaggerating the impact of hot-deck imputation.  If used only when necessary, the data collected from hot-deck imputation may be negligible.

This statement seems to contradict itself.  If hot-deck imputation is used for such a "tiny percent of the population", how can its omission cause a "far less accurate assessment of the population"?  In order to skew the results that much, hot-deck imputation would have to be used for much more than a "tiny percent".  The court is exaggerating the impact of hot-deck imputation.  If used only when necessary, the data collected from hot-deck imputation may be negligible.

As the court says above, hot-deck imputation is valuable only when used out of absolute necessity.  The problem is, there is no way to make sure that its use is saved for situations which truly require it.  The lack of laws about the use of hot-deck imputation opens the opportunity for its misuse and manipluation.

As the court says above, hot-deck imputation is valuable only when used out of absolute necessity.  The problem is, there is no way to make sure that its use is saved for situations which truly require it.  The lack of laws about the use of hot-deck imputation opens the opportunity for its misuse and manipluation.