Reaching special populations is the essence of survey and analytical work at NORC. Examples of some special populations we have worked with include:
NORC has a strong interest in and record of research related to children, including studies assessing the effects of pre-school programs, looking at the effects neighborhoods have on disadvantaged children, studying the prevalence of smoking in high schools, and measuring vaccination rates among young children.
NORC studies of people with disabilities include work related injuries, environmental exposure disabilities, and people receiving Social Security Disability Income.
Through its affiliation with the Center on Demography and Economics of Aging at the University of Chicago, NORC has contributed to a variety of projects studying the topic, including:
Many of the studies NORC conducts include an analysis of demographic factors such as race and ethnicity. Some studies have focused on eliminating disparities between racial and ethnic groups that affect key life outcomes such as health and educational attainment, while other studies have followed trends in inter-group relations. A third kind of study has examined the disparity in outcomes through the criminal justice system.
During its history, NORC has made significant contributions to the development of knowledge about immigrants and refugees and their experiences. Early in the decade, NORC conducted the largest national survey of legal immigrants ever fielded in this country.
NORC has applied its expert knowledge of data collection and survey technologies to the topic of criminal justice. Its national field staff has experience interviewing the incarcerated population while safeguarding respondent confidentiality.
NORC research on students includes educational outcomes for students as well as the assessment of programs designed to improve those outcomes.
NORC staff have examined the earnings and employment outcomes of recently discharged veterans for the Veterans Employment and Training Service at the Department of Labor. They have also studied the labor market outcomes for retired military personnel for the Quadrennial Review of Military Compensation conducted by the Department of Defense.