Shows why social statistics are important and how they are put to use in the interest of the public. Written by a sociologist who serves as Director of the Population Research Center at the University of Chicago, the book illustrates the many applications social statistics have for governmental agencies at the federal, state, and local levels; for the business community; for labor unions; for educators and researchers; and for the general public. The author provides a description of the major bodies of social statistical information, including population; births, deaths, and health; marriage, divorce, and the family; education; the labor force; crime; consumption and the consumer; recreation; governments; and public opinion polls.

Here is an encyclopedic summary of the field of demography, ranging from its historical beginnings to promising subjects for its future study, from analysis of the subfields of demography to the possibilities of its integration with other scientific disciplines. The Study of Population contains contributions by twenty-eight top-ranking population specialists, each of whom writes with a thorough knowledge of his field.