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All Outputs (77)

Confidentiality and linked data (2018)
Book Chapter
Ritchie, F., & Smith, J. Confidentiality and linked data. In G. Roarson (Ed.), Privacy and Data Confidentiality Methods – a National Statistician’s Quality Review (1-34). Newport: Office for National Statistics

This chapter considers the confidentiality issues around linked data. It notes that the use and availability of secondary (adminstrative or social media) data, allied to powerful processing and machine learning techniques, in theory means that re-ide... Read More about Confidentiality and linked data.

Evidence-based, default-open, risk-managed, user-centred data access (2018)
Presentation / Conference
Ritchie, F., Hafner, H., Lenz, R., & Welpton, R. (2018, October). Evidence-based, default-open, risk-managed, user-centred data access. Paper presented at Conference of European Statistics Stakeholders, Bamberg

In recent years, there has been an increasing demand from the academic community for more access to confidential data for research purposes, particularly that data collected by government departments. This has happened for three reasons. First, both... Read More about Evidence-based, default-open, risk-managed, user-centred data access.

Re-thinking the indices of multiple deprivation (for England): A review and exploration of alternative/complementary area-based indicator systems (2018)
Report
Smith, I., Green, E., Whittard, D., & Ritchie, F. (2018). Re-thinking the indices of multiple deprivation (for England): A review and exploration of alternative/complementary area-based indicator systems. London: Power to Change

Power to Change was established by the Big Lottery as an organisation whose mission is to fund community businesses and through such investment make an impact on the most disadvantaged places in England. Through setting its mission to target the most... Read More about Re-thinking the indices of multiple deprivation (for England): A review and exploration of alternative/complementary area-based indicator systems.

Spontaneous recognition: An unneccessary control on data access? (2017)
Book Chapter
Ritchie, F. (2017). Spontaneous recognition: An unneccessary control on data access?. In E. Baldacci, G. Benoist, C. Boldsen, M. Galambosne Tiszbergen, J. Gerendas, M. Karlberg, …Z. Vereczkei (Eds.), Selected papers from the 2016 Conference of European Statistics Stakeholders (148-158). Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union. https://doi.org/10.2785/091435

Social scientists increasingly expect to have access to detailed source microdata for research purposes. As the level of detail increases, data owners worry about ‘spontaneous recognition’, the likelihood that a microdata user believes that he or she... Read More about Spontaneous recognition: An unneccessary control on data access?.

Open data: Who needs it? (2017)
Presentation / Conference
Ritchie, F. (2017, September). Open data: Who needs it?. Presented at UNECE/Eurostat work session on statistical data confidentiality - 2017, Skopje, FYR Macedonia

This presentation, to introduce and stimulate a panel discussion, argued that we have 50 years worth of experience in knowing how to use data safely for researcher; as such we should be concentrating on practical management problems not theory: "how-... Read More about Open data: Who needs it?.

Lessons learned in training ‘safe users’ of confidential data (2017)
Presentation / Conference
Ritchie, F., Green, E., Newman, J., & Parker, T. (2017, September). Lessons learned in training ‘safe users’ of confidential data. Paper presented at UNECE/Eurostat work session on statistical data confidentiality - 2017, Skopje, FYR Macedonia

Many statistical organisations require researchers using detailed sensitive data to undergo ‘safe researcher’ training. Such training has traditionally reflected the ‘policing’ model of data protection. This mirrors the defensive stance often adopted... Read More about Lessons learned in training ‘safe users’ of confidential data.

The "Five Safes": A framework for planning, designing and evaluating data access solutions (2017)
Presentation / Conference
Ritchie, F. (2017, September). The "Five Safes": A framework for planning, designing and evaluating data access solutions. Paper presented at Data for Policy 2017, London, UK

The ‘Five Safes’ is a popular way to structure thinking about data access solutions. Originally used mainly by statistical agencies and social science academics , in recent years it has been adopted more widely across government, health organisations... Read More about The "Five Safes": A framework for planning, designing and evaluating data access solutions.

Spontaneous recognition: An unnecessary control on data access? (2017)
Journal Article
Ritchie, F. (2017). Spontaneous recognition: An unnecessary control on data access?. https://doi.org/10.2866/430525

Social scientists increasingly expect to have access to detailed data for research purposes. As the level of detail increases, data providers worry about “spontaneous recognition”, the likelihood that a microdata user believes that he or she has acci... Read More about Spontaneous recognition: An unnecessary control on data access?.

Ensuring the confidentiality of statistical outputs from the ADRN (2017)
Report
from the ADRN

This technical report discusses potential risks to confidentiality from publication of statistical results based on confidential data, and what we can do to minimise that risk while still ensuring that useful research gets published.

Measuring compliance with minimum wages (2017)
Journal Article
Ritchie, F., Veliziotis, M., Drew, H., & Whittard, D. (2017). Measuring compliance with minimum wages. Journal of Economic and Social Measurement, 42(3-4), 249-270. https://doi.org/10.3233/JEM-180448

© 2017 - IOS Press and the authors. All rights reserved. Identifying genuine underpayment of minimum wages is not straightforward. Some well-known statistical issues affect the measurement of compliance rates, but factors such as processing or behavi... Read More about Measuring compliance with minimum wages.

Improving data quality: The value of the user as data detective (2016)
Presentation / Conference
Ritchie, F. (2016, October). Improving data quality: The value of the user as data detective. Presented at Conference of European Statistics Stakeholders, Budapest, Hungary

In this presentation, we explore how users can contribute to a better understanding of data quality. We illustrate, with reference to minimum wage compliance, how users identify the sort of data problems missed by NSIs

Department of social services data access project final report (2016)
Report
Ritchie, F., & Green, E. (2016). Department of social services data access project final report

This report reviews the context and options available to the Department of Social Service (DSS) in developing its data access strategy, and proposes future developments based upon international practice. The structure of the report is separated into... Read More about Department of social services data access project final report.

Financial resilience in charities v.2 (2016)
Report
Green, E., Ritchie, F., Parry, G., & Bradley, P. Financial resilience in charities v.2

Document submitted to the Select Committee on Charities; House of Lords. 30th September 2016

Evidence-based, context-sensitive, user-centred, risk-managed SDC planning: Designing data access solutions for scientific use (2015)
Presentation / Conference
Hafner, H., Lenz, R., Ritchie, F., & Welpton, R. (2015, October). Evidence-based, context-sensitive, user-centred, risk-managed SDC planning: Designing data access solutions for scientific use. Paper presented at UNECE/Eurostat work session on statistical data confidentiality - 2015, Helsinki, Finland

Disclosure control planning is characterised by over-reliance on theoretical models, inappropriate disclosure scenarios, worst-case planning, confusion over subjective versus objective risk management, and an unwillingness to consider the evidence ba... Read More about Evidence-based, context-sensitive, user-centred, risk-managed SDC planning: Designing data access solutions for scientific use.

Principles- versus rules-based output statistical disclosure control in remote access environments (2015)
Journal Article
Ritchie, F., & Elliot, M. (2015). Principles- versus rules-based output statistical disclosure control in remote access environments. IASSIST quarterly / International Association for Social Science Information Service and Technology, 2015(Summer), 5-13

In recent years, the level of detail in confidential data made available to social scientists has increased dramatically. Much of this has been due to the growth in secure data access facilities, which allow access to the most detailed data under str... Read More about Principles- versus rules-based output statistical disclosure control in remote access environments.