In this study, the theory of statistical kernel density estimation has been applied for deriving non-parametric kernel prior to the empirical Bayes which frees the Bayesian inference from subjectivity that has worried some statisticians. For comparing the empirical Bayes based on the kernel...

A method of small-area estimation with a utility function is developed. The utility characterises a policy planned to be implemented in each area, based on the area's estimate of a key quantity. It is shown by simulations that the commonly applied composite and empirical Bayes estimators are...

Estimation of normal mean vector has broad applications such as small area estimation, estimation of nonparametric functions and estimation of wavelet coefficients. In this paper, we propose a new shrinkage estimator based on conditional maximum likelihood estimator incorporating with Stein’s...

We show on an application to small-area statistics that efficient estimation is not always conducive to good policy decisions, because the established inferential procedures have no capacity to incorporate the priorities and preferences of the policy makers and the related consequences of...

This report presents participation rate estimates that measure the effectiveness of SNAP from 2005 to 2007 and estimates participation rates for the “working poorâ€â€”those eligible for SNAP who live in households in which someone earned income from a job. It also provides details...

Presents estimates that measure the need for the Food Stamp Program and the program's effectiveness in each state, by year from 1994 to 1998. Need for the program is based on estimated number of people eligible for food stamps; effectiveness is based on estimated food stamp participation rates,...

The Food Stamp program is a central component of American policy to alleviate hunger and poverty. This report presents estimates for each state that measure the need for the Food Stamp program and the program’s effectiveness from 2002 through 2004. The estimates for all eligible people and for...

For each state, presents estimates that measure the need for the Food Stamp Program and the program's effectiveness in reaching its target population in each of the three years from 1998 to 2000. The estimates were derived using empirical Bayes shrinkage estimation methods, which are described...

This report documents the methodology used to derive the previously published estimates of food stamp participation rates for all eligible people and the working poor.

In this paper, we describe and study a class of linear shrinkage estimators of the covariance matrix that is well-suited for high dimensional matrices, has a rather wide domain of applicability, and is rooted into the Gaussian conjugate framework of Chen (1979). We propose here a new look at...