[1] Rossi was also known for his work devising ways to evaluate federally funded initiatives in education, health services, crime control, and housing.

After graduating, he intended on going into social work; however, he enlisted in the Army in 1943, and served in the 100th Infantry Division in Europe during World War II.

[4] During his time at Columbia, Rossi was influenced and mentored by two professors and notable social researchers, Robert K. Merton and Paul F. Lazarsfeld.

[4] After earning his doctorate, Rossi went into academia joining the faculty at Harvard University for a four-year stint as a research associate and assistant professor.

He also was director of the National Opinion Research Center in Hyde Park for seven years, helping to secure the funds to construct a new building.

[2] While at Johns Hopkins University, Rossi was involved in several important War on Poverty era program evaluations.

In this research, he chronicled the shift in the nation's homeless population from the older white male denizens of post-World War II skid rows to a younger, larger group that included many more women, children and minorities.

His efforts on evaluating public welfare and anti-crime programs was highly influential[citation needed] and was frequently cited by Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan and other policy makers.