[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 179 (Friday, September 14, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 56865-56866]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-22623]
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DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
Office of Justice Programs
[OMB Number 1121-NEW]
Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection;
Comment Request; Generic Clearance for Cognitive, Pilot and Field
Studies for Bureau of Justice Statistics Data Collection Activities
ACTION: 60-day notice of information collection under review.
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The Department of Justice (DOJ), Office of Justice Programs (OJP),
Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) intends to request approval from the
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for a generic information
collection clearance that will allow BJS to conduct a variety of
cognitive, pilot, and field test studies. BJS will submit the request
for review and approval in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act
of 1995. The proposed notice of information collection is published to
obtain comments from the public and affected agencies. Comments are
encouraged and will be accepted for ``sixty days'' until November 13,
2012. This process is in accordance with 5 CFR 1320.10.
Over the next three years, BJS anticipates undertaking a variety of
new surveys and data collections, as well as reassessing ongoing
statistical projects, across a number of areas of criminal
[[Page 56866]]
justice, including law enforcement, courts, corrections, and
victimization. This work will entail development of new survey
instruments, redesigning and/or modifying existing surveys, procuring
administrative data from state and local government entities, and
creating or modifying establishment surveys. In order to inform BJS
data collection protocols, to develop accurate estimates of respondent
burden, and to minimize respondent burden associated with each new or
modified data collection, BJS will engage in cognitive, pilot and field
test activities to refine instrumentation and data collection
methodologies. BJS envisions using a variety of techniques, including
but not limited to tests of different types of survey and data
collection operations, focus groups, cognitive testing, pilot testing,
exploratory interviews, experiments with questionnaire design, and
usability testing of electronic data collection instruments.
Following standard Office of Management and Budget (OMB)
requirements, BJS will submit a change request to OMB individually for
every group of data collection activities undertaken under this generic
clearance. BJS will provide OMB with a copy of the individual
instruments or questionnaires (if one is used), as well as other
materials describing the project. Currently, BJS anticipates the need
to conduct testing and development work on at least ten (10)
statistical projects, including the collection of administrative data
from courts, law enforcement agencies, state criminal history
repositories, social and victim services agencies, and local jails, a
self-report survey of prison inmates, and establishment surveys of law
enforcement agencies and corrections departments.
In compliance with the requirements of Section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Bureau of Justice Statistics is
soliciting public comment on the information collection described
above. If you have comments--especially on the estimated public
burden--suggestions, or need additional information about the proposed
information collection, please contact Erica Smith, Statistician,
Bureau of Justice Statistics, 810 Seventh St. NW., Washington, DC
20531.
Written comments and suggestions from the public and affected
agencies concerning the proposed collection of information are
requested on:
Whether the proposed collection of information is
necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency,
including whether the information will have practical utility;
The accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the
proposed collection of information, including the validity of the
methodology and assumptions used;
The quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be
collected; and
Ways to minimize the burden of the collection of
information on those who are to respond, including through the use of
appropriate automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological
collection techniques or other forms of information technology, e.g.,
permitting electronic submission of responses.
Overview of this information collection:
(1) Type of information collection: New collection.
(2) Title of the Form/Collection: BJS Generic Clearance for
Cognitive, Pilot, and Field Test Studies.
(3) Agency form number, if any, and the applicable component of the
department sponsoring the collection: Form numbers not available for
generic clearance, Bureau of Justice Statistics, Office of Justice
Programs, Department of Justice.
(4) Affected public who will be asked or required to respond, as
well as a brief abstract: Administrators or staff of state and local
agencies or programs in the relevant fields; administrators or staff of
non-government agencies or programs in the relevant fields;
individuals; policymakers at various levels of government.
(5) An estimate of the total number of respondents and the amount
of time estimated for an average respondent to respond/reply: Specific
estimates of the number of respondents and the average response time
are not known for development work covered under a generic clearance.
Estimates of overall burden for the ten (10) identified projects
referenced above, as well as for other data collection projects that
may benefit from development work under this clearance, are included in
item 6 below.
(6) An estimate of the total public burden (in hours) associated
with the collection: The total respondent burden for identified and
future projects covered under this generic clearance over the 3-year
clearance period is approximately 12,340 hours.
If additional information is required, contact: Jerri Murray,
Department Clearance Officer, United States Department of Justice,
Justice Management Division, Policy and Planning Staff, Two
Constitution Square, 145 N Street NE., Suite 2E-508, Washington, DC
20530.
Dated: September 10, 2012.
Jerri Murray,
Department Clearance Officer, PRA, United States Department of Justice.
[FR Doc. 2012-22623 Filed 9-13-12; 8:45 am]
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