Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed eCollection eComments Requested; Extension of a Currently Approved Collection; Comments Requested: Generic Clearance for Cognitive, Pilot and Field Studies for Bureau of Justice Statistics Data Collection Activities
| Published date | 21 December 2018 |
| Record Number | 2018-27578 |
| Court | Justice Department |
Federal Register, Volume 83 Issue 245 (Friday, December 21, 2018)
[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 245 (Friday, December 21, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 65746-65747]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-27578]
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DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
[OMB Number 1121-0339]
Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed eCollection
eComments Requested; Extension of a Currently Approved Collection;
Comments Requested: Generic Clearance for Cognitive, Pilot and Field
Studies for Bureau of Justice Statistics Data Collection Activities
AGENCY: Bureau of Justice Statistics, Department of Justice.
ACTION: 60-day notice.
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SUMMARY: 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.
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 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.
DATES: Comments are encouraged and will be accepted for 60 days until
February 19, 2019.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: If you have additional comments
especially on the estimated public burden or associated response time,
suggestions, or need a copy of the proposed information collection
instrument with instructions or additional information, please contact
Devon Adams, Bureau of Justice Statistics, 810 Seventh Street NW,
Washington, DC 20531 (email: Devon.Adams@usdoj.gov; telephone: 202-307-
0765).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Written comments and suggestions from the
public and affected agencies concerning the proposed collection of
information are encouraged. Your comments should address one or more of
the following four points:
--Evaluate whether the proposed collection of information is necessary
for the proper performance of the functions of the Bureau of Justice
Statistics, including whether the information will have practical
utility;
--Evaluate 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;
--Evaluate whether and if so how the quality, utility, and clarity of
the information to be collected can be enhanced; and
--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: Extension of a currently
approved collection.
(2) The Title of the Form/Collection: Generic Clearance for
cognitive, pilot and field studies for Bureau of Justice Statistics
data collection Activities.
(3) The agency form number, if any, and the applicable component of
the Department sponsoring the collection: Form numbers not available
for generic clearance. The applicable component within the Department
of Justice is the Bureau of Justice Statistics, in the Office of
Justice Programs.
(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: We estimate
that approximately 30,000 respondents will be involved in exploratory,
field test, pilot, cognitive, and focus group work conducted under this
clearance over the requested 3-year clearance period. The average
response time per respondent will be specific to each project covered
under the clearance. Specific estimates of the number of respondents
and the average response time are not known for each pilot study or
development project covered under a generic clearance at this time.
Project specific estimates will be submitted to OMB separately for each
project conducted under this clearance. An estimate of the overall
number of burden hours for activities under this generic
(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 20,000 hours.
If additional information is required contact: Melody Braswell,
Department Clearance Officer, United States Department of Justice,
Justice Management Division, Policy and Planning Staff, Two
Constitution Square, 145 N Street NE, 3E.405A, Washington, DC 20530.
[[Page 65747]]
Dated: December 17, 2018.
Melody Braswell,
Department Clearance Officer for PRA, U.S. Department of Justice.
[FR Doc. 2018-27578 Filed 12-20-18; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4410-18-P
