NCVS-573 letter

NCVS-573(L) SEATTLE
(3-2006)

DC

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
Economics and Statistics Administration

U.S. Census Bureau
Washington, DC 20233-0001
OFFICE OF THE DIRECTOR

FROM THE DIRECTOR
U.S. CENSUS BUREAU
Several months ago, a representative from the Census Bureau contacted your address in
connection with the National Crime Victimization Survey which the Census Bureau is
conducting for the U.S. Department of Justice. We are grateful for the cooperation we were
given then. Now it is time for us to interview at your address again. Our representative will
update the characteristics and experiences of the current residents, whether you are the
same household we talked with before or whether you moved to this address since our last
interview.
This survey collects important information on the extent to which persons in this country are
victimized by crime. The survey results are used in many ways, including by citizens to
evaluate their vulnerabilities to becoming victims of crime, by legislators and policymakers
to develop programs to aid crime victims and prevent crime, and by researchers to
understand the nature of various aspects of victimization.
A Census Bureau representative, either from a centralized telephone center or from our field
office, will contact you shortly to ask you and other members of your household some questions
on this subject. We are conducting this survey under the authority of Title 13, United States Code,
Section 8. Section 9 of this law requires us to keep all information about you and your household
strictly confidential. We may use this information only for statistical purposes. Also, Title 42,
Section 3732, United States Code, authorizes the Bureau of Justice Statistics, Department of
Justice, to collect information using this survey. Title 42, Sections 3789g and 3735, United States
Code, also requires us to keep all information about you and your household strictly confidential.
Because this is a sample survey, your answers represent not only you and your household,
but also hundreds of other households like yours. For this reason, your participation in this
voluntary survey is extremely important to ensure the completeness and accuracy of the
final results. Although there are no penalties for failure to answer any question, each
unanswered question substantially lessens the accuracy of the final data.
Answers to the most frequently asked survey questions are on the reverse side of this
letter. If you would like further information, contact the Census Bureau by writing or calling
the following office:
Regional Director
U.S. Census Bureau
601 Union Street, Suite 3800
Seattle, WA 98101
Telephone: 1–800–233–3308
Thank you for your cooperation. The Census Bureau appreciates your help.
Sincerely,

Charles Louis Kincannon

USCENSUSBUREAU
Helping You Make Informed Decisions

www.census.gov

What is the National Crime Victimization Survey all about?
This survey, called the National Crime Victimization Survey, collects data measuring the
kinds and amount of crime involving persons 12 years of age and older. Periodically, the
survey includes such additional topics as crime in schools, hate crime, contacts with law
enforcement, and crime in the workplace.
How was I selected for this survey?
Actually, we selected your living quarters, not you personally for this survey. We scientifically
selected approximately 56,000 addresses across the country to represent the entire
population. At each selected address, we interview household members age 12 and older. If
your household should move away while your address is still in the survey, we would
interview the new family that moves in.
Will information I provide be confidential?
We are conducting this survey under the authority of Title 13, United States Code,
Section 8. Section 9 of this law requires us to keep all information about you and your
household strictly confidential. We may use this information only for statistical purposes.
Also, Title 42, Section 3732, United States Code, authorizes the Bureau of Justice
Statistics, Department of Justice, to collect information using this survey. Title 42, Sections
3789g and 3735, United States Code, also requires us to keep all information about you
and your household strictly confidential.
Do I have to participate?
The survey is voluntary, and there are no penalties for not participating. We expect the
interview to take about 25 minutes. Your interview may be somewhat shorter or longer than
this depending on your circumstances. If you have any comments about this survey or have
recommendations for reducing its length, send them to the Chief, Victimization Statistics
Branch, Bureau of Justice Statistics, Washington, DC 20531.
How are the data used?
Data from this survey are used to provide information on many topics related to crime and
victimization, including crime in schools, trends in violent crime, costs of crime, and the
response of law enforcement to reports of victimization. To see examples of reports, tables,
and charts that use data from the survey, you can visit the Bureau of Justice Statistics’
Web site: .
I thought that the Census Bureau only operated every 10 years, when they
counted people. What is the Census Bureau doing now?
In addition to the decennial census, which is conducted every 10 years, the Census Bureau
collects many different kinds of statistics. We conduct other censuses required by law on a
regular basis, including the censuses of business and manufactures and the census of state
and local governments. Additionally, we collect data on a monthly basis to provide current
information on such topics as labor force participation, retail and wholesale trade, various
manufacturing activities, and trade statistics, as well as yearly surveys of business,
manufacturing and governments, family income, and education.

NCVS-573(L)