SUPPORTING STATEMENT
A. JUSTIFICATION
1. Necessity of Information Collection
Forensic evidence has increasingly been used by agencies in the criminal justice system to convict the guilty and exonerate the innocent. Yet while new technology enhances the opportunity for the criminal justice system to “do justice,” it also creates an added need for law enforcement agencies to review old cases for potential forensic evidence that should be sent to a crime laboratory for testing.
The Survey of Law Enforcement’s Forensic Backlogs (LEFB) is a national-level data collection that will provide information on the number of unsolved criminal cases containing forensic evidence that that have not been submitted to crime laboratories for analysis. Currently no other source exists for this information. These data will be collected from approximately 3,152 law enforcement agencies from across the country, representing the nearly 18,000 state and local law enforcement agencies nationwide. Law enforcement agencies will be asked about the number of unsolved homicide, rape, and property crime cases maintained, the percentage of cases with forensic evidence available for testing, and procedures used for reviewing unsolved crimes to develop new investigative leads.
2. Needs and Uses
The survey provides information on forensic case backlogs in law enforcement agencies. The collected information will be used to assess the size and nature of the law enforcement forensic backlog. A better understanding of these issues can support the development of plans to improve the efficiency and functionality of the evidence collection, submission, and analysis process. This information will be of interest to the U.S. Department of Justice, state and local law enforcement agencies, and other members of the criminal justice community. The survey can assist policy makers in developing solutions to the forensic backlog problem including the added burden placed on law enforcement agencies.
3. Use of Information Technology
The surveys will be administered using a web-based data collection system, as well as through fax and mail.
4. Efforts to Identify Duplication
There is no duplicative effort based on the content and goals of this survey. The data requested as part of this survey are not attainable through any other means.
5. Minimizing Burden on Small Businesses
The survey will include a sample of state and local law enforcement agencies and does not impact small businesses or small entities.
6. Consequences of Not Conducting or less frequent Collection
There is no comprehensive information on the size of forensic backlogs in law enforcement agencies. As a result, it is unknown how many unsolved criminal cases that contain forensic evidence could potentially be solved if they were submitted to a crime laboratory for analysis. Furthermore, there is no detailed information on the types of forensic evidence that make up the backlog of cases not submitted to the crime laboratory.
Special Circumstances
This data will be collected in a manner consistent with the guidelines in 5CFR 1320.6.
8. Public Comments and Consultations
No public comments have been received by NIJ on the survey. However, NIJ has consulted with a number of individuals regarding the content, data availability, and usability of the survey. The consultants include the following:
Kevin J. Strom
Senior Research Scientist
RTI International
Phone: (919) 485-5729
Jeri Ropero-Miller
Senior Research Forensic Scientist
RTI International
Phone: (919) 485-5729
Barry A. J. Fisher
Crime Laboratory Director
Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department
2020 W. Beverly Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90057
(213) 989-5002
Barrington Gore
Commander (ret.)
West Virginia State Police
507 Dabney Drive
Charleston, WV 25314
(304) 345-8786
Matthew Hickman
Associate Professor
Seattle University
13671 18th Ave SW
Burien, WA 98166
(206) 248-1623
Laura Sudkamp
Forensic Laboratory Manager
Kentucky State Police
100 Sower Blvd. Suite 102.
Frankfort, Kentucky 40601
(502) 564-5230
Vickie W. Watts
Senior Criminalist
Forensic
Toxicology Associates
14427 S 140th
Place
Gilbert Arizona, 85296
(480) 831-8091
9. Provision of Payments or Gifts to Respondents
Respondents will be provided with a nominal non-monetary incentive for participating in the survey. However, no payments will be given to respondents. Respondents participate on a voluntary basis.
10. Assurance of Confidentiality
Respondents’ personal identity will not be linked to the information that they provide. Data will be reported in aggregate form.
11. Justification for Sensitive Questions
Not applicable.
12. Estimate of Respondent’s Burden
The information collected will require only information that is maintained by the responding agencies. In order to minimize respondent’s burden, the surveys will be limited to 3 pages. We also attempted to minimize the complexity of questions and included definitions that conformed to specific agency norms. Additionally, questions will primarily be close-ended (e.g. categorical responses). The surveys will be administered primarily via the web, although respondents will also be given the option of submitting their completed surveys by mail or by fax. The numbers of surveys sent to each agency and the expected time of completion is as follows:
Law Enforcement: 3152 agencies in the United States.
Average time to complete: 30 minutes
3152 respondents x 30 minutes = 1576 hours
60 minutes
TOTAL: 1576 burden hours
13. Annualized Cost for Respondents
We do not expect respondents to incur any costs other than that of their time to respond. The information requested is of the type and scope normally included in their records and no special system or process is required for providing the requested information.
14. Cost to Federal Government
The total cost to the Federal government is estimated to be $363,468, which will all be incurred by NIJ. These costs incurred cover the survey development, data collection, and preparation of the final report and data set.
The estimated cost to the Federal Government for this data collection is based on the following:
Office Costs (NIJ)
Salary & Benefits: $13,977
Supplies: $1,000
Data Collection [contractor] $348,491
Grand Total $363,468
15. Reason for Change in Burden
Not Applicable. This is a new project.
16. Anticipated Publication Plan and Schedule
Planning and preparation Oct 2007– Feb 2007
Pre-testing Jan 2008- Mar 2008
Data collection
April 2008-August 2008
Data
processing/analysis August 2008-September 2008
Publication release September 2008
Data release to public October 2008
17. Display of Expiration Date
The OMB clearance number and expiration date will be displayed on the data collection instrument that will be provided to participants.
18. Exception to the Certification Statement
Not applicable. There are no exceptions in Item 10, “Certification for Paperwork Reduction Act Submission,” of OMB Form I-83.
| File Type | application/msword |
| Author | Anne Kenyon |
| Last Modified By | jonesj |
| File Modified | 2008-01-30 |
| File Created | 2008-01-30 |