Attachment 13
Three Versions of the Invitation Letter and
One version of the Refusal Conversion Letter
Factual Version
Dear Current Resident:
Your household has been selected for a study that is being sponsored by the U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS), an agency within the U.S. Justice Department. The purpose of this study is to improve the way the government collects information on crime and victimization. BJS currently collects much of the information about crime and victimization in the United States. For example, information collected by BJS for 2008 found that:
Almost 5 million people were victims of a violent crime and 16 million households were victims of a property crime. Less than half of these incidents were reported to the police (Rand, 2009: Table 1).1.
The percentage of crimes that involve a firearm was around 6%. This is approximately the same as it was ten years ago (Rand, 2009: Text Table .3).
Your participation in the current study will help BJS identify better and more efficient methods to collect data on crime and its impact in communities like yours. This survey is the only source of information on the details of crime from the point of view of victim, so your participation is very important.
Even if you have not experienced a crime, it is important that you complete the survey. The members of your household are very special because you are part of a scientific sample representing many other households like yours. In scientific surveys, once selected, your household cannot be replaced by another household or the findings will not be valid.
In order to minimize burden, we are asking that one person in your household who is at least 18 years old fill out the survey. If more than one adult lives in our household, the one with the next birthday should complete the survey. Please ask the adult household member with the next birthday call the number below as soon as possible. Use the ID to access the survey.
Once the person with the next birthday has completed the survey, we will be sending $20 as a token of our appreciation.
1-800-251-3456 ID: 246810
Participation is voluntary. All answers are confidential and used only for this survey.
We thank you in advance for helping us improve the collection of crime statistics.
Sincerely,
Long Version
Dear Current Resident:
Your household has been selected for a study that is being sponsored by the U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS), an agency within the U.S. Justice Department. The purpose of this study is to improve the way the government collects information on crime and victimization. BJS currently collects much of the information about crime and victimization in the US. Your participation in this study will help BJS identify better and more efficient methods to collect data on crime and its impact in communities like yours
Since 1973 the BJS has been the primary source of information on the characteristics of criminal victimization and on the number and types of crimes not reported to law enforcement authorities. The BJS is the only source of information on the details of crime from the point of view of victim, so your household’s participation is very important.
Even if you have not experienced a crime, it is important that your household is represented on the survey. Last year over a million Americans were victimized by crime.
Selection for this survey means your household is very special. Your household’s opportunity to take part in this survey means that you will be representing thousands of other households. Because you are part of a scientific sample representing many other households like yours, your household cannot be replaced by any other household.
In order to minimize the burden we ask that one person who lives in your household who is at least 18 years old fill out the survey. To select that person, please ask the adult who lives in this household who has the next birthday to call the number below and enter the unique survey ID as soon as possible.
1-800-251-3456 ID: 246810
Once the person with the next birthday has completed the survey, we will be sending $20 as a token of our appreciation. Participation is voluntary. All answers are confidential and used only for this survey. Please have the person with the next birthday call. This is only a survey and we are not selling anything and we are not asking for money.
We thank you in advance for helping with this study.
Sincerely,
Short Version
Dear Current Resident:
Your household has been selected for a study that is being sponsored by the U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS), an agency within the U.S. Justice Department. The purpose of this study is to improve the way the government collects information on crime and victimization. BJS currently collects much of the information about crime and victimization in the US. Your participation in this study will help BJS identify better and more efficient methods to collect data on crime and its impact in communities like yours
Your household is very special because you are part of a scientific sample representing many other households like yours. In scientific surveys, once selected, your household cannot be replaced by another household or the findings will not be valid. Even if you have not experienced a crime, please complete the survey.
In order to minimize the burden on your household we would like to have one person who lives there who is at least 18 years old. Please ask the adult member who lives in this household and will be having the next birthday to call 1 800 251-3456. The ID number is: 246810. Once the person with the next birthday has completed the survey, we will be sending $20 as a token of our appreciation. Participation is voluntary. All answers are confidential and used only for this survey. We are not selling anything and we are not asking for money.
We thank you in advance for helping with this study.
Sincerely,
Refusal Conversion Letter
Dear Current Resident:
Recently, we sent your household a letter about a national study being conducted for the U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS), an agency within the U.S. Department of Justice. The purpose of this study is to improve the way the government collects information on crime and victimization in communities like yours.
We know your time is valuable, but your participation in the study is important to its success. To be accurate, the results of the study need to be based on the real views and experiences of all the people we try to call. The large number of interviews that we have done is very encouraging, but improving the accuracy of results depends upon getting answers from you and others who have not yet responded.
Your response is important even if you haven’t experienced a crime. Your answers, combined with those of other survey respondents, will help the BJS continue to be the primary source of information on the characteristics of criminal victimization and on the number and types of crimes not reported to law enforcement authorities.
Not all households are chosen to take part and you will represent other households in this study. We hope you will choose to be represented and represent others in this important study.
In order to minimize burden, we are asking that one person in your household who is at least 18 years old fill out the survey. If more than one adult lives in our household, the one with the next birthday should complete the survey. Please ask the adult household member with the next birthday call the number below as soon as possible.
Use the ID to access the survey.
1-800-251-3456 ID: 246810
Participation is voluntary. All answers are confidential and used only for this survey.
Sincerely,
1 Rand, M. (2009) “Criminal Victimization, 2008” Bureau of Justice Statistics, Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice, NCJ 227777
| File Type | application/msword |
| File Modified | 2010-09-13 |
| File Created | 2010-09-13 |