Response to OMB questions of Peer Pal

Description of the CJP 2009 Peer Pal Program and Statement of Informed Consent to Participate

To increase the utility of data for improving juvenile probation practices nationwide, OJJDP wishes to facilitate networking among Juvenile Probation Officials who participate in the 2009 Census of Juveniles on Probation (CJP 2009). Participation will enable exchange of contact information with other jurisdictions that have also chosen to participate in the program. Participation in this component of the program is also entirely voluntary and nonparticipation will not affect your access to other data resources and support provided to all CJP 2009 participants.

Federal laws and regulations require GMU and OJJDP to preserve the confidentiality of individual subjects of federally-sponsored studies, as well as the privacy of employees who have participated in such studies. Furthermore, it is OJJDP’s policy to not identify individual participating jurisdictions. Therefore, in order to participate in the Peer Pal Program, it is necessary for you to authorize the release of any protected information. Civil and criminal penalties for the unauthorized disclosure of protected information apply.

Please carefully read and enter your approval of the provisions for waiving confidentiality of selected information for specific purposes and agreement to abide by the terms of use of information provided by through the CJP 2009 Peer Pal Program.

I agree to the release of the following information for the purposes of participating in the CJP 2009 Peer Pal Program. I understand that my participation in this program is entirely voluntary and I may withdraw my permission at any time. I understand that any information provided to me through the Peer Pal Program, including, but not limited to the following: the identity of other Peer Pal Participants and their contact information is confidential and shall not be divulged or shared with anyone without the prior consent of the other participant/s.

I agree to the terms above and am authorizing the release of the following information to others Peer Pal participants:

a) Participant (your) name

b) Job title

c) E-mail address/ CJP Userid –for GMU verification purposes only

d) Office mailing address

e) Name of JPSO jurisdiction covered in CJP 2009

I further understand that anyone who requests the above information from me or my jurisdiction will be under the same obligations to protect its confidentiality use it only for the purpose establish for the Peer Pal Program.

I also understand that while I may withdraw at any time, and GMU will be required to immediately remove my jurisdiction’s data from the pool of other Peer Pal participant who may be interested in it, they may not be able to retract information that has already been shared with others up to that date.