Questions and Responses to OMB

1. What percentage of each type of form was submitted via the internet in each year since initially implemented?

During the 2008 collection cycle for NPS-8, BJS fielded an electronic option for submitting the NPS-8/8A forms. At that time, 6 of the 44 NPS-8/8A respondents (13.6%) submitted data electronically. The forms submitted by these respondents accounted for 6.8% of all NPS-8 forms submitted and 5.2% of all NPS-8A forms submitted (see table below). During the 2009 collection cycle, 14 of the 44 respondents (31.8%) of the respondents submitted their NPS-8 and NPS-8A forms electronically, accounting for 16.8% and 18.2%, respectively.

During the 2009 collection cycle, BJS fielded an electronic option for submitting NPS-8B/8C forms. Three of the 52 respondents (5.8%) submitted data electronically.

 

2. It appears that the survey is currently being administered via two modes – Internet and mail.  Please explain exactly how the respondents are being provided with a choice of response mode and whether BJS is encouraging Internet response over mail.

In general, the cover letter accompanying the forms notifies respondents that they have the option to fill out and submit their forms online. The letter includes the URL to for a secure website, and respondents are asked to call specific Census Bureau staff members to obtain a survey key so that they can access that website. While we encourage respondents to submit their responses online, we also provide a Federal Express label to allow them to return their paper forms by mail.

When BJS launched the web-based portion of the collection in 2008, BJS and Census selected 5 specific NPS-8/8A respondents to test and comment on the electronic data collection forms. We requested that these respondents submit data via the web-based forms. We also included in the letter accompanying the NPS-8/8A a description of the new data collection mode and a general invitation encouraging all respondents to try the web-based submission. As a result of this effort, 4 of the 5 pre-selected respondents submitted data online and 2 other respondents elected to use the web-based option.

In 2009, all respondents of both the NPS-8/8A and the NPS-8B/8C were told of the option to submit data electronically when Census staff called them to update their contact information. The paper and electronic options were described to respondents. At this time, any questions regarding these options were answered, and respondents were encouraged to access the web-based forms. In 2009, 5 of the 6 NPS-8/8A respondents who submitted data electronically in 2008 again submitted data electronically, and 9 additional respondents also elected to use the web-based forms. Three NPS-8B/8C respondents submitted their forms electronically.

3. Please provide (via email and in ROCIS which is open for amendment) the letter(s) to be used for this collection plus any other supplemental materials use to communicate with respondents. 

The letters requesting participation in the NPS-8 data collection have been included in the e-mail message accompanying this document and are uploaded to ROCIS (Sample_8-8A_letter_09.wpd and Sample_8B-8C_letter_09.wpd). In addition, letters sent to respondents notifying them of the upcoming release of the information are attached and will be uploaded to ROCIS (AG09_notification_let.wpd and DR09_notification_let.wpd).

4. Race and ethnicity

1. As alluded to in the 2007 exchange below and attached, OMB requested and BJS agreed to change question 4a on the NPS8 to include the instruction “Mark” or “Check one or more,”  consistent with OMB’s standard.  Has BJS been collecting race data using the instruction “mark all that apply” as indicated on the submitted questionnaire for the past 3 years?

2. While OMB didn’t note this last time, the OMB standard requires the collection of Hispanic origin data prior to race data when the 2 question format it used.  Therefore, 4a and 4b should be reversed.

3. Please submit a revised questionnaire with the two changes noted to conform to the standard.

The previously-approved form used the instruction “Mark one or more.” The newly –submitted forms (attached and uploaded to ROCIS) includes this language as well as the re-arrangement of the race and ethnicity items. The previously-approved version of NPS-8 form (used for the 2007 through 2009 collection cycles) can be accessed on the BJS website at http://bjs.ojp.usdoj.gov/content/pub/pdf/nps8_09.pdf.

2. Would BJS be sure to extend an invitation to relevant OMB staff for the March 2011 meeting with corrections stakeholders?

BJS is still working on the agenda for the meeting, in which BJS plans to cover technical and substantive issues related to its corrections data collections.  Technical issues include the use of data exchange, the implementation of the Global Justice information Exchange, and related matters; substantive issues include the content of BJS corrections statistics from stakeholders’ perspective.  BJS will be happy to send OMB a copy of the final agenda for OMB to identify relevant staff.