DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
Community Relations Service
Supporting Statement – For CRS ‘Quality of Service’ Survey
Information Collection Request
OMB # 1103-0111
A. Justification
In reviewing CRS’ budget, strategic plans, and especially new jurisdictional issues as expanded by the 2009 Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act (HCPA), CRS believes it is critical to collect information that captures customer satisfaction and service effectiveness data. To achieve this, CRS will offer a short and voluntary “Quality of Service” survey to new communities that we are now serving under HCPA, as well as the communities we have served under Title X of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
The proposed Quality of Service survey will assist CRS with properly identifying programmatic strengths and service areas that may require improvement and modification. The survey will be particularly helpful in enhancing services that are related to our newly mandated jurisdictions of preventing and addressing violent hate crimes committed on the basis of Race, Color, National Origin, Gender, Gender Identity, Sexual Orientation, Disability, and Religion.
The information that will be collected is intended to provide CRS with greater understanding about the extent to which our services meet the needs of the communities that we serve. The degree of successful service will enable CRS to better identify core issues and provide optimum services that will ultimately lead to stronger communities. Moreover, the survey will allow CRS to better support communities and their local officials with early recognition systems that identify trends, needs, and potential threats.
2. The survey responses will be used by CRS managers to: (1) help assess and support internal up-line reporting of the effectiveness of CRS services as provided to communities across the country; (2) evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of CRS services in various areas; and (3) determine what other outside expertise and services newer communities experiencing jurisdictional conflict may need. Currently, CRS is not collecting any information from communities and entities. CRS believes it is critical to obtain direct feedback from the communities and entities that receive CRS services. In doing so, CRS can better apply CRS skills and resources, and report to higher authorities on recommended solutions and create better working partnerships.
3. Responses will be solicited in a short survey request form at the conclusion of CRS services as requested by local public officials, civic, and other recognized formal and informal community members who were fully engaged in CRS casework. Responses will be voluntary with no personal information requested to ensure participant anonymity. To reduce postage, expense and time, parties may elect to access the survey via CRS proposed web-site to complete the Survey. Moreover, it should be noted that CRS is bound by a confidentiality statute that restricts our agency from sharing any case information provided to us that has not been expressly agreed to be publicly shared by parties to a case. Personal identifying information is covered by this statute.
4. CRS has never implemented a “Quality of Service” feedback measure during or subsequent to CRS services. Therefore, this proposed “Quality of Service” survey will be the first time that CRS seeks to ascertain trend from its original jurisdictions, which are race, color, and national origin and the new HCPA jurisdictional stakeholders after CRS services have been provided. Previously, CRS depended on voluntary published outcomes or feedback from parties with whom CRS has established relationship in the past 45 year of CRS services. This survey will avail opportunities of these parties to include our new mandated jurisdictional groups of Gender, Gender Identity, Sexual Orientation, Religion, and Disability to offer a more balanced feedback of CRS services in these new areas to include newer CRS services supporting increased prevention activities.
5. This collection of information has no significant impact on small businesses.
6. Consequences of committed Federal Programs and/or policy activities may be less
than effective if accurate feedback is not identified through direct means of a survey. With the advance of mass media resources, if core issues and correct services and programs are not properly identified to address divisive issues, related tensions could fuel increased flashpoint and pose a threat to public safety around perceptions of unresponsive local leadership and ineffective federal services to support local diverse minority communities in distress.
7. There are no special circumstances associated with this voluntary “Quality of Service” survey program.
8. CRS via the Department of Justice Management Division has completed the
60-day notice publication at 81 FR 39278, on June 16, 2016. Also, CRS via the
Department of Justice Management Division has completed the 30-day notice publication at 81 FR 57623, on August 23, 2016. There were no comments received.
9. No payment or gift is associated with this information collection.
10. Assurance of confidentiality is stated in each survey instrument and supported by agency mandate.
11. No questions or records of a sensitive nature are asked in this program.
12. There will be an estimated 2,000 respondents a year to this survey, with each respondent likely to be asked to respond once, based on their role in a singular case. It is estimated that those taking the survey after receiving or participating in CRS services would take 1 minute to rate/answer the 12 questions contained in CRS Quality Service survey. The burden would be minimal. It should be noted again that this survey would be on a voluntary basis and for the purpose of getting feedback on CRS services.
13. There is no new contractual cost or annual cost associated with this collection.
14. If all confidential surveys are mailed in, the maximum cost is limited to
prevailing federal U.S. postage Permit No. G-71 if each self-addressed return
survey (times 2,000) is returned to CRS-HQ in Washington, DC.
15. As this CRS “Quality of Service” survey is a pilot program, there are no
program changes or adjustments.
16. The result of this information collection will not be published and will be utilized
as an internal CRS Quality of Service assessment tool only.
17. CRS does not request approval to not display the expiration date of OMB
approval for this collection.
18. There are no exceptions to the certification statement.
| File Type | application/msword |
| Author | CRS_IT |
| Last Modified By | Lynn Murray |
| File Modified | 2016-08-31 |
| File Created | 2016-08-31 |