SJIC Contact Verification Script

SJIC Contact Verification Script
VM: Hello, my name is xxxxx xxxxxx and I am calling from DATA COLLECTION AGENT in regards to the
Annual Survey of Jails in Indian Country for the Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS). We are preparing for
the 2018 survey and want to make sure we have the most accurate contact information for your facility.
When you receive this message, please call me back at xxx-xxx-xxxx. Thanks!
REACH LIVE PERSON: Hello, my name is xxxxx xxxxxx and I am calling from DATA COLLECTION AGENT in
regards to the Annual Survey of Jails in Indian Country for the Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS). We are
preparing for the 2018 survey and want to make sure we have the most accurate contact information
possible. I just have a few questions regarding your facility:
1) Will (NAME OF FACILITY) be in operation on June 30th of this year (2018)? By operational, we
mean is your facility able to confine persons overnight on June 30th of this year. [If facility states
they temporarily are closed, not open or unable to hold/confine persons on June 30th, 2018, GO TO Q2. If
facility indicates they are only a holding facility or you’re unclear of their status, SKIP TO NEXT PAGE. ELSE,
SKIP to Q4.]

2) [IF POC STATES THAT FACILITY IS CLOSED OR NON OPERATIONAL, ASK]: May I ask why your facility is
not in operation?

3) [POC STATES THAT FACILITY IS CLOSED, ASK]: Is the facility permanently closed with no plans to
reopen or is it temporarily closed?
4) Are you still the person to contact with questions about (NAME OF FACILITY)?
[IF NO, ASK 5]
[IF YES, ASK 6]
5) Can you please provide me with the name, and telephone number, of the person who you

believe is our best contact? [If NEW POC IS IDENTIFIED, ASK TO SPEAK WITH THEM.IF
UNAVAILABLE, CALL BACK LATER TO GET THEIR MOST UP TO DATE INFORMATION.]

6) CONFIRM OR OBTAIN CONTACT INFO SUCH AS EMAIL ADDRESS, BEST REACHED PHONE NUMBERS, AND
FAX NUMBER. [COMPARE AGAINST SPREADSHEET]

7) In regards to your preferred method of contact with the survey, do you prefer fax, mail, or
email?
Thank you for your time! [You will receive the 2018 survey via fax and email in the next couple
weeks/mid-July.]

IF:
1. FACILITY INDICATES THEY ARE ONLY A HOLDING FACILITY
2. WE ARE UNCLEAR OF THEIR OPERATIONAL STATUS AND ELIGIBILITY,
THEN:
• ASK THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS TO HELP US DETERMINE ELIGIBILITY. PLEASE ASK EACH
QUESTION AND DOCUMENT THE RESPONSES.
[HOLDING OVERNIGHT AND/OR HOLDING FOR 24 HOURS OR MORE = ELIGIBLE.]
[FACILITY DOES NOT HOLD OVERNIGHT AS A MATTER OF POLICY = INELIGIBLE/OUT OF SCOPE.]
[HOWEVER BJS WILL BE REVIEWING ALL OF THESE FACILITIES ON A CASE BY CASE BASIS AND THEY MAY BE INCLUDED
ANYWAY.]

A.
How many hours do you hold someone for? (For example, just a few; until the end of
the day, overnight?) IF THE ANSWER IS NOT CLEAR, ASK a1.

1. Is the person being confined under your supervision overnight or for more than 24
hours?

B.
(ASK ONLY IF NEEDED TO CLARIFY STATUS OF “HOLDING” UNDER THEIR SUPERVISON) Are
persons considered officially booked into and housed in your facility by formal legal document
or by the authority of the courts or some other official agency?

C.

What is your protocol for transferring the arrested person?
(NOTE ASKING ABOUT A FACILITY’S TRANSFER PROTOCOL MAY HELP PROVIDE MORE CLARITY INTO
HOW LONG THEY HOLD A PERSON AND IF THEY ARE HELD EVER OVERNIGHT)

D.

Do you have a jail operations staff for this facility? (The answer to staffing may help
provide insight into eligibility. Most temporary holding facilities that are not eligible for
the SJIC will have ONLY a police dispatcher or some other person from another department
watching over the held person. If they actually have a jail operations staff member, they
are more likely to hold overnight and be eligible.)