National Inmate Survey (NIS-4J) - Jails Outreach

Attachment B: Facility Pre-test Enrollment Materials
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NIS-4 Jails – BJS Introduction Letter – Pre-test Study
Facility Information Overview
Facility Roles and Responsibilities

SUBJECT: National Inmate Survey Pre-Test – Request for Assistance

Dear :
I am writing to ask for your assistance with the fourth National Inmate Survey in Jails (NIS-4J). Since the last
NIS, we have received helpful recommendations from jail administrators, advocates, and other interested
stakeholders. These recommendations were invaluable as we enhanced the survey to address important issues
identified in past collections. We are now planning to pre-test the NIS-4J instrument with inmates in several
jails, and we are hoping to conduct a pre-test in your jail facility. The pre-test would last approximately half a
day as we interview ten inmates in your facility.
BJS has entered into a cooperative agreement with Westat, a private research company, to conduct the data
collection and analysis activities for the NIS-4J. BJS is committed to conducting this pre-test safely and has
received Westat’s assurance that they will adhere to safety protocols designed to minimize the risk of the
transmission of COVID-19. Westat will work closely with facility personnel to adhere to all safety
requirements.
Should you agree to participate, a Westat representative (Susan Cross) will contact you in . She will
provide details about our plans for the pre-test and answer any questions you may have. If you would like for
Ms. Cross to work with a liaison from your office, please let us know whom she should contact. We understand
the potential burden of even conducting a small pre-test in your jail, but we will work diligently to minimize its
impact on facility operations. Ms. Cross can be reached by email ([email protected]) or by phone (800)
937-8281 x2664.
The Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) is mandated by the Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA; P.L. 108-79) to
carry out a comprehensive statistical analysis and report on the prevalence and nature of sexual victimization
within jail facilities. Findings from the most recent data collection were published by BJS in Sexual
Victimization in Prisons and Jails Reported by Inmates, 2011-12, and are available online at
https://bjs.ojp.gov/content/pub/pdf/svpjri1112.pdf.
If you have any questions, feel free to contact me at (202) 307-0711, [email protected]. Jessica Taylor,
the Project Director from Westat, is also available to address questions and comments at (240) 301-5852,
[email protected].
Sincerely,
Amy D. Lauger
PREA Program Manager
Bureau of Justice Statistics

U.S. Department of Justice

Bureau of Justice Statistics

NATIONAL INMATE SURVEY (NIS-4J)
Jail Facility Information Overview

Implementation Process
Preparing for Data Collection
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BJS and Westat will host an introductory webinar to introduce the
survey to jail administrators from sampled facilities.
Westat will contact the facility administrator to learn who will serve as
the coordinator for the facility.
Westat will provide the facility coordinator with materials about the
National Inmate Survey and begin planning for data collection at the
facility.
Through emails and phone calls, Westat will review protocols and
logistics with the facility coordinator.
Westat and the coordinator will schedule the data collection visit.
If minor inmates (ages 16 or 17) are held in the facility, Westat
will request that the facility provide consent in loco parentis (ILP)
for minor inmates.

Data Collection Begins
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Westat will begin visiting facilities to conduct interviews.
Four weeks before the visit, the coordinator will provide an electronic
test roster of arraigned inmates including the inmate’s identification
number, name, gender, date of birth, race/ethnicity, admission date,
and housing assignment.
The coordinator will provide a full roster the Wednesday before the
visit and an updated roster the first day of the visit.
The coordinator will locate space in the facility where Westat
interviewers can meet individually with inmates to conduct the
surveys. The coordinator will arrange for facility staff to escortinmates
to and from the interview area(s).
The coordinator will complete a web-based Facility Questionnaire by
the last day of the visit.

NATIONAL INMATE SURVEY (NIS-4J)
Jail Facility Roles and Responsibilities

U.S. Department of Justice

Bureau of Justice Statistics

Facility administrator
1.

Designate a facility coordinator: The facility administrator will designate a staff
person who will work with Westat to prepare for the survey team visit and to
complete the facility survey.

Facility coordinator
1.

Describe facility characteristics: The coordinator will provide information about
the facility (e.g., number of living units, number of inmates, whether the
administrator runs any facilities in other locations such as annexes or satellite
locations) through a series of emails and brief telephone interviews. This
information will be used to plan for the visit.

2.

Plan visit logistics: In preparation for the survey visit, the coordinator will
identify private rooms where each researcher will conduct the interviews and
arrange the daily schedule so inmates can be available. These plans will be
prepared in advance and then confirmed when the team supervisor meets with the
coordinator on the first day of the visit.

3.

Arrange for counseling services: The coordinator will ensure that counseling is
available for inmates.

4.

Schedule the facility visit: The coordinator and Westat staff will schedule the
visit based on the facility schedule, expected number of inmates, and availability of
researchers. For larger facilities, the research team will include up to eight Westat
staff.

5.

Provide inmate roster: Four weeks prior to the visit date, the coordinator will
provide Westat with a test roster of arraigned inmates in the facility. The roster
will contain each inmate’s identification number, name, gender, date of birth,
race/ethnicity, admission date, and housing assignment.

6.

Provide roster updates: The Wednesday before the visit, the coordinator will
provide Westat a full roster. The coordinator will provide Westat an updated roster
on the first day of the visit, adding newly arraigned inmates.

7.

Complete a facility questionnaire: By the last day of the visit, the coordinator
will complete a web-based Facility Questionnaire that collects information about the
facility.

8.

Provide support during data collection visit: The coordinator will be the point
of contact while the interviews are taking place. This includes scheduling the
interviews for the selected inmates and arranging for staff to escort inmates to and
from the interview rooms.

9.

If minor inmates are held in the facility:
a)

Consent for minor inmates to participate: The facility will grant permission
to interview minor inmates in loco parentis.

b)

Define mandatory reporting procedures: NIS-4J researchers are
considered subject to state and local mandatory reporting requirements. When
minor inmates make verbal allegations of abuse or harm to a researcher, a
report will be made. General procedures will be specified by the agency liaison.
However, the facility coordinator will be asked to define the specific
procedures for the facility (e.g., name and contact information for the agency
designated to receive the report).