Annual Survey of Jails in Indian Country
OMB Control Number 1121-0364
OMB Expiration Date: 06/30/2026
SUPPORTING STATEMENT FOR SURVEY OF JAILS INDIAN COUNTRY
JUSTIFICATION
Overview
The Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) requests clearance to conduct the Annual Survey of Jails in Indian Country (SJIC) for a three-year period (2026-2028) under OMB Control Number 1121-0364. BJS started the SJIC in 1998 to track changes in the demographic characteristics of the Indian country jail population as well as changes in the size of jail population, jail capacity and crowding, and the flow of inmates moving into and out of Indian country jails. These statistics are part of BJS’s core corrections statistics, as they contribute fundamentally to BJS’s mission of describing movements of persons through the criminal justice system. Indian country jails are administered by tribal authorities or the Bureau of Indian Affairs, while the county and city jails covered by the Census of Jails (COJ) are administered by local law enforcement authorities such as a sheriff or jail administrator. Together, the SJIC and COJ produce annual national estimates on persons held in jails nationwide.
The SJIC collection obtains aggregated administrative data from all Indian country jails, which consists of approximately 77 confinement facilities, detention centers, and other correctional facilities operated by tribal authorities or the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA). Facility administrators provide data on SJIC form CJ-5B that meet the definitions provided by BJS for items including—
the number of inmates confined in jails by sex, adult/juvenile, age category, conviction status, and offense seriousness
the number of new admissions and final discharges
the average daily population (ADP) and peak population
the number of attempted suicides
the number of deaths
the jail rated capacity to hold inmates
the number of staff employed in Indian country jails.
Current and prior administrations have prioritized issues surrounding American Indian and Alaska Native (AIAN) involvement in the criminal justice system and have instructed the Office of Justice Programs to pay special attention to tribal issues. The SJIC is the only national data collection that provides an annual source of data on Indian country jails, and it provides unique information about capacity and inmate population trends in Indian country jails. In 1998, BJS collaborated with the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), the former Corrections Program Office, and the American Indian and Alaska Native Desk, both within the Office of Justice Programs, to develop the inaugural SJIC. After the passage of the Tribal Law and Order Act (TLOA) of 2010, BJS was tasked with implementing a tribal data collection system that supported tribal participation in national records and information systems.
Core SJIC items include admissions, discharges, confinement counts by inmate demographics and characteristics (i.e., conviction status and most serious offense), and average daily population. It also asks about the operation and staffing of Indian country jails. The SJIC is the only vehicle for capturing the total number of Indian country jail inmates who died while in custody. The survey asks for total death counts, and respondents are not asked to submit individual-level death forms.
Through the SJIC collection, BJS has been able to describe major changes in the jail population in Indian country. For example—
After declining in 2020 (to 2,020 persons), the midyear Indian country jail population increased in 2024 for the fourth consecutive year (to 2,430 persons).
Indian country jails admitted 6,120 persons during June 2024, a 12% increase from the 5,450 admissions during June 2023.
About one-third (34%) of all individuals were held for violent offenses at midyear 2024, up from 27% at midyear 2014.
Due to an 8% increase in ADP and a 41% decrease in admissions from 2014 to 2024, the average length of stay (the time in custody from admission to release) for persons held in Indian country jails increased from 6 days in June 2014 to 12 days in June 2024.
From midyear 2020 to midyear 2024, the number of jail operations staff decreased 20% (down 250) while the midyear jail population increased about 20%. Since 2014, jail operations staff (correctional officers, guards, and other staff who spent more than half of their time supervising inmates) accounted for 7 in 10 employees in Indian country jails.
The SJIC fits into BJS’s larger portfolio of administrative data collections on correctional populations in the United States. BJS’s Census of Jails (OMB Control Number 1121-0100), National Prisoner Statistics Program (OMB Control Number 1121-0102), and National Corrections Reporting Program (OMB control number 1121-0065) provide annual data on jail and prison populations, while its Annual Probation Survey and Annual Parole Survey (OMB Control Number 1121-0064) provide data on community corrections populations. The SJIC completes BJS’s annual data collection on correctional populations by covering the tribal jail segment.
BJS is authorized to conduct this data collection under Title 34 U.S.C. Section 10132. BJS may use the information it collects only for statistical or research purposes and must gather it in a manner that precludes its use for law enforcement or any purpose relating to a private person or public agency other than statistical or research purposes [Title 34 U.S.C. Section 10134]. By law, BJS is required to protect the confidentiality of information identifiable to a private person against unauthorized disclosure or misuse.[Title 34 U.S.C. Sections 10134 and 10231]
Through the SJIC, BJS is able to track changes in the number of inmates held in tribal or BIA-operated facilities. The BJS data on Indian country jail inmate population movements meet stakeholder needs for understanding the change in jail populations. Of particular concern to jail administrators is information on the composition of jail populations including the total volume of persons held by Indian country jails during a given period of time and facility crowding.
BJS has adapted the SJIC data collection form several times over the past 27 years to meet other needs and interests of jail administrators, policymakers, and researchers. Through these changes, BJS has been able to address an interest expressed by Congress, tribal leaders, and federal agencies to improve the criminal justice system in Indian country by identifying the types of persons they are holding. New and enhanced items added to the 2023-2025 survey addressed previously unavailable inmate population changes over a 12-month period and utilization of jail beds during the year, identified additional crimes in Indian country committed against vulnerable populations (human trafficking, kidnapping, and elder abuse), and measured the demographic differences (male and female) among correctional staff. These enhancements will be retained in the 2026-2028 CJ-5B survey (Attachment 1) without further changes to minimize burden to respondents and leverage survey familiarity in the community.
Recurring uses of the SJIC by BJS
BJS publishes annual reports on Indian country jails that present trend data on inmate counts, characteristics, and offense types; midyear, peak, and average daily populations; admissions and inmate average length of stay; rated capacity, facility crowding, and jail staffing; and deaths in custody.
BJS also includes the SJIC data in its annual technical reports on Tribal Crime Data Collection Activities. These reports describe activities by BJS to collect and improve the quantity and quality of data on crime and justice in Indian country as required by TLOA. Topics covered include the most recent statistical findings on detention facilities in Indian country.
Finally, the SJIC inmate population data is used annually in BJS’s Correctional Populations in the United States statistical tables. The SJIC data is combined with territorial prisons and military facilities to yield the total number of persons incarcerated in other adult correctional systems for a given year.
External uses of the SJIC
U.S. Congress—Members of Congress have a strong interest in criminal justice issues in Indian country and have used SJIC data to understand trends in corrections in Indian country. The Tribal Law and Order Act of 2010 (P.L. 111–211) requires BJS to submit to Congress a report describing the data collected and analyzed on crimes in Indian country.
United States Government Accountability Office (GAO)— A 2018 GAO study addressed risk factors and unique challenges that Native American youth face with contact with justice systems. Native American Youth: Involvement in Justice Systems and Information on Grants to Help Address Juvenile Delinquency. GAO-18-591. Washington, DC: United States Government Accountability Office.
American Jail Association—The American Jail Association (AJA) has reproduced BJS data in full or in part on several occasions through their weekly electronic newsletter, the “AJA Alert”, and their “American Jails” magazine.
Office of Justice Programs—Past requests for SJIC data have focused on the utilization rate of jail space and recommending tribes with jails to implement correctional alternative programming to incarceration. The SJIC annual report was cited numerous times in OJP’s August 2011 report, Tribal Law and Order Act: Long Term Plan to Build and Enhance Tribal Justice Systems.
Agencies within OJP, such as the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency and Prevention (OJJDP), use SJIC data to measure the number of juveniles held in Indian country jails. In prior requests for proposals on the Correctional Facilities on Tribal Lands Grants, the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) required applicants competing for funding to justify need with data (e.g., arrest data, changes in jail population).
Office of Tribal Justice (OTJ), DOJ—OTJ is the primary point of contact for DOJ with federally recognized Native American tribes, and advises the Department on legal and policy matters pertaining to Native Americans. OTJ uses data from the SJIC and annual report as a resource on corrections and detention.
Bureau of Indian Affairs—BIA has worked collaboratively with BJS on Indian country issues, and has used SJIC data to develop annual statistics on BIA- and tribally-operated facilities. The SJIC data also provide BIA managers with comparative data with which to assess jail operations and programs.
Facility Administrators in Indian country—The jail administrators use SJIC data to assess conditions within their own facilities and jurisdictions relative to others, and to determine needs and budget requirements.
Researchers and Academics—The SJIC datasets have been heavily utilized in external publications and by institutes that have downloaded the public use datasets. As of September 2, 2025, the 2023 SJIC data on ICPSR was downloaded 382 times by 71 users.1 Additionally, academic and other federal researchers have also used BJS’s tribal jail data in a variety of studies:
Widra, Emily (2024). “New, expanded data on Indian country jails show concerning trends extend to tribal lands” Prison Policy Initiative, https://www.prisonpolicy.org/blog/2024/10/08/indian-country-jails-2023/
by Widra, Bertram, and Sawyer (2020). “New BJS data reveals a jail-building boom in Indian country,” Prison Policy Initiative, https://www.prisonpolicy.org/blog/2020/10/30/bjs-indian-country/
Rolnick, Addie C. (2016). “Locked up: Fear, racism, prison economics, and the incarceration of Native youth,” American Indian Culture and Research Journal. 40, (1), 55-92.
Archambeault, William G (2014). The current state of Indian Country corrections in the United States. American Indians at Risk. Santa Barbara, CA: ABC-CLIO, LLC.
Clark, John (2009) “The state of pretrial release decision-making in tribal jurisdictions: Closing the knowledge gap,” Journal of Court Innovation. 2, (2), 297-327.
Prior to 2022, the SJIC was distributed via paper or by emailed fillable PDF as its primary collection mode. In 2021, BJS pilot tested a web-based platform option with 9 facilities. Given the success, starting in 2022, the web-based platform became the primary collection mode. The web-based platform offers a user-friendly interface and allows respondents to pause and resume their responses at any point, preserving all previously entered data. It also includes real-time automated checks for numeric range and logical errors, minimizing data entry mistakes and ensuring data integrity. The web-based platform also allows respondents to print a copy of responses to keep on file once the survey is complete. A fillable PDF option is available upon request. See Table 1 for the mode of data collection from 2015 to 2024. Staff will monitor the completion of the survey and follow up with participants who time out or leave the survey early. Screenshots of the web instrument are available in Attachment 2.
Table 1. Data collection mode for responding facilities
Year |
2015 |
2016 |
2017 |
2018 |
2019 |
2020 |
2021 |
2022 |
2023 |
2024 |
Web |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
9 |
73 |
72 |
75 |
Fax |
62 |
57 |
41 |
39 |
26 |
24 |
7 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
E-mail fillable PDF |
8 |
18 |
29 |
34 |
43 |
53 |
61 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
Mail or Phone |
0 |
0 |
6 |
2 |
1 |
5 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
Total |
70 |
75 |
76 |
75 |
70 |
77 |
77 |
73 |
72 |
76 |
The SJIC does not duplicate any other government agency’s data collection for the purpose of publicly disseminating information on inmate counts, movements, facility operations, and staff. Although the Bureau of Indian Affairs collects monthly data from Indian country jails (e.g., ADP, inmate bed capacity), they do not publicly disseminate the information on capacity and inmate population trends in Indian country jails. SJIC is the sole source of these data. BJS conducted searches of the National Archives of Criminal Justice Data (NACJD) and Data.gov to identify other data on Indian country jails that are archived there, and the search did not reveal any duplication of data collection efforts with the SJIC.
5. If the collection of information impacts small businesses or other small entities, describe any methods used to minimize burden.
Of the 77 jail facilities in the 2024 SJIC universe, 52 had a rated capacity to house 49 or fewer inmates. These 52 facilities can be considered small entities.
Removing burdensome questions and changing to a web-based survey in 2022 significantly reduced burden for respondents. From 2022 to 2023, the estimated total burden time reduced from 94 minutes to 75 minutes. Based on Paradata from 2023 and 2024, respondents averaged around 40 minutes to complete the survey. This average was lower than the anticipated 60 minutes that were estimated for burden hours in 2023 and 2024. There was a reduction in burden with the utilization of the web-based survey as opposed to the paper survey due to the skip patterns included in the programing. Minimizing burden may also be a result of the consistency of the questions on the survey from year to year. The continuity of the questions may reduce burden because the respondents are familiarized with the questions each year and can expect what information BJS will request. Over the next three years, BJS will continue to seek feedback from stakeholders to help identify ways to continue to reduce burden on Indian country jails.
Additionally, BJS requests information that should be accessible to the jails based on other information they are required to provide to BIA monthly (information which is not shared with the public by BIA). Further, BJS and the data collection agent maintain contact with the facilities annually. This provides the facilities with opportunities to give feedback on questions and their ability to retrieve the requested information. BJS also maintains core questions on SJIC to increase instrument familiarity and reduce burden for the respondents.
Through the SJIC, BJS is able to provide annual, nationally-representative data on Indian country jail population movements. This data is compiled and reported annually to Congress to meet the mandate established by TLOA Without the annual collection, BJS would have incomplete data to provide to Congress and be reduced to providing jail findings not representative of Indian country populations via its annual COJ. The COJ are administered to local law enforcement authorities such as a sheriff or jail administrator whereas Indian country jails are administered to tribal authorities or the BIA.
Turnover among respondents to the collections is common and would negatively impact response rates and increase follow-up costs if the collection were fielded less frequently. Through the annual collection, BJS learns about pending turnover at agencies during routine data collection and data validation verification calls. With less frequent collection, each effort to obtain data from Indian country jails would require more BJS and respondent resources. Furthermore, less frequent data collections would limit BJS’s ability to respond to the congressional mandate to collect and improve the quantity and quality of data on crime and justice in Indian country as required by TLOA.
7. Explain any special circumstances that would cause an information collection to be conducted in a manner:
requiring respondents to report information to the agency more often than quarterly;
requiring respondents to prepare a written response to a collection of information in fewer than 30 days after receipt of it;
requiring respondents to submit more than an original and two copies of any document;
requiring respondents to retain records, other than health, medical, government contract, grant-in-aid, or tax records for more than three years;
in connection with a statistical survey, that is not designed to produce valid and reliable results that can be generalized to the universe of study;
requiring the use of statistical data classification that has not been reviewed and approved by OMB;
that includes a pledge of confidentially that is not supported by authority established in statute or regulation, that is not supported by disclosure and data security policies that are consistent with the pledge, or which unnecessarily impedes sharing of data with other agencies for compatible confidential use; or
requiring respondents to submit proprietary trade secret, or other confidential information unless the agency can demonstrate that it has instituted procedures to protect the information's confidentially to the extent permitted by law.
Not applicable. There is no circumstance in which a respondent would respond more than once a year and provide more data than on the survey form. The SJIC collection is consistent with the guidelines in 5 CFR 1320.5.
The 60-day notice posted for public comment in the Federal Register on 11/21/2025 and the 30-day notice on 1/23/2026. BJS received two comments from the University of Michigan’s (U-M) Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research (ICPSR). These comments are informational and observational; no response is required, as they do not include any actionable requests.
BJS maintains contact with data providers and data users in an effort to improve data collection, reporting procedures, data analysis, and data presentation.
Respondents feel that critical questions cover important topics and the accompanying instructions for completing the survey are clear. To address interests in expanding the content of the SJIC, BJS modified the 2023-2025 survey instrument to include new permanent questions on offense severity, monthly jail populations for a year, and facility staffing by employee sex. BJS met with stakeholders in 2022 to develop and enhance questionnaire items. In 2023, BJS pretested new and enhanced questions for clarity and burden, and conducted a post pretest cognitive interview with the following tribal corrections expert and Indian country jail respondents:
Patricia Broken Leg-Brill, Deputy Associate Director of Corrections, Bureau of Indian Affairs, Office of Justice Services (stakeholder engagement).
Jennifer Babbitt, Corrections Lieutenant, Navajo Department of Corrections-Kayenta Police Department and Holding Facility (stakeholder engagement).
Dave Menard, Chief Administrator, Sault Ste. Marie Tribal Youth Facility (stakeholder engagement).
Monica Patneaud, Lieutenant (stakeholder engagement, pretest and post pretest cognitive interview) and Fredrick Davis, Correctional Program Specialist (stakeholder engagement), Standing Rock Law Enforcement and Adult Detention Center.
Jeremy Allard, Supervisory Correctional Officer, Turtle Mountain Adult Detention (stakeholder engagement, pretest and post pretest cognitive interview).
Natasha Evans (stakeholder engagement) and Gwendolynn Goldtooth, Supervisory Correctional Officer (pretest and post pretest cognitive interview), Chief Ignacio Justice Center Juvenile Detention.
Peter Flores, Detention Sergeant, Pascua Yaqui Police Department and Holding Facility (pretest and post pretest cognitive interview).
Cecilia Blackman, Supervisory Correctional Officer, Blackfeet Adult Detention Facility, (post pretest cognitive interview only).
Given the positive feedback that BJS received from the 2023-2025 iteration of the survey, BJS plans to continue using this version of CJ-5B for the 2026-2028 data collections (see Attachment 1). The survey reference date for the June one-day inmate count, characteristics, holds for other authorities, rated capacity, and staff is the last weekday in June; inmate counts on the last week day of each month from July of the previous year to May of the current year; admissions and releases during the month of June; and the aggregate count between July of the previous year through June of the current year for inmate deaths in custody and attempted suicides.
BJS still plans to adapt and meet the needs of respondents and stakeholders should new topics of interest arise. During the next several years BJS will, in conjunction with its data collection agent, participate in a series of conferences and meetings with Indian country officials to discuss their data needs and their capacity to provide data on a wider range of issues. BJS’s data collection agent also has been tasked with implementing a process to assess the SJIC for the purposes of enhancing and expanding it to address significant gaps in the SJIC. The process will include convening meetings of experts in the issues related to Indian country jails (e.g., tribal members, jail professionals, Indian country criminal justice experts, academics who study Indian country issues, and others) for the purpose of reviewing the data collection instrument, identifying gaps in the collection, assessing the costs and challenges associated with obtaining data to fill gaps, and developing methodologies to obtain the data. The assessment will cover all aspects of the SJIC, including the content of the survey, modes of administration, communication with the field about the survey, statistical products from the data collection, and dissemination of products. Any modifications to the survey instrument under this clearance will be submitted to OMB for approval.
Participation in the surveys is voluntary and no gifts or incentives will be given.
BJS is authorized to conduct this data collection under Title 34 United States Code Section 10132. BJS may use the information it collects only for statistical or research purposes and must gather it in a manner that precludes its use for law enforcement or any purpose relating to a private person or public agency other than statistical or research purposes [Title 34 U.S.C. Section 10134]. By law, BJS is required to protect the confidentiality of information identifiable to a private person against unauthorized disclosure or misuse. [Title 34 U.S.C. Sections 10134 and 10231].
The BJS Data Protection Guidelines provide more detailed information on how BJS and data collection agents will use and protect data collected under BJS’s authority.
The SJIC collects sensitive data such as violent offenses, conviction status and inmates’ death, including suicide. This information is critical in assessing the climate, operations and major changes within the jail to include, admissions, discharges, confinement counts by inmate demographics and characteristics (i.e., conviction status and most serious offense), and average daily population.
The information is derived from aggregated data obtained through administrative records maintained by jails. This means the data reflects summary-level figures—such as totals or counts—rather than individual-level details. It is compiled directly from official jail records, ensuring that the information is based on documented operational and population data routinely collected by facility administrators.
12. Provide estimates of the hour burden of the collection of information. The statement should:
• Indicate the number of respondents, frequency of response, annual hour burden, and an explanation of how the burden was estimated. Unless directed to do so, agencies should not conduct special surveys to obtain information on which to base hour burden estimates. Consultation with a sample (fewer than 10) of potential respondents is desirable. If the hour burden on respondents is expected to vary widely because of differences in activity, size, or complexity, show the range of estimated hour burden, and explain the reasons for the variance. General, estimates should not include burden hours for customary and usual business practices.
The SJIC will collect data from approximately 77 Indian country jail respondents in tribal communities. Estimates of annual burden on respondents are based on the number of hours required to review the instructions associated with the instruments, search existing data sources, obtain information necessary to complete the data collection instrument, and respond to verification calls. Average reporting time is based on 2024 SJIC administration.
BJS estimates an average reporting time of 40 minutes for each web-based CJ-5B form. The respondents will also have an additional average of 5 minutes each year to verify facility operational status, point-of-contact information, and answer respondent questions. Jail respondents will also be contacted by email or telephone each year to verify data quality issues (10 minutes per respondent). The total reporting time per facility is 55 minutes each year. See Table 2 for the summary of annual burden hours associated with the SJIC.
Table 2. SJIC Estimated Annualized Respondent Cost and Hour Burden
Activity |
Number of Respondents |
Frequency |
Total Annual Responses |
Time Per Response (Minutes) |
Total Annual Burden (Hours) |
Hourly Rate* |
Monetized Value of Respondent Time |
Survey (CJ-5B) completion |
77 |
1 |
77 |
40 |
51.3 |
$30.17 |
$1,547.72 |
Verify facility operational status and point-of-contact |
77 |
1 |
77 |
5 |
6.4 |
$30.17 |
$193.09 |
Data quality follow-up validation |
77 |
1 |
77 |
10 |
12.8 |
$30.17 |
$386.18 |
Unduplicated Totals |
77 |
|
77 |
55 |
70.5 |
|
$2,127 |
*Source: Mean hourly wage on May 2024 for Correctional Officers and Jailers (33-3012) from Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics.
13. Provide an estimate of the total annual cost burden to respondents or recordkeepers resulting from the collection of information. (Do not include the cost of any hour burden shown in Items 12 and 14).
The cost estimate should be split into two components: (a) a total capital and start up cost component (annualized over its expected useful life); and (b) a total operation and maintenance and purchase of service component. The estimates should take into account costs associated with generating, maintaining, and disclosing or providing the information. Include descriptions of methods used to estimate major cost factors including system and technology acquisition, expected useful life of capital equipment, the discount rate(s), and the time period over which costs will be incurred. Capital and start-up costs include, among other items, preparations for collecting information such as purchasing computers and software; monitoring, sampling, drilling and testing equipment; and record storage facilities.
If cost estimates are expected to vary widely, agencies should present ranges of cost burdens and explain the reasons for the variance. The cost of purchasing or contracting out information collection services should be a part of this cost burden estimate. In developing cost burden estimates, agencies may consult with a sample of respondents (fewer than 10), utilize the 60-day pre-OMB submission public comment process and use existing economic or regulatory impact analysis associated with the rulemaking containing the information collection, as appropriate.
There are no anticipated costs to respondents beyond the employee time expended in gathering information and completing the instrument. Respondents are not being asked to purchase anything or maintain any services as part of this data collection.
14. Provide estimates of the annualized cost to the Federal Government. Also, provide a description of the method used to estimate cost, which should include quantification of hours, operational expenses (such as equipment, overhead, printing, and support staff), any other expense that would not have been incurred without this collection of information. Agencies also may aggregate cost estimates from Items 12, 13, and 14 into a single table.
The estimated total annual average cost to the federal government for all aspects of the SJIC is $205,537. Currently, the division of labor for a data collection cycle of the SJIC is as follows. The data collection agent via cooperative agreement maintains and updates the respondent contact information database, conducts the survey through web-based collection, conducts follow-up, collects the data, and prepares a dataset for BJS use. BJS staff analyze the data, prepare statistical tables, and write reports based on these data.
Based upon contractual costs, the estimated costs to the government associated with the collection, processing, and publication of reports, and preparation of data tables are projected for 2026-2028 in Table 3. Each year, a total estimated cost ($195,554 to $215,683) was divided between data collection agent ($136,800 to $150,800) and BJS for program management, analysis, table creation, and reporting and dissemination ($58,754 to $64,883). Both BJS and the data collection agent costs include salary, fringe, and overhead.
Table 3. Estimated costs for the Survey of Jails in Indian Country, 2026-2028
BJS costs |
2026 |
2027 |
2028 |
||
|
Staff salaries |
|
|
|
|
|
|
GS-12 Statistician (30%) |
$30,300 |
$31,800 |
$33,400 |
|
|
GS-15 Supervisory Statistician (1%) |
$1,900 |
$2,000 |
$2,100 |
|
|
GS-15 Chief Editor (1%) |
$1,900 |
$2,000 |
$2,100 |
|
|
Other Editorial Staff (3%) |
$3,900 |
$4,100 |
$4,300 |
|
|
Front-Office Staff (GS-15 & Directors) |
$1,300 |
$1,400 |
$1,500 |
|
|
Subtotal salaries |
$39,300 |
$41,300 |
$43,400 |
|
Fringe benefits (30% of salaries) |
$11,790 |
$12,390 |
$13,020 |
|
|
Subtotal: Salary & fringe |
$51,090 |
$53,690 |
$56,420 |
|
|
Other administrative costs of salary & fringe (15%) |
$7,664 |
$8,054 |
$8,463 |
|
|
Subtotal: BJS costs |
$58,754 |
$61,774 |
$64,883 |
|
Data collection agent cost |
|
|
|
||
Data collection agent costs (salaries, fringe benefits, web survey, email and telephone follow-up, programming, and overhead) |
$136,800 |
$143,600 |
$150,800 |
||
Total estimated costs |
$195,554 |
$205,374 |
$215,683 |
||
15. Explain the reasons for any program changes or adjustments.
There are no proposed changes for the survey administration other than a continued reduction in the time to complete CJ-5B via web (from 60 minutes to 40 minutes). Compared to the prior SJIC administration in 2023-2025, the total burden hours, including contact verification and time to complete the survey, decreased from 94 minutes in 2022 to the estimated 55 minutes per facility in 2026-2028. However, there is a small adjustment in the verification of facility information proposed for the 2026-2028 data collections. BJS will implement a postcard for the 2026-2028 universe verification (Attachment 3). Respondents will receive a postcard with a QR code, which will bring them to a webpage with the facility contact information that the data collection agent has on file for them (Attachment 4). Facilities can confirm this information or make updates to it on the webpage. The purpose of the postcard is to reduce burden for respondents by decreasing the time it will take for them to verify contact information. Compared to individual phone calls from the data collection agent to each facility, it is expected that the postcard verification will take less time for the respondents to respond. If a facility does not respond to the postcard, they will be contacted via phone call verification (Attachment 5).
16. For collections of information whose results will be published, outline plans for tabulations, and publication. Address any complex analytical techniques that will be used. Provide the time schedule for the entire project, including beginning and ending dates of the collection of information, completion of report, publication dates, and other actions.
BJS’s plans for 9 publications from Indian country jail data over the next three years. The planned products include SJIC annual bulletin, Correctional Populations in the United States statistical tables, and Tribal Crime Data Collection Activities (also summarized in Table 4).
The SJIC annual bulletin provides trends in the number of adults and juveniles held in tribal jails, type of offense, number of persons confined on the last weekday in June, peak population, average daily population, admissions during the month of June, and expected average length of stay in jail upon admission. It also publishes data on rated capacity of Indian country facilities, facility crowding, jail staffing, and counts of inmate deaths and suicide attempts.
The Correctional Population in the United States statistical tables summarizes data on populations supervised by probation or parole agencies and those incarcerated in state or federal prisons or in the custody of local jails, inclusive of Indian country jails.
BJS also releases annual congressional reports on Tribal Crime Data Collection Activities. These reports describe activities by BJS to collect and improve the quantity and quality of data on crime and justice in Indian country as required by TLOA of 2010. Topics covered include data collection programs and activities, tribal participation in national records and information systems, and the most recent statistical findings on detention facilities in Indian country (SJIC data).
Table 4. BJS Calendar for SJIC Publications
Publication type |
Title/topic of publication |
Estimated publication date |
Annual bulletin |
Jails in Indian Country, 2026 |
Spring 2027 |
Annual bulletin |
Jails in Indian Country, 2027 |
Spring 2028 |
Annual bulletin |
Jails in Indian Country, 2028 |
Spring 2029 |
Annual statistical tables |
Correctional Populations in the United States, 2026 — Statistical Tables |
Winter 2027 |
Annual statistical tables |
Correctional Populations in the United States, 2027 — Statistical Tables |
Winter 2028 |
Annual statistical tables |
Correctional Populations in the United States, 2028 — Statistical Tables |
Winter 2029 |
Congressional report |
Tribal Crime Data Collection Activities, 2026 |
Summer 2027 |
Congressional report |
Tribal Crime Data Collection Activities, 2027 |
Summer 2028 |
Congressional report |
Tribal Crime Data Collection Activities, 2028 |
Summer 2029 |
BJS will continue to archive the SJIC data at NACJD on an annual basis after release of the annual SJIC report.
Pending OMB approval, the 2026-2028 SJIC data collection schedule is as follows:
Task |
Dates |
Facility verification |
June 2026, 2027, and 2028 |
Data collection |
July-October 2026, 2027, and 2028 |
Data processing |
August-December 2026, 2027, and 2028 |
Data delivery to BJS |
January 2027, 2028, and 2029 |
First BJS report release/data file and documentation published |
Spring 2027, 2028, and 2029 |
17. If seeking approval to not display the expiration date for OMB approval of the information collection, explain the reasons that display would be inappropriate.
BJS is not requesting an exemption. The OMB Control Number and the expiration date will be published on instructions provided to all respondents.
18. Explain each exception to the certification statement.
This collection of information does not include any exceptions to the certificate statement.
B. COLLECTIONS OF INFORMATON EMPLOYING STATISTICAL METHODS.
This collection contains statistical data.
Attachments:
Attachment 1: Form CJ-5B PDF
Attachment 2: Form CJ-5B Webform snapshots
Attachment 3: Contact Verification Postcard
Attachment 4: Landing Page for QR Code
Attachment 5: Survey of Jails in Indian Country (SJIC) Contact Verification Script
Attachment 6: Invitation email
Attachment 7: Invitation email attachment letter
Attachment 8: Reminder email 1
Attachment 9: Reminder phone call script
| File Type | application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.wordprocessingml.document |
| File Title | SUPPORTING STATEMENT |
| Author | [email protected] |
| File Modified | 0000-00-00 |
| File Created | 2026-01-24 |