[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 179 (Friday, September 14, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 56866-56867]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-22621]


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DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

Office of Justice Programs

[OMB Number 1121-NEW]


Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; 
Comment Request, Generic Clearance for Cognitive, Pilot and Field 
Studies for Bureau of Justice Statistics Data Collection Activities

ACTION: 60-Day notice of information collection under review.

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    The Department of Justice (DOJ), Office of Justice Programs (OJP), 
Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) intends to request approval from the 
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for a generic information 
collection clearance that will allow BJS to conduct a variety of 
cognitive, pilot, and field test studies. BJS will submit the request 
for review and approval in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act 
of 1995. The proposed notice of information collection is published to 
obtain comments from the public and affected agencies. Comments are 
encouraged and will be accepted for ``sixty days'' until November 13, 
2012. This process is in accordance with 5 CFR 1320.10.
    Over the next three years, BJS anticipates undertaking a variety of 
new surveys and data collections, as well as reassessing ongoing 
statistical projects, across a number of areas of criminal justice, 
including law enforcement, courts, corrections, and victimization. This 
work will entail development of new survey instruments, redesigning 
and/or modifying existing surveys, procuring administrative data from 
state and local government entities, and creating or modifying 
establishment surveys. In order to inform BJS data collection 
protocols, to develop accurate estimates of respondent burden, and to 
minimize respondent burden associated with each new or modified data 
collection, BJS will engage in cognitive, pilot and field test 
activities to refine instrumentation and data collection methodologies. 
BJS envisions using a variety of techniques, including but not limited 
to tests of different types of survey and data collection operations, 
focus groups, cognitive testing, pilot testing, exploratory interviews, 
experiments with questionnaire design,

[[Page 56867]]

and usability testing of electronic data collection instruments.
    Following standard Office of Management and Budget (OMB) 
requirements, BJS will submit a change request to OMB individually for 
every group of data collection activities undertaken under this generic 
clearance. BJS will provide OMB with a copy of the individual 
instruments or questionnaires (if one is used), as well as other 
materials describing the project. Currently, BJS anticipates the need 
to conduct testing and development work on at least ten (10) 
statistical projects, including the collection of administrative data 
from courts, law enforcement agencies, state criminal history 
repositories, social and victim services agencies, and local jails, a 
self-report survey of prison inmates, and establishment surveys of law 
enforcement agencies and corrections departments.
    In compliance with the requirements of Section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the 
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Bureau of Justice Statistics is 
soliciting public comment on the information collection described 
above. If you have comments--especially on the estimated public 
burden--suggestions, or need additional information about the proposed 
information collection, please contact Erica Smith, Statistician, 
Bureau of Justice Statistics, 810 Seventh St. NW., Washington, DC 
20531.
    Written comments and suggestions from the public and affected 
agencies concerning the proposed collection of information are 
requested on:
     Whether the proposed collection of information is 
necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, 
including whether the information will have practical utility;
     The accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the 
proposed collection of information, including the validity of the 
methodology and assumptions used;
     The quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be 
collected; and
     Ways to minimize the burden of the collection of 
information on those who are to respond, including through the use of 
appropriate automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological 
collection techniques or other forms of information technology, e.g., 
permitting electronic submission of responses.
     Overview of this information collection:
    (1) Type of information collection: New collection.
    (2) Title of the Form/Collection: BJS Generic Clearance for 
Cognitive, Pilot, and Field Test Studies.
    (3) Agency form number, if any, and the applicable component of the 
department sponsoring the collection: Form numbers not available for 
generic clearance, Bureau of Justice Statistics, Office of Justice 
Programs, Department of Justice.
    (4) Affected public who will be asked or required to respond, as 
well as a brief abstract. Administrators or staff of state and local 
agencies or programs in the relevant fields; administrators or staff of 
non-government agencies or programs in the relevant fields; 
individuals; policymakers at various levels of government.
    (5) An estimate of the total number of respondents and the amount 
of time estimated for an average respondent to respond/reply: Specific 
estimates of the number of respondents and the average response time 
are not known for development work covered under a generic clearance. 
Estimates of overall burden for the ten (10) identified projects 
referenced above, as well as for other data collection projects that 
may benefit from development work under this clearance, are included in 
item 6 below.
    (6) An estimate of the total public burden (in hours) associated 
with the collection: The total respondent burden for identified and 
future projects covered under this generic clearance over the 3-year 
clearance period is approximately 12,340 hours.
    If additional information is required, contact: Jerri Murray, 
Department Clearance Officer, United States Department of Justice, 
Justice Management Division, Policy and Planning Staff, Two 
Constitution Square, 145 N Street NE., Suite 2E-508, Washington, DC 
20530.

    Dated: September 10, 2012.
Jerri Murray,
Department Clearance Officer, PRA, United States Department of Justice.
[FR Doc. 2012-22621 Filed 9-13-12; 8:45 am]
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