[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 9 (Thursday, January 14, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 3198-3199]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-00746]


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DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

[OMB Number 1121-0269]


Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; 
Comments Requested; Reinstatement, With Change, of a Previously 
Approved Collection for Which Approval Has Expired: 2020 Census of 
Publicly Funded Forensic Crime Laboratories (CPFFCL)

AGENCY: Bureau of Justice Statistics, Department of Justice.

ACTION: 60-day notice.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Justice (DOJ), Office of Justice Programs, 
Bureau of Justice Statistics, will be submitting the following 
information collection request to the Office of Management and Budget 
(OMB) for review and approval in accordance with the Paperwork 
Reduction Act of 1995.

DATES: Comments are encouraged and will be accepted for 60 days until 
March 15, 2021.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:  If you have additional comments 
especially on the estimated public burden or associated response time, 
suggestions, or need a copy of the proposed information collection 
instrument with instructions or additional information, please contact 
Connor Brooks, Statistician, Law Enforcement Statistics Unit, Bureau of 
Justice Statistics, 810 Seventh Street NW, Washington, DC 20531 (email: 
[email protected]; phone: 202-514-8633).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Written comments and suggestions from the 
public and affected agencies concerning the proposed collection of 
information are encouraged. Your comments should address one or more of 
the following four points:

--Evaluate whether the proposed collection of information is necessary 
for the proper performance of the functions of the Bureau of Justice 
Statistics, including whether the information will have practical 
utility;
--Evaluate 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;
--Evaluate whether and if so how the quality, utility, and clarity of 
the information to be collected can be enhanced; and
--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: Reinstatement of the Census of 
Publicly Funded Forensic Crime Laboratories, with changes, of a 
previously approved collection for which approval has expired.
    (2) The Title of the Form/Collection: 2020 Census of Publicly 
Funded Forensic Crime Laboratories.
    (3) The agency form number, if any, and the applicable component of 
the Department sponsoring the collection: The form number is CFCL-20. 
The applicable component within the Department of Justice is the Bureau 
of Justice Statistics, Office of Justice Programs.
    (4) Affected public who will be asked or required to respond, as 
well as a brief abstract:
    This information collection is a census of federal, state, and 
local publicly funded forensic crime laboratories that analyze criminal 
evidence. This data collection follows the 2014 study and will collect 
information on personnel, budgets, workloads, policies, and procedures 
of crime laboratories. BJS plans to field the 2020 CPFFCL from May to 
October 2021. The census form was assessed by practitioners and subject 
matter experts to update it from the 2014 form and ensure its relevance 
to forensic crime laboratories as well as reduce respondent burden. The 
form was then cognitively tested with 23 forensic crime laboratories of 
different sizes, regions, and government levels. In addition to 
collecting detailed data for the 2020 reference year, CPFFCL will also 
collect summary data for the 2019 reference year.
    (5) An estimate of the total number of respondents and the amount 
of time estimated for an average respondent to respond: A projected 500 
respondents will take an average of 2.5 hours each to complete form, 
including time to research or find information not readily

[[Page 3199]]

available. BJS expects additional time will be needed for data quality 
follow-up for up to 250 respondents, which will require another 15 
minutes of respondent's time.
    (6) An estimate of the total public burden (in hours) associated 
with the collection: There are an estimated 1312.5 total burden hours 
associated with this information collection.
    If additional information is required contact: Melody Braswell, 
Department Clearance Officer, United States Department of Justice, 
Justice Management Division, Policy and Planning Staff, Two 
Constitution Square, 145 N Street NE, 3E.405A, Washington, DC 20530.

    Dated: January 11, 2021.
Melody Braswell,
Department Clearance Officer for PRA,U.S. Department of Justice.
[FR Doc. 2021-00746 Filed 1-13-21; 8:45 am]
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