U.S. Department of Justice Office of Justice Programs Bureau of Justice Statistics National Crime Victimization Survey Interviewing Manual for Field Representatives Table of Contents PART A The National Crime Victimization Survey and You Chapter Title An Overview of the National Crime Victimization Survey Topic Purpose and Sponsor Historical Overview Sample Design Data Products and Their Uses Conducting the National Crime Victimization Survey Interview Topic Introducing the Survey and Its Authorization Confidentiality Eligible Respondents Maintaining Respondent Rapport Answering Respondents' Questions General Interviewing Techniques Closing the Interview and "Thank You" Letters General National Crime Victimization Survey Procedures Topic Basic Survey Procedures Monthly Tasks Daily Tasks Specific Household Procedures Your Job Duties and Performance Standards Topic Basic Field Duties Additional Duties Performance Standards Chapter Title Your Job Duties and Performance Standards (Continued) Topic Field Evaluations--Observation and Reinterview Personal Visit vs. Telephone Interviews Topic Identifying the Method of Interview Qualifications for Using the Personal Visit Method Qualifications for Using the Telephone Method Instructions for Conducting Telephone Interviews Telephone Interviewing Skills Noninterviews Topic Overview of Noninterview Types and Procedures Type A Noninterview Categories Type B Noninterview Categories Type C Noninterview Categories Control Card Entries for Noninterviews Type Z Noninterview Persons Interviewing Materials - Descriptions and Receipt/Transmittal Instructions Topic Description of Materials Materials Kept Month to Month Materials Supplied Monthly Checking and Acknowledging Receipt of Materials Mailing Completed Work PART B How to Complete and Edit National Crime Victimization Forms Chapter Title Completing the NCVS-500, Control Card Topic General Instructions Completing Items 1 Through 11 (Unit Identification) Completing Items 12 Through 15 (Household Roster/ Housing Unit Coverage) Completing Items 16 Through 22 (Personal Characteristics) Completing Items 23 Through 25 (Race/Hispanic Origin/ Household Composition Changes) Completing Items 26 Through 29 (Use of Telephone/ Building Characteristics/Household Income) Completing Items 30 Through Table X (Record of Visits and Telephone Calls/Noninterview Reason/Notes/ Bounding Information/Noninterview Contact Person/ Determining EXTRA Units) Completing the NCVS-1, Basic Screen Questionnaire Topic General Instructions Completing Items 1 Through 16 (Cover Page) Completing Items 17 Through 28 (Personal Characteristics) Completing Items 29 Through Check Item E (Mobility/ Businesses/Theft/Break-ins/Motor Vehicles/Specific Locations/Use of Weapons/Known Offenders/Unwanted Sexual Acts/Catch-all Questions/Computer Crime/Proxy Help) Completing Items 46 Through Check Item I (Vandalism/ Crimes During Vandalism/Hate Crimes/Transcribing Number of Incidents/Employment Questions) Chapter Title Completing the NCVS-2, Crime Incident Report Topic General Instructions Completing Items 1 Through 23 (Cover Page/Location of Incident/Illegal Entry/Use of Weapon) Completing Items 24 Through 31 (Attacks/Threats) Completing Items 32 Through 54 (Injuries/Medical Care/ Protecting Self or Property/Results of Actions/Presence of Others/Injuries to Others Present)3 Completing Check Item G Through Item 87 (Use of Physical Force/Characteristics of the Offender(s)) Completing Items 88 Through 114 (Theft/Items Stolen/ Value of Stolen Property/Repair or Replacement of Stolen Property/Cost of Repair or Replacement) Completing Items 115 Through 134 (Police Notification/Reasons for Reporting or Not Reporting Incident to Police/Police Response to Notification/Contact With Authorities) Completing Items 135 Through 153 (Activity During Incident/Employment Status at Time of Incident/Type of Job/Lost Work Time Due to Injuries/Lost Pay Due to Incident) Completing Check Item U Through Check Item Z (Series of Crimes/Hate Crimes/Disability/Summary of Incident) Completing the NCVS-7, Noninterview Record Topic General Instructions Items 1 Through 10 Editing Procedures Topic General Editing Instructions Editing the Control Card Editing the Basic Screen Questionnaire Editing the Crime Incident Report Chapter Title Editing Procedures (Continued) Topic Editing the Noninterview Record Office Edits and Qualified Edit Field Representatives Part C Survey Concepts Note: Coverage concepts are included in Chapter 7, General Coverage Procedures, of the Listing and Coverage Manual for Field Representatives, Form 11-8. Chapter Title Basic National Crime Victimization Survey Concepts Topic Title Overview of Chapter 1 Reference Period Household Membership Reference Person Household and Individual Respondents Proxy Interview Bounding Interviews Out-of-Scope Incident Screening for Crimes Topic Title Overview of Chapter 2 Crime Measured by the NCVS Threats Vandalism Recognizable/Unrecognizable Businesses Ownership of Motor Vehicles Months/Years Living at Address Frequency of Household Moves Computer-Related Incidents Chapter Title Reporting Crime Incidents Topic Title Overview of Chapter 3 Series of Crimes Right to Legally Enter Home/Lodging Restricted Areas/Areas Open to the Public Illegal Entry (With or Without Force) Presence During an Incident Weapons Rape/Unwanted Sexual Contact Theft/Attempted Theft of Cash/Property Value of Stolen Property/Methods Used to Determine Property Ownership Recovered Money and/or Property Medical Care Medical Expenses Race of Offenders Other Victimized Household Members Damage to Property During an Incident Job/Business at Time of the Incident Major Activity During Week of the Incident Incident Occurred at Work Site Incident Involved a Police Officer Hate Crimes Writing Summary Reports Type of Industry and Occupation APPENDIXES Note: Procedures for interviewing group quarters units are covered in Chapters 2, 4, and 5 of the Listing and Coverage Manual for Field Representatives, Form 11-8. Appendix Title A Summary of Monthly Field Operations for Field Representatives B National Crime Victimization Survey Procedures for Replacement Households, EXTRA Units, and Merged Units INDEXES Index Title Subject Index Item Number Index Part A, Chapter 1 An Overview of the National Crime Victimization Survey Table of Topics Topic Purpose and Sponsor Historical Overview Sample Design Data Products and Their Uses Topic 1. Purpose and Sponsor Primary Purpose The primary purpose of the National Crime Victimization Survey(NCVS)is to obtain, from respondents who are 12 years of age and older, an accurate and up-to-date measure of the amount and kinds of crime committed during a specific six-month reference period. The NCVS also collects detailed information about specific incidents of criminal victimization that the respondent reports for the six-month reference period. Secondary Purpose NCVS also serves as a vehicle for obtaining supplemental data on crime and the criminal justice system, including: * Attitudes toward crime and police officers, * Crime incidents in our schools, and Nonfatal workplace violence. This supplemental information is collected periodically, along with the standard NCVS data. Survey Sponsor NCVS is sponsored by the Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS), which is part of the U.S. Department of Justice. At this time, it is the largest ongoing statistical survey sponsored by BJS. BJS is responsible for collecting, analyzing, publishing, and disseminating statistical information on crime, its perpetrators and victims, and the operation of justice systems at all levels of government. BJS is also responsible for providing timely and accurate data about crime and the administration of justice to the President, Congress, other government officials, and the general public. BJS also supports and manages two clearinghouses which people can call toll-free to obtain information and publications. They are: * The Bureau of Justice Statistics Clearinghouse at 1-800-732-3277 and * The Drugs and Crime Data Center and Clearinghouse at 1-800-666-3332. BJS also has statistics available on the Internet. Their web site address is www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/. To succeed in providing timely and reliable statistics on crime and its impact on society, BJS contracts with the Bureau of the Census to conduct the NCVS, which is the main source of information for measuring crime and assessing its impact. NCVS vs. Police Reports Most estimates on the amount and nature of crime are derived from police reports. However, evidence has proven that a significant number of crimes are never reported to the police. Victims have cited some of the following reasons for failing to inform the police about crimes: * Victim felt that nothing could be done. * Victim thought that the crime incident was not important enough to report to the police. * Victim decided that the incident was too private or personal. * Victim felt that the police would not want to be bothered with the incident. Police departments often lack the personnel or technical resources necessary to record and publish the kind of detailed data from crime victims that are required for comprehensive criminal justice planning, evaluation, or analysis. The Bureau of the Census has both the personnel and the technical resources to conduct and supply reliable and detailed statistics on victims of crime. Your work as an NCVS field representative will allow us to succeed in providing BJS with the type of crime victimization data that police reports cannot. Topic 2. Historical Overview How the NCVS Began Between January 1971 and July 1972, the Census Bureau conducted the first nationwide victimization survey as a supplement to the already established Quarterly Household Survey (QHS). During that period, only minor changes were made to the survey questions in an effort to improve data quality. In July 1972, the National Crime Survey (NCS) became a separate national sample survey as a pioneering effort. The first sponsor of the NCS was the Law Enforcement Assistance Administration (LEAA). This survey began when the LEAA received a mandate set forth by Section 515b of Public Law 93-83 to collect, evaluate, publish, and disseminate information on the progress of law enforcement within the United States. The NCS was intended to complement the crime information that the FBI reports annually to law enforcement agencies in the Uniform Crime Reports. The NCS is designed to provide a detailed picture of crime incidents, regardless of whether they were reported to the police. This survey also provides a picture of crime victims and crime trends as seen from the victim's perspective. In December 1979, NCS was transferred to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, U.S. Department of Justice. During that same year, the first major attempt was made to improve the quality and utility of the NCS data. Improving Accuracy and Usefulness In the mid-1970s, the National Academy of Sciences evaluated the accuracy and usefulness of the NCS. Although the NCS was effective in measuring crime, they did pinpoint certain aspects of the survey that could be improved. During 1979 to 1985, a group of experts in criminology, survey design, and statistics conducted a detailed study and testing of the NCS. Their findings resulted in a survey redesign that would: * Increase reporting of crime victimization, and * Provide additional details on individual crime incidents. The recommended changes were phased in as part of a two- stage process--near-term and long-term. The "near-term" changes were not substantial enough to affect the comparability of the crime rates for previous years, and these changes were implemented in July 1986. On the other hand, the long-term changes have had a substantial impact on the NCS crime rates. These long-term changes were phased in gradually starting in 1989, and were fully implemented by July 1993. To achieve the redesign objectives, the following improvements were made between 1986 and 1993: * Better "short cue" screening questions were added to stimulate respondent recall of incidents. * More thorough descriptions of crime incidents were added as an effort to help all respondents interpret NCS concepts correctly. * Computer-assisted telephone interviewing was introduced to improve data collection for selected sample segments. * Specific questions about rape and sexual assaults were added to improve measures of these crimes. * Screening questions were reworded and added to get a better measure of domestic violence. As part of all the redesign changes, BJS decided in late 1991 to rename the NCS to its current name, the National Crime Victimization Survey. Overview of Changes Between 1999 and 2003 In January 1999, a series of hate crime questions were added to the NCVS-1, Basic Screen Questionnaire, and the NCVS-2, Crime Incident Report. In the NCVS-1, we are trying to determine if there is any reason to suspect that an act of vandalism was a hate crime or a crime of prejudice of bigotry, while in the NCVS-2, we want to determine if there is any reason to suspect the reported incident was a hate crime or a crime of prejudice or bigotry. In July 1999, a question asking whether the household's living quarters is located on an American Indian Reservation or on American Indian Lands was added to the household's Control Card, NCVS-500. A similar question was added to the Crime Incident Report, NCVS-2,asking if the incident took place on an American Indian Reservation or on American Indian Lands. In July 2000, the lifestyle and home protection questions in the NCVS-1 were deleted and the hate crime questions on the NCVS-1 and NCVS-2 were revised. A new series of disability questions were asked of persons who reported an incident in the seventh enumeration period. In January 2001, the new disability questions were asked in the NCVS-2 of all persons reporting an incident. In July 2001, a new series of computer crime questions were added to the NCVS- 1. Another change involved the expansion of answer categories for the following NCVS-2 items: 10, 70, 84, and 158, along with the addition of revised employment questions for the NCVS-2. In January 2003, changes were made to the Control Card items which ask about educational attainment, ethnicity, and race. Topic 3. Sample Design NCVS Sample Population and Size Any noninstitutionalized person who is 12 years of age or older and lives in the United States is eligible for the NCVS. Every 6 months, approximately 54,000 housing units and other living quarters, such as college dormitories and religious group dwellings, are designated for sample. Persons who are not included in the scope of this survey include: * Crew members of merchant vessels, * Armed Forces personnel living in military barracks, and * Institutionalized persons, such as correctional facility inmates. Primary Sampling Units The households to be interviewed for the NCVS are selected by scientific sampling methods from specific sampling areas across the United States. We refer to these sampling areas as Primary Sampling Units(PSUs). All counties, minor civil divisions (MCDs), and census county divisions (CCDs)are classified and grouped together based on similar characteristics. These characteristics include geographic region, population density, rate of growth, population, principal industry, and type of agriculture. There are two main types of Primary Sampling Units (PSUs)--stratification PSUs and field assignment PSUs. In most states, stratification PSUs consist of one or more adjoining counties and independent cities. In New England and Hawaii, they could consist of one or more MCDs or CCDs. MCDs and CCDs are portions of a state similar to a county, but smaller in size. In order for each FR to have a more manageable assignment area, stratification PSUs are divided into smaller field assignment PSUs. In most states, these field assignment PSUs consist of one county. Sample Unit Selection Each stratification PSU is made up of four different sampling frames--Unit, Permit, Group Quarters (GQ), and Area. The NCVS selects sample units from each of these sampling frames. For the Unit and GQ frames, sample addresses come from the 1990 census files. For the Permit frame, sample addresses come from building permit data supplied to us from building permit offices. For the Area frame, FRs canvass sample blocks from the 1990 census files and create address lists for these blocks. Then, the address lists are used to select sample households to be interviewed for the NCVS. Interviewing Pattern All sample housing units selected for the NCVS are divided into six equal rotation groups. Each rotation group is further divided into six panels. Each month, one panel from each rotation group or one sixth of each rotation group is selected for interviewing. As a result, a different panel gets interviewed each month. Here's an example: In December 2002, we used Samples J20 and J21 to select cases for NCVS interviewing. From Sample J20, cases will be assigned for interview from Panel 6 of rotation groups 4, 5, and 6. From Sample J21, cases will be assigned for interview from Panel 6 of rotation groups 1 through 4. Sample J20 J21 December 2002 64 65 66 61 62 63 64 In this example, the "64" stands for "Panel 6, Rotation 4," "65" stands for "Panel 6, Rotation 5," and so forth. Over a 3-year period, sample housing units from each rotation group are interviewed once every 6 months. Over a 6-month period, a different panel of households gets interviewed each month. Every 6 months, a new rotation group enters the NCVS sample to replace an outgoing rotation group whose 3-year interview cycle is complete. FRs and CATI interviewers conduct a majority of their NCVS interviews during the first 2 weeks of each month. The initial interview with a sample household is always conducted by personal visit and is used primarily to establish a timeframe to avoid duplication of crimes during subsequent interviews. Whenever possible, subsequent NCVS interviews are conducted by telephone. CATI Eligible PSUs NCVS utilizes Computer-Assisted Telephone Interviewing (CATI) for about 30 percent of the sample households. Segments of PSUs are identified to determine if they qualify for CATI interviewing. Our main goal is to have an optimal workload for our field representatives. Topic 4. Data Products and Their Uses Types of NCVS Data Products All data that we collect for NCVS are tabulated in the form of statistical summaries. No individuals who participate in this survey can ever be identified from the statistical totals that are released to the public. Once we turn over these statistical summaries to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, they have a special analysis group who analyze the data and produce several types of publications on an annual basis. Some of the publications released from this survey include: * Criminal Victimization in the United States * Changes in Criminal Victimization * Female Victims of Violent Crime BJS routinely distributes copies of their publications to: State and regional planning agencies, Colleges and universities, Commercial and industrial groups, Citizen groups, Professional associations, Federal, state, city, and local police, Courts and correctional agencies, and Legislative bodies. BJS also makes selected crime victimization data available through the Internet. In addition to BJS, the Census Bureau makes available full sets of data tabulations to a variety of data users. These tabulations include many tables that never make it into the printed publications. After the survey results have been modified to protect the confidentiality of our respondents, both the Census Bureau and the University of Michigan disseminate NCVS data tape files. The University of Michigan uses a grant awarded by BJS to release NCVS data in a format that makes them more accessible to the general public, criminal justice practitioners, and academic researchers. Who Uses NCVS Data and Why Users of NCVS data cover a wide audience of groups and persons who are all concerned about crime and crime prevention. These users include: * Researchers at academic, government, private, and nonprofit research institutions; * Community groups and government agencies; * Law enforcement agencies; and * Print and broadcast media. Researchers use NCVS data to prepare reports, policy recommendations, scholarly publications, testimony before Congress, and documentation for use in courts. NCVS data are used by researchers to explore the public policy implications of victimization data. From a policymaker's point of view, it is important to know the effect, if any, police behavior, and the legal and correctional systems have on crime levels. Researchers also use the NCVS information to investigate: * Why certain persons are victimized more than others, The characteristics of attempted versus actual victimizations, * The reasons why persons do not report crime incidents to the police, and * Victimization among juveniles, domestic violence, gun-related crimes, multiple victimizations, and so forth. Community groups and government agencies use the data to develop neighborhood watch and victim assistance and compensation programs. The NCVS produces several facts that are relevant to projecting the costs of victim compensation programs. After reviewing specific NCVS facts, it was revealed that some of the eligibility restrictions for existing compensation programs are not entirely relevant to the types of people most likely to be victimized. This was determined by examining data on age, employment status, and family income of victims of personal crimes, together with findings about victim/offender relationships in these crimes. Law enforcement agencies use the NCVS findings for training purposes, and the findings can be seen in crime prevention public service announcements and in crime documentaries. Law enforcement agencies in various cities also use NCVS data to increase: * Citizen cooperation with officials in deterring and detecting crime, * Special police strike forces to combat those crimes which the survey indicates as being most prevalent, and * Street and park lighting programs in those areas with the highest reported crime rates. Print and broadcast media regularly cite NCVS findings when reporting on a host of crime-related topics. Here are some examples of crime victimization highlights that could be of interest to the print and broadcast media: The violent crime rate fell 10% between 2000 and 2001 due primarily to a significant decrease in the rate of simple assault. The overall property crime rate fell 6% between 2000 and 2001 because of decreases in theft and household burglary rates. Violent crimes were less likely to involve firearms in 2001 than in the period between 1993 and 1996. Some other reasons why data users want the crime victimization information produced from the NCVS include: * Planning for public education programs, police patrol strategies, and new communities and housing projects. This type of planning requires a knowledge of the characteristics of victimized persons and households, as well as when and where victimizations occur. * Conducting feasibility studies and planning programs for the restitution and compensation to victims of crime. These studies and programs require information on the nature and extent of injury and loss that results from criminal victimization. * Assessing the need for property identification programs. These programs require information on the level of property recovery after burglaries and thefts. * Understanding more about the nature and extent of biases in police data on known offenses. These studies require a knowledge of the levels of nonreporting to the police, together with information on the kinds of victimization that are disproportionately not reported to the police. Part A, Chapter 2 Chapter 2 Conducting the National Crime Victimization Survey Interview Table of Topics Topic 1 Introducing the Survey and Its Authorization 2 Confidentiality 3 Eligible Respondents 4 Maintaining Respondent Rapport 5 Answering Respondents' Questions 6 General Interviewing Techniques 7 Closing the Interview and "Thank You" Letters Topic 1. Introducing the Survey and Its Authorization Introducing Yourself and the Survey After making contact with a respondent, you must introduce yourself, verify that you contacted the correct address, and introduce the survey. Your introduction needs to include the following information: * Who you are (your full name), * Who you represent (the U.S. Census Bureau), * Proof of your identification for personal visit interviews (your official ID card), and * The purpose of your visit/telephone call(conducting a survey to determine how often people are victims of crime). Also, ask whether the household received our introductory letter for personal visit interviews or provide the information required by the Privacy Act(shown on page 2 of the Information Card Booklet, NCVS-554). Suggested Introductions For a personal visit interview, you can say something similar to the following introduction: "I'm (your name) from the United States Census Bureau. Here is my identification. (Show ID card and verify address.) The Census Bureau is conducting a survey here and throughout the Nation to determine how often people are victims of crimes. Did you receive our letter?" When you are not sure if the person who greets you at the door is at least 18 years of age, ask: "I need to talk to someone who is at least 18 years of age and knowledgeable about this household? Would that be you?" Here's an example of an introduction you can use when conducting a telephone interview: "I'm (your name) from the United States Census Bureau. (verify address) The Census Bureau is conducting a survey here and throughout the Nation to determine how often people are victims of crimes. We contacted your household for this survey several months ago. I would like to talk to someone in the household who is at least 18 years of age and knowledgeable about this household? Would that be you?" Keep in mind that the first contact with a sample household must be a personal visit. Why We Use Introductory Letters The NCVS uses two different introductory letters to comply with the provisions of the Privacy Act of 1974. This Privacy Act requires that all Federal agencies provide specific facts to anyone from whom they plan to collect personal information. These facts include: * The legal authority for collecting the information; * The principal purposes for collecting the information; * The various uses for the data after it is collected; and * The mandatory or voluntary nature of the survey and penalties, if any, for not providing information. One introductory letter, NCVS-572(L), is usually mailed to a household just before it comes into sample for the first enumeration period. The other introductory letter, NCVS- 573(L), is usually mailed before each subsequent enumeration period. In addition to complying with the Privacy Act of 1974, both letters prepare the household for your visit/ telephone call and provide the household with your regional office address and telephone number. How To Use Introductory Letters Your regional office is responsible for mailing out introductory letters and indicating on the NCVS Control Card (NCVS-500) whether or not they mailed a letter. Your assignment materials will also include copies of both introductory letters in case you need to hand them out during personal visit interviews. For each enumeration period, your regional office will mark Item 5 on the NCVS Control Card to let you know whether or not they mailed an introductory letter to the sample household. Always check Item 5 before starting an interview. Then, take the following actions: If "No" is marked in Item 5 or Item 5 is left blank-- Personal Visit - Before you start introducing yourself to the respondent, hand the respondent a copy of the appropriate letter for the enumeration period. As you hand the letter to the respondent, say something similar to: "I would like you to have this letter which introduces this survey and the purpose of my visit ." Allow the respondent time to read the letter before the interview. Telephone - When conducting an NCVS interview by telephone, it is not necessary to mention the introductory letter. However, you may find the following Privacy Act statement useful, even when the respondent has received our letter and still has questions about the survey's purpose, any penalties for not participating in the survey, or the importance of each sample household's participation: "The Census Bureau is conducting the National Crime Victimization Survey for the Bureau of Justice Statistics of the United States Department of Justice. The survey's purpose is to provide information on the kinds and amount of crime committed against households and individuals throughout the country. All survey information will be used for statistical purposes only. This survey is authorized by Title 42, Section 3732 of the United States Code. Participation in this survey is voluntary and there are no penalties for refusing to answer any questions. However, your cooperation is extremely important to help insure the completeness and accuracy of this much needed information." If "Yes" is marked in Item 5 (for first enumeration period): Since all first enumeration households are personal visit interviews, ask the respondent, at the end of your introduction, whether or not he/she received the NCVS introductory letter. If the respondent states that he/ she did not receive it or doesn't recall seeing it, hand the respondent a copy of the NCVS-572(L) and allow time for reading it. If "Yes" is marked in Item 5 (second through seventh enumeration period): In most cases, you will conduct these interviews over the telephone and will not need to ask about the introductory letter for the second through the seventh enumeration period. There are a few instances when you would need to ask about the introductory letter or provide the Privacy Act information for second through seventh enumeration period households. These exceptions include households that were Type A noninterviews during the first enumeration period, and cases where you discover a replacement household. NCVS Authorization Currently, BJS is authorized to collect statistics on victimizations through Title 42, United States Code, Section 3732 of the Justice Systems Improvement Act of 1979. Although this law authorizes BJS to collect victimization information, it does not make respondent participation mandatory. Title 42 also requires that all information collected from respondents be kept strictly confidential, so that individual respondents or households cannot be identified from the survey results. (See Topic 2 of this chapter for more details about confidentiality.) Topic 2. Confidentiality How We Define Confidentiality By law, Titles 13 and 42 of the United States Code, the Census Bureau is required to guarantee that we will not release any information from which respondents can be identified. Only sworn Census Bureau employees are allowed to see names, addresses, and other personal information that we collect. Confidentiality and Your Job While working as an FR, you must avoid mentioning or providing anyone, other than sworn Census employees, with any survey materials that would link a specific household or person with a specific survey. When discussing your job, always be careful never to reveal any information collected during an interview to an unauthorized person or allow unauthorized persons to view completed questionnaires. Always be careful to store completed questionnaires out of sight, so that unauthorized persons won't be tempted to look at them. Never leave completed questionnaires on table or dresser tops at home, in motel rooms, at restaurants, or any other public place. When traveling in your vehicle, always keep completed forms locked out of sight, especially when you leave your vehicle. No One Home When you find that no one is home at a sample address, you need to be very careful how you inquire about the best time to reach someone at the sample address. If you ask a neighbor, apartment manager, or someone else living nearby, do not mention the survey name or attempt to describe the survey. Here's an example of what you may want to say: "Hello, I am (your name)from the United States Census Bureau. Here is my identification (show ID). I need to interview the household at (sample address), but no one is at home now. Do you know when I might find someone at home?" Nonhousehold Member Proxy Respondent In the few cases where it is acceptable for you to allow a nonhousehold member as a proxy respondent, you cannot provide the proxy respondent with any information that was provided by household members in earlier interviews/ enumeration periods. This includes information on household composition, marital status, education, income, and any other responses provided on the Basic Screen Questionnaire (NCVS-1) and Crime Incident Reports (NCVS-2s). To fully comply with our confidentiality rules, reask Control Card Items 13a and 14 of the nonhousehold respondent, and then only ask the NCVS-1 questions for the persons named by the nonhousehold respondent (those already listed and newly added). Using an Interpreter There may be instances when you need the assistance of an interpreter. Perhaps the respondent speaks a language that you can't understand or he/she is unable to speak at all. Only use an interpreter that the respondent is willing to accept. If the respondent objects to a particular interpreter or you can't locate an interpreter, call your supervisor for help in finding an acceptable interpreter. Telephone Interviews When conducting an interview over the telephone, do not permit unauthorized persons, such as your family members or neighbors, to listen to an interview. Personal Visit Interviews If nonhousehold members are present, either in a sample housing unit or a group quarters, ask the respondent if he/she wishes to be interviewed in private. If so, make the necessary arrangements to either interview the person elsewhere or at a different time. Some respondents may prefer not to be interviewed while other household members are present. Always respect the respondent's need for a private interview. Here are a few examples: You visit a sample housing unit and discover that there are relatives visiting from out of town. Or You visit a college dormitory to interview a student and find students from other dormitory rooms studying in the sample student's room. Reassuring Respondents Even though all NCVS data that we collect are tabulated in the form of statistical summaries, some respondents may still feel uneasy about providing the requested information. Here are some facts that you can relay to respondents who may be concerned about confidentiality: Before any NCVS data are released, all personal information is removed and only summary information or totals are released to data users. The Census Bureau takes its confidentiality promise to respondents very seriously. A Census Bureau employee can be fined up to $250,000 and/or imprisoned for up to 5 years if the employee is found guilty of an unauthorized disclosure of individual information provided to the Census Bureau. Our agency has an unchallenged record when you examine how we protect a respondent's confidentiality. Topic 3. Eligible Respondents Types of NCVS Respondents There are three types of respondents for the NCVS: Household respondents, Individual respondents, and Proxy respondents. Certain NCVS forms and sets of questions require different respondents. There are specific questions on the Control Card(NCVS-500)and the Basic Screen Questionnaire(NCVS-1)which relate to the household and are asked only once during each enumeration period. We refer to the respondent for these questions as the "household respondent." All other questions for the NCVS are considered "self- response" questions. In other words, each household member who is 12 years of age or older is expected to answer for himself/herself. We refer to these respondents as "individual respondents." As a last resort and only under specific conditions, we will allow another person to answer questions for a household member. We refer to this person as a "proxy respondent." In most cases, a proxy respondent will be another household member. Strict rules are in place for when to accept a proxy interview, since a proxy respondent is more likely not to report a crime incident and less likely to know the full details concerning reported incidents. Interpreters and Signers "Interpreters" are acceptable for respondents who cannot read or speak English, and "Signers" are acceptable for respondents who are deaf. However, interpreters and signers are not considered "proxy respondents," because they are not responding for the household member. Interpreters are translating the NCVS questions into the respondent's language and then translating the respondent's answers into English for you. Signers are using sign language to relay the NCVS questions to the respondent, the respondent uses sign language to answer the questions, and then the signer tells you the respondent's answers. Whenever you have the assistance of an interpreter or a signer, note that fact in any summary reports that you complete for the respondent. Rules for Household Respondents Your goal for selecting a household respondent is to find the most knowledgeable household member who is at least 18 years of age. By most knowledgeable, we mean the household member who is most likely to give accurate answers to the household questions. Most often the household respondent will be the reference person (one of the persons who owns or rents the home). (See Part C, Chapter 1, for more details about reference persons and household respondents.) First Person to Interview You must select and interview the household respondent before interviewing any other household members, regardless of whether you interview by personal visit or telephone. For a first enumeration period household, ask to speak with one of the persons who owns or rents the home, as soon as you have introduced yourself and verified that you are at the correct address. For a second through seventh enumeration period household, ask to speak with the person who was the household respondent during the previous enumeration period, as soon as you have introduced yourself and verified that you contacted the correct address. If that person is not available, you can ask to speak to the reference person, another household member who owns/rents the home, or a household member who is at least 18 years of age and knowledgeable about the household. Exceptions to the Age Requirement There are only two instances when a household respondent can be under 18 years of age. When the household's reference person (one of the person's who owns or rents the home) or the spouse of the reference person is 17 years of age, you can select either person as the household respondent. Because they are MARRIED, either person qualifies as a household respondent, even though one person is 17 years of age. When you have a household in which ALL household members are 17 years of age, select the most knowledgeable household member as the household respondent. However, if the household has at least one 17-year-old household member and the remaining members are under 17 years of age, select the 17- year-old household member as the household respondent. NOTE: If you encounter a household in which ALL household members are under 17 years of age, contact your supervisor who will discuss this situation with Headquarters staff and then let you know how to handle the case. Switching Household Respondents If it becomes obvious that you are interviewing a household member who is unable to answer the household questions, you must: Find a more knowledgeable household respondent, or Arrange to return to the household when a more knowledgeable respondent is available. However, you must interview the household respondent BEFORE interviewing any individual respondents. If you have to change household respondents, start the interview over again from the beginning. Rules for Individual Respondents After you are done interviewing the household respondent, then you can interview each of the remaining household members who are 12 years of age and older. We want self-responses from each of these household members. This may require you to make callbacks, so that you can talk directly to each household member. Rules for Proxy Respondents To be eligible as a proxy respondent, a household member must be: At least 18 years of age, Knowledgeable about the household member for whom he/ she is responding, and A completed NCVS interview himself/herself before providing a proxy interview. The only time a proxy respondent can be under 18 years of age is when the reference person or the spouse of the reference person is under 18 or all household members are under 18 years of age. Proxy Respondents Who Are Not Household Members Before you can accept a nonhousehold member as a proxy respondent, all of the following conditions must apply: All household members cannot be interviewed due to health problems or mental incompetence. During the entire reference period, all household members have been unable to leave home unless they were accompanied by a caretaker who is nonhousehold member. Proxy interviews are provided by the nonhousehold member caretaker for ALL eligible household members, including the household respondent's interview. The nonhousehold member caretaker must be at least 18 years of age. During the entire reference period, the nonhousehold member caretaker had responsibility for the care of each eligible household member. The only time you are allowed to take a proxy interview for a household respondent is when all of the conditions for a nonhousehold member proxy respondent have been met and the nonhousehold member is the proxy respondent for the household respondent and all remaining eligible household members. Otherwise, one of the eligible household members must be the household respondent. When Not to Use a Nonhousehold Member If any of the household members, who require proxy interviews, have not been under the care of the nonhousehold member for more than a few days during the reference period, do not accept a proxy interview from the nonhousehold member. Here are a few examples of when not to accept a nonhousehold member caretaker as a proxy respondent: A nonhousehold member goes on a 2-week vacation and is not with the household member during those 2 weeks. The household member is in a hospital or a nursing home or visiting with relatives for one or more months. During that time, the nonhousehold member caretaker is not staying with the household member. If you have a case where you are not sure whether to accept a nonhousehold member caretaker as a proxy respondent, always check with your supervisor before conducting the proxy interview. Protecting the Rights of Household Members Make sure that a nonhousehold member caretaker is an acceptable proxy respondent before conducting a proxy interview. If you allow an unacceptable nonhousehold member to be a proxy respondent, you run the risk of: Violating the sample household's right to confidentiality, Violating the sample household's right to choose whether or not to participate in the survey, and Interviewing a proxy respondent who is not knowledgeable enough to provide complete and accurate information. When accepting a nonhousehold member caretaker as a proxy respondent, remember not to provide him/her with any information that the household member(s) provided during previous interviews. This includes information on household composition, marital status, education, income, and so forth, as well as any other information previously given by household member(s). When updating the Control Card (NCVS-500), reask Items 13a and 14, and then only ask the screen questions for those household members named by the nonhousehold member proxy respondent. For other items that require updating for the enumeration period, reask these items without mentioning the previously recorded information. Entries on the Basic Screen Questionnaire (NCVS-1) for Nonhousehold Member Proxy Interviews Item 13 on the front page of the Basic Screen Questionnaire (NCVS-1)is intended for entering information about proxy interviews. When the proxy respondent is a nonhousehold member, you need to complete Item 13 as follows: In Item 13a, enter the line number from Item 19 on the Basic Screen Questionnaire (NCVS-1) for the household member who required a proxy interview. In Item 13b, print the name of the nonhousehold member proxy respondent in the "Name" column and print "Non HH" in the "Line No." column. NEVER enter a line number for a nonhousehold member on either the Basic Screen Questionnaire (NCVS-1) or the Crime Incident Report (NCVS-2), even if the nonhousehold member is listed in the household roster of the Control Card (NCVS-500) as a "usual residence elsewhere" (URE). In Item 13c, always enter Code 2 (Physically/mentally unable to answer), since that is the only acceptable reason for allowing a nonhousehold member to be a proxy respondent. Completing an INTER-COMM for Nonhousehold Member Proxy Interviews Whenever you accept a proxy interview from a nonhousehold member proxy respondent, you must complete an INTER-COMM (Form 11-36) explaining the situation. Your explanation needs to include who the nonhousehold member is (nurse, daughter, neighbor, etc.) and how much time the nonhousehold member caretaker spends with the household member(s). When to Accept a Proxy Interview One of the following circumstances must exist before you can accept a proxy interview: A parent does not want you to interview his/her 12-or 13-year-old child. In this case, any knowledgeable household member who is at least 18 years of age can be the proxy respondent for the child. A household member who is 12 years of age or older is temporarily absent and will not be back to the address until after the interview closeout date. In this case, make sure that the person is still a household member. Check page 4 of your Information Card Booklet(NCVS-554) if you need help determining household membership. If the absent person is still considered a household member, then you can accept a proxy interview. If a household member who is at least 12 years of age is considered physically and/or mentally incapacitated, then you can accept a proxy interview. To qualify as physically and/or mentally incapacitated, the household member must have health and/or mental illness problems that are continuous throughout the entire interview period and these problems make it impossible for the person to be interviewed. The following problems do not qualify as health or mental illness problems: * Colds or the flu, * Drunkenness or drugs, or * Emotional problems that might be aggravated * due to some NCVS questions, such as those * dealing with sexual assaults. When Not to Accept a Proxy Interview Under the following circumstances, do NOT accept a proxy interview: You are unable to reach a household member at the sample address, despite repeated attempts throughout the interview period. For example, a high school student who goes to school, works part time, and is involved in several sports activities. In a two-person household, one of the members tells you that she can't take the time to answer your questions. Instead, she wants her husband to answer all the NCVS questions for both of them. A household member refuses to let you interview someone in the household who is over 13 years of age, such as a 14-year-old son or daughter or a 90-year-old parent. A respondent does not understand English and you are unable to find an acceptable interpreter, including another household member. If you encounter any of these situations, you must classify the individual respondent as a Type Z Noninterview. Remember that you can never classify a household respondent as a Type Z Noninterview. If none of the household members qualify as a household respondent, then you must classify the entire household as a Type A noninterview. (See Part A, Chapter 6, for more details about noninterviews.) Procedures for Conducting Proxy Interviews There are specific items on both the Basic Screen Questionnaire (NCVS-1) and the Crime Incident Report (NCVS-2) that require special procedures when conducting a proxy interview. Whenever you conduct a proxy interview, follow these procedures: * On the Basic Screen Questionnaire (NCVS-1): Complete Item 13 before leaving the household. Make sure to mark either box 3 or 4 in Item 18 to indicate that the household member's interview was taken by proxy either in person or by telephone. * On the Crime Incident Report (NCVS-2): Item 20b - The word "respondent" in the answer categories refers to the person for whom the proxy interview is taken, NOT to the proxy respondent. Items 21 - 115 - Replace the word "you" in each of these questions with the name of the person for whom the proxy interview is being taken. Items 116 - 134 - For these questions, we want the proxy respondent to answer for himself/herself, not for the person for whom the proxy interview is being taken. Items 135 - 176 - Replace the word "you" in each of these questions with the name of the person for whom the proxy interview is being taken. Justifying a Proxy Interview When you take a proxy interview because the household member is physically and/or mentally unable to answer or the household member is temporarily absent and will not return before closeout, you must explain the situation in an INTER-COMM and attach it to the Basic Screen Questionnaire (NCVS-1). You do not need to complete an INTER-COMM if you take a proxy interview for a 12- or 13-year-old child whose parent refused to let you interview the child. Remember to only accept a proxy interview as a last resort. Also, only accept a proxy respondent who is able to answer questions about the household member accurately and completely. Rules for Interpreters and Signers Before using an interpreter or a signer, make sure that the person is acceptable to the respondent. The interpreter or signer can be a family member, a neighbor of the respondent, an official interpreter or signer, or even you, if you speak the person's language or can sign well enough. If you have difficulty finding a suitable interpreter or signer, contact your supervisor. NEVER accept a proxy respondent when you can't locate a suitable interpreter. However, you can use a proxy respondent for a deaf respondent, when a suitable signer is not available. If you complete any NCVS-2s for a respondent who required the assistance of an interpreter or signer, note in the summary report that an interpreter or signer was used. Do not use Item 13 on the Basic Screen Questionnaire (NCVS-1) to note the use of an interpreter or signer. Item 13 is intended ONLY for noting proxy information. Whenever you use an interpreter who is not a household member, you must complete a Form 1415, Contract for Interpreter Services. Details for completing this form are contained in the Administrative Handbook, Form 11-55. Topic 4. Maintaining Respondent Rapport Starting Off on the Right Foot You do not always get a second chance to make a first impression. As soon as the respondent answers the door or the telephone, you need to start building a harmonious relationship with him/her. Maintaining this rapport throughout the interview will ensure that you collect full and valid information. As you introduce yourself and the survey, create a comfortable atmosphere by showing sincere understanding and interest in the respondent. If the respondent feels comfortable, he/she will be more willing to provide honest and full responses. Keys to a Successful Introduction The following key points will help you deliver a successful introduction: For personal visit interviews, always have the NCVS introductory letter handy to give any respondent who did not receive it in the mail. Be enthusiastic and friendly. Remember that a smile helps you open a lot of doors. Be prepared for any type of responses or questions from respondents. By knowing the survey, you will be able to handle any questions. Creating a Good Impression Knowing the NCVS well is a major key to creating a good impression with respondents. Pay attention and play an active role during your training sessions and make sure that you complete all self-studies. Also, make sure to read this manual, NCVS-550, and refer to it whenever you have questions about the NCVS procedures. Before you start interviewing for the NCVS, make sure that you understand: * The purpose of the survey; * How the survey results are used; * The types of questions asked in the interview; and * How to answer respondent questions. Being Professional, Friendly, and Sincere One of your greatest assets in creating a good impression is to conduct interviews in a professional, friendly, and sincere manner. Always keep in mind that you are a representative of the United States Government. This role requires you to take a professional approach towards your work. Interviewing in a professional manner, does not mean that you can not smile or be friendly. However, showing too much friendliness or concern about a respondent's personal matters can cause a respondent to hold back information or provide biased information. Listening carefully and showing a sincere interest in what each respondent tells you, will make your interviewing easier and more enjoyable. Staying Neutral and Objective During an interview, it is important to develop an objective, non-threatening, non-judgmental atmosphere. Don't let the respondent see any signs of approval or disapproval after he/she gives you information. Be careful not to give your personal opinion either by your words, facial expressions, or the tone of your voice. Since some of your respondents will be victims of crime and will be telling you personal or sensitive information about the crime incident, you must be careful not to show any surprise, disapproval, or sympathy. Any of these expressions could cause the respondent to give untrue answers or withhold information. Staying neutral and creating an objective atmosphere during an interview is not easy. It comes with experience. Practice using neutral expressions and gestures, such as "uh-huh," "I've got that," "Yes, I see," or simply a nod of your head. These signs will tell the respondent that you are listening, without leading, influencing, or biasing the information that you receive during an interview. Here are some reasons for not showing your reactions to what a respondent says: Your actions, as well as your words, can help or hinder an interview. If you frown or shake your head, the respondent will sense your disapproval just as clearly as if you put it into words. If a respondent thinks that you favor one answer more than another, this could influence how the person answers the question. Believing in Yourself and the NCVS Before you make contact with a respondent, believe that: You "have what it takes" to get a good NCVS interview. The data you collect for the NCVS is important. Each respondent is going to participate in the NCVS. Guidelines for Gaining Cooperation From Respondents Be Positive - Approach each household expecting to obtain an interview. Introduce Yourself Properly - Always include the following points in your introduction: * Your full name, * Point out that you are representing the United States Census Bureau, * Show your identification card, * Explain the nature of the survey, and * Ask whether the household received our introductory letter. How Long Will This Take? - Give the respondent an honest answer as to the length of the NCVS interview. The NCVS interview takes about 25 minutes to complete for each household member, but this can vary depending on the person's experiences during the reference period. If the respondent is reluctant, offer to start the interview and, if he/she does not have time to finish, you can return later to complete the interview. Know Your Survey - The better you know the survey on which you are working, the more successful you will be. Know the purposes of the survey and be prepared to answer any questions about its importance. This will be your best defense against respondent objections. Appearance - Dress in a professional manner. The initial impression you make can be the deciding point between whether or not the respondent participates. Dress for the neighborhood in which you are working. Do not overdress. A businesslike appearance is essential. Use Survey Aids - Be ready to show respondents the appropriate survey "fact sheet," brochures, or local newspaper/magazine articles that make use of NCVS facts. This will help the respondent understand the importance of his/her participation. Be Flexible - Be available to complete the interview at the respondent's convenience. Offer to return at a different time if the respondent can not do the interview when you contact him her. Try to get a telephone number and name, in case you need to change the appointment time. Also leave your name and telephone number, when you find that no one is home. Be persistent, but do not be pushy. It's Voluntary - A few respondents may choose not to participate because the survey is voluntary and there are no penalties for not participating. If this happens, explain that the overall quality of our data could be affected when sample persons refuse to participate. Persuade the respondent into letting you start the interview, and explain that any objectionable questions can be refused. Leave the Door Open - Always maintain a pleasant and business like manner. No matter how hostile the respondent behaves towards you, always leave the respondent with a positive impression of the Census Bureau. This will facilitate any future contacts with the household. Topic 5. Answering Respondents' Questions Importance of Answering Respondent Questions You need to keep a good, positive attitude about the NCVS, and be prepared to answer almost any type of respondent question with conviction and accuracy. The Census Bureau prides itself on having a qualified staff of FRs who consistently continue to receive high marks for gaining respondent cooperation. This is pretty impressive considering that in recent years the general public has become frustrated with all forms of government. We attribute this success to the good attitude and preparedness of our FRs. Even though we provide sample households with basic information about the NCVS in the introductory letter, some respondents may still have questions to ask either before the start of the interview or at different points during the interview. Types of Respondent Questions The questions that respondents may ask can be divided into two main categories: * Item specific questions and * General survey questions. Item Specific Questions After you ask a question from any of the NCVS interviewing forms, a respondent may ask you: * Why a particular question is needed, * What a particular word or phrase from a question means, or * Who needs the information from a specific question. This manual has the information you need to answer any item specific questions that respondents may ask. We do not expect you to memorize all of the information provided in this manual, but you do need to know where to look within the manual for specific types of information. Use Part C, Survey Concepts, when you need to find the meanings of specific words or phrases as used in the NCVS questions. Chapters 1 through 5 of Part B, How to Complete and Edit NCVS Forms, will help you answer respondents' questions about why we ask certain questions and who uses the information from specific questions. General Survey Questions Most of the time, respondents will ask general survey questions at the very start of the interview. Although we can not predict every question that a respondent may ask, we have compiled a list of commonly asked general survey questions with some suggested responses to help you. A condensed list of the four most commonly asked questions are shown: * On the back side of both NCVS introductory letters, and * On page 2 of your Information Card Booklet, NCVS-554. In addition to being listed below, a shorter list of general survey questions and suggested answers is shown on the reverse side of your NCVS Job Aid, NCVS-550.1. General Survey Questions and Answers What is this survey all about? The National Crime Victimization Survey is conducted monthly to collect information on the kinds and amount of crime in the United States. From a sample of households throughout the United States, we interview all household members who are at least 12 years of age. What information do you get from this survey? This survey collects information on the types and amount of crimes committed, the characteristics of victims, and the characteristics of offenders who have committed violent crimes. The following types of information are also collected for reported crimes: When and where crimes occur, Economic loss to the victim, Extent of injuries suffered by the victim, Whether the victim knew the offender or whether they were strangers, Whether the offender used a weapon, and Whether the police were notified. Why can't you get this information from police records? Based on information received in previous survey years, we have found that over half of all crimes go unreported to the police. Since this survey includes crimes that are both reported and unreported, data users can get a more complete picture of crime in the United States from this survey. What kind of results are released from this survey? Our sponsor, the Bureau of Justice Statistics, releases results periodically from the National Crime Victimization Survey, together with reports on specific topics. They only publish statistical summaries for the Nation as a whole and never release any information about you as an individual. Do you have any statistics from this survey that I can see? For personal visit interviews-- Yes. You can have this Fact Sheet which contains statistical graphs, charts, and figures from the National Crime Victimization Survey. (Hand the respondent a copy of Form NCVS-110.) For telephone interviews-- Yes. I can mail you a copy of a recent Fact Sheet showing statistical graphs, charts, and figures from the National Crime Victimization Survey. (Mail respondent a copy of Form NCVS-110.) Why Was I Selected for This Survey? Actually, we selected your address, not you personally. Using statistical methods, we selected approximately 54,000 addresses across the country to represent the entire population. If your household should move away while your address is still in the survey, we would interview the new family that moves into the home. I'm pretty busy. How long will this interview really take? We expect the interview to take about 25 minutes. Your interview may be somewhat shorter or longer depending on your circumstances. If you have any comments on this survey or any recommendations for reducing its length, I can give you an address to use. (When asked, here is the address:) Chief, Victimization and Statistics Branch Bureau of Justice Statistics Washington, DC 20531 I thought that your agency just takes a Census every 10 years. What else does your agency do? In addition to the decennial census conducted every 10 years, the U.S. Census Bureau collects many different kinds of statistics. By law, we are required to conduct a variety of economic censuses on a regular basis, such as the census of business, manufactures, and state and local governments. We also collect monthly data on such activities as labor force participation, retail and wholesale trade, manufacturing activities, and trade statistics, along with yearly data on business, manufacturing, governments, family income, and education. How many times will I be interviewed? Over the 3-year period that your household is in sample for this survey, we will ask you to participate once every 6 months for a total of seven interviews. Is this survey authorized by law? Yes. We are conducting this survey under the authority of Title 13 of the United States Code, Section 8. Section 9 of this law requires us to keep all information about you and your household strictly confidential. We may use this information only for statistical purposes. Also, Title 42, Section 3732, of the United States Code authorizes the Bureau of Justice Statistics of the U.S. Department of Justice to collect information using this survey. Title 42, Sections 3789g and 3735 of the United States Code also require us to keep all information about you and your household strictly confidential. Do I have to participate? Participation is voluntary and there are no penalties for not answering questions. However, it is very important that we have your cooperation in this survey to ensure the validity and accuracy of the survey results. Why can't you just mail me a questionnaire? The survey design and the nature of the questions require a trained person to record the information. This method of interview is the least expensive way to obtain this information. How can I know for sure that you are who you say you are? Besides my identification badge, I can give you a telephone number to call so you can verify with my supervisor that I work for the U.S. Census Bureau. How can this survey help to fight crime? The results of this survey show a variety of information about crime victims, offenders, types of crimes being committed, and types of places where these crimes occur. All of this information is put to good use by law enforcement agencies, community groups, and government agencies throughout the country to lower the incidence of crime. Why do you need to interview me when I don't have any crimes to report? We are interested in getting information from both victims and nonvictims. By examining the differences between victims and nonvictims, we can try to determine why certain individuals become victims, while others do not. Why waste my tax dollars on a silly survey? We are always concerned about survey costs; however, the National Crime Victimization Survey is the ONLY source of information on crimes not reported to police. Legislators and planners use this data to make informed decisions on numerous crime-related programs. This data is also used to estimate the cost of victim compensation programs; to determine the types of programs needed for elderly crime victims, and to measure the effects that police behavior and the criminal justice system have on crime levels. Topic 6. General Interviewing Techniques Applying General Interviewing Techniques In addition to creating a good impression and answering respondent questions, we want all FRs to use the same interviewing techniques. By following uniform techniques, we can ensure that the final survey results are more complete and accurate. Pacing the Interview Remember the following key point about pacing the NCVS interview--"do not rush" to complete an interview under any circumstances. Maintain a calm, unhurried manner and ask the questions in an objective and deliberate way. This will not only relax the respondent, but also help to keep the respondent's attention. When respondents sense that you are rushing through an interview, they may withhold information thinking that it would take too long to explain the crime incident. On the other hand, do not let respondents waste too much time talking about unrelated information. Try to tactfully steer respondents back to the interview without making them feel as if you are hurrying to finish. An average NCVS interview will take about 25 minutes to complete. However, the actual time required to interview all eligible members of a sample household will vary depending on the household's composition and crime experiences during the reference period. Always assume that each respondent has time to be interviewed when you contact him/her. If the respondent tries to rush you through the interview or tries to cut you off, arrange to continue the interview at a more convenient time for the respondent. Whenever possible, make every attempt to complete at least the household respondent's interview during your first contact for the interview period. This will make any callbacks for remaining household member's easier. When conducting interviews, always speak as clearly and distinctly as possible. Avoid talking too fast or too slow. Talking too fast may give the impression that you think the questions are either unimportant or sensitive in nature. By speaking in a confident voice and at a moderate pace, respondents are more likely to stay relaxed and responsive. Asking Questions as Worded When asking NCVS questions, you must avoid changing the words or omitting parts of questions. Even if the change seems insignificant to you, it could change the way the respondent interprets the question. We want each respondent to interpret the NCVS questions the same way, so the answers that we receive will be comparable throughout the entire sample. Here is an example: Item 34 from the NCVS-1-- Does anyone in this household operate a business from this address? Item 34 after an FR omits words-- Does anyone in this household operate a business? By rewording this question, the FR may get a different response than an FR who reads the question as it is printed on the questionnaire. By leaving out "from this address," respondents could misinterpret the true intent of this question. Words in Bold Type When looking at item questions and answers on the NCVS questionnaires, any words shown in bold type are meant for you to read to the respondent. Words in Regular Type Words shown in regular type on the NCVS questionnaires are intended either as instructions for you to read to yourself or answer categories that you do not read to the respondent. Phrases in Parentheses Some of the NCVS-1 questions contain a phrase in parentheses, such as the questions in Items 44a and 46d. Item 44a on the NCVS-1-- During the last 6 months, (other than any incidents already mentioned,) did you call the police to report something that happened to YOU which you thought was a crime? Item 46d on the NCVS-1-- What was the total dollar amount of the damage caused by this/these act(s) of vandalism during the last 6 months? (Use repair costs if the property was repaired.) (Exclude any damage done in incidents already mentioned.) When you see a phrase in parentheses, you need to decide whether the text has to be read to the respondent because he/she had already reported a crime incident in an earlier screen question (as shown in Item 44a) or as a reminder (as shown in Item 46d). Reading the Entire Question Part (a) of most screen questions has at least three subcategories and could have as many as eight subcategories. This may prompt some respondents to give you an answer before you finish reading each subcategory. We would prefer that you finish reading each subcategory before the respondent gives an answer. Even if you get interrupted, you must read each and every subcategory in its entirety. The following technique may help you get through all the subcategories of a screen question before getting a respondent's answer: 1 After reading each subcategory in part (a), only pause long enough to let the respondent know that you are about to start reading a new subcategory. If you pause too long, the respondent may feel that you are waiting for an answer. 2 After reading all subcategories in part (a), pause long enough to allow the respondent to reply. If the respondent doesn't give you an answer, then read the question in part (b), "Did any incidents of this type happen to you?" 3 If you get a "Yes" response in part (b), mark the answer box and ask the respondent "What happened?" Based on the answer you receive, enter a brief description of the crime incident in the space provided to the right of part (a). Then, ask the question in part (c), "How many times?" 4 If you get a "No" response in part (b), mark the answer box and continue with the next appropriate item number. If this technique doesn't work and a respondent either interrupts you in the middle of reading a subcategory or before you finish reading all the subcategories for a question, follow these steps: Respondent answers in the middle of reading a subcategory-- 1 Stop and thank the respondent, but explain that there is more to the question which he/she needs to hear before giving an answer. 2 Reread the unfinished subcategory again from the beginning. If the respondent gives you a "No" answer after you finish reading the entire subcategory, tell the respondent that you need to finish reading all the subcategories for the question. If the respondent gives you a "Yes" answer before you have read all subcategories, then follow the instructions below. Respondent answers "Yes" before you have read all subcategories-- 1 Mark the "Yes" answer box in part (b) and ask "What happened?" 2 Enter a brief description of the crime incident in the space to the right of part (a). 3 Then, ask the question in part (c), "How many times?" and fill the "Number of times" space. 4 Next, start by saying, "Other than any incidents already reported..." and finish reading the remaining subcategories in part (a) for the item number. 5 If the respondent mentions any additional crime incidents, briefly describe them in the space next to part (a) AND correct the "Number of times" entry in part (c). By using these techniques, there is less chance of missing any crime incidents which occurred during the reference period. Marking All Answers That Apply There are several questions in the Crime Incident Report (NCVS-2)that are designed to get multiple answers. Here's an example: Item 51 - How did they make the situation worse? This item has six answer categories: Led to injury or greater injury to respondent Caused greater loss of property or damage to property Other people got hurt (worse) Offender got away Made offender angrier, more aggressive, etc. Other - Specify To ensure that we get all answers that apply to this question, you must continue asking, "Any other way?" until the respondent answers, "No." Inserting Names in Questions Several questions on the Control Card are designed so that you get prompted to insert the appropriate household member's name. These prompts are indicated by a series of three dots. Here is an example: Control Card Item 24: "Please choose one or more races that ... considers him/herself to be." Wherever you see this prompt (...) in a Control Card question, substitute the name of the household member about whom you are asking. When you conduct a proxy interview, there are several questions on the crime incident report where you need to substitute the name of the person for whom the proxy interview is being taken, instead of reading the word "you." This substitution applies to Items 21 through 115 and Items 135 through 176, but only when you are talking to a proxy respondent. Asking Questions in the Right Order After completing or updating the appropriate Control Card items, always interview the household respondent first. Once you have completed the household respondent's interview, then interview the remaining household members one at a time. In most households, each individual respondent will answer the questions for himself/herself. Do not attempt to interview more than one household member at the same time. Once you start to interview a household member, ask the questions as instructed on each questionnaire. A great deal of planning and forethought has gone into designing the NCVS Control Card and questionnaires, so that you can get the best results from each interview. Because of this, keep the following points in mind: * Never ask questions in a different sequence from the order in which they are shown on the questionnaire. * Carefully follow all FR and skip instructions on the questionnaires. * Ask questions as they are worded without adding or deleting words or phrases. * Do not skip a question when a respondent has already given you the answer. In most cases, you will still ask the question as worded without adding or deleting words or phrases. Verifying a respondent's previously given answer without reading the question is only permissible for items that have an "Ask or Verify" instruction. If you do not see an "Ask or Verify" instruction, always ask the question as worded on the questionnaire. Do not assume that you know the answer without asking or verifying a question. Here is an example: In Item 10 of the NCVS-2, you ask the respondent where the incident happened. The respondent answers: "It happened on the street in front of my school." After marking Box (21) in Item 10, you skip to Item 18. Item18 instructs you to either "Ask or Verify" -- "Did it happen outdoors, indoors, or both?" In this situation, you can just verify that the incident happened outdoors by saying: "So this incident happened outdoors?" Listening to the Respondent As an FR, your listening skills are of utmost importance. Listen carefully to what each respondent has to say and continue listening until the respondent is done giving his/her answer. By improving your listening skills, you can increase your chances for recording complete and accurate information. Here are some listening "Do's and Don'ts": Do's: Repeat the question as worded in a clear and distinct voice when the respondent appears to have misunderstood the question. Repeat the respondent's answer when it's necessary to check your understanding of what the respondent said. Then pause in hopes that the respondent will expand and clarify his/her answer. Whenever a respondent mentions a crime incident, complete the screen item on the NCVS-1 and complete an NCVS-2, Crime Incident Report, even if the respondent makes light of the situation or says that it was not "serious." Don'ts: Do not tune out what a respondent says when you start recording an answer. You may need the information to either clarify the answer or change the way you interpret the answer. Do not interrupt respondents before they are finished, even if they hesitate while giving their answer. Be patient and allow respondents sufficient time to recall the facts. Also, remember that some respondents may say, "I don't know," when they really mean, "Let me think about it." When you experience this situation, allow the respondent time to finish his/her statement before repeating the question or probing in some other way. Stay neutral and avoid showing shock or disapproval while a respondent is answering questions. Using Appropriate Gestures Your gestures, both verbal and non-verbal, need to convey to respondents that you are conscientious, concerned, and courteous. Poor use of gestures can portray a lack of interest, an indifferent attitude, or even disdain. As you speak, be mindful of the inflection of your voice, its tone, and its volume. Also, be aware of what your eye contact, use of hands and arms, and facial expressions might be saying to a respondent. Probing When Necessary Probing is a technique whereby you casually get the respondent to provide an answer that meets the question's objective. Probing is a necessary interviewing technique because some respondents: May not hear the question correctly because of poor hearing or background noise; May not understand the meaning of a word or phrase used in the question; May give you an answer that is too general; or May say, "I don't know," because they are trying to: -- Avoid the subject of the question, -- Buy some time before giving an answer, or -- Avoid saying that they did not understand the question. Understanding the Intent of NCVS Questions Before you can decide whether or not to probe, you need to understand the intent of each question. By understanding a question's purpose, you can better decide when to probe and which probing technique to use. Here is an example of what can happen when you do not understand a question's objective: Item 10 on the NCVS-2: Where did this incident happen? Respondent Answers: In the parking garage of a shopping mall. Bad Probe: Would that be a commercial or noncommercial parking garage? Good Probe: Were you charged a fee to park in the garage? If you do not ask the right probing question, you will not get an accurate answer. By using a bad probe, the FR is either: * Assuming that the respondent knows what we mean by the terms "commercial or noncommercial" or * Failing to understand that we want to differentiate between parking lots/garages charging a fee and those allowing free parking. Probing Techniques Don't assume that a respondent's answer is always correct. When you get an answer that does not make sense to you, you need to immediately decide which probing technique will work best in the situation. Choosing the best probing technique will help you to casually persuade the respondent to expand and/or clarify an answer. Here are some standard probing techniques: Brief Assenting Comments - Use a comment like, "Yes, I see," when you want to stimulate the respondent to talk further. This will also show that you are giving attention to the respondent's answer. Here's an example: Item 45a on the NCVS-1: During the last 6 months, (other than any incidents already mentioned,) did anything which you thought was a crime happen to YOU, but you did NOT report to the police? Respondent Answers: Yes, I saw a prowler. Brief Assenting Comment: Yes, I see. Can you tell me more? An Expectant Pause - During a personal visit interview, use an expectant pause together with an inquiring look to convey to the respondent that you expect him/her to give you more information. Repeating the Question - Repeat the question when the respondent does not understand or misinterprets the question, seems unable to make up his/her mind, or strays from the subject. Here is an example: Item 87 on the NCVS-2: Was this the only time any of these offenders committed a crime against you or your household or made threats against you or your household? Respondent Answers: No, one of the offenders was arrested 2 years ago for a bank robbery. Repeating the Question: Was this the only time any of these offenders committed a crime against you or your household or made threats against you or your household? Repeating the Respondent's Reply - Repeat the respondent's reply exactly as the respondent gives it to you, when you need to clarify the answer and prompt the respondent to expand his/her answer. Never interject your own ideas when repeating the respondent's reply. Here is an example: Item 82 on the NCVS-2: How well did you know the offender(s) - by sight only, casual acquaintance or well known? Respondent Answers: She's just one of the girls on the block. Repeating Respondent's Answer: She's just one of the girls on the block? So did you know the offender by sight only, casual acquaintance or well known? Respondent Answers: I don't even know her name. I just see her around, so I guess sight only. Neutral Questions and a Neutral Tone of Voice - Use neutral questions when you need to get a fuller, clearer response. Always use a neutral tone of voice so you don't sound demanding and upset the respondent. Here is an example: Item 98 of the NCVS-2: Had permission to use the (car/motor vehicle) ever been given to the offender(s)? Respondent Answers: Well, I said maybe he could use it when it wasn't so new. Neutral Probe: Did the offender have permission to use the car/motor vehicle? Sometimes a respondent may still misunderstand a question's meaning or give you an unintended response. If this happens, you can read a question's answer categories to the respondent as a "last resort." If you use this technique, do not bias the respondent's answer by only reading a few of the answer categories. By reading all answer categories for a question, you will help the respondent to better understand the type of answers the particular question is attempting to get. Staying Neutral Whichever technique you choose, be careful not to ask leading questions and not to make the respondent feel insulted. A "leading" question is one that could influence a respondent's answer or unnecessarily prolong the interview. Here is an example of probing with a leading question: Item 46e on the NCVS-1: Was the damage under $100 or $100 or more? Respondent answers: I'm not really sure. Leading Question Probe: Do you think that it was probably less than $100? A More Appropriate Probe: If you include the total amount of damage for all incidents of vandalism during the last 6 months, would you say the damage was under $100 or $100 or more? Do not assume that you know what the answer should be, and then lead the respondent to that answer. Keep your probing questions as neutral as possible, so the respondent can think objectively about the question and give an accurate answer. General Screening Guidelines The screening portion of the NCVS interview is very important. The NCVS-1, Basic Screen Questionnaire, is designed to give each respondent every opportunity to remember any crime incidents that occurred during the 6-month reference period. The BJS and the U.S. Census Bureau have specific reasons for the wording of each question and the sequencing of each group of questions. While conducting the screen interview, do not jeopardize their efforts by eliminating questions or asking questions in a different sequence. Also, NEVER eliminate the screen interview by just asking whether any crimes occurred during the 6-month reference period or since the household's last interview. Asking Applicable Questions During each enumeration period, ask the household respondent and all remaining household members ALL applicable screen questions. Since respondents can easily forget many crime incidents, it is essential to ask all applicable questions each time the sample household is assigned for interview. This is the only way we can ensure that we collect complete and accurate information. Handling Difficult Respondents Some respondents may not want to go through the interview on the NCVS-1 for various reasons, and may say: Let's save some time. I can tell you up front that I haven't been a victim of crime since the last time I talked to you. Or You don't need to read all those examples of stolen items, because nothing was stolen from me or anyone else in this household. When you need to convince a respondent to complete the entire screen interview, try the following techniques: "Some crime incidents are easily forgotten. By asking these screen questions, you may remember something that you've put out of your mind. To guarantee that I don't miss any crime incidents, I'm required to ask each question and allow you time to make sure that you haven't forgotten anything." "Even if you haven't been a victim of crime during the last 6 months, we are also interested in any other changes in your life, such as marital status, household income, and job changes. These characteristics also play a part in examining criminal victimizations in the United States. I'm required to ask these questions each time your household is assigned for interview. Otherwise, we can't get a complete and up-to-date picture of both crime victims and nonvictims for comparative purposes." (Only use this technique when a supplement is attached to the NCVS interview.) "For this interview, our sponsor has added a few new questions for a specific study they are authorized to undertake. The information we collect from these new questions, along with the original questions, is essential to our sponsor and the completion of this study." Never tell the respondent that you do not remember what you were told during the last interview or that all the information he/she provided during the last interview has gone to Washington. General Guidelines for Recording Answers After listening carefully to a respondent's answer, take great care to record the answer accurately and legibly. By recording answers accurately and legibly, you can help guarantee that the information you collect is understood clearly by editors and keyers who need to process your completed work. For questions that require you to mark an (X) to record the answer, make sure that your (X) is easy to read and fills up the answer box without going outside the box. Making your (X) either too large, too small, or too light could cause confusion and/or mistakes during keying. For questions that require you to write in an answer, make sure that you print the answer neatly so someone else can easily read your entry later. Correcting Answers If you need to change an answer, line through the old entry and mark (X) the correct answer box or print your new entry above the old entry. Do not erase an entry unless you are specifically instructed to do so in this manual. Here are two examples of correcting answers by lining through old entries-- Example #1 0 None - SKIP to 40a 1 1 2 2 3 3 4 4 or more Example #2 Months (1-11) - SKIP to 33b OR Years (Round to nearest whole year) - Fill Check Item A Here's an example of when you are allowed to erase an old entry-- Item 25b on the Control Card is used to enter the date of interview. After completing the NCVS-1, Basic Screen Questionnaire, and any NCVS-2s, Crime Incident Reports, for a second through seventh enumeration period household, you need to erase the interview date from the previous enumeration period and enter the new interview date for the current enumeration period. Topic 7. Closing the Interview and "Thank You" Letters Leaving on Good Terms Since you or someone else from the Census Bureau may need to contact a sample household again, always leave the household with a good feeling towards you and the Census Bureau. By ending every interview with a friendly and polite "Thank You," you will be paving the way for future contacts. Let respondents know that we appreciate the time that they gave for the interview, and tell them that they may be contacted again for this survey. Always remain sensitive, concerned, and courteous throughout the entire interview. By closing the interview properly, you are nurturing a positive image of our agency, and improving the chances for successful followup contacts during editing, reinterview, or other surveys. Using "Thank You" Letters We have prepared two different "Thank You" letters for you to use--the NCVS-593(L) and the NCVS-594(L). Each letter has a specific purpose, and we do not intend for you to hand or mail a "Thank You" letter after every NCVS interview. Both of these "Thank You" letters are printed in English and Spanish. These letters not only thank the household for their cooperation, but also relay to them again how important this survey really is. Depending on the circumstances, you can either hand or mail the letter to the household. If you mail the "Thank You" letter, make sure that you use the "mailing address" from either Item 6a or 6c on the Control Card. Regardless of whether or not you give the household a "Thank You" letter, always remember to thank them yourself at the end of the interview. First Through Sixth Enumeration Period For first through sixth enumeration period households, use the NCVS-593(L) "Thank You" letter whenever you feel that the household shows any signs that they may refuse to be interviewed again. For example, a household member may become annoyed at the length of the interview or at the number of times you have contacted the household. In these situations, a "Thank You" letter does not guarantee cooperation, but it may help to leave a positive impression, and make it easier to gain their cooperation for future interviews. Seventh Enumeration Period At the end of the seventh enumeration period interview, always make sure to either hand or mail the respondent a NCVS-594(L), "Thank You" letter. Noting the Control Card Whenever you hand or mail a "Thank You" letter to a household, briefly note that fact, along with the date, in the "Notes" space below Item 30g on the Control Card. Part A, Chapter 3 Chapter 3 General National Crime Victimization Survey Procedures Table of Topics Topic 1 Basic Survey Procedures 2 Monthly Tasks 3 Daily Tasks 4 Specific Household Procedures Topic 1. Basic Survey Procedures Length of Time in Sample Each address that is selected as a sample unit for the NCVS is usually interviewed seven times. These interviews are conducted once every 6 months over a 3-year period. This allows us to compile a continuous record of the sample household's experiences at a reasonable cost and with the least amount of inconvenience to the household. Enumeration Periods We refer to each time a sample household's address is assigned for interview as an "enumeration period." Since we interview or attempt to interview each sample household seven times, then there are seven "enumeration periods" for each sample address. When a sample address is assigned to you for interview, you need to check the enumeration period indicated by the regional office on the case's Control Card. Look at Item 5, Letter Sent, to see which enumeration period is the last one marked by the regional office. Some of the procedures you need to follow will vary depending on the enumeration period for the current interview. Here are some examples: Since the household roster on the Control Card is blank for a first enumeration period, you would ask the question for Item 13a on the Control Card. ---------------------------------------------- HOUSEHOLD ROSTER Last name first What are the names of all persons living or staying here? Start with the name of the person or one of the persons who (owns/rents)this home. List all persons who usually live here and all persons who are temporarily absent. Be sure to INCLUDE infants under 1 year of age. 13a ------------------------------------------------ For the second through seventh enumeration periods, you would ask the question in Item 14 on the Control Card, instead of asking the question in Item 13a. ------------------------------------------------ HOUSEHOLD ROSTER COVERAGE 14 Ask each time household is interviewed. (If "Yes," enter name in item 13a above.) I have listed (Read names in item 13a and verify 13c as appropriate). Have I missed anyone else living or staying here such as any babies, any lodgers, or anyone who is away at present traveling or in the hospital? ------------------------------------------------ Control Card Item 14, together with other selected items, are printed with shading. After the first enumeration period, each of these shaded Control Card items needs to be updated: * During each subsequent enumeration period, OR * When indicated, only during the 3rd, 5th, and 7th enumeration periods. Identifying the current enumeration period accurately will enable you to ask the appropriate Control Card questions and update the appropriate Control Card items during each enumeration period. Reference Periods For the NCVS, the reference period covers the 6-month time period prior to the interview date. When conducting interviews, we are interested only in crime incidents that occurred during a household member's specific 6-month reference period. For the first enumeration period, each household member's reference period will start on the first day of the month 6 months prior to the interview date, and end on the day prior to the interview date. Here is an example: If a household respondent's first enumeration period interview is conducted on January 3, 2003, then the current reference period for the household respondent would be July 1, 2002 through January 2, 2003. If the remaining household members were interviewed for the first enumeration period on January 4, 2003, then the current reference period for each of these household members would be July 1, 2002 through January 3, 2003. For a first enumeration period household, all household members will have the same start date, but each household member's end date may vary based on the member's current interview date. After the first enumeration period, reference periods for all remaining enumeration periods will start on the date of the household member's last interview and end on the day prior to the member's current interview date. Unlike the first enumeration period, each household member could have a different reference period start date for the second through seventh enumeration period based on the member's last interview date. The following two terms are often used to describe this type of reference period: * Period-to-period recounting or * Floating reference period. By using this type of a reference period, we can compile a continuous record of the household's experiences for the 3 years that they are in sample. For second through seventh enumeration periods, you would normally use the date entered in Item 25b on the Control Card as the household member's start date for the reference period. However, if the following exceptions exist, do not use the date in Control Card Item 25b as the start date for the household member's reference period: * When no date is entered in Item 25b (person was a noninterview last enumeration period) - The start date for the reference period would be the first day of the month 6 months prior to the current interview date. * When date entered in Item 25b is more than 6 months prior to the interview date - The start date for the reference period would be the first day of the month 6 months prior to the interview date. * Household respondent is a different person than the last household respondent - The reference period start date for the current household respondent would be the date entered in Item 25b for the household respondent from the previous enumeration period. * Cannot determine which household member was the last household respondent - The reference period start date for the current household respondent would be the first day of the month 6 months prior to the interview date. Your NCVS Field Representative's Information Card Booklet, NCVS-554, has a checklist on page 10 for determining reference periods for interviewing and examples of reference periods on page 11. Two-year calendars are also provided on pages 12 and 13 to help the respondent remember the reference period for the current interview and also enable him/her to determine the exact month that an incident occurred. Once you have determined the start date for the household member's reference period, enter this start date where indicated in the following questions on the Basic Screen Questionnaire, NCVS-1: Items 36a, 40a, and 46a for the household respondent and Items 36a and 40a for the remaining household members. While interviewing, it is important to keep reminding the respondent of the starting and ending dates for the reference period. If a respondent seems to be having difficulty keeping track of the reference period dates, try adding the actual dates after reading "in the last 6 months." This will help the respondent to stay focused on the correct time frame for the interview. Incidents Outside of Reference Period Remember to only complete an incident report for incidents that occurred during the reference period for the current interview. If at any point during an interview, you discover that the incident is outside of the reference period, you need to discontinue taking information for the incident and follow the proper procedures for marking the incident "out-of-scope." (See Part C, Chapter 1, for out-of-scope incidents.) Incidents Occurring on the Day of the Interview Also, if a respondent reports an incident that occurred on the same day that you are interviewing him/her, you would not complete an NCVS-2 for this incident until the household's next enumeration period. In this situation, make a note on the Control Card reminding you to complete an NCVS-2 for the incident during the next enumeration period. Interview Scheme All households in the NCVS sample are divided into six groups, which are referred to as "rotation" groups. During the course of a 6-month period, one-sixth of the full sample or a "panel" from each rotation group is assigned for interview each month. This interviewing scheme enables us to spread out the interviewing work fairly evenly throughout the year, so we can maintain a regular staff of FRs with routine monthly NCVS assignments. Here are some examples: Sample households in panel 1 of rotation groups 1 through 6 are assigned for interview in the months of January and July. Sample households in panel 2 of rotation groups 1 through 6 are assigned for interview in the months of February and August. By the time we get to panel 6 of rotation groups 1 through 6, which are assigned for interview in the months of June and December, we will have assigned for interview all sample households from panels 1 through 6 of rotation groups 1 through 6. Interview Period An interview period is the time that you are allowed to complete all of the NCVS interviews assigned to you for an interview month. Typically, your interview period will begin on the first day of the month. Ideally, we would like your assignment to be completed as quickly as possible once the interview period begins. Your supervisor will give you the interview closeout date for each interview month. This will be the "drop dead" date by which all NCVS cases assigned to you for the month must be completed. The majority of the NCVS cases in each assignment will require telephone interviews. Always try to complete all of your telephone interviews: Before conducting your personal visit interviews and Within the first few days of the interview period. This procedure allows you to detect any replacement households or other situations from your telephone interviews that could require personal visit interviews before you plan your personal visit work schedule. Some assignment areas (PSUs) have been selected for Computer-Assisted Telephone Interviewing (CATI). If you are assigned work in a CATI PSU, you will also receive Control Cards for the sample addresses scheduled for CATI interviewing. Do not attempt to interview any "CATI Hold" sample addresses, unless your supervisor tells you to do so. You will only need to interview a "CATI Hold" sample address when the CATI facility is unable to conduct the interview. Topic 2. Monthly Tasks Monthly Instructions About one week prior to the start of the interview month, your regional office will send you a memorandum with specific instructions for the upcoming interview month. When you receive your monthly memorandum, read the entire memorandum very carefully and contact your supervisor if you have any questions about the information provided. Preparing to Interview When you receive the monthly memorandum for an interview month, you will also receive: * Your interviewing assignment for the month, * Any listing work for the month, and * Any supplies you may need. Checking New Assignments As soon as you receive your monthly package of interview materials, check the items listed on the Transmittal Form 11-35 that accompanies these materials. If anything listed on the transmittal is missing from your package, call your supervisor immediately. Sorting Your Assignment After checking your assignment, the next step is to make sure that your assigned cases are sorted as described below: First Sort: Separate your cases into three stacks-- Telephone interviews Personal visit interviews CATI hold cases - Only interview CATI hold cases when instructed to do so by your supervisor. This will happen when the CATI facility is unable to complete the interview and the case is recycled to the field staff for completion. Second Sort: Separate your personal visit interviews so that cases in segments that are geographically close to one another are stacked together. Organizing Your Work Schedule As you organize your assignment for the interview month, take into consideration the geographic distribution of your cases and the number of new segments in your assignment. Then, follow the steps listed below: Step 1 Always conduct your telephone interviews FIRST. 2 Try to conduct your personal visit interviews in segments with first enumeration period households next. This will allow sufficient time should you encounter unexpected problems with these cases. For first enumeration period households, you must conduct the household respondent's interview IN PERSON. However, if the remaining household members are not available at the time of your visit, it is acceptable to interview these household members by telephone once you have completed the household respondent's interview in person. NOTE: Regardless of the enumeration period, the household respondent always must be the FIRST household member interviewed and he/she must be at least 18 years of age and knowledgeable about the household. For example, the reference person or one of the other household members who owns or rents the home. (See page A2-11 for exceptions to the age requirement.) 3 Conduct any remaining personal visit interviews in a logical sequence so that you keep to a minimum any backtracking or return trips to a segment. Completing Your Assignment Always attempt to complete your interviewing assignment as early in the interview month as possible. Transmit your completed work on a flow basis as frequently as possible. Your supervisor will provide you with a final transmittal date or closeout date for each interview month. (See Chapter 7 for more details on receipt and transmittal of work.) Topic 3. Daily Tasks Planning Your Daily Schedule It is important to carefully plan your daily schedule so that you get the maximum amount of interviewing work accomplished during your workday. Keep the following points in mind as you plan your workday: * Geographic location of assigned addresses, * Any previously made appointments, and * Best time to visit or call the household (noted in Control Card Item 26e). Assembling Your Materials Before you leave home to start your workday, it is very important to make sure that you have everything you might need to carry you through your entire interviewing schedule for the day. Make sure that you take current versions of the following items with you: * NCVS-550, Interviewing Manual for Field Representatives * NCVS-554, Field Representative's Information Card Booklet * A sufficient supply of blank forms, such as the NCVS-500, NCVS-1 and -1A, NCVS-2, and the NCVS-7. * Copies of both introductory letters, NCVS-572(L) and NCVS-573(L), and the Fact Sheet brochure, NCVS-110. * The appropriate segment folders containing the Control Cards for each assigned case within the segment. Conducting Telephone Interviews and Callbacks Since the primary purpose of conducting NCVS interviews by telephone is to reduce travel costs and save money, avoid traveling to assigned segments that require telephone interviews until you have attempted to conduct all assigned telephone interviews. Typically, interviews for second through seventh enumeration period households are conducted by telephone. Always check Control Card Item 26e to see when the household prefers to be contacted. (See Part A, Chapter 5, for more details on telephone interviews.) Conducting Personal Visit Interviews In addition to the first enumeration period households, other sample households may require personal visit interviews because they: * Do not have a telephone on which they can be contacted, * Refuse to give us their telephone number, * Tell us that a telephone interview is not acceptable, or * Are replacement households. Control Card Items 26a through 26d provide this information for second through seventh enumeration period households. (See Part A, Chapter 5, for more details about personal visit interviews.) Transcribing Information Both the Basic Screen Questionnaire (NCVS-1) and the Noninterview Record (NCVS-7) require you to transcribe information onto specific items from the Control Card (NCVS-500). Since it is very easy to make transcription errors, take your time and carefully transcribe the required information. (See Part B, Chapters 2 and 4, for more details about transcribing information from the Control Card.) Whenever you fill a Crime Incident Report (NCVS-2) for a household member, you need to transcribe information from the NCVS-2 onto Control Card Item 32. This transcription is done after you have ended your contact with the household. The information that you transcribe onto Control Card Item 32 will help ensure that we do not duplicate incidents. We use the term "bounding" information to describe the information transcribed onto Control Card Item 32 during each enumeration period for each of the household's reported incidents. (See Part C, Chapter 1, for more details about bounding information.) Before Editing Your Work After you have completed all the required transcriptions, check to see if any of your notes need clarification and complete or clarify any INTER-COMMs that your interviews may require. Editing Completed Forms Once you are done with the transcriptions, notes, and INTER-COMMS, edit any forms that you have completed. Make sure that any listing sheets, Control Cards, and questionnaires that you completed or updated are filled properly, accurately, and legibly. (See Part B, Chapter 5, for more details about editing your completed work.) Sending "Thank You" Letters As needed, mail "Thank You" letters to respondents using the mailing address from Control Card Item 6a or 6c. (See Part A, Chapter 2, for more details about sending "Thank You" letters.) Transmitting Completed Work Transmit your completed work on a flow basis, preferably on a daily basis whenever possible. Frequent transmittals will enable work to flow easier through the various processing stages. (See Part A, Chapter 7, for more details about transmitting completed work.) Topic 4. Specific Household Procedures Starting With the Household Respondent Once you have introduced yourself and verified that you have contacted the correct address, then you must ask to speak with: * One of the persons who owns or rents the home, * The previous household respondent, or * A household member who is at least 18 years of age and knowledgeable about the household. Remember to show your identification card for each personal visit interview. When you know that you are speaking to a household member at the sample address, then you can introduce the survey. ALWAYS complete the household respondent's interview before interviewing any remaining eligible household members (household members who are 12 years of age and older). Without a completed interview from an eligible household respondent, the sample household will classify as a Type A noninterview. (See Part A, Chapter 6, for more details about noninterviews.) After you have identified an eligible household respondent, follow these steps to interview him/her: Step 1 Introduce yourself and the survey, showing your identification card for each personal visit interview. 2 Ask or update Control Card Items 6b through 25a and Item 25c for the sample household. 3 On the NCVS-1, Basic Screen Questionnaire, transcribe the sample, control number, and household number from the Control Card onto the top of the cover page. Then, fill Items 1 through 4 on the cover page. You will complete most of the remaining items on the NCVS-1 cover page after the entire household has been interviewed (follow the instructions on the NCVS-1 for the remaining items). 4 On page 2 of the NCVS-1, complete Items 17 through 19 (transcribe information onto Items 20 through 28 after leaving the household). Then, enter the interview date in Item 29. Next, ask and complete the mobility questions in Item 33, and the questions about businesses operated from the sample address in Items 34 and 35. 5 On pages 3 through 10 of the NCVS-1, ask and complete the screen questions (Items 36 through 46)with the household respondent. 6 On page 10 of the NCVS-1, complete Check Item G. 7 Complete a separate NCVS-2, Crime Incident Report, for each crime incident reported by the household respondent in the screen questions. The only exception to this rule would be a series crime. (See Part C, Chapter 3, for more details about series crimes.) 8 After completing all required NCVS-2's for the household respondent, go back to page 11 on the NCVS-1 and complete Check Item H through Check Item I. 9 Enter or update the interview date in Item 25b on the Control Card. Also, ask or update Items 26 through 28. 10 Review all the forms that you just completed with the household respondent (NCVS-500, NCVS-1, and, if required, any NCVS-2s). Make sure that: * You asked the household respondent all appropriate questions on each of these forms. * You not only asked but also marked each screen question accurately on the NCVS-1. * You completed an NCVS-2 for each incident reported by the household respondent. 11 Close the interview and thank the household respondent. If there are other household members present who are at least 12 years of age, ask to interview one of them next. Interviewing Individual Respondents You must complete the household respondent's interview before you can interview any other eligible household members. Once you are done interviewing the household respondent, then complete any remaining eligible household member's interviews one at a time. During your initial contact with a sample household, always try to complete as many interviews with individual respondents as possible. Try to keep household callbacks for individual respondents to a minimum. Your initial contact with a first enumeration period household must be in person. However, after interviewing the household respondent in person, any individual respondents in the household who are unavailable during your initial contact can be interviewed later by telephone. (See Part A, Chapter 5, for more details about telephone interviews.) Once you have completed the household respondent's interview, follow these steps to interview each individual respondent: Step 1 Start by introducing yourself and the survey. 2 Identify the respondent and type of interview by completing Items 17 through 19 on the NCVS-1 (transcribe information onto Items 20 through 28 after leaving the household)and enter the interview date in Item 29. (See pages 11, 16, and 21 on the NCVS-1.) 3 Ask the mobility questions in Item 33 on the NCVS-1. (See pages 12, 18, and 24 on the NCVS-1.) 4 Ask the screen questions for the individual respondent (Items 36 through 45) on the NCVS-1. 5 Complete a separate NCVS-2 for each incident reported in the individual respondent's screen questions. 6 After completing all required NCVS-2s for an individual respondent, enter or update the interview date in Item 25b on the NCVS-500. 7 Review all the forms that you just completed with the respondent (NCVS-1 and, if required, any NCVS-2s). This review is important because it can lessen the number of callbacks to the household for missing information. As you review completed forms, make sure that you: * Asked the respondent all appropriate questions on the NCVS-1 and marked each screen question accurately. * Completed a separate NCVS-2 for each incident reported by the respondent. 8 Closed the interview and thanked the respondent. If there are other household members present who are at least 12 years of age, ask to interview one of them next. If the remaining eligible household members are unavailable, ask for the best time to callback and interview the rest of the household. Use Item 30g on the NCVS-500 to enter notes about callbacks (dates, times, etc.). Part A, Chapter 4 Chapter 4 Your Job Duties and Performance Standards Table of Topics Topic 1 Basic Field Duties 2 Additional Duties 3 Performance Standards 4 Field Evaluations--Observation and Reinterview Topic 1. Basic Field Duties Overview As a field representative for the National Crime Victimization Survey, you will be assigned to work in one of the NCVS sample areas or Primary Sampling Units (PSUs). Most of your duties will be the same for each interview month. Your work will pretty much fall into two main categories--listing and interviewing. Listing Assignments During your first month on the job, you will not receive any listing assignments. You will begin learning the listing and coverage procedures during your second month on the job. This training will consist of a series of self- studies together with on-the-job training. In very general terms, your listing work will consist of systematically documenting on listing sheets the existence of living quarters where people live or could live within an assigned segment. Detailed procedures for completing your listing assignments in each segment type are provided in the Listing and Coverage Manual, Form 11-8. Your listing assignments could be in all four segment types--Unit, Permit, Area, and Group Quarters. Unit Segments For single-unit addresses, no listing is necessary and you will not receive listing sheets for these addresses. For multi-unit addresses, you will be verifying and updating the listing sheets for these assigned addresses when you are at the address to conduct interviews. There are separate procedures for small multi-unit addresses (2 - 9 units) and large multi- unit addresses (10 or more units). (See Chapter 2 of the Listing and Coverage Manual for more details on listing unit segment addresses.) Permit Segments When you make your first visit to an assigned address within a permit segment, you will list all units found at the address. There are separate procedures for listing a single-unit address and a multi-unit address. You could also be assigned a previously listed address to verify and, if necessary, correct before you conduct interviews at the address. (See Chapter 3 of the Listing and Coverage Manual for more details on listing permit segment addresses.) Area Segments Before any units are selected for interview from an area segment address, there are a variety of tasks that need to be completed. These tasks include: precanvassing, canvassing and map entries, and listing units. You could also be asked to update and record changes to area segment listings. (See Chapter 5 of the Listing and Coverage Manual for more details about listing area segment addresses.) Group Quarters Segments A group quarters is a type of living quarters where the residents share common facilities or receive authorized care or custody. There are three types of group quarters--institutional, noninstitutional, and military barracks. Only noninstitutional group quarters units are eligible for interview. By definition, a group quarters is not a housing unit. A group quarters segment is made up of one or more group quarters that were identified in 1990 census blocks originally screened for unit segments. In addition to listing group quarters in group quarters segments, you could also find and list group quarters units in area and unit segments. Your listing assignment tasks in a group quarters segment could include: identifying eligible units, choosing listing methods, and listing units in group quarters. You could also be asked to update a previously listed group quarters listing sheet. (See Chapter 4 of the Listing and Coverage Manual for more details about listing group quarters.) Interviewing Assignments Each interview month, your interviews will be a combination of personal visit and telephone interviews and could include addresses from any of the four segment types. Regardless of the interview method, always conduct your interviews with discretion and courtesy. These two traits are especially important in gaining a respondent's confidence and continued cooperation. Your basic interviewing duties include: * Filling or updating Control Cards (NCVS-500) for new, returning, replacement, and noninterview households. * Filling the Basic Screen Questionnaire (NCVS-1) for the household respondent and each remaining household member who is at least 12 years of age. For households with more than four members, you will also fill an NCVS-1A for each additional household member. * Filling a Crime Incident Report (NCVS-2) for each incident reported in the Basic Screen Questionnaire. * Completing a Noninterview Record (NCVS-7) for each sample address that you are not able to interview during the interview period, such as