Dear Colleague:

I am requesting your participation in a periodic Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) review of the questions included in the National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS). Every three years, every Federal data collection effort must be reapproved by the Office of Management and Budget. The NCVS is currently undergoing this reapproval process, under which statistical agencies allow two months for public comments on data collection instruments that are being reviewed. At BJS, we take advantage of the two months by soliciting -- during the comment period-- a wide spectrum of comments on our draft questionnaires.

In July, 1998, BJS held a workshop bringing together a group of scholars to discuss various options to improve and reduce the overall cost of conducting the NCVS. I want to thank those of you who gave us your counsel and suggestions at the workshop. Since that time, BJS has worked with the Census Bureau to research the feasibility and impact of various methodological and procedural changes that were suggested. Important considerations in examining proposed changes are whether they will improve the survey and whether they will be more cost-effective the NCVS as it is.

During this review cycle, BJS is also interested in your review of our approach to measuring the criminal victimization of persons with developmental disabilities. This change to the NCVS, which was mandated by the Crime Victims With Disabilities Awareness Act, PL 105-301, was the topic of a separate workshop in 1999, and I also want to the thank those of you who participated in that workshop.

The first attachment to this letter contains background information about the NCVS, a summary of the various proposals presented at the July 14, 1998 workshop, and other changes to the survey that the Bureau of Justice Statistics is considering. A second attachment contains the proposed disability questions as well as some associated background material. I am interested in your comments on both the proposed changes to NCVS methodology and disability questions as well as general comments about the current content of NCVS, both the questions now included as well as suggestions for additions or deletions of questions, or specific advice about the wording or sequencing of questions.

Please keep in mind that good survey practice (not to mention Federal law, namely the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995) requires that the burden placed on respondents should be minimized. Our proposed lists of questions to be dropped should be considered in light of the fact that something has to be dropped in order to add new content.

Other enclosures include copies of the current NCVS questionnaires with a summary of the topics covered, as well as the most recent BJS report presenting NCVS data. Electronic copies of all the enclosures, other NCVS reports, and all BJS questionnaires are available from the BJS web site http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs

Please respond to me by email at askbjs@ojp.usdoj.gov and include on the subject line "NCVS questionnaire." If you prefer, you can submit comments by mail to me at the Bureau of Justice Statistics, 810 7^th Street NW, Washington DC 20531. To be useful, we must receive your comments by June 15, 2000. Anyone may comment on this proposed data collection activity. Please share this letter, the NCVS questionnaire, or any of the attachments with anyone you think may be interested.

Thank you for your interest in BJS and our national statistical programs on crime and the administration of justice.

Jan M. Chaiken, Ph.D.
Director, Bureau of Justice Statistics

Enclosures:

- Federal Register notice http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/pub/pdf/fr418.pdf

- National Crime Victimization Survey description
    and summary of proposed changes http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/pub/pdf/ncvsdspc.pdf

- Disability questions and background http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/pub/pdf/frdq.pdf

- NCVS questionnaires

NCVS-1 http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/pub/pdf/ncvs1.pdf

NCVS-2 http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/pub/pdf/ncvs2.pdf

- Criminal Victimization 1998 http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/abstract/cv98.htm