Information Collection Under Review

DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

Information Collection Under Review

The proposed information collection is published to obtain comments

from the public and affected agencies. Comments are encouraged and will

be accepted for ``sixty days'' from the date listed at the top of this

page in the Federal Register. This process is conducted in accordance

with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.

This collection covers:

(1) Type of Information Collection: Revision of a Currently

Approved Collection

(2) The title of the form/collection; Supplement on ``Police Use

of Force'' to the National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS)

(3) The agency form number, if any, and the applicable component

of the Department sponsoring the collection; Form number: None.

Sponsored by the Bureau of Justice Statistics, United States

Department of Justice.

(4) Who will be asked or required to respond, as well as a brief

abstract; Primary: Individuals or households. This data collection

will be only a pretest for the purpose of ascertaining the

feasibility and cost of learning about use of force by law

enforcement officers through interviews with an existing random

sample of household members. If the pretest shows this method is

feasible and cost-effective, data to be collected via the NCVS will

be only one of several data collection activities that will be

sponsored by the Bureau of Justice Statistics in response to a

requirement for an annual statistical report as set forth in section

210402 of the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994.

The draft of the supplement which is being submitted for review will

be asked of all surveyed participants, whether or not they believe

they have been the victim of a crime, and will begin by inquiring

about any contacts with police officers on official duty during the

previous year. The data collection will, consequently, obtain

information about contacts such as police providing information to

citizens, as well as incidents in which police arrested the

respondent or threatened to use or used physical force on the

respondent. Because one purpose of the pretest is to obtain accurate

estimates of the percentage of respondents who will answer more than

the lead-in screener questions on this supplement, and the burden on

such respondents, comments are specifically invited at this time on

issues of the clarity and adequacy of the wording of the questions

as drafted for exploring issues related to police use of force.

Copies of the draft data collection instrument named in (2) above

are available for review by writing to Dr. Chaiken or Mr. Briggs at

the addresses shown above. The Bureau of Justice Statistics uses

information it collects in published reports, and for the U.S.

Congress, the Executive Office of the President, practitioners,

researchers, and others in the criminal justice community. In the

case of this pretest, the results will be used primarily in

determining whether or not to design and undertake data collection

through the NCVS on the topic of police use of force, and if so to

design the final data collection instrument.

(4) An estimate of the total number of respondents and the

amount of time estimated for an average respondent to respond; and

12,000 respondents for the pretest during the period April 1996 to

July 1996, of whom 11,400 are estimated to be eligible for the lead-

in screening questions only (0.0167 hours or 1 minute) and 600 will

require 0.167 hours, or 10 minutes.

(5) An estimate of the total public burden (in hours) associated

with the collection. 290 burden hours for the pretest.

Request written comments and suggestions from the public and

affected agencies concerning the proposed collection of information.

Your comments should address one or more of the following four points:

(1) Evaluate whether the proposed collection of information is

necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency,

including whether the information will have practical utility;

(2) Evaluate the accuracy of the agencies estimate of the burden

of the proposed collection of information, including the validity of

the methodology and assumptions used;

(3) Enhanced the quality, utility, and clarity of the

information to be collected; and

(4) Minimize the burden of the collection of information on

those who are to respond, including through the use of appropriate

automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection

techniques or other forms of information technology. e.g.,

permitting electronic submission of responses.

If you have additional comments or suggestions, please include them

with your written response. If a copy of the proposed collection

instrument with instructions is not published in this notice please

contact the agency representative list below if you wish to receive a

copy. Contact: Mr. Lawrence A. Greenfield, Telephone: 202-616-3281.

Bureau of Justice Statistics, United States Department of Justice, Room

1012, 633 Indiana Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20531.

Comments and/or suggestions regarding the item(s) contained in this

notice, especially regarding the estimated public burden and associated

response time, should be directed to Dr. Jan M. Chaiken, Director,

Bureau of Justice Statistics, 633 Indiana Avenue NW, Washington, DC

20531 or call 202-307-0765,

If additional information is required contact: Mr. Robert B.

Briggs, Clearance Officer, United States Department of Justice, Systems

Policy Staff, Justice Management Division, Suite 850, Washington

Center, 1001 G Street, NW, Washington, DC 20530.

Dated: November 29, 1995.

Robert B. Briggs,

Department Clearance Officer, United States Department of Justice.

[FR Doc. 95-29650 Filed 12-5-95; 8:45 am]

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