Bureau of Justice Statistics; Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comment Request

DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

Office of Justice Programs

Bureau of Justice Statistics; Agency Information Collection

Activities: Proposed Collection; Comment Request

action: Notice of Information Collection Under Review; (Reinstatement,

with change, of a previously approved collection for which approval has

expired); Census of Jails, Form CJ-3, CJ-3 Addendum, CJ-3A, CJ-3B.

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The Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, Bureau of

Justice Statistics, has submitted the following information collection

request for review and clearance in accordance with the Paperwork

Reduction Act of 1995. Office of Management and Budget approval is

being sought for the information collection listed below. This proposed

information collection was previously published in the Federal Register

on January 22, 1999, allowing for a 60-day public comment period.

The purpose of this notice is to allow an additional 30 days for

public comment until April 30, 1999. This process is conducted in

accordance with 5 CFR 1320.10.

Written 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 the Office of

Management and Budget, Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs,

Attention: Department of Justice Desk Officer, Washington, DC 20530.

Additionally, comments may be submitted to OMB via facsimile to (202)

395-7285. Comments may also be submitted to the Department of Justice

(DOJ), Justice Management Division, Information Management and Security

Staff, Attention: Department Clearance Officer, Suite 850, 1001 G

Street, NW, Washington, DC 20530. Additionally, comments may be

submitted to DOJ via facsimile to (202) 514-1590.

Written comments and/or suggestions from the public and affected

agencies concerning the proposed collection of information 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 function of the agency,

including whether the information will have practical utility;

(2) Evaluate the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of

the proposed collection of information, including the validity of the

methodology and assumptions used;

(3) Enhance 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.

Overview of this information:

(1) Type of information collection: Extension of previously

approved collection.

(2) The title of the form/collection: 1999 Census of Jails (CJ-3,

CJ-3 Addendum, CJ-3A, CJ-3B).

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

the Department sponsoring the collection: Bureau of Justice Statistics,

Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice.

(4) Affected public who will be asked or required to respond, as

well as a brief abstract: Primary: Federal, state, local, and tribal

governments; multi-jurisdictional jail facilities; private jail

facilities.

The Census of Jails is the foundation for all national statistics

on local jails and inmates. Whether the statistics are based on data

reported by jail administrators from official records or on data

reported by jail inmates in personal interviews, the census provides

the frame from which to generalize to the nation and to track changes

over time. Without a periodic census, sample surveys would be

unreliable, and statistics would be based on a group of jails of

unknown representativeness, that were simply convenient to contact and

willing to respond. Previous censuses were conducted in 1970, 1972,

1978, 1983, 1988, and 1993. The censuses include all locally

administered confinement facilities that hold inmates beyond

arraignment and are staffed by municipal or county employees. The

censuses also include jails operated under contract for local

governments (17 in 1993). Reporting units are typically jurisdictions

(regional, county, parish, or municipal jails), which may contain one

or more jail facilities (sites with separate administrators, staff, and

budgets). Data are provided by a reporter in each jurisdiction, usually

a jail administrator or county sheriff. 42 U.S.C. 3732 et seq.

authorizes the Bureau of Justice Statistics, U.S. Department of Justice

to collect this information.

(5) An estimate of the total number of respondents and the amount

of time estimated for an average respondent to respond/reply: It is

estimated that approximately 3,558 respondents will take an average of

1 hour to complete the census.

(6) An estimate of the public burden (in hours) associated with the

collection: The total hour burden to complete the census is 3,289

public burden hours.

If additional information is required contact: Ms. Brenda E. Dyer,

Deputy Clearance Officer, United States Department of Justice,

Information Management and Security Staff, Justice Management Division,

Suite 850, Washington Center, 1001 G Street, NW, Washington, DC 20530,

or via facsimile at (202) 514-1534.

Dated: March 26, 1999.

Brenda E. Dyer,

Department Deputy Clearance Officer, Department of Justice.

[FR Doc. 99-7849 Filed 3-30-99; 8:45 am]

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