The Bureau of Justice Statistics, a division of the Department of Justice’s Office of Justice Programs, today released Update on the NCVS Instrument Redesign: Operational Pilot Test and Split Sample. The report provides an update on the next steps in BJS’s multiyear effort to improve the efficiency, reliability, and utility of the National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS). It also presents the instrument redesign timeline and describes operational plans to test and phase in the new survey instrument.
BJS also released five third-party reports. These reports describe testing efforts to develop and assess a new NCVS instrument. This testing was a part of the NCVS Instrument Redesign and Testing Project, a major multiyear effort to revamp the existing core survey instrument, which was last updated in 1992. The effort had three main goals: modernize the organization and content of the NCVS instrument, increase the quality of information collected and efficiency of the instrument flow, and improve the measurement and classification of crime. The NCVS is the nation’s primary source of information on crimes reported and not reported to police.
1. Update on the NCVS Instrument Redesign: Operational Pilot Test and Split Sample (NCJ 306051) by Jennifer L. Truman, PhD, and Heather Brotsos, BJS Statisticians
2. National Crime Victimization Survey Redesign: Measuring Crime in the NCVS (NCJ 306156) by Westat
3. National Crime Victimization Survey Redesign: NCVS Crime Incident Report (CIR) (NCJ 306157) by Westat
BJS funded the five third-party reports. They are not BJS reports and do not release official government statistics. The reports are released to help inform interested parties of the research or analysis contained within and to encourage discussion. BJS has performed a limited review of the reports to ensure the general accuracy of information and adherence to confidentiality and disclosure standards. Any statistics included in these reports are not official BJS statistics unless they have been previously published in a BJS report. Any analysis, conclusions, or opinions expressed herein are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views, opinions, or policies of the Bureau of Justice Statistics or the U.S. Department of Justice.
The Bureau of Justice Statistics of the U.S. Department of Justice is the principal federal agency responsible for collecting, analyzing and disseminating reliable statistics on crime and criminal justice in the United States. Alexis R. Piquero, PhD, is the director. More information about BJS and criminal justice statistics can be found at bjs.ojp.gov.
The Office of Justice Programs provides federal leadership, grants, training, technical assistance and other resources to improve the nation’s capacity to prevent and reduce crime, advance racial equity in the administration of justice, assist victims and enhance the rule of law. More information about OJP and its components can be found at www.ojp.gov.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs