2016-00269. Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed eCollection eComments Requested; New Collection: Census of Victim Service Providers (VSP Census)

AGENCY:

Bureau of Justice Statistics, Department of Justice.

ACTION:

60-Day notice.

SUMMARY:

The Department of Justice (DOJ), Office of Justice Programs, Bureau of Justice Statistics, will be submitting the following information collection request to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.

DATES:

Comments are encouraged and will be accepted for 60 days until March 11, 2016.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

If you have additional comments especially on the estimated public burden or associated response time, suggestions, or need a copy of the proposed information collection instrument with instructions or additional information, please contact Lynn Langton, Statistician, Bureau of Justice Statistics, 810 Seventh Street NW., Washington, DC 20531 (email: [e-mail]; telephone: [phone]).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Written comments and suggestions from the public and affected agencies concerning the proposed collection of information are encouraged. Your comments should address one or more of the following four points:

—Evaluate whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the Bureau of Justice Statistics, including whether the information will have practical utility;

—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;

—Evaluate whether and if so how the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected can be enhanced; and

—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 Collection

(1) Type of Information Collection: New collection.

(2) The Title of the Form/Collection: Census of Victim Service Providers.

(3) The agency form number, if any, and the applicable component of the Department sponsoring the collection: The form numbers for the collection are VSP-1, VSP-2, and VSP-3. The applicable component within the Department of Justice is the Bureau of Justice Statistics, in the Office of Justice Programs.

(4) Affected public who will be asked or required to respond, as well as a brief abstract: Organizations that have been identified as providing services to victims of crime or abuse will be asked to respond. The Census of Victim Service Providers is the first national collection to gather data on the characteristics, functions, and resources of entities that provide assistance to victims of crime or abuse.

(5) An estimate of the total number of respondents and the amount of time estimated for an average respondent to respond: An estimated 31,000 victim service providers will be asked to respond to the survey. About 15% of entities will no longer be in business or no longer serving victims and these respondents will be ineligible to complete the survey instrument. For the remaining 26,350 victim service providers, it will take the average interviewed respondent an estimated 20 minutes to respond.

(6) An estimate of the total public burden (in hours) associated with the collection: There are an estimated 8,783 total burden hours associated with this collection.

If additional information is required contact: Jerri Murray, Department Clearance Officer, United States Department of Justice, Justice Management Division, Policy and Planning Staff, Two Constitution Square, 145 N Street NE., 3E.405B, Washington, DC 20530.

Dated: January 6, 2016.

Jerri Murray,

Department Clearance Officer for PRA, U.S. Department of Justice.