Alert and cover letter

Alert Letter (sent 4 weeks prior to mailout of forms)

Dear Facility Administrator:

The purpose of this letter is to request your participation in an important effort being undertaken by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP). In a few weeks you will receive the 2006 Juvenile Residential Facility Census (JRFC). This data collection is being conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau on behalf of OJJDP.

OJJDP has undertaken the JRFC to examine the characteristics and services of facilities that serve persons in residential settings. With this information, OJJDP can establish programs and policies that will address the needs of young persons in these facilities.

The reference date for this survey is Wednesday, October 25, 2006. You should receive the questionnaire about two weeks prior to that date. If you have any questions concerning this effort, or if you do not receive the questionnaire prior to October 25, please call Regina Yates of the U.S. Census Bureau at 1-800-352-7229.

Thank you for your time and assistance in this endeavor.

Sincerely,

Janet Chiancone

Research Coordinator

Actual Cover Letter (Accompanies the JRFC Form)

October 18, 2006

Dear Facility Administrator:

I am writing to request your participation in an important effort being undertaken by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP). Enclosed you will find the new 2006 Juvenile Residential Facility Census (JRFC) questionnaire. Your completion of this questionnaire is an important step in helping OJJDP identify and address the needs of young persons in residential placement. The JRFC is a continuing data collection effort undertaken by OJJDP which asks for information on characteristics of juvenile facilities and the services provided to youth housed in these facilities.

The reference date for this survey is Wednesday, October 25, 2006. Please complete this questionnaire on or shortly after that date and return it by November 22, 2006, in the enclosed postage-paid envelope.

OJJDP has worked closely with professionals at the State, local and facility level to develop a strong and useful system of collecting information on the juvenile corrections system. With both the Census of Juveniles in Residential Placement (CJRP) and the JRFC, we have an invaluable source of information that can inform policy, practice and programming. However, this system relies on your commitment and your participation.

I trust we can count on your support as we have in the past. This data collection is being conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau on behalf of OJJDP. If you have any questions concerning this questionnaire, please contact Regina Yates of the U.S. Census Bureau at 1-800-352-7229. Thank you for your time and assistance in this endeavor.

Sincerely,

Janet Chiancone

Research Coordinator

Enclosures

The Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act of 2002 (Title 42, Sections 5617 and 5661 of the United States Code), provides the authority for conducting this data collection. While you are not legally required to respond to this census, we rely on your cooperation to present a clear picture of the state of juvenile justice placement in this country. The confidentiality of the information you provide on this questionnaire is guaranteed by Title 42, Section 3789 of the United States code. This law requires both the Department of Justice and the U.S. Census Bureau to hold strictly confidential any information that could identify individuals or private facilities. If you would like more information concerning this authorization or the confidentiality guarantee, please write to Janet Chiancone at the address below.

Under the paperwork Reduction Act, a person is not required to respond to a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. We try to create forms and instructions that are accurate, can be easily understood, and which impose the least possible burden on you to provide us with information. We estimate that it will take between one and three hours to complete this questionnaire, with two hours being the average. This estimate includes reviewing the instructions, searching for and gathering the data, completing the form and reviewing answers. If you have comments regarding the accuracy of this estimate, or suggestions for making this form simpler, you can write to:

Janet Chiancone

Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention

U.S. Department of Justice

Washington, DC 20531