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pdfNCVS-550
(7/2008)
National Crime
Victimization Survey
CAPI Interviewing Manual
for
Field Representatives
USCENSUSBUREAU
Helping You Make Informed Decisions
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
PART A
The National Crime Victimization Survey and You
Chapter
1
Title
Page
An Overview of the National Crime Victimization Survey
. . . . . A1-1
Topic
1 Purpose and Sponsor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A1-2
2 Historical Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A1-5
3 Sample Design . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A1-8
4 Data Products and Their Uses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A1-11
2
Conducting the National Crime Victimization Survey Interview . . A2-1
Topic
1 NCVS Authorization and Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . A2-2
2 Confidentiality . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A2-6
3 Eligible Respondents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A2-9
4 Maintaining Respondent Rapport . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A2-19
5 Answering Respondents' Questions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A2-24
6 General Interviewing Techniques . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A2-33
7 Closing the Interview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A2-48
3
General National Crime Victimization Survey Procedures . . . . . . . A3-1
Topic
1 Basic Survey Procedures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A3-2
2 Monthly Tasks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A3-6
3 Daily Tasks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A3-8
4 Specific Household Procedures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A3-10
Table of Contents
i
Table of Contents
Chapter
4
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Title
Page
Your Job Duties and Performance Standards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A4-1
Topic
1 Basic Field Duties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A4-2
2 Additional Duties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A4-6
3 Performance Standards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A4-8
4 Field Evaluations - Observation and Reinterview . . . A4-12
5
Personal Visit vs. Telephone Interviews
Topic
1
2
3
4
5
6
Identifying the Method of Interview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A5-2
Qualifications for Using the Personal Visit Method . . A5-3
Qualifications for Using the Telephone Method . . . . . A5-9
Instructions for Conducting Telephone Interviews . . . A5-11
Telephone Interviewing Skills . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A5-19
Noninterviews
Topic
1
2
3
4
5
7
Overview of Noninterview Types and Procedures . . . A6-2
Type A Noninterview Categories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A6-10
Type B Noninterview Categories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A6-18
Type C Noninterview Categories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A6-23
Type Z Noninterview Persons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A6-28
Interviewing Materials
Topic
1
2
3
Description of Materials . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A7-2
Materials Kept from Month to Month . . . . . . . . . . . . A7-7
Materials Supplied Monthly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A7-8
Table of Contents
ii
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Table of Contents
PART B
The National Crime Victimization Survey CAPI Instrument
Chapter
1
Title
Page
Overview of the NCVS Instrument . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B1-1
Topic
1 Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B1-2
2 Screen Layout . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B1-5
3 Selection of Questions and Screen Content . . . . . . . . B1-8
4 Methods of Making Entries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B1-12
5 Navigation and Using Function Keys . . . . . . . . . . . . . B1-16
6 Partial Interviews and Callbacks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B1-21
7 CAPI Outcome Codes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B1-25
8 How to Use the Tool Bar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B1-27
2
Front Section of the NCVS Instrument . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B2-1
Topic
1 Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B2-2
2 Screen Layout and Instructions for START_CP . . . . B2-4
3 CAPI Personal Visit Interview for Household Respondent and
Individual Respondent(s) (Screen Layout and Instructions for
START_CP through INTRO_REC_CP) . . . . . . . . . B2-7
4 CAPI Telephone Interview for Household Respondent and
Individual Respondent(s) (Screen Layout and Instructions for
START_CP through INTRO_REC_CP) . . . . . . . . . B2-21
5 Selecting a New Household or Individual Respondent for CAPI
Personal Visit and Telephone Interview (Screen Layout and
Instructions for NEWHHR_CP, HELLO_ALT2_CP,
HELP_OTH_CP, ALTERNATE1_CP, TOOLATE_CP, and
NEXTPERSON) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B2-34
6 Completing Self Response and Proxy Interviews and Coding Initial
Refusals (Screen Layout and Instructions for
INTERVIEWSTATUS through
INTROFORNEWRESPONDENT) . . . . . . . . . . . . . B2-41
7 Verifying Sample Address, Primary Telephone Number and Mailing
Address (Screen Layout and Instructions for GETLETTER_CP
through NEWMAILGQDESCRIPTION_CP) . . . . B2-54
Table of Contents
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Table of Contents
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8
9
10
3
Coverage and Table X Sections (Screen Layout and Instructions for
YEARBUILT through TABX_FR) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B2-63
Housing Unit Characteristics (Screen Layout and Instructions for
TENURE through RESTRICTEDACCESS) . . . . . B2-76
Household Roster Demographic Characteristics (Screen Layout and
Instructions for HHROSTER_FNAME through
ANY_OTHERCHNG) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B2-94
Middle Section of the NCVS Instrument: Introduction
And Screening Items . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B3-1
Topic
1 Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B3-2
2 Screening Questions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B3-3
3 Identity Theft . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B3-29
4 Screener Section Closing Screens . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B3-40
5 Employment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B3-42
6 Informing the Household Respondent, Household Income, End
Screens, Other Languages, and Choosing the Next Respondent to
Interview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B3-53
4
Middle Section of the NCVS Instrument: Incident Report Items . . B4-1
Topic
1 Screen Layout and Instructions for Items
INCIDENTINTRO Through HAPPEN . . . . . . . . . . B4-2
2 Screen Layout and Instructions for Items
ONEORMOREOFFENDERS
Through ANYTHING FURTHER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B4-131
3 Screen Layout and Instructions for Items
DOINGATINCIDENTTIME
Through SUMMARY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B4-220
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5
Table of Contents
Middle Section of the NCVS Instrument: Additional Incidents,
Unduplication, and Help Screens . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B5-1
Topic
1 Screen Layout and Instructions for the Additional
Incidents Items . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B5-2
2 Screen Layout and Instructions for the
Unduplication Items . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B5-7
3 Help Screens and Abbreviations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B5-11
6
Back Section of the NCVS Instrument . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B6-1
Topic
1 Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B6-2
2 Screen Layout and Instructions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B6-3
Table of Contents
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Table of Contents
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
PART C
Survey Concepts
Chapter
1
Title
Page
Basic NCVS Concepts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C1-1
Topic
1 Overview of Chapter 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C1-2
2 Reference Period . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C1-3
3 Household Membership . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C1-5
4 Reference Person . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C1-12
5 Household and Individual Respondents . . . . . . . . . . . C1-15
6 Proxy Interview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C1-19
7 Unduplicating/Bounding Interviews . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C1-26
8 Out-of-Scope Incident . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C1-30
2
Screening for Crimes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C2-1
Topic
1 Overview of Chapter 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C2-2
2 Crimes Measured by the NCVS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C2-3
3 Threats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C2-7
4 Recognizable/Unrecognizable Businesses . . . . . . . . . C2-10
5 Ownership of Motor Vehicles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C2-18
6 Months/Years Living at Address . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C2-20
7 Frequency of Household Moves . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C2-23
8 Computer-Related Incidents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C2-25
3
Reporting Crime Incidents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C3-1
Topic
1 Overview of Chapter 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C3-3
2 Series of Crimes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C3-4
3 Right to Legally Enter Home/Lodging . . . . . . . . . . . . C3-9
4 Restricted Areas/Areas Open to the Public . . . . . . . . . C3-12
5 Illegal Entry (With or Without Force) . . . . . . . . . . . . C3-15
6 Presence During an Incident . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C3-19
7 Weapons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C3-26
8 Rape/Unwanted Sexual Contact . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C3-34
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NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Chapter
3
Table of Contents
Title
Page
Reporting Crime Incidents (Continued)
Topic
9 Theft/Attempted Theft of Cash/Property . . . . . . . . . . C3-41
10 Value of Stolen Property/Methods Used
to Determine Value . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C3-50
11 Property Ownership . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C3-53
12 Recovered Money and/or Property . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C3-57
13 Medical Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C3-61
14 Medical Expenses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C3-63
15 Race of Offenders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C3-65
16 Other Victimized Household Members . . . . . . . . . . . C3-68
17 Damage to Property During an Incident . . . . . . . . . . . C3-71
18 Job/Business at Time of the Incident . . . . . . . . . . . . . C3-76
19 Major Activity During Week of the Incident . . . . . . . C3-78
20 Incident Occurred at Work Site . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C3-82
21 Incidents Involving a Police Officer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C3-84
22 Writing Summary Reports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C3-86
23 Type of Industry and Occupation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C3-95
24 Disability . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C3-105
Part D
NCVS Case Management
Page
Topic
1
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . D-2
2
Getting Into Case Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . D-3
3
Telecommunications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . D-14
4
Address Book . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . D-18
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NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Part A, Chapter 1
Chapter 1
An Overview of the National Crime Victimization Survey
Table of Topics
Topic
Page
1 Purpose and Sponsor
A1-2
2 Historical Overview
A1-5
3 Sample Design
A1-8
4 Data Products and Their Uses
A1-11
An Overview of the National Crime Victimization Survey
A1-1
Part A, Chapter 1
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Topic 1. Purpose and Sponsor
Primary Purpose
The primary purpose of the National Crime Victimization
Survey (NCVS) is to obtain, from respondents who are
12 years of age and older, an accurate and up-to-date
measure of the amount and kinds of crime committed
during a specific six-month reference period. The NCVS
also collects detailed information about specific incidents
of criminal victimization that the respondent reports for the
six-month reference period.
Secondary Purpose
The NCVS also serves as a vehicle for obtaining
supplemental data on crime and the criminal justice system,
including:
C
Attitudes toward crime and police officers, and
C
Crime incidents in our schools.
This supplemental information is collected periodically,
along with the standard NCVS data.
Survey Sponsor
The NCVS is sponsored by the Bureau of Justice Statistics
(BJS), which is part of the U.S. Department of Justice. At
this time, it is the largest ongoing statistical survey
sponsored by the BJS.
The BJS is responsible for collecting, analyzing,
publishing, and disseminating statistical information on
crime, its perpetrators and victims, and the operation of
justice systems at all levels of government. The BJS is also
responsible for providing timely and accurate data about
crime and the administration of justice to the President,
Congress, other government officials, and the general
public. Respondents can send questions and comments
about the NCVS by E-mail to: askbjs@ojp.usdoj.gov
An Overview of the National Crime Victimization Survey
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NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Part A, Chapter 1
Respondents can also write or call the following office to
obtain the most recent reports from the NCVS data:
National Criminal Justice Reference Service/NCJRS
P.O. Box 6000
Rockville, MD 20849-6000
1-800-851-3420 or for TTY service for the hearing
impaired, call this toll free number, 1-877-712-9279.
Respondents can also access the NCJRS and the BJS
Internet sites at: www.ncjrs.org for the NCJRS and
www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/ for the BJS.
To succeed in providing timely and reliable statistics on
crime and its impact on society, the BJS contracts with the
U.S. Bureau of the Census to conduct the NCVS, which is
the main source of information for measuring crime and
assessing its impact.
NCVS vs. Police Reports
Most estimates on the amount and nature of crime are
derived from police reports. However, evidence has proven
that a significant number of crimes are never reported to the
police. Victims have cited some of the following reasons
for failing to inform the police about crimes:
C
Victim felt that nothing could be done.
C
Victim thought that the crime incident was not
important enough to report to the police.
C
Victim decided that the incident was too private or
personal.
C
Victim felt that the police would not want to be
bothered with the incident.
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Part A, Chapter 1
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Police departments often lack the personnel or technical
resources necessary to record and publish the kind of
detailed data from crime victims that are required for
comprehensive criminal justice planning, evaluation, or
analysis. The Census Bureau has both the personnel and
the technical resources to conduct and supply reliable and
detailed statistics on victims of crime. This includes crimes
reported to the police as well as those not reported to
police. Your work as an NCVS field representative (FR)
will allow us to succeed in providing the BJS with the type
of crime victimization data that police reports cannot.
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NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Part A, Chapter 1
Topic 2. Historical Overview
How the NCVS Began
Between January 1971 and July 1972, the Census Bureau
conducted the first nationwide victimization survey as a
supplement to the already established Quarterly Household
Survey (QHS). During that period, only minor changes
were made to the survey questions in an effort to improve
data quality.
In July 1972, the National Crime Survey (NCS), as it was
called before 1991, became a separate national sample
survey as a pioneering effort. The first sponsor of the NCS
was the Law Enforcement Assistance Administration
(LEAA). This survey began when the LEAA received a
mandate set forth by Section 515b of Public Law 93-83 to
collect, evaluate, publish, and disseminate information on
the progress of law enforcement within the United States.
The NCS was intended to complement the crime
information that the FBI reports annually to law
enforcement agencies in the Uniform Crime Reports. The
NCS is designed to provide a detailed picture of crime
incidents, regardless of whether or not they were reported
to the police. This survey also provides a picture of crime
victims and crime trends as seen from the victim's
perspective.
In December 1979, the NCS was transferred to the Bureau
of Justice Statistics, U.S. Department of Justice. During
that same year, the first major attempt was made to improve
the quality and utility of the NCS data.
Improving Accuracy and
Usefulness
In the mid-1970s, the National Academy of Sciences
evaluated the accuracy and usefulness of the NCS.
Although the NCS was effective in measuring crime, they
did pinpoint certain aspects of the survey that could be
improved. During 1979 to 1985, a group of experts in
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Part A, Chapter 1
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
criminology, survey design, and statistics conducted a
detailed study and testing of the NCS.
Their findings resulted in a survey redesign that would:
C
Increase reporting of crime victimization, and
C
Provide additional details on individual crime incidents.
The recommended changes were phased in as part of a twostage process--near-term and long-term. The "near-term"
changes were not substantial enough to affect the
comparability of the crime rates for previous years, and
these changes were implemented in July 1986. On the
other hand, the long-term changes have had a substantial
impact on the NCS crime rates. These long-term changes
were phased in gradually starting in 1989, and were fully
implemented by July 1993.
To achieve the redesign objectives, the following
improvements were made between 1986 and 1993:
C
Better "short cue" screening questions were added to
stimulate respondent recall of incidents.
C
More thorough descriptions of crime incidents were
added as an effort to help all respondents interpret NCS
concepts correctly.
C
Computer-assisted telephone interviewing (CATI) was
introduced to improve data collection for selected
sample segments. (However, CATI interviewing was
discontinued effective July 2007.)
C
Specific questions about rape and sexual assaults were
added to improve measures of these crimes.
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NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Part A, Chapter 1
C
Screening questions were reworded and added to get a
better measure of domestic violence.
As part of all the redesign changes, BJS decided in late
1991 to rename the NCS to its current name, the National
Crime Victimization Survey.
Other Survey Changes
Since the implementation of the survey redesign, other
changes have been made to the NCVS questions over the
years. A series of hate crime questions was added to the
NCVS instrument. In the screening section of the
instrument, we try to determine if there is any reason to
suspect that an act of vandalism was a hate crime or a crime
of prejudice or bigotry. Also, a series of questions on
disability was added to determine if an incident happened
because of a respondent’s disability.
A series of identity theft questions has also been added to
the screening section of the instrument to determine
incidents of identity theft committed against the household.
In July 2006 the NCVS converted to a fully automated
CAPI environment.
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Part A, Chapter 1
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Topic 3. Sample Design
NCVS Sample Population
and Size
Any noninstitutionalized person who is 12 years of age or
older and lives in the United States is eligible for the
NCVS. Every 6 months, approximately 48,000 housing
units and other living quarters, such as college dormitories
and religious group dwellings, are designated for sample.
Persons who are not included in the scope of this survey
include:
Primary Sampling Units
C
Crew members of merchant vessels,
C
Armed Forces personnel living in military barracks, and
C
Institutionalized persons, such as correctional facility
inmates.
The households to be interviewed for the NCVS are
selected by scientific sampling methods from specific
sampling areas across the United States. We refer to these
sampling areas as Primary Sampling Units (PSUs).
All counties, minor civil divisions (MCDs), and
census county divisions (CCDs) are classified and grouped
together based on similar characteristics. These
characteristics include geographic region, population
density, rate of growth, population, principal industry, and
type of agriculture.
There are two main types of PSUs --stratification PSUs and
field assignment PSUs.
In most states, stratification PSUs consist of one or more
adjoining counties and independent cities. In New England
and Hawaii, they could consist of one or more MCDs or
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Part A, Chapter 1
CCDs. MCDs and CCDs are portions of a state similar to a
county, but smaller in size.
In order for each FR to have a more manageable
assignment area, stratification PSUs are divided into
smaller field assignment PSUs. In most states, these field
assignment PSUs consist of one county.
Sample Unit Selection
Each stratification PSU is made up of four different
sampling frames--Unit, Permit, Group Quarters (GQ), and
Area. Sample units from each of these sampling frames are
selected for the NCVS.
For the Unit and GQ frames, sample addresses are obtained
from decennial census files. For the Permit frame, sample
addresses come from building permit data supplied to us
from building permit offices. For the Area frame, FRs
canvass sample blocks from decennial census files and
create address lists for these blocks. Then, the address lists
are used to select sample households to be interviewed for
the NCVS.
Interviewing Pattern
All sample housing units selected for the NCVS are divided
into six equal rotation groups. Each rotation group is
further divided into six panels. Each month, one panel
from each rotation group or one sixth of each rotation
group is selected for interviewing. As a result, a different
panel gets interviewed each month.
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Part A, Chapter 1
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Here's an example: In July 2006, we are using Samples J21, J22, J23, and J24 to select
cases for NCVS interviewing. From Sample J21, cases will be assigned for interview from
Panel 1 of rotation group 6. From Sample J22, cases will be assigned for interview from
Panel 1 of rotation groups 1 and 2, and so on, as shown below.
Sample¸
J21
J22
J23
J24
July 2006¸
16
11 12
14 15 16
11 12 13 14
In this example, the "16" stands for "Panel 1, Rotation 6," "11" stands for "Panel 1,
Rotation 1," etc.
Over a 3-year period, sample housing units from each
rotation group are interviewed once every 6 months. Over
a 6-month period, a different panel of households gets
interviewed each month. Every 6 months, a new rotation
group enters the NCVS sample to replace an outgoing
rotation group whose 3-year interview cycle is complete.
The majority of NCVS interviews are conducted during the
first 2 weeks of each month. When a household falls in
sample for the first time, the initial interview with a sample
household or at least with the household respondent is
always conducted by personal visit and is used primarily to
establish a timeframe to avoid duplication of crimes during
subsequent interviews. Whenever possible, subsequent
NCVS interviews are conducted by telephone.
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Topic 4. Data Products and Their Uses
Types of NCVS Data
Products
All data that we collect for the NCVS are tabulated in the
form of statistical summaries. No individuals who
participate in this survey can ever be identified from the
statistical totals that are released to the public.
Once we provide these statistical summaries to the sponsor,
the BJS, a special analysis group analyzes the data and
produce several types of publications on an annual basis.
Some of the past publications released from this survey
include:
L
Criminal Victimization in the United States
L
Changes in Criminal Victimization
L
Violent Victimization of College Students
The BJS routinely distributes copies of their publications
to:
º
º
º
º
º
º
º
º
State and regional planning agencies,
Colleges and universities,
Commercial and industrial groups,
Citizen groups,
Professional associations,
Federal, state, city, and local police,
Courts and correctional agencies, and
Legislative bodies.
The BJS also makes selected crime victimization data
available through the Internet at the following site:
www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/
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After the survey results have been modified to protect the
confidentiality of our respondents, NCVS public use data
files are released to the Inter-University Consortium for
Political and Social Research (ICPSR) at the University of
Michigan. The ICPSR uses a grant awarded by the BJS to
release the NCVS data in a format that makes them more
accessible to the general public, criminal justice
practitioners, and academic researchers.
Who Uses the NCVS Data
and Why
Users of the NCVS data cover a wide audience of groups
and persons who are all concerned about crime and crime
prevention. These users include:
C
Researchers at academic, government, private, and
nonprofit research institutions;
C
Community groups and government agencies;
C
Law enforcement agencies; and
C
Print and broadcast media.
Researchers use the NCVS data to prepare reports, policy
recommendations, scholarly publications, testimony before
Congress, and documentation for use in courts.
Researchers also use the NCVS information to investigate:
C
Why certain persons are victimized more than others,
C
The characteristics of attempted versus actual
victimizations,
C
The reasons why persons do not report crime
incidents to the police, and
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C
Victimization among juveniles, domestic violence,
gun-related crimes, multiple victimizations, and so
forth.
Community groups and government agencies use the
data to develop neighborhood watch and victim assistance
and compensation programs.
The NCVS produces several facts that are relevant to
projecting the costs of victim compensation programs.
After reviewing specific NCVS facts, it was revealed that
some of the eligibility restrictions for existing
compensation programs are not entirely relevant to the
types of people most likely to be victimized. This was
determined by examining data on age, employment status,
and family income of victims of personal crimes, together
with findings about victim/offender relationships in these
crimes.
Law enforcement agencies use the NCVS findings for
training purposes, and the findings can be seen in crime
prevention public service announcements and in crime
documentaries.
Law enforcement agencies in various cities also use NCVS
data to increase:
C
Citizen cooperation with officials in deterring and
detecting crime,
C
Special police strike forces to combat those crimes
which the survey indicates as being most prevalent,
and
•
Street and park lighting programs in those areas with
the highest reported crime rates.
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Print and broadcast media regularly cite NCVS findings
when reporting on a host of crime-related topics.
Some other reasons why data users want the crime
victimization information produced from the NCVS
include:
•
Planning for public education programs, police patrol
strategies, and new communities and housing
projects. This type of planning requires a knowledge
of the characteristics of victimized persons and
households, as well as when and where victimizations
occur.
•
Conducting feasibility studies and planning programs
for the restitution and compensation to victims of
crime. These studies and programs require
information on the nature and extent of injury and
loss that results from criminal victimization.
•
Assessing the need for property identification
programs. These programs require information on the
amount of property recovered after burglaries and
thefts.
•
Understanding more about the nature and extent of
biases in police data on known offenses. These
studies require a knowledge of the levels of
nonreporting to the police, together with information
on the kinds of victimization that are
disproportionately not reported to the police.
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Part A, Chapter 2
Chapter 2
Conducting the National Crime Victimization Survey Interview
Table of Topics
Topic
Page
1 NCVS Authorization and
Introduction
A2-2
2 Confidentiality
A2-6
3 Eligible Respondents
A2-9
4 Maintaining Respondent Rapport
A2-19
5 Answering Respondents' Questions
A2-24
6 General Interviewing Techniques
A2-33
7 Closing the Interview and "Thank
You" Letters
A2-48
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Topic 1. NCVS Authorization and Introduction
NCVS Authorization
Currently, the BJS is authorized to collect statistics on
victimizations through Title 42, United States Code,
Section 3732 of the Justice Systems Improvement Act of
1979. Although this law authorizes the BJS to collect
victimization information, it does not make respondent
participation mandatory.
Title 13 also requires that all information collected from
respondents be kept strictly confidential, so that individual
respondents or households cannot be identified from the
survey results. (See Topic 2 of this chapter for more
details about confidentiality.)
Why We Use Introductory
Letters
The NCVS uses two different introductory letters to comply
with the provisions of the Privacy Act of 1974. This
Privacy Act requires that all Federal agencies provide
specific facts to anyone from whom they plan to collect
personal information. These facts include:
L
The legal authority for collecting the information;
L
The principal purposes for collecting the information;
L
The various uses for the data after it is collected; and
L
The mandatory or voluntary nature of the survey and
penalties, if any, for not providing information.
One introductory letter, the NCVS-572 (L), is mailed to a
household just before it comes into sample for the first
enumeration period. The other introductory letter, the
NCVS-573 (L), is mailed before each subsequent
enumeration period.
In addition to complying with the Privacy Act of 1974, both
letters prepare the household for your visit/telephone call
and provide the household with your regional office address
and telephone number.
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How To Use Introductory
Letters
Part A, Chapter 2
Your regional office is responsible for mailing out
introductory letters to sample households for the current
interview period. Your assignment materials will also
include copies of both introductory letters in case you need
to hand them out during personal visit interviews.
Since the first interview with a household respondent must
be conducted in person, ask the household respondent, at
the end of your introduction, whether or not he/she received
the NCVS introductory letter. (This is done automatically
in the instrument at Item GETLETTER_CP.) If the
household respondent states that he/she did not receive it or
doesn't recall seeing it, hand the respondent a copy of the
NCVS-572 (L). As you hand the letter to the respondent
say something similar to: “I would like you to have this
letter which introduces this survey and the purpose of my
visit.” Allow the respondent time to read the letter before
beginning the interview.
In most cases, when conducting an NCVS interview by
telephone, it is not necessary to mention the introductory
letter. However, there are a few instances when you would
need to ask about the introductory letter or provide the
Privacy Act information to households. These exceptions
include households that were Type A noninterviews during
the first enumeration period, and cases where you discover
a replacement household.
You may find the following Privacy Act statement useful,
even when the respondent has received our letter and still
has questions about the survey's purpose, any penalties for
not participating in the survey, or the importance of each
sample household's participation:
"The U.S. Census Bureau is conducting the National
Crime Victimization Survey for the Bureau of Justice
Statistics of the United States Department of Justice. The
survey's purpose is to provide information on the kinds
and amount of crime committed against households and
individuals throughout the country. All survey
information will be used for statistical purposes only.
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This survey is authorized by Title 42, Section 3732, of the
United States Code.
Participation in this survey is voluntary and there are no
penalties for refusing to answer any questions. However,
your cooperation is extremely important to help insure the
completeness and accuracy of this much needed
information."
Introducing Yourself and
the Survey
After making contact with a household, you must introduce
yourself. When conducting a personal visit of households
that are in sample for the first time, if you are not sure if the
person who greets you at the door is at least 18 years of age,
mention to the respondent that you need to talk to someone
who is at least 18 and knowledgeable about the household
and ask whether or not that would be the respondent.
When conducting telephone interviews with households
previously in sample, ask to speak with the household
respondent from the last interview. The NCVS CAPI
instrument provides this information for you to read at the
appropriate NCVS screens.
For cases entering the sample, or "time-in-sample 1" cases,
the first screen that appears is Item GEN_INTRO_CP,
where you identify yourself, hand the respondent an
introductory letter, and select a household respondent. You
then proceed through CAPI_INTRO_B (“Is respondent
ready to complete the interview?”), GETLETTER_CP
(which introduces the survey further and asks if the
household received the introductory letter; see below), and
VERADD_CP (for address verification; also see below).
For all other cases (second through seventh interviews,
which are interviewed by phone), once someone answers
the telephone, introduce yourself and who you represent at
the HELLO_1_CP screen which reads:
“Hello. This is (your name) from the U.S. Census
Bureau. May I please speak with (name of last
household respondent)?”
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After you have determined an eligible household
respondent, explain the purpose of your contact and verify
that you contacted the correct sample address by reading
the text from the GETLETTER_CP screen:
“Hello. I’m (your name) from the U.S. Census Bureau.
I’m calling concerning the National Crime
Victimization Survey. The Census Bureau is
conducting a survey here and throughout the nation to
determine how often people are victims of crime. We
contacted your household for this survey several
months ago. Did you receive our introductory letter in
the mail?
The instrument then prompts you to verify the household
address at VERADD_CP:
“I have your address listed as (read the sample address
from the screen). Is that your exact address?”
Verifying that you have contacted the correct address is
very important, particularly when conducting telephone
interviews, since some households continue to use the same
telephone number after moving to a new address.
(Refer to Part A, Chapter 2, page A2-32 if a respondent
says you should not be calling because their household is
listed on the national “Do Not Call” registry.)
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Topic 2. Confidentiality
How We Define
Confidentiality
By law (Titles 13 and 42 of the United States Code), the
Census Bureau is required to guarantee that we will not
release any information from which respondents can be
identified. Only sworn Census Bureau employees are
allowed to see names, addresses, and other personal
information that we collect.
Confidentiality and Your
Job
While working as an FR, you must avoid mentioning or
providing anyone, other than sworn Census Bureau
employees, with any survey materials that would link a
specific household or person with a specific survey. When
discussing your job, always be careful never to reveal any
information collected during an interview to an
unauthorized person or allow unauthorized persons to listen
to or overhear an interview.
No One Home
When conducting personal visit interviews, if you find that
no one is home at a sample address, be very careful how
you inquire about the best time to reach someone at the
sample address. If you ask a neighbor, apartment manager,
or someone else living nearby, DO NOT mention the
survey name or attempt to describe the survey.
Here's an example of what you may want to say:
"Hello, I am (your name) from the U.S. Census Bureau.
Here is my identification (Show ID.). I need to
interview the household at (sample address), but no one
is at home now. Do you know when I might find
someone at home?"
Nonhousehold
Member Proxy
Respondent
In the few cases where it is acceptable for you to allow a
nonhousehold member as a proxy respondent, you cannot
provide the proxy respondent with any information that was
provided by household members in earlier interviews/
enumeration periods. This includes information on
household composition, marital status, education, income,
and any other responses provided.
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Using an Interpreter
There may be instances when you need the assistance of an
interpreter. Perhaps the respondent speaks a language that
you can't understand or he/she is unable to speak at all.
Only use an interpreter that the respondent is willing to
accept. If the respondent objects to a particular interpreter
or you can't locate an interpreter, call your supervisor for
help in finding an acceptable interpreter.
Telephone Interviews
When conducting an interview over the telephone, do not
permit unauthorized persons, such as your family members
or neighbors, to listen to an interview.
Personal Visit
Interviews
If nonhousehold members are present, either in a sample
housing unit or a group quarters, ask the respondent if
he/she wishes to be interviewed in private. If so, make the
necessary arrangements to either interview the person
elsewhere or at a different time. Some respondents may
prefer not to be interviewed while other household
members are present. Always respect the respondent's need
for a private interview.
Here are a few examples:
You visit a sample housing unit and discover that there are
relatives visiting from out of town.
OR
You visit a college dormitory to interview a student and
find students from other dormitory rooms studying in the
sample student's room.
Reassuring Respondents
Even though all NCVS data that we collect are tabulated in
the form of statistical summaries, some respondents may
still feel uneasy about providing the requested information.
Here are some facts that you can relay to respondents who
may be concerned about confidentiality:
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º
Before any NCVS data are released, all personal
information is removed and only summary
information or totals are released to data users.
º
The Census Bureau takes its confidentiality promise
to respondents very seriously. A Census Bureau
employee can be fined up to $250,000 and/or
imprisoned for up to 5 years if the employee is found
guilty of an unauthorized disclosure of individual
information provided to the Census Bureau. Our
agency has an unchallenged record when you examine
how we protect a respondent's confidentiality.
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Topic 3. Eligible Respondents
Types of NCVS
Respondents
There are three types of respondents for the NCVS:
T
Household respondents,
T
Individual respondents, and
T
Proxy respondents.
For the NCVS, certain sets of questions within the
instrument require different respondents. There are specific
questions in the NCVS instrument that relate to the
household and are asked only once during each
enumeration period. We refer to the respondent for these
questions as the "household respondent."
All other questions for the NCVS are considered "selfresponse" questions. In other words, each household
member who is 12 years of age or older is expected to
answer for himself/herself. We refer to these respondents
as "individual respondents."
As a last resort and only under specific conditions, we will
allow another person to answer questions for a household
member. We refer to this person as a "proxy
respondent." In most cases, a proxy respondent will be
another household member. Strict rules are in place for
when to accept a proxy interview, since a proxy respondent
is more likely not to report a crime incident and less likely
to know the full details concerning reported incidents.
Interpreters and
Signers
"Interpreters" are acceptable for respondents who cannot
read or speak English, and "Signers" are acceptable for
respondents who are deaf. However, interpreters and
signers are not considered "proxy respondents," because
they are not responding for the household member.
Interpreters are translating the NCVS questions into the
respondent's language and then translating the respondent's
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answers into English for you. Signers are using sign
language to relay the NCVS questions to the respondent,
the respondent uses sign language to answer the questions,
and then the signer tells you the respondent's answers.
Whenever you have the assistance of an interpreter or a
signer, note that fact in any interview notes that you
complete for the respondent.
Rules for Household
Respondents
First Person to Interview
Your goal for selecting a household respondent is to find
the most knowledgeable household member who is at least
18 years of age. By most knowledgeable, we mean the
household member who is most likely to give accurate
answers to the household questions. Most often the
household respondent will be the reference person (one of
the persons who owns or rents the home). (See Part C,
Chapter 1, for more details about reference persons and
household respondents.)
You must select and interview the household respondent
before interviewing any other household members,
regardless of whether you interview by personal visit or
telephone.
For a first enumeration period household, ask to speak
with one of the persons who owns or rents the home, as
soon as you have introduced yourself and verified that you
are at the correct address.
For a second through seventh enumeration period
household, the NCVS CAPI instrument automatically
prompts you to ask to speak with the person who was the
household respondent during the previous enumeration
period, as soon as you have introduced yourself and verified
that you have contacted the correct address. If that person
is not available, you can ask to speak to the reference
person, another household member who owns/rents the
home, or a household member who is at least 18 years of
age and knowledgeable about the household.
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Whenever you want to see the household roster for a
sample case, press the “Shift” and “F1” keys
simultaneously and the roster screen will appear, showing
the names of all household members. You can also access
the roster by clicking on the “HH Roster” tab at the top of
the pane.
Exceptions to the Age
Requirement
There are only two instances when a household respondent
can be under 18 years of age.
L
When the household's reference person (one of the
person's who owns or rents the home) or the spouse
of the reference person is 17 years of age, you can
select either person as the household respondent.
Because they are MARRIED, either person qualifies
as a household respondent, even though one person is
17 years of age.
L
When you have a household in which ALL household
members are 17 years of age, select the most
knowledgeable household member as the household
respondent. However, if the household has at least
one 17-year-old household member and the remaining
members are under 17 years of age, select the 17-yearold household member as the household respondent.
NOTE:
Changing Household
Respondents
If you encounter a household in which ALL
household members are under 17 years of age,
contact your supervisor who will discuss this
situation with Headquarters staff and then let
you know how to handle the case.
If it becomes obvious that you are interviewing a
household member who is unable to answer the household
questions, you must:
C
Find a more knowledgeable household respondent, or
C
Arrange to return to or call the household back when a
more knowledgeable respondent is available.
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If you have to change household respondents, click on the
“New HHR” tab at the top left of the NCVS interview
screen. The screen that appears, Item NEWHHRESP
allows you to select a different household respondent. At
NEWHHRESP, select the line number of the new
household respondent; then continue with the interview.
Rules for Individual
Respondents
After you are done interviewing the household respondent,
then you can interview each of the remaining household
members who are 12 years of age and older. We want selfresponses from each of these household members. This
may require you to make callbacks, so that you can talk
directly to each household member. For “first time in
sample” cases, you can call back other household members,
provided that the household respondent’s interview was
conducted in person.
Rules for Proxy
Respondents
To be eligible as a proxy respondent, a household member
must be:
T
At least 18 years of age,
T
Knowledgeable about the household member for
whom he/she is responding, and
T
A completed NCVS interview himself/herself before
providing a proxy interview.
The only time a proxy respondent can be under 18 years of
age is when the reference person or the spouse of the
reference person is under 18 or all household members are
under 18 years of age.
All proxy interviews are scrutinized very thoroughly during
the edit process. These cases are usually referred to
Headquarters and reviewed to determine whether NCVS
procedures were followed correctly. If not, some of these
cases could be made Type A noninterview households. For
this reason, it is very important that you follow proper
procedures for proxy interviews.
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When to Accept a Proxy
Interview
Part A, Chapter 2
One of the following circumstances must exist before you
can accept a proxy interview:
T
A parent does not want you to interview his/her 12- or
13-year-old child. In this case, any knowledgeable
household member who is at least 18 years of age can
be the proxy respondent for the child.
T
A household member who is 12 years of age or older
is temporarily absent and will not be back to the
address until after the interview closeout date. In this
case, make sure that the person is still a household
member. Check page 4 of your Information Card
Booklet (NCVS-554) if you need help determining
household membership. If the absent person is still
considered a household member, then you can accept
a proxy interview.
T
If a household member who is at least 12 years of age
is considered physically and/or mentally
incapacitated, then you can accept a proxy interview.
To qualify as physically and/or mentally
incapacitated, the household member must have
health and/or mental illness problems that are
continuous throughout the entire interview period and
these problems make it impossible for the person to
be interviewed.
The following problems DO NOT qualify as health or
mental illness problems:
C
C
C
When Not to Accept a Proxy
Interview
Colds or the flu,
Drunkenness or drugs, or
Emotional problems that might be aggravated
due to some NCVS questions, such as those
dealing with sexual assaults.
Under the following circumstances, DO NOT accept a
proxy interview:
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Y
You are unable to reach a household member at the
sample address, despite repeated attempts throughout
the interview period. For example, a high school
student who goes to school, works part time, and is
involved in several sports activities.
Y
In a two-person household, one of the members tells
you that she can’t take the time to answer your
questions. Instead, she wants her husband to answer
all the NCVS questions for both of them.
Y
A household member refuses to let you interview
someone in the household who is over 13 years of
age, such as a 14-year-old son or daughter or a 90year-old parent.
Y
A respondent does not understand English and you
are unable to find an acceptable interpreter, including
another household member.
If you encounter any of these situations, you must classify
the individual respondent as a Type Z Noninterview.
Remember that you can never classify a household
respondent as a Type Z Noninterview. If none of the
household members qualify as a household respondent,
then you must classify the entire household as a Type A
noninterview.
Proxy Respondents Who
Are Not Household
Members
Before you can accept a nonhousehold member as a proxy
respondent, all of the following conditions must apply:
C
All household members cannot be interviewed due to
health problems or mental incompetence.
C
During the entire reference period, all household
members have been unable to leave home unless they
were accompanied by a caretaker who is a
nonhousehold member.
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C
Proxy interviews are provided by the nonhousehold
member caretaker for ALL eligible household
members, including the household respondent's
interview.
C
The nonhousehold member caretaker must be at least
18 years of age.
C
During the entire reference period, the nonhousehold
member caretaker had responsibility for the care of
each eligible household member.
The only time you are allowed to take a proxy interview for
a household respondent is when all of the conditions for a
nonhousehold member proxy respondent have been met
and the nonhousehold member is the proxy respondent for
the household respondent and all remaining eligible
household members. Otherwise, one of the eligible
household members must serve as the proxy respondent.
When Not to Use a
Nonhousehold Member
If any of the household members, who require proxy
interviews, have not been under the care of the
nonhousehold member for more than a few days during the
reference period, do not accept a proxy interview from the
nonhousehold member.
Here are a few examples of when NOT to accept a
nonhousehold member caretaker as a proxy respondent:
Y A nonhousehold member goes on a 2-week vacation
and is not with the household member during those 2
weeks.
Y The household member is in a hospital or a nursing
home or visiting with relatives for one or more months.
During that time, the nonhousehold member caretaker
is not staying with the household member.
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If you are not sure whether to accept a nonhousehold
member caretaker as a proxy respondent, always check with
your supervisor before conducting the proxy interview.
Protecting the Rights of
Household Members
Make sure that a nonhousehold member caretaker is an
acceptable proxy respondent before conducting a proxy
interview. If you allow an unacceptable nonhousehold
member to be a proxy respondent, you run the risk of:
C
Violating the sample household's right to
confidentiality,
C
Violating the sample household's right to choose
whether or not to participate in the survey, and
C
Interviewing a proxy respondent who is not
knowledgeable enough to provide complete and
accurate information.
When accepting a nonhousehold member caretaker as a
proxy respondent, remember not to provide him/her with
any information that the household member(s) provided
during previous interviews. This includes information on
household composition, marital status, education, income,
and so forth, as well as any other information previously
given by household member(s).
Procedures for Conducting
Proxy Interviews
There are specific items in the NCVS instrument that will
be reworded automatically when conducting a proxy
interview.
The instrument items that are reworded for proxy
interviews are as follows:
WHOOWNEDSTOLENPROPERTY- The answer
categories show the name of the person for whom the proxy
interview is being taken, NOT the proxy respondent.
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SEEOFFENDER through POLICE INFORMED - As
appropriate, the word “you” is replaced with either the
name of the person for whom the proxy interview is being
taken or the applicable pronoun for the proxy person.
POLICEFINDOUT through ANYTHINGFURTHER For these questions, we want the proxy respondent to
answer for himself/herself, not for the person for whom the
proxy interview is being taken. The NCVS instrument
automatically words these questions so that they make
sense when you ask them of a proxy respondent.
DOINGATINCIDENTTIME through
WHICHDISABILITYTARGET - As appropriate, the
word “you” is replaced with either the name of the person
for whom the proxy interview is being taken or the
applicable pronoun for the proxy person.
Remember to only accept a proxy interview as a last resort.
Also, only accept a proxy respondent who is able to answer
questions about the household member accurately and
completely.
Rules for Interpreters and
Signers
Before using an interpreter or a signer, make sure that the
person is acceptable to the respondent. The interpreter or
signer can be a family member, a neighbor of the
respondent, an official interpreter or signer, or even you, if
you speak the person's language or can sign well enough.
If you have difficulty finding a suitable interpreter or
signer, contact your supervisor. NEVER accept a proxy
respondent when you cannot locate a suitable interpreter.
However, you can use a proxy respondent for a deaf
respondent, when a suitable signer is not available.
If you complete a crime report for a respondent who
required the assistance of an interpreter or signer, note in
the case level notes that an interpreter or signer was used.
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NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Whenever you use an interpreter who is not a household
member, complete a Form 1415, Contract for Interpreter
Services. Details for completing this form are contained in
the Administrative Handbook, Form 11-55.
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NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Part A, Chapter 2
Topic 4. Maintaining Respondent Rapport
Starting Off on the Right
Foot
You do not always get a second chance to make a first
impression. As soon as the respondent answers the door or
the telephone, you need to start building a harmonious
relationship with him/her. Maintaining this rapport
throughout the interview will ensure that you collect full
and valid information.
As you introduce yourself and the survey, create a
comfortable atmosphere by showing sincere understanding
and interest in the respondent. If the respondent feels
comfortable, he/she will be more willing to provide honest
and full responses.
Keys to a Successful
Introduction
The following key points will help you deliver a successful
introduction:
L For personal visit interviews, always have the NCVS
introductory letter handy to give any respondent who
did not receive it in the mail.
L Be enthusiastic and friendly. Remember that a smile
helps you open a lot of doors.
L Be prepared for any type of responses or questions from
respondents. By knowing the survey, you will be able
to handle any questions.
Creating a Good
Impression
Knowing the NCVS well is a major key to creating a good
impression with respondents. Pay attention and play an
active role during your training sessions and make sure that
you complete all self-studies. Also, make sure to read this
manual, NCVS-550 (CAPI), and refer to it whenever you
have questions about the NCVS procedures.
Before you start interviewing for the NCVS, make sure that
you understand:
C
The purpose of the survey;
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Being Professional,
Friendly, and Sincere
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
C
How the survey results are used;
C
The types of questions asked in the interview; and
C
How to answer respondent questions.
One of your greatest assets in creating a good impression is
to conduct interviews in a professional, friendly, and
sincere manner. Always keep in mind that you are a
representative of the United States Government. This role
requires you to take a professional approach towards your
work.
Interviewing in a professional manner does not mean that
you can not smile or be friendly. However, showing too
much friendliness or concern about a respondent's personal
matters can cause a respondent to hold back information or
provide biased information.
Listening carefully and showing a sincere interest in what
each respondent tells you will make your interviewing
easier and more enjoyable.
Staying Neutral and
Objective
During an interview, it is important to develop an objective,
non-threatening, non-judgmental atmosphere. Don't let the
respondent see any signs of approval or disapproval after
he/she gives you information.
Be careful not to give your personal opinion either by your
words, facial expressions, or the tone of your voice. Since
some of your respondents will be victims of crime and will
be telling you personal or sensitive information about the
crime incident, you must be careful not to show any
surprise, disapproval, or sympathy. Any of these
expressions could cause the respondent to give untrue
answers or withhold information.
Staying neutral and creating an objective atmosphere during
an interview is not easy. It comes with experience.
Practice using neutral expressions and gestures, such as
Conducting the National Crime Victimization Survey Interview
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Part A, Chapter 2
"Uh-huh," "I've got that," "Yes, I see," or simply a nod of
your head. These signs will tell the respondent that you are
listening, without leading, influencing, or biasing the
information that you receive during an interview.
Here are some reasons for not showing your reactions to
what a respondent says:
Believing in Yourself
and the NCVS
Guidelines for Gaining
Cooperation From
Respondents
U
Your actions, as well as your words, can help or
hinder an interview.
U
If you frown or shake your head, the respondent will
sense your disapproval just as clearly as if you put it
into words.
U
If a respondent thinks that you favor one answer more
than another, this could influence how the person
answers the question.
Before you make contact with a respondent, believe that:
•
You "have what it takes" to get a good NCVS
interview.
•
The data you collect for the NCVS is important.
•
Each respondent is going to participate in the NCVS.
Be Positive - Approach each household expecting to obtain
an interview.
Introduce Yourself Properly - Always deliver your
introduction and be sure to include the following:
C
Your full name, first and last
C
Who you are representing (the U.S. Census Bureau,)
C
Show your identification card when conducting
personal visit interviews,
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C
Explain the nature of the survey, and
C
Ask whether the household received our introductory
letter.
How Long Will This Take? - When respondents ask how
long the interview will take, give them an honest answer as
to its length. The NCVS interview takes, on average, about
25 minutes to complete for each household member, but
this can vary depending on the person's experiences during
the reference period. If the respondent is reluctant, offer to
start the interview and, if he/she does not have time to
finish, you can return later or call back to complete the
interview.
Know Your Survey - The better you know the survey on
which you are working, the more successful you will be.
Know the purposes of the survey and be prepared to answer
any questions about its importance. This will be your best
defense against respondent objections.
Appearance - When conducting personal visit interviews,
dress in a professional manner. The initial impression you
make can be the deciding point between whether or not the
respondent participates. Dress for the neighborhood in
which you are working. Do not overdress. A businesslike
appearance is essential.
Use Survey Aids - For personal interviews, be ready to
show respondents the appropriate survey "fact sheet,"
brochures, or local newspaper/magazine articles that make
use of the NCVS facts. This will help the respondent
understand the importance of his/her participation.
Be Flexible - Be available to complete the interview at the
respondent's convenience. Offer to contact the respondent
at a different time if the respondent can not do the interview
when you contact him/her. Leave your name and
telephone number when you find that no one is home. Be
persistent, but do not be pushy.
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Part A, Chapter 2
It's Voluntary - A few respondents may choose not to
participate because the survey is voluntary and there are no
penalties for not participating. If this happens, explain that
the overall quality of our data could be affected when
sample persons refuse to participate. Persuade the
respondent into letting you start the interview, and explain
that any objectionable questions can be refused.
Leave the Door Open - Always maintain a pleasant and
businesslike manner. No matter how hostile the respondent
behaves towards you, always leave the respondent with a
positive impression of the Census Bureau. This will
facilitate any future contacts with the household.
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NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Topic 5. Answering Respondents' Questions
Importance of Answering
Respondent Questions
Keep a good, positive attitude about the NCVS, and be
prepared to answer almost any type of respondent question
with conviction and accuracy. The Census Bureau prides
itself on having a qualified staff of FRs who consistently
receive high marks for gaining respondent cooperation.
This is impressive, considering that in recent years the
general public has become frustrated with all forms of
government. We attribute this success to the good attitude
and preparedness of our FRs.
Even though we provide sample households with basic
information about the NCVS in the introductory letter,
some respondents may still have questions to ask either
before the start of the interview or at different points during
the interview.
Types of Respondent
Questions
Item Specific Questions
The questions that respondents may ask can be divided into
two main categories:
T
Item specific questions and
T
General survey questions.
After you ask a question from any part of the NCVS
instrument, a respondent may ask you:
C
Why a particular question is needed,
C
What a particular word or phrase from a question
means, or
C
Who needs the information from a specific question.
This manual has the information you need to answer any
such questions that respondents may ask. We do not expect
you to memorize all of the information provided in this
manual, but you do need to know where to look within the
manual for specific types of information.
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Part A, Chapter 2
Refer to Part B, The National Crime Victimization Survey
Instrument, to help you answer respondents’ questions
about why we ask certain questions and who uses the
information from specific questions. Use Part C, NCVS
Survey Concepts, when you need to find the meanings of
specific words or phrases as used in the NCVS questions.
General Survey Questions
Most of the time, respondents will ask general survey
questions at the very start of the interview. Although we
can not predict every question that a respondent may ask,
we have compiled a list of commonly asked general survey
questions with some suggested responses to help you.
A condensed list of some of the most commonly asked
questions are shown:
C
On the back side of both NCVS introductory letters,
AND
C
FAQ (General Help) Screen
In the front of your Information Card Booklet,
NCVS-554.
Some respondents may want to know more about the
survey before they will let you interview them. The NCVS
instrument provides answers to nine commonly asked
questions together with suggested answers. The answers
provided for these typical questions and comments can be
useful to you whenever a respondent starts asking
questions. To view the FAQ/general help screen, press the
"Shift" and "F2" keys simultaneously, or click on the
“FAQs” tab at the top of the information pane.
After accessing the FAQs screen, you will see a menu with
ten selections. Entering the appropriate menu selection will
route you to one of the following reference screens.
(Read words in all capital letters only to yourself, NOT to
respondents):
Conducting the National Crime Victimization Survey Interview
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Part A, Chapter 2
Confirm call/survey
(800) Number
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
To verify that I am calling from the Census Bureau, you
may call our toll free number:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
For Atlanta, dial 1-800-424-6974
For Boston, dial 1-800-562-5721
For Charlotte, dial 1-800-331-7360
For Chicago, dial 1-800-865-6384
For Dallas, dial 1-800-835-9752
For Denver, dial 1-800-852-6159
For Detroit, dial 1-800-432-1495
For Kansas City, dial 1-800-728-4748
For Los Angeles, dial 1-800-992-3530
For New York, dial 1-800-991-2520
For Philadelphia, dial 1-800-262-4236
For Seattle, dial 1-800-233-3308
When you call, please provide your name and the following
identification number: (case ID number)
READ IF NECESSARY:
To verify that the toll free number is legitimate, you may
call Directory Assistance on: 1-800-555-1212.
You are wasting
taxpayers’ money by
conducting this useless
survey.
The survey tells us about the amount and nature of crime as
well as crime trends and crimes not reported to the police.
It can help save taxpayer money when new programs are
developed by focusing on the people who are most likely to
be victims of crime and making crime prevention and
control programs more effective.
Why don't you call the
police if you want to
know about crime?
Less than half of all crimes are reported to police. The
survey is the only way we have to find out about these
crimes. We also get the details about the characteristics of
the crimes and the effects of the crime on the victim. The
survey provides much more detailed information than we
get from the police on both reported and unreported crime.
Who uses this
information?
What good is it?
The survey is widely used by policy makers at all levels of
government, crime prevention groups, people who help
crime victims, researchers in many fields, the media, as
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Part A, Chapter 2
well as others. It has sometimes been used by the Supreme
Court in making decisions. The survey informs our users in
a neutral, unbiased way to help them make public policy.
Why do I have to answer
all these questions when
I already told you no
crimes were committed
against us in the past six
months?
We have studied asking fewer questions, but have found
that people sometimes don’t think about a crime until a
specific question reminds them about it. We need to ask all
people the same questions to guarantee the quality of the
data.
I don't have any crimes
to report. Why don't you
interview my neighbor?
I know he'd have some
crimes to report.
Your participation is important whether or not you report a
crime. We cannot accurately find out the percentage of
people who experience crime, unless we get information
from both victims and non-victims.
I answer all your
questions, but crimes still
occur. This survey
doesn't seem to be
working.
It may not be possible to eliminate all crime, although we
want to reduce it as much as possible. The survey is also
used to develop and improve programs for assisting those
who have become crime victims.
I've already answered
these questions once.
How many times will I
be contacted?
You will probably be contacted a total of seven times over
three years. We hope that you will not become a victim of
crime during that time, but we need to keep asking the
questions to find people who do become victims. Research
has shown that by contacting the same households a
number of times we get the most accurate information.
I answer these questions,
but never see any results.
How can I get
information regarding
BJS/NCVS?
You can find detailed results from the survey at the BJS
website at:
http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/
Many newspapers and television stations write about the
survey results when reports come out so you may see
something there too.
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Part A, Chapter 2
NCVS At a Glance
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
In addition to being listed above, a shorter list of general
survey questions and suggested answers is shown on your
NCVS Job Aid, NCVS At a Glance (NCVS-550.1). This
six-page paper job aid can also help you answer questions
from respondents. The first three pages provide
information about the survey's purpose, its sponsor, data
users and uses, length of interview, and participation
requirements, along with answers to frequently asked
questions. The last three pages contain reference
information to help you with NCVS key concepts and
definitions.
Information on the first three pages is worded so that you
can read the information directly to a respondent as needed.
The last three pages are written for you to read to yourself
as needed.
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Part A, Chapter 2
General Survey Questions and Answers
What is this survey all
about?
The National Crime Victimization Survey is conducted
monthly to collect information on the kinds and amount of
crime in the United States.
From a sample of households throughout the United States,
we interview all household members who are at least
12 years of age.
What information do you
get from this survey?
This survey collects information on the types and amount of
crimes committed, the characteristics of victims, and the
characteristics of offenders who have committed violent
crimes. The following types of information are also
collected for reported crimes:
L
When and where crimes occur,
L
Economic loss to the victim,
L
Extent of injuries suffered by the victim,
L
Whether the victim knew the offender or whether
they were strangers,
L
Whether the offender used a weapon, and
L
Whether the police were notified.
Why can't you get this
information from police
records?
Based on information received in previous survey years, we
have found that over half of all crimes go unreported to the
police. Since this survey includes crimes that are both
reported and unreported, data users can get a more
complete picture of crime in the United States from this
survey.
What kind of results are
released from this survey?
Our sponsor, the Bureau of Justice Statistics, releases
results periodically from the National Crime Victimization
Survey, together with reports on specific topics. They only
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publish statistical summaries for the Nation as a whole and
never release any information about you as an individual.
Do you have any statistics
from this survey that I can
see?
For personal visit interviews-Yes. You can have this Fact Sheet which contains
statistical graphs, charts, and figures from the National
Crime Victimization Survey. (Hand the respondent a copy
of Form NCVS-110.)
For telephone interviews-Yes. I can mail you a copy of a recent Fact Sheet showing
statistical graphs, charts, and figures from the National
Crime Victimization Survey. (Mail respondent a copy of
Form NCVS-110.)
Why Was I Selected for
This Survey?
Actually, we selected your address, not you personally.
Using statistical methods, we selected approximately
48,000 addresses across the country to represent the entire
population. If your household should move away while
your address is still in the survey, we would interview the
new family that moves into the home.
I'm pretty busy. How long
will this interview really
take?
We expect the interview to take about 25 minutes. Your
interview may be somewhat shorter or longer depending on
your circumstances. If you have any comments on this
survey or any recommendations for reducing its length, I
can give you an address to use.
(When asked, here is the address:)
Chief, Victimization and Statistics Branch
Bureau of Justice Statistics
Washington, DC 20531
I thought that your agency
just takes a Census every
10 years. What else does
your agency do?
In addition to the decennial census conducted every
10 years, the U.S. Census Bureau collects many different
kinds of statistics. By law, we are required to conduct a
variety of economic censuses on a regular basis, such as the
census of business, manufactures, and state and local
governments. We also collect monthly data on such
Conducting the National Crime Victimization Survey Interview
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Part A, Chapter 2
activities as labor force participation, retail and wholesale
trade, manufacturing activities, and trade statistics, along
with yearly data on business, manufacturing, governments,
family income, and education.
How many times will I be
interviewed?
Over the 3-year period that your household is in sample for
this survey, we will ask you to participate once every
6 months for a total of seven interviews.
Is this survey authorized by
law?
Yes. We are conducting this survey under the authority of
Title 13 of the United States Code, Section 8. Section 9 of
this law requires us to keep all information about you and
your household strictly confidential. We may use this
information only for statistical purposes. Also, Title 42,
Section 3732, of the United States Code authorizes the
Bureau of Justice Statistics of the U.S. Department of
Justice to collect information using this survey. Title 42,
Sections 3789g and 3735 of the United States Code also
require us to keep all information about you and your
household strictly confidential.
Do I have to participate?
Participation is voluntary and there are no penalties for not
answering questions. However, it is very important that we
have your cooperation in this survey to ensure the validity
and accuracy of the survey results.
Why can't you just mail me
a questionnaire?
The survey design and the nature of the questions require a
trained person to record the information. This method of
interview is the least expensive way to obtain this
information.
How can I know for sure
that you are who you say
you are?
Besides my identification badge, I can give you a telephone
number to call so you can verify with my supervisor that I
work for the U.S. Census Bureau.
How can this survey help to
fight crime?
The results of this survey show a variety of information
about crime victims, offenders, types of crimes being
committed, and types of places where these crimes occur.
All of this information is put to good use by law enforcement agencies, community groups, and government
Conducting the National Crime Victimization Survey Interview
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NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
agencies throughout the country to lower the incidence of
crime.
Why do you need to
interview me when I don't
have any crimes to report?
We are interested in getting information from both victims
and nonvictims. By examining the differences between
victims and nonvictims, we can try to determine why
certain individuals become victims, while others do not.
Why waste my tax dollars
on a silly survey?
We are always concerned about survey costs; however, the
National Crime Victimization Survey is the ONLY source
of information on crimes not reported to police. Legislators
and planners use this data to make informed decisions on
numerous crime-related programs. This data is also used
to:
• estimate the cost of victim compensation programs;
Why are you calling me
since my phone number is
listed on the “Do Not Call”
registry?
•
determine the types of programs needed for elderly
crime victims; and
•
measure the effects that police behavior and the
criminal justice system have on crime levels.
The “Do Not Call” registry was initiated for the sole
purpose of restricting telemarketing calls and does not limit
a call made for the sole purpose of conducting a survey.
Therefore, telephone calls from the Census Bureau for
survey data collection are NOT restricted by this registry.
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Part A, Chapter 2
Topic 6. General Interviewing Techniques
Applying General
Interviewing Techniques
In addition to creating a good impression and answering
respondent questions, we want all FRs to use the same
interviewing techniques. By following uniform techniques,
we can ensure that the final survey results are more
complete and accurate.
Pacing the Interview
Remember the following key point about pacing the NCVS
interview – DO NOT RUSH to complete an interview
under any circumstances. Maintain a calm, unhurried
manner and ask the questions in an objective and deliberate
way. This will not only relax the respondent, but also help
to keep the respondent's attention.
When respondents sense that you are rushing through an
interview, they may withhold information thinking that it
would take too long to explain the crime incident. On the
other hand, do not let respondents waste too much time
talking about unrelated information. Try to tactfully steer
respondents back to the interview without making them feel
as if you are hurrying to finish.
An average NCVS interview will take about 25 minutes to
complete. However, the actual time required to interview
all eligible members of a sample household will vary
depending on the household's composition and crime
experiences during the reference period.
Always assume that each respondent has time to be
interviewed when you contact him/her. If the respondent
tries to rush you through the interview or tries to cut you
off, arrange to continue the interview at a more convenient
time for the respondent. Whenever possible, make every
attempt to complete at least the household respondent's
interview during your first contact for the interview period.
This will make any callbacks for remaining household
member’s easier.
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When conducting interviews, always speak as clearly and
distinctly as possible. Avoid talking too fast or too slow.
Talking too fast may give the impression that you think the
questions are either unimportant or sensitive in nature. By
speaking in a confident voice and at a moderate pace,
respondents are more likely to stay relaxed and responsive.
Asking Questions as
Worded
When asking NCVS questions, you must avoid changing
the words or omitting parts of questions. Even if the
change seems insignificant to you, it could change the way
the respondent interprets the question. We want each
respondent to interpret the NCVS questions the same way,
so the answers that we receive will be comparable
throughout the entire sample.
Here is an example:
Item BUSINESS -Does anyone in this household operate a business from
this address?
Item BUSINESS after an FR omits words -Does anyone in this household operate a business?
By rewording this question, you may get a different
response than an FR who reads the question as it appears in
the instrument. By leaving out "from this address,"
respondents could misinterpret the true intent of this
question.
Words in Black Bold
Type
When looking at item questions and answers in the NCVS
instrument, any words shown in bold type are meant for
you to read to the respondent.
Words in Blue Type
Words shown in blue text are instructions for you and are
NOT to be read to the respondent.
Words in Grey Type
Words shown in grey type are often repeats of introductory
phrases that have already been read in a previous questions.
Use only if necessary.
Conducting the National Crime Victimization Survey Interview
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NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Phrases in Parentheses
Part A, Chapter 2
Some of the questions contain a phrase in parentheses, such
as the question in Item SQVANDAMOUNTDAMAGE.
Item SQVANDAMOUNTDAMAGE -What was the total dollar amount of the damage caused
by this/these act(s) of vandalism during the last
6 months? (Use repair costs if the property was
repaired.)
Exclude any damage done in incidents already
mentioned.
When you see a phrase in parentheses, decide whether the
text has to be read to the respondent if further clarification
is needed.
Reading the Entire
Question
Most of the questions you ask to screen for crime incidents
have at least three subcategories and some have as many as
eight subcategories. This type of question may prompt
some respondents to give you an answer before you finish
reading each subcategory. We prefer that you finish
reading each subcategory before the respondent gives an
answer. Even if you are interrupted, read each and every
subcategory in its entirety.
The following technique may help you get through all the
subcategories of a screen question before getting a
respondent's answer:
1
After reading each subcategory, only pause long enough
to let the respondent know that you are about to start
reading a new subcategory. If you pause too long, the
respondent may feel that you are waiting for an answer.
2
After reading all subcategories for a question, pause
long enough to allow the respondent to reply. If the
respondent doesn't give you an answer, then read the
question, "Did any incidents of this type happen to
you?"
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3
If you get a "Yes" response, enter precode (1). Then
ask the respondent "How many times?" and enter the
number of times that the incident occurred. Then ask
the respondent, "What happened?" Based on the
answer you receive, enter a brief description of each
reported crime incident in the space on the screen.
4
If you get a "No" response, enter precode (2). Then
continue with the next appropriate screen question.
If this technique doesn't work and a respondent either
interrupts you in the middle of reading a subcategory or
before you finish reading all the subcategories for a
question, follow these steps:
Respondent answers in the middle of reading a
subcategory-1
Stop and thank the respondent, but explain that there is
more to the question which he/she needs to hear before
giving an answer.
2
Reread the unfinished subcategory again from the
beginning.
If the respondent gives you a "No" answer after you
finish reading the entire subcategory, tell the respondent
that you need to finish reading all the subcategories for
the question.
If the respondent gives you a "Yes" answer before you
have read all subcategories, then follow the next set of
instructions.
Respondent answers "Yes" before you have read all
subcategories-1
Enter precode (1) at that screen.
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Part A, Chapter 2
2
When the “number of times” screen appears for a
specific screen question, ask the respondent "How many
times?" and enter the number of times that the incident
occurred. Then ask, "What happened?" Based on the
answer you receive, enter a brief description of the
crime incident in the space provided on the “number of
times” screen and press the "Enter" key.
3
Next, press the “Up” arrow until you return to the
original screen question. After returning to this screen,
start by saying, "Other than any incidents already
reported..." and finish reading the remaining
subcategories for the screen question.
4
If the respondent mentions any additional crime
incidents, press the "Enter" key and you will see the
“Number of times” screen again. Correct the "Number
of times" entry and add a brief description of the
additional incident(s) mentioned.
By using these techniques, there is less chance of missing
any crime incidents which occurred during the reference
period.
Marking All Answers That
Apply
There are several questions in the NCVS instrument that
are designed to get multiple answers. Here's an example:
Item OTHWORSE - How did they make the situation
worse?
This item has six answer categories:
L
L
L
L
L
L
Led to injury or greater injury to respondent
Caused greater loss of property or damage to property
Other people got hurt (worse)
Offender got away
Made offender angrier, more aggressive, etc.
Other - Specify
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To ensure that we get all answers that apply to this
question, you must continue asking, "Any other way?" until
the respondent answers, "No."
Asking Questions in the
Right Order
Always interview the household respondent first. Once
you have completed the household respondent's interview,
then interview the remaining household members one at a
time. In most households, each individual respondent will
answer the questions for himself/herself. Do not attempt to
interview more than one household member at the same
time.
Once you start to interview a household member, ask the
questions as instructed on each questionnaire. A great deal
of planning and forethought has gone into designing the
NCVS, so that you can get the best results from each
interview. Because of this, keep the following points in
mind:
C
Carefully follow all FR instructions in the instrument.
C
Ask questions as they are worded without adding or
deleting words or phrases.
C
Do not skip a question when a respondent has already
given you the answer. In most cases, you will still ask
the question as worded without adding or deleting
words or phrases.
Verifying a respondent's previously given answer
without reading the question is only permissible for
items that have an "Ask or Verify" instruction. If you
do not see an "Ask or Verify" instruction, always ask
the question as worded in the instrument.
Do not assume that you know the answer without
asking or verifying a question.
Listening to the Respondent
As an FR, your listening skills are of utmost importance.
Listen carefully to what each respondent has to say and
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continue listening until the respondent is done giving
his/her answer. By improving your listening skills, you can
increase your chances for recording complete and accurate
information.
Here are some listening "Do's and Don'ts":
Do's:
T Repeat the question as worded in a clear and distinct
voice when the respondent appears to have
misunderstood the question.
T Repeat the respondent's answer when it's necessary to
check your understanding of what the respondent said.
Then pause in hopes that the respondent will expand
and clarify his/her answer.
T Whenever a respondent mentions a crime incident,
make sure to fully capture each reported incident, even
if the respondent makes light of the situation or says
that it was not "serious."
Don'ts:
X Do not tune out what a respondent says when you start
recording an answer. You may need the information to
either clarify the answer or change the way you interpret
the answer.
X Do not interrupt respondents before they are finished,
even if they hesitate while giving their answer. Be
patient and allow respondents sufficient time to recall
the facts.
Also, remember that some respondents may say, "I don't
know," when they really mean, "Let me think about it."
When you experience this situation, allow the
respondent time to finish his/her statement before
repeating the question or probing in some other way.
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X Stay neutral and avoid showing shock or disapproval
while a respondent is answering questions.
Using Appropriate
Gestures
Your gestures, both verbal and non-verbal, need to convey
to respondents that you are conscientious, concerned, and
courteous. Poor use of gestures can portray a lack of
interest, an indifferent attitude, or even disdain.
As you speak, be mindful of the inflection of your voice, its
tone, and its volume. Also, be aware of what your eye
contact, use of hands and arms, and facial expressions
might be saying to a respondent.
Probing When Necessary
Probing is a technique whereby you casually get the
respondent to provide an answer that meets the question's
objective. Probing is a necessary interviewing technique
because some respondents:
±
May not hear the question correctly because of poor
hearing or background noise;
±
May not understand the meaning of a word or phrase
used in the question;
±
May give you an answer that is too general; or
±
May say, "I don't know," because they are trying to:
-- Avoid the subject of the question,
-- Buy some time before giving an answer, or
-- Avoid saying that they did not understand the
question.
Understanding the Intent
of the NCVS Questions
Before you can decide whether or not to probe, you need to
understand the intent of each question. By understanding a
question's purpose, you can better decide when to probe and
which probing technique to use.
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Here is an example of what can happen when you do not
understand a question's objective:
Item LOCATION_GENERAL reads:
Did this incident happen...
In your home or lodging?
Near your home or lodging?
At, in, or near a friend's/relative's/neighbor's home?
At a commercial place?
In a parking lot or garage?
etc.
Respondent Answers:
In the parking garage of a shopping mall.
Bad Probe:
Would that be a commercial or noncommercial parking
garage?
Good Probe:
Were you charged a fee to park in the garage?
If you do not ask the right probing question, you will not
get an accurate answer. By using a bad probe, the FR is
either:
Probing Techniques
C
Assuming that the respondent knows what we mean by
the terms "commercial or noncommercial" or
C
Failing to understand that we want to differentiate
between parking lots/garages charging a fee and those
allowing free parking.
Don't assume that a respondent's answer is always correct.
When you get an answer that does not make sense to you,
decide which probing technique will work best in the
situation.
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Choosing the best probing technique will help you to
casually persuade the respondent to expand and/or clarify
an answer.
Here are some standard probing techniques:
º Brief Assenting Comments - Use a comment like,
"Yes, I see," when you want to stimulate the respondent
to talk further. This will also show that you are giving
attention to the respondent's answer.
Here's an example:
Item SQNOCALLPOLICECRIME reads:
During the last 6 months, other than any incidents
already mentioned, did anything which you thought
was a crime happen to YOU, but you did NOT
report to the police?
Respondent Answers:
Yes, I saw a prowler.
Brief Assenting Comment:
Yes, I see. Can you tell me more?
º An Expectant Pause - During a personal visit
interview, use an expectant pause together with an
inquiring look to convey to the respondent that you
expect him/her to give you more information.
º Repeating the Question - Repeat the question when the
respondent does not understand or misinterprets the
question, seems unable to make up his/her mind, or
strays from the subject.
Here is an example:
Item MULTOFFENDERONLYTIME reads:
Was this the only time any of these offenders
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committed a crime against you or your household or
made threats against you or your household?
Respondent Answers:
No, one of the offenders was arrested 2 years ago for
a bank robbery.
Repeating the Question:
Was this the only time any of these offenders
committed a crime against you or your household or
made threats against you or your household?
º Repeating the Respondent's Reply - Repeat the
respondent's reply exactly as the respondent gives it to
you, when you need to clarify the answer and prompt
the respondent to expand his/her answer. Never
interject your own ideas when repeating the
respondent's reply.
Here is an example:
Item MULTOFFENDERHOWWELL reads:
How well did you know the offender(s) - by sight
only, casual acquaintance or well known?
Respondent Answers:
She's just one of the girls on the block.
Repeating Respondent's Answer:
She's just one of the girls on the block? So did you
know the offender by sight only, casual
acquaintance or well known?
Respondent Answers:
I don't even know her name. I just see her around,
so I guess sight only.
º Neutral Questions and a Neutral Tone of Voice - Use
neutral questions when you need to get a fuller, clearer
response. Always use a neutral tone of voice so you
don't sound demanding and upset the respondent.
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Here is an example:
Item PERMISSIONGIVEN reads:
Had permission to use the (car/motor vehicle) ever
been given to the offender(s)?
Respondent Answers:
Well, I said maybe he could use it when it wasn't so
new.
Neutral Probe:
Did the offender have permission to use the
car/motor vehicle?
Sometimes a respondent may still misunderstand a
question's meaning or give you an unintended response. If
this happens, you can read a question's answer categories to
the respondent as a "last resort."
If you use this technique, do not bias the respondent's
answer by only reading a few of the answer categories. By
reading all answer categories for a question, you will help
the respondent to better understand the type of answers the
particular question is attempting to get.
Staying Neutral
Whichever technique you choose, be careful not to ask
leading questions and not to make the respondent feel
insulted. A "leading" question is one that could influence a
respondent's answer or unnecessarily prolong the interview.
Here is an example of probing with a leading question:
Item SQVANDAMOUNTRANGE reads:
Was the damage under $100 or $100 or more?
Respondent answers:
I'm not really sure.
Leading Question Probe:
Do you think that it was probably less than $100?
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A More Appropriate Probe:
If you include the total amount of damage for all
incidents of vandalism during the last 6 months, would
you say the damage was under $100 or $100 or more?
Do not assume that you know what the answer should be,
and then lead the respondent to that answer. Keep your
probing questions as neutral as possible, so the respondent
can think objectively about the question and give an
accurate answer.
General Screening
Guidelines
The screening portion of the NCVS interview is very
important. This portion of the NCVS instrument is
designed to give each respondent every opportunity to
remember any crime incidents that occurred during the
6-month reference period. The BJS and the Census Bureau
have specific reasons for the wording of each question and
the sequencing of each group of questions.
While conducting the screen interview, do not jeopardize
the interview by entering “Don’t know” or “Refused”
answers without asking the questions in the instrument.
Asking Applicable
Questions
During each enumeration period, ask the household
respondent and all remaining household members ALL
applicable screen questions. Since respondents can easily
forget many crime incidents, it is essential to ask all
applicable questions each time the sample household is
assigned for interview. This is the only way we can ensure
that we collect complete and accurate information.
Handling Difficult
Respondents
Some respondents may not want to go through the screen
questions for various reasons, and may say:
± Let's save some time. I can tell you up front that I
haven't been a victim of crime since the last time I
talked to you.
OR
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± You don't need to read all those examples of stolen
items, because nothing was stolen from me or anyone
else in this household.
When you need to convince a respondent to complete the
entire screen interview, try the following techniques:
•
"To guarantee that I don't miss any crime incidents,
I'm required to ask each question and allow you time
to make sure that you haven't forgotten anything.
Some crime incidents are easily forgotten. By asking
these screen questions, you may remember something
that you've put out of your mind."
•
"Even if you haven't been a victim of crime during the
last 6 months, we are also interested in any other
changes in your life, such as marital status, household
income, and job changes. These characteristics also
play a part in examining criminal victimizations in the
United States. I'm required to ask these questions
each time your household is assigned for interview.
Otherwise, we can't get a complete and up-to-date
picture of both crime victims and nonvictims for
comparative purposes."
•
(Only use this technique when a supplement is
attached to the NCVS interview.)
"For this interview, our sponsor has added a few new
questions for a specific study they are authorized to
undertake. The information we collect from these
new questions, along with the original questions, is
essential to our sponsor and to the completion of this
study."
NEVER tell the respondent that you do not remember what
you were told during the last interview or that all the
information he/she provided during the last interview has
gone to Washington.
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General Guidelines for
Recording Answers
Part A, Chapter 2
After listening carefully to a respondent's answer, take great
care to record the answer accurately. By recording
accurate answers and incident descriptions, you can help
guarantee that the information you collect is understood
clearly by editors who may need to process your completed
work.
Correcting Answers
If you need to change an answer, you can backspace over
the incorrect entry and enter the correct one.
"Refused" or "Don't
Know" Entries
Most items in the NCVS instrument will allow you to enter
a "Refused" or "Don't know" answer. However, some
screens may not display these answer categories as options.
If a respondent flatly refuses to answer a particular question
despite your persuasive efforts, enter “Ctrl + R" in the
answer space. Make every effort to avoid these entries,
because too many "Refused" answers:
•
For a household respondent, could cause the sample
address to be classified as a noninterview case, and
•
For an individual respondent, could cause the
household member to be classified as a noninterview
person.
If a respondent does not know the answer for a specific
question, try to probe for an accurate answer. When
probing isn't possible or successful, enter the appropriate
precode for “Don’t know,” or enter Control + D in the
answer space.
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Topic 7. Closing the Interview and "Thank You" Letters
Leaving on Good Terms
Since you or someone else from the Census Bureau may
need to contact a sample household again, always leave the
household with a good feeling towards you and the Census
Bureau. By ending every interview with a friendly and
polite "Thank You," you are paving the way for future
contacts.
Let respondents know that we appreciate the time that they
gave for the interview, and tell them that they may be
contacted again for this survey. Always remain sensitive,
concerned, and courteous throughout the entire interview.
By closing the interview properly, you are nurturing a
positive image of our agency, and improving the chances
for successful followup contacts during reinterview or other
surveys.
Using "Thank You" Letters
We have prepared two different "Thank You" letters for
your use--the NCVS-593 (L) and the NCVS-594 (L). Each
letter has a specific purpose, and we do not intend for you
to hand or mail a "Thank You" letter after every NCVS
interview. Both of these "Thank You" letters are printed in
English and Spanish.
These letters not only thank the household for their
cooperation, but also relay to them again how important
this survey really is. Depending on the circumstances, you
can either hand or mail the appropriate letter to the
household. If you mail the "Thank You" letter, make sure
that you use the "mailing address," which is shown on the
“Case List” screen you see when you first enter Case
Management.
Regardless of whether or not you give the household a
"Thank You" letter, always remember to thank them
yourself at the end of the interview.
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First Through Sixth
Enumeration Period
For first through sixth enumeration period households, use
the NCVS-593 (L) "Thank You" letter whenever you feel
that the household shows any signs that they may refuse to
be interviewed again. For example, a household member
may become annoyed at the length of the interview or at the
number of times you have contacted the household. In
these situations, a "Thank You" letter does not guarantee
cooperation, but it may help to leave a positive impression,
and make it easier to gain their cooperation for future
interviews.
Seventh Enumeration
Period
At the end of the seventh enumeration period interview,
always make sure to either hand or mail the respondent a
NCVS-594 (L), "Thank You" letter.
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Part A, Chapter 3
Chapter 3
General National Crime Victimization Survey Procedures
Table of Topics
Topic
Page
1 Basic Survey Procedures
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2 Monthly Tasks
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3 Daily Tasks
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4 Specific Household Procedures
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Topic 1. Basic Survey Procedures
Length of Time in Sample
Each address that is selected as a sample unit for the NCVS
is usually interviewed seven times. These interviews are
conducted once every 6 months over a 3-year period. This
allows us to compile a continuous record of the sample
household's experiences at a reasonable cost and with the
least amount of inconvenience to the household.
Enumeration Periods
We refer to each time a sample household's address is
assigned for interview as an "enumeration period." Since
we interview or attempt to interview each sample
household seven times, then there are seven "enumeration
periods" for each sample address.
When you access a sample case on your computer, the
instrument screen that identifies the case's enumeration
period is the START_CP screen. The enumeration period
is also displayed on the “HH Roster” tab on the upper left
hand side of the screen.
Reference Periods
For the NCVS, the reference period covers the 6-month
time period prior to the interview date. When conducting
interviews, we are interested only in crime incidents that
occurred during a household member's specific 6-month
reference period.
Even though the NCVS instrument inserts the appropriate
reference period start date, it is still important that you
understand how a household member's reference period is
determined.
For the first enumeration period, each household
member's reference period will start on the first day of the
month 6 months prior to the interview date, and end on the
day prior to the interview date.
Here is an example:
If a household respondent's first enumeration period
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interview is conducted on July 3, 2006, then the current
reference period for the household respondent would be
January 1, 2006 through July 2, 2006.
If the remaining household members were interviewed for
the first enumeration period on July 5, 2006, then the
current reference period for each of these household
members would be January 1, 2006 through July 4, 2006.
For a first enumeration period household, all household
members will have the same reference period start date, but
each household member's end date may vary based on the
member's current interview date.
After the first enumeration period, reference periods for all
remaining enumeration periods will start on the date of
the household member's last interview and end on the day
prior to the member's current interview date. Unlike the
first enumeration period, each household member could
have a different reference period start date for the second
through seventh enumeration period based on the member's
last interview date.
The following two terms are often used to describe this type
of reference period:
C Period-to-period recounting or
C Floating reference period.
By using this type of a reference period, we can compile a
continuous record of the household's experiences for the
three years that they are in sample.
While interviewing, it is important to keep reminding the
respondent of the starting and ending dates for the reference
period. If a respondent seems to have difficulty keeping
track of the reference period dates, try adding the actual
dates after reading "in the last 6 months." This will help
the respondent to stay focused on the correct time frame for
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the interview.
Incidents Outside of
Reference Period
Remember to only complete the incident report screens of
the NCVS instrument when a reported incident occurred
during the reference period for the current interview. The
introductory screens of the instrument’s incident report
section provide questions to make sure that a reported
incident did occur during the household member’s
reference period. If you discover that the incident is outside
of the reference period, the instrument progresses to
OSINCNOTNEEDED, which tells you that the incident is
outside the reference period. No further information about
that incident is collected.
Incidents Occurring on
the Day of the Interview
If a respondent reports an incident that occurred on the
same day that you are interviewing him/her, complete the
incident report section of the instrument as usual, even
though it is outside the reference period. Incidents will be
reviewed during post-data collection processing and
categorized as either being “in scope” or “out of scope.”
Incidents collected during the interview will be used for
comparison during unduplication in the next enumeration
period. Summarize the details of this incident on the
NOTES screen at the end of the current NCVS interview as
a reminder for the next enumeration period interview.
Interview Scheme
All households in the NCVS sample are divided into six
groups, which are referred to as "rotation" groups. During
the course of a 6-month period, one-sixth of the full sample
or a "panel" from each rotation group is assigned for
interview each month. This interviewing scheme enables
us to spread out the interviewing work fairly evenly
throughout the year, so we can maintain a regular staff of
FRs with routine monthly NCVS assignments.
Here are some examples:
Sample households in panel 1 of rotation groups 1 through
6 are assigned for interview in the months of January and
July.
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Sample households in panel 2 of rotation groups 1 through
6 are assigned for interview in the months of February
and August.
By the time we get to panel 6 of rotation groups 1 through
6, which are assigned for interview in the months of June
and December, we will have assigned for interview all
sample households from panels 1 through 6 of rotation
groups 1 through 6.
Interview Period
An interview period is the time that you are allowed to
complete all of the NCVS interviews assigned to you for an
interview month. Typically, your interview period will
begin on the first day of the month. Ideally, we would like
your assignment to be completed as quickly as possible
once the interview period begins. Your supervisor will give
you the interview closeout date for each interview month.
This will be the "drop dead" date by which all NCVS cases
assigned to you for the month must be completed.
The majority of the NCVS cases in each assignment will
require telephone interviews. Always try to complete all of
your telephone interviews:
C
Before conducting your personal visit interviews and
C
Within the first few days of the interview period.
This procedure allows you to detect any replacement
households or other situations from your telephone
interviews that could require personal visit interviews
before you plan your personal visit work schedule.
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Topic 2. Monthly Tasks
Monthly Instructions
About one week prior to the start of the interview month,
your regional office will send you a memorandum with
specific instructions for the upcoming interview month.
When you receive your monthly memorandum, read the
entire memorandum very carefully and contact your
supervisor if you have any questions about the information
provided.
Preparing to Interview
When you receive the monthly memorandum for an
interview month, you will also receive:
T
Your interviewing assignment for the month (through
case management; see Part D of this manual for
details),
T
Any listing work for the month, and
T
Any supplies you may need.
Checking New
Assignments
As soon as you receive your monthly package of interview
materials, check the items listed on the Transmittal
Form 11-35 that accompanies these materials. If anything
listed on the transmittal is missing from your package, call
your supervisor immediately.
Organizing Your Work
Schedule
As you organize your assignment for the interview month,
take into consideration the geographic distribution of your
cases and the number of new segments in your assignment.
Then, follow the steps listed below:
Step
1. Always conduct your telephone interviews FIRST.
2. Try to conduct your personal visit interviews in
segments with first enumeration period households
next. This will allow sufficient time should you
encounter unexpected problems with these cases. For
first enumeration period households, you must
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conduct the household respondent's interview IN
PERSON. However, if the remaining household
members are not available at the time of your visit, it
is acceptable to interview these household members
by telephone once you have completed the household
respondent's interview in person.
NOTE: Regardless of the enumeration period, the
household respondent always must be the
FIRST household member interviewed and
he/she must be at least 18 years of age and
knowledgeable about the household. For
example, the reference person or one of the
other household members who owns or rents
the home. (See Chapter A-2 for exceptions
to the age requirement.)
3.
Completing Your
Assignment
Conduct any remaining personal visit interviews in a
logical sequence so that you keep to a minimum any
backtracking or return trips to a segment.
Always attempt to complete your interviewing assignment
as early in the interview month as possible. Transmit your
completed work on a flow basis as frequently as possible.
Your supervisor will provide you with a final transmittal
date or closeout date for each interview month.
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Topic 3. Daily Tasks
Planning Your Daily
Schedule
Assembling Your Materials
Conducting Telephone
Interviews and Callbacks
It is important to carefully plan your daily schedule so that
you get the maximum amount of interviewing work
accomplished during your workday. Keep the following
points in mind as you plan your workday:
T
Geographic location of assigned addresses,
T
Any previously made appointments, and
T
Interview time preferences (accessible by using the
Control + T function for an individual case)
When conducting personal interviews, it is very important
to make sure that you have everything you might need to
carry you through your entire interviewing schedule for the
day. Make sure that you take current versions of the
following items with you:
º
Your laptop and NCVS Function Keys template
º
NCVS-550 (CAPI), CAPI Interviewing Manual
º
NCVS-554, Field Representative's Information Card
Booklet
º
Copies of both introductory letters, NCVS-572 (L)
and NCVS-573 (L), and the Fact Sheet brochure,
NCVS-110
º
Copies of thank-you letters, NCVS-593 (L) and
NCVS-594 (L)
Since the primary purpose of conducting NCVS interviews
by telephone is to reduce travel costs and save money,
AVOID traveling to assigned segments that require
telephone interviews.
Typically, interviews for second through seventh
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enumeration period households are conducted by telephone.
Always check to see when the household prefers to be
contacted.
Conducting Personal Visit
Interviews
In addition to the first enumeration period households,
other sample households may require personal visit
interviews because they:
C
Do not have a telephone on which they can be
contacted,
C
Refuse to give us their telephone number,
C
Tell us that a telephone interview is not acceptable, or
C
Are replacement households.
Sending "Thank You"
Letters
As needed, mail "Thank You" letters to respondents using
the mailing address from the case in the instrument. (See
Part A, Chapter 2, Topic 7, for more details about sending
"Thank You" letters.)
Transmitting Completed
Work
Transmit your completed work on a flow basis, preferably
on a daily basis whenever possible. Frequent transmittals
will enable work to flow easier through the various
processing stages.
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Topic 4. Specific Household Procedures
Starting With the
Household Respondent
Once you have introduced yourself, ask to speak with:
C
The previous household respondent, or
C
One of the persons who owns or rents the home,
C
A household member who is at least 18 years of age
and knowledgeable about the household.
Remember to show your identification card for each
personal visit interview. When you know that you are
speaking to a household member at the sample address,
then you can introduce the survey.
For cases being interviewed for the first time, a personal
visit with the household respondent is required. (Other
individual respondents in the household may be interview
by telephone if necessary.) For these cases, the instrument
prompts you at the GEN_INTRO_CP screen to give the
household an introductory letter and continue the interview
to verify the address and start building the household roster.
For all other cases, at the HELLO_1_CP screen, the
instrument prompts you to ask to speak with the household
member who was the household respondent for the
previous enumeration period. If that household member is
not available, you are instructed to identify another eligible
household respondent at the HELLO_ALT2_CP screen.
The HELLO_ALT2_CP screen shows only those
household members who qualify as possible household
respondents.
ALWAYS complete the household respondent's interview
before interviewing any remaining eligible household
members (household members who are 12 years of age and
older). Without a completed interview from an eligible
household respondent, the sample household will classify
as a Type A noninterview.
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We prefer that the household respondent be one of the
household members who owns or rents the home or his/her
spouse. If that is not possible, a household member who is
at least 18 years of age and knowledgeable about household
matters can qualify as a household respondent.
Once you are speaking to an eligible household respondent,
you will introduce the survey, explain the purpose of your
telephone call, and verify that you have reached the correct
sample address at the VERADD_CP screen.
Verifying That You
Have Reached the
Correct Address
One of the most important purposes of the VERADD_CP
screen is to verify that you have reached the correct sample
address. Before you see the VERADD_CP screen, you
will already know that you have reached the same
household that was interviewed at the sample address
during the previous enumeration period (except for those
households that are in sample for the first time). However,
it is possible that you may have reached a different address
if the household moved and kept the same telephone
number.
Make sure that you enter the correct precode at the
VERADD_CP screen, so that you follow the correct path
and collect the necessary information for the situation.
The VERADD_CP screen has the following four
precodes/answer categories:
(1)
(2)
(3)
(4)
SAME address
MOVED (NOT same address)
Haven't moved, but address has changed
Incorrect address previously recorded
Enter Precode (1) when the respondent verifies that the
household still lives at the address shown on the
VERADD_CP screen and there are no changes/corrections
to the sample address.
Enter Precode (2) when the respondent tells you that the
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household has moved from the sample address and is
currently residing at a different address.
Enter Precode (3) when the respondent tells you that the
household still resides at the sample address shown on the
screen, but some part of the address has changed since the
last enumeration period. For example, a county may have
changed house numbers and/or street names to aid in
dispatching emergency medical services. After entering
Precode (3), you will see the NEWADD screens
(NEWADDHNO_CP, NEWADDSTRNAME_CP, and so
on) where you can correct the address for the sample unit.
Enter Precode (4) when the respondent tells you that the
household still resides at the sample address shown on the
screen, but some part of the address is not appearing
correctly on the VERADD_CP screen. After making sure
that the household has not moved out of the sample address
and that the sample address has not changed since the last
enumeration period, enter Precode (4) and correct the
address for the sample unit at the NEWADD screens as
discussed in the paragraph above.
Completing Table X
for Extra Units (TimeIn-Sample 1 Cases
Only)
An “extra unit” is 1) any unlisted separate living quarters
that qualifies as a housing unit and is discovered by chance
during an interview or when asking the household coverage
question, "Are there any other living quarters, either
occupied or vacant, at this address," 2) is associated with
the sample unit and 3) is not likely to have a chance of
being selected for sample.
After you ask Item MAILINGSAME_CP for a case that is
in the sample for the first time, Item HUCOVERAGE
appears. It asks, “Are there any other living quarters, either
occupied or vacant, at this address?” If the respondent
answers, “Yes,” a screen appears that gives the following
warning: “You are about to begin asking questions about
one or more additional living arrangements at this location
to determine if they qualify as EXTRA UNITS. If you have
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accidentally reached this screen, PRESS "UP ARROW" to
back up to the previous screen and correct an earlier entry."
To continue down this path, enter (1). The instrument then
leads you through a series of screens EXTRAHNO through
DIRECTACCESS that collect address information for the
extra unit and asks questions to determine if it is indeed an
extra unit. After collecting address information for the
extra unit, interview the original household as usual. The
Case List now includes a new case for the extra unit;
conduct a separate interview for members of the household
in the extra unit. The extra unit now appears with original
household ID appended with a serial suffix of Z, Y, X, and
so on.
Replacement
Households
At Item HHNUM_VR_CP, the instrument asks, “Is this a
replacement household?” A replacement household
happens when there are no members of the original
household living at this address. If this occurs, answer
Precode (1), “Yes.” Item CK_REPLACE_CP appears; “A
replacement household means that there are no members of
the original household living at this address. Are you sure
this is a replacement household?” Enter Precode (1),
“Yes.”
Then Item SPAWNED_CP appears: “A new case for the
replacement household will be spawned in Case
Management after you exit this case. Enter (1) to exit this
case, which will automatically become a Type C. Select
the newly spawned case in Case Management to interview
the replacement household.” (In Case Management these
cases are automatically coded as outcome code 341,
“Replacement household.”) Enter Precode (1) to continue.
Then go back to the Case List and select the newly spawned
case; interview as usual. The newly spawned cases now
appear with the letter “R”in the third digit of the case ID.
Control Card
Information
The next set of instrument screens contains questions that
you ask of the household respondent. This information is
used to obtain or update information about the household
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and to ensure that we are aware of any household
composition changes.
NOTE that a maximum of 30 household members may be
entered in the household roster. If you have a household
larger than 30 members, Items ROS2BIGOVER30 and
ROS2BIGHOWMANY ask the number of household
members over 30, but does not collect any information for
them.
Screening for Crime
Incidents
Starting with the TIMEATADDRESS screen, the next set
of screens in the NCVS instrument presents questions for
you to ask of the household respondent. This set of
questions start by asking about the household respondent's
mobility (TIMEATADDRESS) and then ask whether or
not anyone in the household operates a business from the
sample address (BUSINESS).
Starting with the introduction on the SQTHEFT screen,
the next set of questions is designed to determine whether
the household respondent or the sample household has
experienced any crime incidents during the 6-month
reference period. The screen questions that you ask the
household respondent involve thefts, break-ins, illegal
entries, motor vehicle thefts, attacks, attempted attacks,
verbal threats of harm, unwanted sexual acts (sexual
assault, rape, and attempted rape), acts of vandalism against
the household, and any attacks, verbal attacks, thefts, or
attempted thefts related to the acts of vandalism. We are
interested in both attempted incidents and actual incidents.
If the household respondent answers "Yes" to any of these
screen questions, you see a screen where you:
C
Indicate the number of times the incident happened
and
C
Enter a brief description of what happened during
the incident. (Note that you are limited to 100
characters for these descriptions)
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You also ask the household respondent questions pertaining
to identity theft to determine if anyone in the sample
household discovered that someone used or attempted to
use various forms of personal information without
permission to commit fraud or other crimes.
After you are done asking all screen questions of the
household respondent, you see the INC_REPORTS screen
which shows you how many incidents were reported by the
household respondent. If no incidents were reported by the
household respondent, then you see the NO_CRIMES
screen.
NOTE that a maximum of 30 incidents may be reported in
the NCVS instrument.
Reporting Crime
Incidents
If the household respondent reported one or more crime
incidents, then you proceed through the incident report
screens for each reported incident that occurred during the
6-month reference period. The incident report screens start
with the INCIDENTINTRO screen. These screens are
designed to gather detailed information, such as:
1.
Where the incident took place.
2.
Whether or not the respondent or other household
members were present during the incident.
3.
How the incident happened.
4.
Any injuries that the respondent or other household
members may have experienced during the incident.
5.
Information about the offender(s).
6.
Details about the respondent’s employer and job
when the incident occurred while the respondent
was working or on duty.
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7.
Whether or not the police were notified and reasons
for reporting or not reporting the incident to the
police.
8.
What the respondent was doing when the incident
happened.
Writing a Summary
Report
After completing all the incident report screens, you see a
SUMMARY screen. (Note that the SUMMARY screen
has a limit of 300 characters.) Use the SUMMARY screen
to enter a concise and accurate summary of the crime
incident, including all pertinent facts (who, what, where,
when, and how). More instructions for writing summary
reports are included in Parts B and C of this manual.
Adding Additional
Incidents
Once you have collected information on the incident report
screens for all incidents reported by the household
respondent, the INCIDENTTOADD screen appears, which
is used to ensure that we collect information for all NCVS
crimes which took place during the reference period.
This screen allows you to:
Avoiding Duplicate
Reports
!
Enter Precode (1) to add another crime incident that
the household respondent may have mentioned
while answering the incident report questions.
!
Enter Precode (2) to indicate that no additional
incidents need reporting.
Starting with the INTRO_UNDUP screen, you see a set of
screens to be used to get your assessment about whether
each reported incident is unique and is not a duplicate of
another incident reported by the respondent or household in
the current and previous enumeration periods. Do not
discuss incidents with the respondent. After checking a
crime incident against incidents already reported in the
current enumeration period, the NCVS instrument also
allows you to check the incident against up to four incidents
reported in a previous enumeration period.
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Employment
Questions
Interviewing Individual
Respondents
Part A, Chapter 3
Once you have completed the incident report section of the
instrument for all reported crime incidents, then ask the
questions about the household respondent’s primary
employment during the week prior to the interview or for at
least two consecutive weeks during the last 6 months. If
the household respondent did not report any crime
incidents, the instrument shows these employment
questions following the NO_CRIMES screen.
You must complete the household respondent's interview
before you can interview any other eligible household
members. Once you are done interviewing the household
respondent, then complete any remaining eligible
household member's interviews one at a time.
During your initial contact with a sample household, always
try to complete as many interviews with individual
respondents as possible. Try to keep household callbacks
for individual respondents to a minimum.
Your initial contact with a first enumeration period
household must be in person. However, after interviewing
the household respondent in person, any individual
respondents in the household who are unavailable during
your initial contact can be interviewed later by telephone.
When interviewing the next eligible respondent, reintroduce yourself using the text on the
INTROFORNEWRESPONDENT screen. The text on
this screen also allows you to explain who you represent,
which survey you are conducting, and why you are calling
the household.
Unlike the household respondent's interview, the interviews
for the remaining household members who are eligible for
the NCVS does not include any questions pertaining to
general information about the household. Those questions
are asked only of the household respondent.
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Screening for Crime
Incidents
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Some of the questions relating to the entire sample
household are asked only of the household respondent and
will not appear as you ask screen questions of individual
respondents in the household. With the exception of the
following types of questions, the remaining questions in the
screening portion of the instrument will remain the same
for individual respondents in the sample household.
Screening questions NOT asked of individual
respondents determine-Y
Whether the household operates a business from the
sample address (BUSINESS).
Y
Whether the household has experienced any breakins or illegal entries (either actual or attempted)
(SQBREAKIN).
Y
How many vehicles are owned by the sample
household (SQTOTALVEHICLES).
Y
Whether any of the household's vehicles were stolen
or someone attempted to steal any of them
(SQMVTHEFT).
Y
Whether any acts of vandalism were committed
against the household and whether any crimes were
committed as a result of the acts of vandalism
(SQVANDALISM).
Y
Whether any acts of vandalism were motivated by a
hate crime or a crime of prejudice or bigotry
(SQVANDHATECRIME).
Y
Identity theft questions
(IDENTITYTHEFTINTRO1 through
IDTHEFTSUMMARY)
After you are done asking all screen questions of an
individual respondent, you will see either the
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NO_CRIMES screen or the INC_REPORTS screen
displaying how many incidents were reported by the
respondent.
Reporting Crime
Incidents
If the individual respondent reported one or more crime
incidents, you proceed through the incident report screens
for each reported incident that occurred during the 6month reference period. The incident report screens start
with the INCIDENTINTRO screen and are designed to
gather the same detailed information as described earlier in
this chapter for the household respondent.
Writing a Summary
Report
After completing all the incident report screens, you see a
SUMMARY screen. Use this screen to enter a concise and
accurate summary of the crime incident, including all
pertinent facts (who, what, where, when, and how). More
instructions for writing summary reports are included in
Parts B and C of this manual.
Adding Additional
Incidents
Once you have completed the incident report screens for all
incidents reported by the individual respondent, then you
will see the INC_TO_ADD screen. This screen will allow
you to:
Avoiding Duplicate
Reports
!
Enter Precode (1) to add another crime incident that
the individual respondent may have mentioned
while answering the incident report questions.
!
Enter Precode (2) to indicate that no additional
incidents need reporting.
Starting with the INTRO_UNDUP screen, you will see a
set of screens that you will use to make sure each reported
incident is unique and is not a duplicate of another incident
already reported for the respondent or the sample household
in the current and previous enumeration periods. Do not
discuss incidents with the respondent. For example, a
sample household member may report a household crime
that has already been reported by the household respondent
in the current interview or the household member may
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report a crime incident that occurred and was reported in a
previous enumeration period. After checking a crime
incident against incidents already reported in the current
enumeration period, the NCVS instrument also allows you
to check the incident against up to four incidents reported
in a previous enumeration period.
Employment
Questions
Callback, Thank You, and
Notes Screens
Before interviewing any other eligible household members,
ask each individual respondent, who is at least 16 years of
age, a set of questions related to his/her employment. Once
you have completed the incident report section of the
instrument for all reported crime incidents, then you ask the
questions about the respondent’s primary employment
during the week prior to the interview or for at least two
consecutive weeks during the last 6 months. If the
respondent did not report any crime incidents, you see these
employment questions following the NO_CRIMES screen.
In the back portion of the NCVS instrument, you have
access to a set of screens that enables you to identify the
day and time that is best to re-contact the household and
interview members who are currently unavailable but still
need to be interviewed.
A variety of "Thank you" screens are also available to
satisfy each type of interview situation. The instrument is
programmed so that the appropriate "Thank you" screen
appears automatically when you are ending an interview
with a respondent.
NOTES Screen
Before exiting the case, you always see the CASE NOTES
screen. This screen is designed so that you can:
C
Review "old" notes already entered about the case.
C
Enter any notes about the case that you feel would
help the next interviewer who contacts the sample
household. At the end of your note, press F10 to
end your notes and exit the screen.
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If the case does not require any notes, press F10 to exit the
CASE NOTES screen. This indicates that you are done
reviewing and/or entering notes.
You also have the option of entering a note relating to a
specific instrument item/screen. We call this the "F7
Notes" option. You can add an "F7 Note" to include more
details for an answer or to explain an unusual situation
relating to a specific instrument item/screen. After pressing
the "F7" function key, you can:
F7 Notes
•
Review any previously entered "F7 Notes." After
reviewing previous notes, press the ESC key to exit
the “F7 Notes” option.
•
Enter a note that relates to the case as a whole.
Note that F7 notes are not carried forward to the next
enumeration period.
Refused After Starting
Interview
If you are interviewing the household respondent and
he/she refuses to continue with the interview and does not
want to set up an appointment to be interviewed later, press
the "F10" function key, which takes you to the
REFCBBREAK_CP screen.
Item REFCBBREAK_CP asks, “Did this interview end
because of a refusal, a callback was needed, or a breakoff
occurred?” Enter (1) for a refusal, (2) for a callback, or (3)
for a breakoff. (2), “Callback,” takes you to the APPT item
when interviewing the household respondent, which says,
“I would like to schedule a date and time to complete the
interview. What date and time would be best?” For refusals
or breakoffs, you exit the instrument.
Finally, the CASE NOTES screen appears. Use this screen
to enter any notes about the case. Be as specific as
possible, such as “L1 mistrusts all government workers, but
L2 may be willing to cooperate as the household
respondent.”
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Individual Respondent
Refusals
When there is more than one eligible respondent, the
refusal of one individual respondent does not end NCVS
interviews in the sample household. Continue to interview
other eligible household members.
Refused at the
INTROFORNEW
RESPONDENT Screen
The INTROFORNEWRESPONDENT screen is where
you re-introduce yourself to the new respondent, introduce
the survey and state the purpose of your telephone call. If
the individual respondent refuses to be interviewed at this
screen, back up to the NEXTPERSON screen.
At the NEXTPERSON screen, either identify the next
household member to be interviewed or enter Precode (31),
“Respondent refused for someone else” to code the
respondent as a refusal.
Refused After
Starting Interview
If you are interviewing an individual respondent and he/she
refuses to continue with the interview and does not want to
set up an appointment to be interviewed later, you can press
the "F10" function key.
After pressing the “F10" function key, the following
screens appear to exit the instrument:
•
•
•
REFCBREAK_CP
PERSAPPT
VERIFY
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Part A, Chapter 4
Chapter 4
Your Job Duties and Performance Standards
Table of Topics
Topic
Page
1 Basic Field Duties
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2 Additional Duties
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3 Performance Standards
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4 Field Evaluations-Observation and
Reinterview
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Topic 1. Basic Field Duties
Overview
As a field representative for the National Crime
Victimization Survey, you will be assigned to work in one
of the NCVS sample areas or Primary Sampling Units
(PSUs). Most of your duties are the same for each
interview month. Your work falls into two main
categories--listing and interviewing.
Listing Assignments
During your first month on the job, you do not receive any
listing assignments. You begin learning the listing and
coverage procedures during your second month on the job.
The listing and coverage training for the 1990 sample
design consists of a series of self-studies together with onthe-job training. For the 2000 sample design, you receive
pre-classroom and classroom training on the newly
automated Demographic Area Address Listing (DAAL).
Your listing work consists of systematically documenting
on either listing sheets or listing instruments (ALMI for
area segments/GAIL for group quarters (GQ) segments and
GQs in area segments) the existence of living quarters
where people live or could live within an assigned segment.
Detailed procedures for completing your listing
assignments in each segment type are provided in the
Listing and Coverage Manual, Form 11-8, for the 1990
sample design, and in the Listing and Coverage: A
Survival Guide for the Field Representative, Form 11-8,
Volumes I and II, for the 2000 sample design. Your listing
assignments may be in all four segment types--Unit, Permit,
Area, and GQ. Most NCVS cases are in unit segments.
Unit Segments
1990 and 2000 Sample Design:
For single-unit addresses, no listing is necessary and you do
not receive listing sheets for these addresses.
1990 Sample Design:
For multi-unit addresses, you verify and update the listing
sheets for these assigned addresses when you are at the
address to conduct interviews. There are separate
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procedures for small multi-unit addresses (2 - 9 units) and
large multi-unit addresses (10 or more units). (See
Chapter 2 of the Listing and Coverage Manual for more
details on listing unit segment addresses.)
2000 Sample Design:
For multi-unit addresses, locate the unit designation for the
current NCVS sample and conduct the interview.
Additional action need only be taken if:
•
•
•
The expected number of units is between 2 and 4.
There are missing and/or duplicate unit designations to
resolve, or
You cannot find the current sample unit(s).
If you experience any of these three situations, follow the
instructions provided in Form 11-8, Volume I, Chapter 2,
of the Listing and Coverage: A Survival Guide for the
Field Representative.
Permit Segments
1990 and 2000 Sample Design:
When you make your first visit to an assigned address
within a permit segment, list all units found at the address.
There are separate procedures for listing a single-unit
address and a multi-unit address. You may also be
assigned a previously listed address to verify and, if
necessary, correct before you conduct interviews at the
address. (For more details on listing permit segment
addresses for the 1990 sample design, refer to Chapter 3
of the Listing and Coverage Manual or, for the 2000
sample design, refer to Volume I, Chapter 3, of the
Listing and Coverage: A Survival Guide for the Field
Representative.)
Area Segments
1990 Sample Design:
Before any units are selected for interview from an area
segment address, a variety of tasks need to be completed.
These tasks include: precanvassing, canvassing and map
entries, and listing units. You may also be asked to update
and record changes to area segment listings. (See
Chapter 5 of the Listing and Coverage Manual for more
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details about listing area segment addresses.)
2000 Sample Design:
For the 2000 sample design, you update existing addresses
and list new addresses on laptops using the Automated
Listing and Mapping Instrument (ALMI). The area
segment addresses are taken from the 2000 Census Master
Address File. List the units at any GQ in the block using
the GQ Automated Instrument for Listing (GAIL). (See
Volume II, Demographic Area Address Listing (DAAL),
of the Listing and Coverage: A Survival Guide for the
Field Representative, for more details about updating
area segment addresses using automated listings. See
Volume I, Chapter 4, for FR procedures at time of
interview.)
Group Quarters (GQ)
Segments
A GQ is a type of living quarters where the residents share
common facilities or receive authorized care or custody.
There are three types of GQs-institutional, noninstitutional,
and military barracks. Only noninstitutional GQ units are
eligible for interview. By definition, a GQ is not a housing
unit.
1990 Sample Design:
A GQ segment is made up of one or more GQs that were
identified in the 1990 census blocks originally screened for
unit segments. In addition to listing GQs in GQ segments,
you may also find and list GQ units in area and unit
segments.
Your listing assignment tasks in a GQ segment may
include: Identifying eligible units, choosing listing
methods, and listing units in GQs. You may also be asked
to update a previously listed group quarters listing sheet.
(See Chapter 4 of the Listing and Coverage Manual for
more details about listing group quarters.)
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2000 Sample Design:
A GQ segment is made up of one or more GQs that were
identified in the 2000 census blocks originally screened for
unit segments. You list units at GQs or get a count of units
at GQs on laptops using the Group Quarters Automated
Instrument for Listing (GAIL). (See Volume II,
Demographic Area Address Listing (DAAL), of the
Listing and Coverage: A Survival Guide for the Field
Representative, for more details about listing GQ segment
addresses using automated listings. See Volume I,
Chapter 5, for FR procedures at time of interview.)
Interviewing Assignments
Each interview month, your interviews will be a
combination of personal visit and telephone interviews and
may include addresses from any of the four segment types.
Regardless of the interview method, always conduct your
interviews with discretion and courtesy; both are important
in gaining a respondent's confidence and continued
cooperation.
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Topic 2. Additional Duties
Be Flexible
Be ready to work both day and evening hours to reach
sample households. Some of your respondents may be hard
to reach, so you will need to contact sample households at
various times of day and on various days of the week. If
you are not flexible with your work schedule, you will find
it very difficult to complete all of your assigned interviews.
Keep Up to Date
It is important to read carefully and try to absorb all memos,
self-studies, or other instructional materials concerning
your NCVS work. Occasionally, our sponsor adds survey
questions or reword existing questions. Other times, you
may receive instructions on how to perform a specific task
using new procedures.
In order for you to understand the intent and usage of these
changes, read and understand all instructions that you
receive. NCVS instructions and self-studies are intended to
help you do your job better and more efficiently.
Do Not Procrastinate
Arrange your work schedule for each interview month so
that you can complete most of your cases as soon as
possible after your assignment begins. If you delay your
interviewing until later in the interview period, you run the
risk of not completing your assignment by the closeout
date. Most sample households require more than one
contact to complete interviews for all eligible household
members.
Introducing Yourself
Since the NCVS is a voluntary survey, make sure that your
introduction sounds upbeat and positive to your
respondents. Your first words to a respondent can "make or
break" the entire interview. To ensure a positive attitude,
keep your voice both businesslike and friendly.
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Understanding NCVS
Concepts
Throughout the screening and incident reporting sections of
the NCVS instrument, there are several concepts you need
to understand before you can excel at interviewing for the
NCVS. (See Part C of this manual for detailed
information about NCVS concepts.)
Entering Accurate
Information
Throughout the NCVS instrument, you enter either
precodes or typed descriptions at each screen to indicate
answers or to proceed to the next screen. Make accurate
entries so you can follow the correct paths through the
NCVS instrument.
Keep Accurate Records
Accurate administrative records are important for both you
and your supervisor. Each workday record:
C
The amount of time you spent on NCVS work,
C
The current status of your assignment, and
C
The number of miles you traveled for NCVS
interviewing.
Meet Expected Standards
Strive for the highest possible degree of accuracy and
efficiency. To help you in meet and maintain this goal, the
Census Bureau has developed performance standards by
which your supervisor can rate your performance. (See
Topic 3 of this chapter for more details about
performance standards.)
Additional Reading
If you are interested in reading additional general
information about your interviewing job, refer to Chapter 1
of the Administrative Handbook for Intermittent and
Part-Time Schedule A Employees, Form 11-55.
Your Job Duties and Performance Standards
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Part A, Chapter 4
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Topic 3. Performance Standards
Overview
The success of the NCVS is dependent on accurate and
complete information. We count on you, our field
representatives, to help us succeed in this effort.
This survey operates on a fixed budget and the only way we
can conduct the NCVS on schedule and within budget is
with your cooperation. We depend on you to complete
your work accurately and efficiently.
Performance Ratings
We hope you always strive for the highest level of quality
and productivity in your NCVS work. We also realize that
a new field representative cannot be expected to start out
with an "outstanding" performance rating. We expect you
to do your best and to improve as you gain more
interviewing experience.
To help you meet and maintain high performance standards,
we have established measures for various elements of your
job. Your supervisor evaluates your performance on a
continuing basis and keeps monthly records on your level
of performance.
Twice a year, your supervisor rates your response and
accuracy rates into one of two categories: Pass or Fail.
Completing your assignment within the specified interview
period is not only important from a cost standpoint, but is
also essential for meeting processing deadlines. With the
exception of holidays, always begin your assignment on the
first working day of the month. Try to complete all
interviews assigned for an interview month as quickly as
possible. Schedule your work so that your assignment is
completed before the closeout date for the interview
month.
Production Standards
Planning Your Travel
Route
Plan your travel route so you can accomplish your NCVS
work and move from one segment to another using the least
amount of time and mileage.
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NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Keeping Callbacks to a
Minimum
Part A, Chapter 4
Try to plan your personal visits during the most productive
hours of the day and days of the week, so you can find
household members at home and reduce the number of
return visits to a sample address. Evening hours and
weekends tend to be most productive in areas where a
majority of the household members work outside the home.
Always remember to make the least number of trips to a
sample area as possible to complete your assignment. If
you need to make personal visit callbacks in a sample area
where you still have some initial visits, try to complete
these interviews in one trip. Also, if no one is at home at
the time of your visit, try to find out the best time to contact
the household before you leave the sample area. You can
inquire of neighbors, apartment managers, janitors, and the
like, but you cannot mention the survey name to these
people.
Conducting Efficient
Interviews
Quality Interviews
Here are some pointers for saving time without sacrificing
accuracy:
T
Become thoroughly familiar with the sequence of
items in the NCVS instrument.
T
Make sure that you understand how to enter answers
on each NCVS screen.
T
Familiarize yourself with the possible answer
categories on each NCVS screen.
T
Be prepared to answer respondents' questions briefly
and clearly, regardless of the type of question. To
help you prepare for respondent questions, you can
read the introductory letters, your job aid, NCVS At a
Glance (NCVS-500.1), the NCVS Fact Sheet
(NCVS-110), and this manual (NCVS-550 [CAPI]).
The quality of your work is just as important as your
productivity. It is of no value to this survey if you transmit
your entire assignment early in the interview period, but
Your Job Duties and Performance Standards
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Part A, Chapter 4
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
most of the interviews are either incomplete or inaccurate.
The instructions provided in this manual provide all the
information that you need to conduct NCVS interviews
efficiently and accurately. If you experience special
situations or problems that are not covered in this manual,
either call your supervisor or document the situation or
problem on an Interviewer Communication (INTERCOMM), Form 11-36.
Response Rate
For each interview month, the case management system
calculates an estimate of the response rate for your NCVS
interviewing assignment. Your final response rate is
calculated by your supervisor and takes into consideration
how many interviews you were able to complete from all
eligible sample addresses assigned to you (excluding Type
B and C noninterviews). By reviewing your response rate,
you and your supervisor can track how effective you are at
obtaining interviews.
Maintaining a high response rate is essential to ensuring
that the NCVS sample data are representative of the entire
U.S. population. Failure to interview all eligible household
members can introduce a serious bias into the survey. For
example, sample persons who are difficult to contact or
who resist being interviewed could have very different
victimization experiences than those sample persons who
are easy to contact and interview.
Keep all Type A noninterview households and Type Z
noninterview persons to a minimum.
When you are unable to interview ANY household
members (including the household respondent) in an
assigned sample household, the case is classified as a Type
A noninterview. Some Type A noninterview reasons
include:
Your Job Duties and Performance Standards
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NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Part A, Chapter 4
C
No one home,
C
Temporarily absent through the entire interview
period, and
C
Refused.
An eligible household member is classified as a Type Z
noninterview when the household member cannot be
interviewed during the current interview period. When you
are not able to complete an interview with a household
respondent, you must classify the sample address as a Type
A noninterview. The instrument does not allow you to
classify a household respondent for a sample address as
a Type Z noninterview.
Some Type Z noninterview reasons include:
C
Person is never available,
C
Person refused,
C
Person is physically and/or mentally unable to answer
and no proxy respondent is available, and
C
Person is temporarily absent and no proxy respondent
is available.
The best strategy for minimizing Type A and Type Z
noninterviews is to:
K
Work on improving your salesmanship skills so you
are better equipped to gain cooperation from all types
of respondents and
K
Contact respondents when you are most likely to
reach them at home.
Your Job Duties and Performance Standards
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Part A, Chapter 4
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Topic 4. Field Evaluations--Observation and Reinterview
In addition to the review of your work in the regional
office, your supervisor or his/her representative will
periodically observe you actually performing your listing
and interviewing work.
Observations
The first two on-the-job or induction observations are for
the purpose of providing post-classroom training during
actual work situations on interviewing techniques and
NCVS concepts. Both of these observations are usually
done within your first 6 months on the job.
All other observations are aimed at evaluating and
improving your on-the-job performance. Normally, you are
observed at least once a year and are usually with the
observer for a minimum of 6 hours. This is the average
length of time required for reviewing your general
performance and rectifying specific performance problems.
Observations are the best opportunities for you to receive
individual assistance with any problems you are
experiencing. Observations are designed to help you
improve all measures of performance.
Before your observation, the observer will contact you to
make the final arrangements and give you any preobservation instructions. These instructions may vary
depending on the purpose of the observation.
For a Low Response
Rate
If one of the purposes for the observation is to help you
improve a low response rate, you will probably be
instructed to:
U
Delay interviewing households where you suspect that
you might experience problems and
U
Keep interviewing materials for problem households
that you have already contacted.
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NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Part A, Chapter 4
This allows the observer to work with you on these cases
and help you improve your techniques for gaining the
cooperation of sample households.
For a High Number of
Minutes per Case
Reinterview
If one of the purposes for the observation is to help you
spend less time on each case, you will probably want to be
prepared to discuss how you:
U
Plan your itinerary,
U
Use the county and segment maps to locate assigned
addresses,
U
Use the telephone, and
U
Decide when to contact assigned households.
Reinterview is a method we use to independently evaluate
your on-the-job performance. At least once a year and
possibly up to four times a year, your supervisor or his/her
representative recontacts a portion of your assignment for
the interview month. You will not be notified beforehand
as to which month's assignment is targeted for reinterview.
The reinterviewer recontacts some of the same households
that you have already contacted. The reinterviewer verifies
that:
C
The correct sample units were interviewed,
C
The listing sheets were completed or updated
properly,
C
The household screens were completed or updated
properly,
C
All screen questions were asked and all answers
recorded,
Your Job Duties and Performance Standards
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C
Any noninterviews were classified accurately.
Once the reinterview is completed, the reinterviewer
contacts you so you can review the results together. During
this review, errors are discussed and the appropriate
concepts and procedures are reviewed. In some cases the
extent and type of errors may require a "special needs"
observation and/or retraining.
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Part A, Chapter 5
Chapter 5
Personal Visit vs. Telephone Interviews
Table of Topics
Topic
Page
1 Identifying the Method of Interview
A5-2
2 Qualifications for Using the Personal
Visit Method
A5-3
3 Qualifications for Using the
Telephone Method
A5-9
4 Instructions for Conducting
Telephone Interviews
A5-11
5 Telephone Interviewing Skills
A5-19
Personal Visit vs. Telephone Interviews
A5-1
Part A, Chapter 5
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Topic 1. Identifying the Method of Interview
Checking Case
Management
Each interview month, some of your interviews will be
designated as personal visit interviews and some will be
designated as telephone interviews. They can be
differentiated by the letter “P” for “personal visit” and “T”
for “telephone” interviews in the “P/T” column in the
“details” portion of the laptop case management display.
For more detail about the information found in laptop case
management, refer to the NCVS-521 self-study.
Also review your notes for each case using the “Notes”
function in case management for more information about a
respondent’s preferred interviewing method.
Notify your supervisor immediately if you have any
questions about whether or not the sample addresses in a
particular segment need to be interviewed by personal visit
or by telephone.
Personal Visit vs. Telephone Interviews
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NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Part A, Chapter 5
Topic 2. Qualifications for Using the Personal Visit Method
Overview
Since telephone interviews are more cost effective, most of
your NCVS interviews will be by telephone. The following
qualifications must exist before you can conduct an NCVS
interview in person:
± The sample household is assigned for a first
enumeration period interview.
± The sample household has not been interviewed in any
previous enumeration period (sample address was a
Type A or B noninterview previously or a replacement
household now lives at the sample address).
± The sample household does not have a telephone on
which they can be reached.
± The sample household does not want to be interviewed
by telephone.
± The sample household has a privacy detector that
requires the caller to enter a personal identification
number (PIN).
First Enumeration Period
Households
For the first enumeration period, a sample household is
always scheduled for a personal visit interview. When
using the personal visit method, try to complete interviews
for the household respondent and all other eligible
household members during your initial visit. If the
household respondent refuses to do the interview in person,
you can take a telephone interview for the initial visit.
However, try to avoid this situation whenever possible.
Only the household respondent's interview must be done in
person for a first enumeration period interview. Any other
eligible household members who are not available during
your initial visit can be interviewed by telephone.
Personal Visit vs. Telephone Interviews
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Part A, Chapter 5
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Checking the Case Data
in Laptop Case
Management
Household Not Interviewed
in Previous Enumeration
Periods
By reviewing the various tabs in laptop case management
for a sample address, you can tell whether a sample address
needs to be interviewed by personal visit. For a first
enumeration period household, most of the data, such as the
roster items will be blank.
Regardless of the enumeration period, your first contact
with a sample household must be in person. After the first
enumeration period for a sample address, a sample
household may not have been interviewed because:
T
The sample household was classified as either a
Type A or a Type B noninterview in all previous
enumeration periods.
T
The sample household is not the same household as
was interviewed in the previous enumeration period.
The new household at the sample address is referred
to as a "replacement" household.
If you discover that a replacement household is now
living at the sample address, you must:
Checking the Case Data
in Laptop Case
Management
C
Code the original or parent case as replaced, using
the instructions in Part A, Chapter 3.
C
Interview the household respondent in person,
along with any remaining household members
who are eligible for interview and available at the
time of your visit. Any callbacks for individual
respondents can be done by telephone.
If you look at the “History” tab in laptop case management,
you can tell whether or not the sample household was a
noninterview in the previous enumeration period. If a
sample household has been a noninterview in all of the
previous enumeration periods, then you will need to use the
personal visit method for the current interview period.
Personal Visit vs. Telephone Interviews
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NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
If you find that a sample household does not have a
telephone, you must conduct the interview in person. To
conduct a telephone interview, the sample household must
have a telephone at home or elsewhere on which all eligible
household members can be contacted.
No Telephone Available
Checking the Case Data
in Laptop Case
Management
Checking the Case Data
in Laptop Case
Management
Entire Sample
Household Refuses a
Telephone Interview
Look at the “Assignment” tab in laptop case management
to verify that the household has a telephone on which all
eligible household members can be interviewed and that at
least one telephone number is listed. The telephone
number and type can be edited in laptop case management,
which lists up to three telephone numbers for the
household.
If a sample household does not want to be interviewed by
telephone, then you must conduct personal visit interviews
for the household.
Telephone Interview Not
Acceptable
Special Situations
Requiring Personal Visit
Interviews
Part A, Chapter 5
Laptop case management does not specifically display
whether a respondent requested not to be contacted by
telephone, although the presence of the letter “P” in the
“P/T” column could be the result of such a request. You
can look at the “Notes” tab to see if any information was
recorded regarding contacting the household. Within the
instrument, this information can be found at the VERIFY
screen in the back of the instrument.
Some special situations can require cases that would
normally be interviewed by telephone to have personal visit
interviews. These situations include:
C
In some cases, you may encounter a sample household
in which all household members refuse to be
interviewed by telephone. Instead of classifying the
household as a Type A noninterview, you must attempt
to conduct these interviews in person.
Personal Visit vs. Telephone Interviews
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NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Household Member
Unable to Complete a
Telephone Interview
C
In a single-person sample household, the household
member is either too hard-of-hearing or is mentally
and/or physically unable to complete the interview by
telephone. Attempt to conduct the interview in person
and explain the reason for the personal visit in the case
level notes.
An EXTRA Unit Is
Found
C
When an EXTRA unit is discovered during a telephone
interview for a 2000 sample design case (J23 - J29),
interview the household at the EXTRA unit in person
and explain the reason for the personal visit in the case
level notes. Since January 2005, you cannot add an
EXTRA unit for a 1990 sample design case.
Incorrect Telephone
Number
C
If you discover that the telephone number listed on the
laptop case management or the instrument is incorrect,
verify whether or not you have reached the sample
address. If you have not reached the sample address, try
to get the correct telephone number from directory
assistance, the operator, etc. If you cannot get a good
telephone number for the sample address, then you
must make a personal visit and explain the reason for
that personal visit in the case level notes.
No One Answers
C
If you have tried several times to reach a sample
household by telephone and have been unsuccessful,
you must:
T
Verify the accuracy of the telephone number
either in a local telephone directory or with
directory assistance.
T
Telephone the contact person if one is listed in the
“Contacts” tab. If you can reach this contact
person, try to find out why you have been
unable to reach the sample household by
telephone.
Personal Visit vs. Telephone Interviews
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Part A, Chapter 5
T
You Get a Recorded
Message
C
As a last resort, make a personal visit to the
sample address and explain briefly the reason for
the personal visit in the case level notes.
If you get a recorded message saying that the telephone
number has been changed, call the new telephone
number (if given) and make sure that you have reached
the sample address before starting the interview(s).
Enter the new telephone number in the appropriate
screen in the instrument or in the case level notes, along
with the appropriate “phone type code.” You can also
record the new number in the “Assignment” tab in
laptop case management.
If the recorded message says that the telephone number
is disconnected or has changed and a new number is not
provided, try to find a new number from a local
directory or directory assistance.
As a last resort, visit the sample address and explain
briefly the reason for the personal visit in the case level
notes.
Privacy Detectors
•
Privacy detectors are devices that respondents may have
on their telephones requiring incoming callers to
identify themselves either through speaking their name
or providing a PIN before the call will ring through to
the respondent. If you encounter a privacy detector
which allows you to identify yourself, as well as the
purpose of your call (to conduct a survey for the Census
Bureau), you may do so. However, if this method does
not result in telephone contact with the respondent or, if
you encounter privacy detectors which require a PIN
and no other telephone contact with the respondent is
possible, the interview must be conducted by personal
visit.
During the personal visit, you may ask the household
respondent if it is acceptable to contact the household
by telephone for future interviews (that is, if the current
Personal Visit vs. Telephone Interviews
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NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
interview is not the final interview for the household).
If future telephone interviews are acceptable, find out
what instructions are necessary to ensure that future
calls will not be blocked by the privacy detector. Any
such instructions should be written clearly in the case
level notes.
Personal Visit vs. Telephone Interviews
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NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Part A, Chapter 5
Topic 3. Qualifications for Using the Telephone Method
Overview
You conduct most of your assigned interviews for second
through seventh enumeration period households by
telephone. The following qualifications must exist before
you can conduct an NCVS interview by telephone:
±
The sample household was assigned for a personal
visit interview in a previous enumeration period and
at least the household respondent was interviewed in
person in a previous enumeration period. Refer to the
“History” tab for this information.
±
The sample household must have a telephone on
which all eligible household members can be
interviewed. Refer to the “Assignment” tab in laptop
case management for this information.
±
The sample household must be willing to be
interviewed by telephone. Refer to the “Notes” tab or
the “P/T” column in laptop case management or the
VERIFY screen in the instrument for this
information.
Once a sample household is assigned for a telephone
interview and there is no special situation requiring a
personal visit, then interview all eligible household
members by telephone for the current and all future
enumeration periods.
Household's First Time in
Sample
As covered in Topic 2 of this chapter, only the household
respondent's interview must be completed in person when a
household first enters the NCVS sample (regardless of the
enumeration period). Once the household respondent's
interview is completed in person, any callbacks for other
household members should be conducted by telephone.
This helps us lower our interviewing costs.
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Type Z Noninterviews
If a sample household is designated for a telephone
interview and an eligible respondent, other than the
household respondent, refuses to be interviewed, classify
the respondent as a Type Z noninterview. Do not make a
personal visit in an attempt to convert a refusal for an
individual respondent. (See Part A, Chapter 6, for
instructions on classifying a respondent as a Type Z
noninterview.)
Type A Noninterviews
Require a Personal Visit
If either the household respondent or the entire household
refuses to be interviewed during a telephone interview, then
you are required to make a personal visit to conduct the
interviews.
Never classify a sample household as a Type A
noninterview following a telephone interview. You
must attempt to convert the refusal in person before
classifying a household as a Type A noninterview.
Personal Visit vs. Telephone Interviews
A5-10
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Part A, Chapter 5
Topic 4. Instructions for Conducting Telephone Interviews
Timing of Interviews
Always start your assignment with the telephone interview
cases, and get started as soon as possible once the interview
month begins. It is possible that you will discover cases
marked as telephone interviews that require you to make a
personal visit to an assigned segment (as covered in Topic 2
of this chapter). By working through your telephone
interview work first, you can minimize the number of trips
to a segment area and help us save money by reducing
travel costs.
Because of these possible personal visits, it is extremely
important that you attempt to complete all telephone
interviews in a segment within the first few days of the
interview period.
As you plan your itinerary for your personal visit cases,
make sure to include any telephone interview cases that
now require personal visits. Strive to make the least
number of trips as possible into a segment area to complete
your assignment.
Whenever you discover a case that was scheduled for a
telephone interview and now requires a personal visit
interview, explain briefly the reason for the personal visit in
the case level notes.
Starting the Interview
When you are ready to start a telephone interview, look at
the information in laptop case management. By reviewing
these items, you will be prepared for situations where:
T
The telephone number provided rings somewhere
other than the sample household's residence. Look at
the “Notes” tab to see if notes were entered with this
information.
T
The telephone number might be for a pager, cell
phone, FAX machine, etc. The code beside the phone
Personal Visit vs. Telephone Interviews
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Part A, Chapter 5
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
number in the “Assignment” tab provides this
information.
T
You are unable to contact the household on the first
telephone number listed in the “Assignment” tab, but
a second telephone number is also entered in the same
tab.
T
The sample household does not want to be
interviewed by telephone. The “Notes” tab in laptop
case management or the VERIFY screen at the back
of the instrument may give you this information.
T
The sample household indicated the best time to call
or visit them and/or when they do not wish to be
contacted. Press “Ctrl” + “T” in the instrument or use
the “Interview Time Preference” tab in laptop case
management to get this information.
T
The sample household indicated that they do not want
to be contacted on a Sunday. Press “Ctrl” + “T” in
the instrument or use the “Interview Time Preference”
tab in laptop case management to get this information.
T
The sample household indicated in the “Assignment”
tab that someone in the household needs his/her
interview conducted in Spanish.
By reviewing these items before dialing the telephone
number, you will be more likely to reach the household and
less likely to bother them at an inconvenient or unwanted
time. You also will be better able to start the interview in a
confident and prepared manner.
Ask for Previous
Household Respondent
After dialing the telephone number listed in the
“Assignment” tab or at the DIAL_CP screen in the
instrument and someone answers, start by identifying
yourself and asking to speak to the household respondent
from the previous enumeration period. This person is listed
in the “Assignment” column in laptop case management.
Personal Visit vs. Telephone Interviews
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The instrument is also set up to ask for the household
respondent from the previous enumeration. If that person is
not available, then make sure that you have reached the
correct sample address.
Once you know that you have reached the correct sample
address and are speaking to a household member, you can
continue with your introduction. You don't want to
describe the NCVS to someone who is not a sample
household member.
Then ask to speak with a household member who is at least
18 years of age and knowledgeable about the household,
preferably one of the owners or renters of the home. This
person will be your household respondent for the current
interview.
The following introduction appears in the instrument at
GEN_INTRO_CP and HELLO_1_CP.
A Typical Introduction
"Hello, I'm (your name) from the United States Census
Bureau." (After reaching a sample household member,
continue with...) "I’m calling concerning the National
Crime Victimization Survey. The Census Bureau is
conducting a survey here and throughout the Nation to
determine how often people are victims of crimes. We last
contacted this address six months ago. I would like to
talk to someone in the household who is at least 18 years
of age and knowledgeable about this household. Would
that be you?"
Explaining the Purpose
of the NCVS
Some respondents may want to ask some questions about
the NCVS before agreeing to answer the survey questions.
Be prepared to answer their questions briefly and
accurately.
The following sources provide answers to some commonly
asked questions from respondents:
º
Information Card Booklet, NCVS-554,
Personal Visit vs. Telephone Interviews
A5-13
Part A, Chapter 5
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
º
NCVS At a Glance, NCVS-550.1 Job Aid,
º
The FAQ tab in the NCVS instrument, and
º
Part A, Chapter 2, Topic 5, of this manual, NCVS550 (CAPI).
Mentioning the
Introductory Letter
For both personal visits and telephone interviews, the
instrument prompts you to verify whether the respondent
received the introductory letter. Have a copy of the letter
with you in case a respondent has a question about it. If
you conduct the interview in person, hand him/her a copy
of the introductory letter if it was not received in the mail.
Identifying Yourself
Unlike a personal visit interview, you are not able to show
any formal identification to a respondent over the
telephone. If you identify yourself, your agency, the survey,
and your purpose for calling, most respondents will believe
you and agree to be interviewed. For those respondents
who seriously doubt what you tell them, suggest that they
call your regional office's (1-800) number (if available) or
call collect to confirm who you are and why you are calling
them.
Explaining the Purpose
of a Telephone Interview
Some respondents may want to know why you are calling
them instead of coming to their home for the interview. If
this happens, just explain that telephone interviews help us
to reduce our survey expenses. Therefore, as a cost saving
measure, we attempt to conduct most interviews by
telephone if the household has indicated to us in a previous
interview that a telephone interview is acceptable.
Explaining Our
Exemption From the
“Do Not Call” Registry
The “Do Not Call” registry does not limit a call made for
the sole purpose of conducting a survey. Therefore, calls
from the Census Bureau for survey data collection are not
restricted by this registry.
Verifying the Accuracy of
Your Contact
For the NCVS we are following the sample address and not
a specific household. In other words, if a household moves
out of a sample address between enumeration periods, you
Personal Visit vs. Telephone Interviews
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no longer interview that household. Instead, you interview
the current residents at the sample address.
If you call the telephone number and reach the same
household from the previous enumeration period, don't
assume that you have reached the sample address. It is
possible that the household could be using the same
telephone number at their new address.
Always verify that the household is still living at the
address listed in the VERADD_CP screen. If you are
given an address that doesn't identify an exact unit or is
slightly different from the address displayed in
VERADD_CP, ask the respondent if the household has
moved since their last interview.
If the household has moved out of the sample address and
continues to use the same telephone number, use the
procedures for coding movers in Part B, Chapter 2, Topic 5.
Thank the respondent for their cooperation and explain that
you do not need to interview his/her household, since they
no longer live at the sample address for this survey.
Anytime you discover that a new or replacement household
is currently living at the sample address, you are required to
collect the demographic information for the new
respondents and conduct the interviews with the
replacement household by personal visit for the current
enumeration period, when a new household has moved into
the sample address. However, if the sample address is
vacant beause no new respondents have moved in, the
original case will not be coded as a replacement; rather, it
will be coded as a Type B noninterview.
Selecting a Household
Respondent
Once you are sure that you have reached the sample address
and the same household from the previous enumeration
period, you need to speak to the household member who
will be the "household respondent." Because of the type of
information this person needs to provide both for the
Demographics Section and the Basic Screen Questionnaire,
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you need to select a household member who is at least 18
years of age and knowledgeable about the household.
Listed below is the order of preference for selecting a
household respondent:
Using the Information Card
Booklet
First
Ask for the household respondent from the
previous enumeration period.
Second
Ask for one of the persons who owns or rents
the home.
Third
Ask for a household member who is at least 18
years of age and knowledgeable about the
household.
Questions that display the icon of an open book in the
upper left corner (EDUCATIONATTAIN, SP_ORIGIN,
RACE, and HOUSEHOLDINCOME) instruct you to
show a flashcard to the respondent for personal visit
interviews. When several answer categories are listed for
an item, it is much easier for a respondent to read the
flashcard and select the correct answer. Obviously, these
items must be handled differently during a telephone
interview.
EDUCATIONATTAIN,
Educational Attainment
If you are conducting a telephone interview for a third,
fifth, or seventh enumeration household or duing and even
numbered enumeration where there are any NEW
household members, you ask item EDUCATIONATTAIN
and enter the appropriate precode. More information about
this item can be found in Part B, Chapter 2, Topic 8.
Item SP_ORIGIN,
Spanish Origin
Since your telephone interview cases will be sample
addresses that have been interviewed in a previous
enumeration period, you will only ask Item SP_ORIGIN
for NEW household members that you add for the current
enumeration period.
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If the respondent hesitates to answer once you have asked
the question in SP_ORIGIN, then turn to the race
categories in your Information Card Booklet and ask the
respondent if the added person's ethnic origin is one of the
following origins...(then read the origins listed).
Item RACE, Race
For your telephone interviews, only ask the race question
for any NEW household members for the current
enumeration period. If the respondent does not give you
the NEW household member’s race(s) after you ask the
question for RACE, then read the race categories listed.
Item HOUSEHOLD
INCOME, Household
Income
If you are conducting a telephone interview for a third,
fifth, or seventh enumeration period household, you must
update Item HOUSEHOLDINCOME with the household
respondent. Follow these steps:
Step 1 -
Ask the question in Item
HOUSEHOLDINCOME, "What was the total
combined income of all members of this
household during the past 12 months?"
Step 2 -
If necessary, explain to the respondent that you
need to identify the broad income range that best
fits the total combined income during the past
12 months for all household members who are
14 years of age or older.
Exclude the income of any household member
who left the household and is not a household
member at the time of the interview. If the
respondent seems confused about which
household member's income to include, then
read the list of current household members who
are over 14 years of age by clicking on the
HHRoster tab in the instrument.
Step 3 -
If the respondent gives too broad an income
range, then probe by reading the answer
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categories from the question that are within the
broad range.
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Part A, Chapter 5
Topic 5. Telephone Interviewing Skills
Overview
Every interviewing situation is unique. Do not allow a
difficult interview or a sharp refusal to shake your
confidence or affect subsequent interviews. Begin each
interview as if it were your first interview of the workday.
Keep a businesslike attitude and a positive frame of mind at
all times.
Successful telephone communication is dependent on how
the respondent perceives you based on your vocal
expression. Your language usage, grammar, voice quality,
rate of speech, and enunciation are all key elements in
creating a favorable impression over the telephone.
General Rules
When you conduct a telephone interview, be professional.
You can accomplish this if you are easy to understand and
always try to sound confident, polite, and businesslike.
Listed below are some general rules that can help you to
promote a professional image.
Clarity
Avoid talking to respondents with anything in your mouth-no mints, gum, and so forth. Always speak directly into the
mouthpiece and guard against placing the mouthpiece at
chin level. Instead of raising your voice when a respondent
is having difficulty hearing or understanding you, first
make sure that you are holding the mouthpiece between
your nose and your lower lip. This will improve the quality
of the transmission and allow you to speak in your normal
tone of voice.
Enunciation
Pronounce your words carefully and never mumble. This is
so important because the English language is full of similar
sounds, such as the letters "T" and "D," and "P," "B," and
"V." Careful enunciation will not only save you from
repeating what you just said, but will also help you avoid
misunderstandings.
Courtesy
Courtesy is tremendously important during a telephone
interview. Whenever a respondent tries your patience,
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remain calm and do not allow him/her to hear any
impatience or frustration in your voice. The best way to
achieve this is to never take anything a respondent says
personally. Avoid letting your emotions push you into
saying anything that may upset or excite a respondent.
Also, as a courtesy to the respondent, explain why you are
pausing between questions. The respondent may be more
patient and willing to wait if he/she knows that you are
pausing to enter pertinent facts about an incident.
Remember that your job is to conduct complete and
accurate interviews in a "professional" manner.
Rate of Speech
Find a rate of speech that is comfortable for you and the
majority of your respondents. The average rate of speech is
120 words per minute. If you speak too rapidly, your words
tend to run together, and if you speak too slowly, the
respondent may still have difficulty understanding what you
say.
Pitch and Inflection
Speak in a moderate pitch and avoid talking in a monotone
voice. When reading questions, it is especially helpful to
use a rising inflection towards the end of a question. If you
put a "smile" in your voice and avoid sounding like a robot,
you are more likely to keep your respondent's interest.
Use a Brief Introduction
Avoid using lengthy introductions. Keep them brief and to
the point and begin interviewing as soon as possible.
Start Fresh
Do not let your emotions from a "tough" interview or a
refusal carryover into the next interview. Each respondent
deserves a fresh start and the best that you have to give
them. You can not allow "tough" interviews and refusals to
shake your confidence.
No Rushing
Do not rush respondents or make them feel that they are
taking too long to answer your questions. We want
respondents to relax and take their time, so they can
remember all the pertinent facts about an incident. If
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respondents feel like you are rushing them, they may
purposely leave out information.
Ending the Interview
Listening Skills
As you finish interviewing each eligible respondent in a
sample household, thank him/her and ask to speak to the
next respondent. When the time comes to end the
telephone call, always let the respondent hang up first. This
technique gives the respondent a feeling of control over the
situation.
It takes much more than just asking questions to be a good
interviewer. Listening attentively to your respondent is just
as important for conducting a successful interview. Listed
below are some listening techniques which all interviewers
need to practice:
L
Limit your own talking so that the respondent has
ample time to explain incidents. Remember that it is
very difficult to talk and listen well at the same time.
L
When you do not understand something said or you
feel that you may have missed a point, always try to
get a clear understanding of the situation. Sometimes
repeating what the respondent said in your own words
may help to straighten out the misunderstanding.
Telephone interviews may require more probing than
personal visit interviews.
L
Try not to interrupt a respondent before he/she is
finished replying. A long pause does not always
mean that the respondent is done answering your
question. Never rush a respondent when he/she needs
more time to recall specific facts.
L
Life is full of distractions, but shut them out while
conducting interviews. Concentrate on focusing your
mind on what each respondent is telling you.
L
The occasional use of interjections like "Yes" or "I
see" reassures the respondent that you are paying
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attention to what he/she is saying. Be especially
careful to use neutral comments that will not bias the
interview in any way. Avoid saying things like
"That's good" or "That's too bad."
Telephone Techniques
L
Listen attentively and objectively. Do not allow a
respondent's words to irritate you or a respondent's
harsh manner to distract you from your professional
manner.
L
Avoid jumping to conclusions or assuming that a
respondent will say something before they actually
finish explaining the incident. Be patient and let the
respondent finish his/her thought. Do not lead the
respondent and possibly bias the interview.
Every interviewing situation is unique. It is important that
you adapt to each new respondent. Do not let your
reactions to one interview carry over and affect the next
interview.
Here are some techniques you can follow to help in
conducting your telephone interviews:
±
Select a good working space
Select a quiet place where you can conduct your
telephone interviews without distractions and in
privacy. Make sure that you have adequate space and
light for your work.
±
Be prepared
Before you begin a telephone interview, make sure
that you have all the materials you need within your
arm’s reach. Make sure that you have adequate
supplies of paper, pens, pencils, and forms, together
with this manual and any job aids. If you need to
leave the telephone for some unexpected reason,
always excuse yourself politely and never let the
respondent wait more than a minute. If your
telephone has a "call waiting" feature, disconnect the
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"call waiting" feature before you start any telephone
interviews.
±
Learn from your mistakes
Whenever possible, try to evaluate your performance
for each interview. See if you can improve your
technique in any area of the interview process. Try to
improve your technique with each new interview and
do not continue making the same mistakes over and
over.
±
Learn from your success
When you feel that an interview went especially well,
try to evaluate why it went so well. Perhaps your
telephone manner made the difference because you
were able to maintain your confidence and project a
pleasant and businesslike attitude. Concentrate on the
positive aspects of the successful interview and
continue to improve your technique.
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Part A, Chapter 6
Chapter 6
Noninterviews
Table of Topics
Topic
Page
1 Overview of Noninterview Types
and Procedures
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2 Type A Noninterview Categories
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3 Type B Noninterview Categories
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4 Type C Noninterview Categories
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5 Type Z Noninterview Persons
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Topic 1. Overview of Noninterview Types and Procedures
Noninterview Cases
When you are assigned an NCVS case and cannot get a
completed interview, you must classify the case into one of
three noninterview categories. These categories are
identified as Type A, Type B, and Type C.
A sample address is classified as a noninterview if:
Noninterview Categories
C
The living quarters is occupied but you are unable to
get any completed interviews.
C
The living quarters is occupied by persons who are
not eligible respondents for the NCVS.
C
The living quarters is vacant.
C
The living quarters is not eligible for sample because
it is no longer used as a residence, it no longer exists,
or it does not qualify based on the current listing and
coverage rules.
Qualifications for each of the three noninterview categories,
Type A, B, and C, are as follows:
Type A
Some sample households consist of persons who are
eligible for interview, but none of these persons can be
interviewed for a specific reason. These cases will classify
as Type A noninterviews. Type A noninterview reasons for
the NCVS are:
T
T
T
T
T
T
Duplicate (2000 sample design only)
Language problems
No one home
Temporarily absent
Refused
Other occupied (Use this Type A reason for occupied
sample units that you cannot reach due to impassable
roads; for sample households that you cannot
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interview due to serious illness or death in the
household; for sample units that you are unable to
locate; or for EXTRA and additional units for 2000
sample design cases that are added on the listing
sheet, but not interviewed.)
Type B
A sample address could be vacant or occupied entirely by
persons who have a usual residence elsewhere. Although
these cases are not eligible for interview during the current
interview period, they could become eligible at a later time.
These cases will classify as Type B noninterviews. Type B
noninterview reasons for the NCVS are:
T
T
T
T
T
T
T
T
T
Vacant - regular
Vacant - storage of household furniture
Temporarily occupied by persons with usual residence
elsewhere (URE)
Unfit or to be demolished
Under construction, not ready
Converted to temporary business or storage
Unoccupied site for mobile home, trailer, or tent
Permit granted, construction not started
Other (Only use this Type B reason if none of the
other Type B reasons are appropriate for the
situation.)
Type C
Some situations can require that a sample address be
permanently removed from the NCVS sample. These cases
will classify as Type C noninterviews. Type C
noninterview reasons for the NCVS are:
T
T
T
T
T
T
T
Unused line of listing sheet
Demolished
House or trailer moved
Outside segment
Converted to permanent business or storage
Merged
Condemned
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T
T
T
T
T
Type Z Noninterviews
Built after April 1, 1990/2000
Removed during subsampling (2000 sample design
only)
Unit already had a chance of selection (2000 sample
design only)
Permit abandoned or other (Only use the Type C
“Other” reason when none of the specific Type C
reasons are appropriate for the situation.)
Spawned in error
Classify an eligible household member as a Type Z
noninterview when you are unable to interview an eligible
household member and the household member is not the
household respondent.
Unlike Type A, B, and C noninterviews, a Type Z
noninterview relates to an eligible household member
(other than the household respondent) and does not relate
to the entire sample household. Another difference is that a
personal visit is not required prior to classifying a person as
a Type Z noninterview.
However, if you are unable to interview the household
respondent, the entire sample household will classify as a
Type A noninterview because:
X
You must interview the household respondent before
interviewing anyone else in the household.
AND
X
Minimizing
Noninterviews
You cannot classify a household respondent as a
Type Z noninterview person.
It is important to keep both Type A and Type Z
noninterviews to a minimum, so that:
C
Your response rate does not suffer and
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C
The sample data you collect is truly representative of
the entire U.S. population.
Individuals who are difficult to find at home or who resist
being interviewed may have different victimization
experiences than persons who are readily available for
interviews. Therefore, failure to get interviews from all
eligible household members could introduce serious bias
into the survey results.
Procedures for Type A, B,
and C Noninterviews
Type A Noninterview
Procedures
If you have a case that is a Type A, B, or C noninterview,
select Precode (4), “Noninterview,” at Item START_CP.
Descriptions and instructions for each noninterview type
are outlined below, starting at Item NONTYP.
At Item NONTYP, select Precode (1), “Type A.” Item
TYPEA appears; there are six options:
1. Duplicate (2000 cases only) [outcome code 211]
2. Language problems [outcome code 213]
3. No one home [outcome code 216]
4. Temporarily absent - Specify [outcome code 217]
5. Refused [outcome code 218]
6. Other occupied - Specify [outcome code 219]
If you select precodes (1) (2) (3) or (5), Item TYPEA_CK
apears, which asks, “Are you sure this is a Type A
noninterview?” If you are sure, enter Precode (1), “Yes.” If
not, enter Precode (2), “No.”
If you select Precode (4) in TYPEA, “Temporarily absent Specify,” Item TYPEA_SPEC4 appears and says, “Enter
the date this household is expected to return.” Enter the
date of the household’s expected return. Then
TYPEA_CK appears (see paragraph above.)
If you select Precode (6), Item TYPEA_SPEC6 appears,
which says, “Enter the description for Other - Occupied.”
Then TYPEA_CK appears (see above).
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Proceed with Item TYPEOFHOUSINGUNIT_AB, which
asks you to “Please select one box that describes the type of
housing unit” from twelve options:
1. House, apartment, flat
2. HU in nontransient hotel, motel, etc.
3. HU permanent in transient hotel, motel, etc.
4. HU in rooming house
5. Mobile home or trailer with no permanent room
added
6. Mobile home or trailer with one or more permanent
rooms attached
7. HU not specified above - Descirbe
8. Quarters not HU in rooming or boarding house
9. Unit not permanent in transient hotel, motel, etc.
10. Unoccupied site for mobile home, trailer, or tent
11. Student quarters in college dormitory
12. Other unit not specified above - Describe
Items BCNAME, BCTITL, and BCNUM appear, which
ask for the contact person’s name, title, and telephone
number. (A contact person is someone who is
knowledgeable about the household - a neighbor, mail
carrier, postal carrier, etc.) Select an answer and proceed
with Item THANKYOU_CP, which ends the interview.
Type B Noninterviews
At Item NONTYP, select Precode (2), “Type B.” Item
TYPEB appears; there are nine options:
1. Vacant - regular [outcome code 226]
2. Vacant - storage of household furniture
[outcome code 227]
3. Temporarily occupied by persons with URE
[outcome code 225]
4. Unfit or to be demolished [outcome code 228]
5. Under construction, not ready [outcome code 229]
6. Converted to temporary business or storage
[outcome code 230]
7. Unoccupied site for mobile home, trailer, or tent
[outcome code 231]
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8. Permit granted, construction not started
[outcome code 232]
9. Other - Specify [outcome code 233]
If you select any of Precodes (1) through (8), Items
BCNAME, BCTITL, and BCNUM appear, which ask for
the contact person’s name, title, and telephone number. (A
contact person is someone who is knowledgeable about the
household - a neighbor, mail carrier, postal carrier, etc.)
If the determination of a Type B was made by observation,
enter “None” in the contact information fields, and enter
Precode (2), “Yes” at BCOBS.
If you select Precode (9), “Other - Specify,” Item
TYPEB_SPEC9 appears, “Enter the description of the
Other Type B reason.” Then Item BCNAME appears (see
paragraph above).
Proceed with Item TYPEOFHOUSINGUNIT_AB, which
appears after BC_NAME.
Proceed with Item THANKYOU_CP, which ends the
interview.
Type C Noninterviews
At Item NONTYP, select Precode (3), “Type C.” Item
TYPEC appears; there are twelve options:
1. Unused line of listing sheet [outcome code 247]
2. Demolished [outcome code 240]
3. House or trailer moved [outcome code 241] (Note
that this code is for a case where the actual trailer
or house has moved and not just its occupants)
4. Outside segment [outcome code 242]
5. Converted to permanent business or storage
[outcome code 243]
6. Merged [outcome code 244]
7. Condemned [outcome code 245]
8. Built after April 1, 2000 [outcome code 246]
9. Removed during subsampling [outcome code 256]
10. Unit already had a chance of selection
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[outcome code 257]
11. Permit abandoned or Other - Specify
[outcome code 248]
12. Spawned in error [outcome code 290]
If you select any of Precodes (1) through (10), Items
BCNAME, BCTITL, and BCNUM appear, which ask for
the contact person’s name, title, and telephone number. (A
contact person is someone who is knowledgeable about the
household - a neighbor, mail carrier, postal carrier, etc.)
If the determination of a Type B was made by observation
enter “None” in the contact information fields, and enter
Precode (2), “Yes” at BCOBS.
If you select Precode (11), Item TYPEC_SPEC appears,
which says, “Enter the description of the other Type C
reason.” Enter the description. Then Item
TYPEC_WARN appears: “You have made this case a
Type C- Permit Abandoned or Other-Specify.” If this is
correct, enter Precode (1) to proceed. If you have made an
error classifying the case, use the up arrows to go back to
previous items and change your responses, after entering
(1) to continue. Item BCNAME appears, which is
described in the previous paragraph.
If you indicate that the case is a true Type C, the instrument
spawns a case, which will appear on the main Case List
with an “R” prefix, and the same ID number as the parent
case, incremented by 1. The parent case no longer appears
on the main Case List.
Proceed with Item THANKYOU _CP, which ends the
interview.
Procedures for Type Z
Noninterviews
A Type Z noninterview indicates that you completed
interviews with at least the household respondent but were
unable to complete an interview with one or more eligible
members.
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If the household contains any members who have not been
interviewed, either because they refused, had a partial
interview, were never available despite repeated attempts to
interview them, they were temporarily absent and no proxy
was available, you must specify the Type Z noninterview
reason for every noninterview person in the household
before you can transmit the case.
This process can only be done at the time you are ready to
transmit the case, so it is important that you identify any
eligible household members as noninterviews early in the
interview period, and annotate the reason(s) in the CAPI
notes so you don’t forget them when you are ready to
transmit the case later.
Designating household
members as Type Z
noninterviews
Enter the case and click on the household roster (HH
Roster) tab on the toolbar to check the interview status of
eligible household members. You must designate a Type Z
noninterview reason for all those whose interview status is
“Need self,” “Need proxy,” “Partial int,” or “Refused.”
Proceed as follows:
Click on the “Main” tab to go to the START_CP screen
and enter Precode (5), “Ready to transmit case - no more
followup.” A pop-up screen appears that says, “Case not
ready for transmission.” Click the “suppress” button. The
TYPEZ screen appears: “No survey data were collected for
(NAME). Enter the reason that best describes why
(NAME)’s survey date were not collected.” There are five
options:
1. Never available
2. Refused
3. Physically/Mentally Unable
4. TA - No proxy available
5. Other
Enter the applicable reason, then exit the case. Note that
the case is automatically removed from the main Case List.
Noninterviews
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Topic 2. Type A Noninterview Categories
Overview
Since Type A noninterviews mean the loss of valuable
information, it is essential to keep Type A noninterviews to
a minimum. If we fail to get NCVS data from sample
households, the data we do collect may not be
representative of the U.S. population.
It is not always possible to avoid Type A noninterviews, but
there are ways to keep them at a minimum. These include:
C
Establishing good relations with your respondents,
C
Contacting sample households when they are most
likely to be at home, and
C
Conducting the interview in a positive and
professional manner.
The following reasons can cause a sample unit to be
classified as a Type A noninterview:
T
A 2000 sample design case is also in sample for either
the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) or the
American Community Survey (ACS).
T
The sample household cannot be interviewed during
the interview period because of language problems.
T
After making repeated contacts during the interview
period, you are never able to reach anyone at home.
T
All members of the sample household are temporarily
away from home during the entire interview period.
T
The sample household refuses to allow any
interviews.
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T
An occupied sample unit cannot be interviewed due to
impassable roads.
T
The sample household cannot be interviewed during
the interview period because of a serious illness or a
death in the family.
T
You are not able to locate the sample unit.
Before you classify a telephone interview case as a Type A
noninterview, you must attempt to make contact in person
and interview the household. Also make sure that you call
your regional office before sending in a Type A
noninterview.
Procedures for “Duplicate
(2000 Sample Design
Only)” - Precode (1),
(Outcome 211)
If a 2000 sample design case in your assignment is flagged
on your assignment sheet (11-35) as a potential duplicate
AND the respondent tells you that he/she was interviewed
already, then you can classify the case as Type A Precode
(1), Duplicate (2000 sample design only). In this situation,
the NCVS case is also in sample for the NHIS and/or the
ACS and one of those surveys has already interviewed the
household. Do NOT classify a 1990 sample design case
(Samples J21 and J22) as a Type A Precode (1).
Procedures for “Language
Problems” - Precode (2),
(Outcome 213)
Before you can classify a sample household as “Language
Problems,” you must make attempts to find an interpreter
who is acceptable to the household respondent. The
interpreter can be a family member, a neighbor of the
respondent, an official interpreter, or even you, if you speak
the person’s language. If you have difficulty finding a
suitable interpreter, contact your supervisor before
classifying the case as a Type A Precode (2). Only use
Type A Precode (2) as a last resort.
Procedures for "No One
Home" - Precode (3),
(Outcome 216)
Before you can classify a sample household as "No One
Home," you must make several attempts to contact the
household and verify that they are only gone for a short
while and plan to return during the interview period. If the
household is away from home and isn't expected to return
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before your closeout date, use Type A Precode (3),
Temporarily Absent, instead of using Type A Precode (2).
For personal visit interviews:
If no one is home at the time of your first visit for the
interview period, check with neighbors or anyone else who
may know when the household is expected to return home.
Remember, do not mention the survey name when making
any inquiries. Listed below is a suggested way of making
inquiries:
"Hello, I am (your name) from the United States Census
Bureau. Here is my identification (show ID). I am trying
to contact someone at (sample address), but no one is at
home. Do you know when it is likely that someone would
be there?"
Listed below are the procedures to follow when you
discover that the household is expected to return home
sometime within the interview period:
¸
Fill out a Request for Appointment (Form 11-38 or
11-38A) indicating when you plan to return. For
identification purposes, enter the case's control
number and your name and telephone number on the
form.
¸
Use the back of the instrument (when in the
instrument) or the case level notes to enter the
callback date and time for your return visit.
Note:
Another alternative is to leave your business card
at the sample address with a preprinted peel-off
sticker attached to it saying:
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IMPORTANT
Please call me at the number on the attached card.
I am required to contact an adult household
member and I am obligated to return until contact
has been made.
(Enter your name)
U.S. Census Bureau Field Representative
Procedures for
"Temporarily Absent" Precode (4), Outcome 217
¸
If it is not practical to use a Request for Appointment
form, try to determine the best time to contact the
household and then make a return visit at that time.
¸
If all of these efforts fail, then classify the case as a
Type A Code 216, No one home, as described in
Topic 1 of this chapter.
For personal visit interviews:
When you make your first visit to a sample address for an
interview month and find that no one is home, try to
determine from neighbors or anyone else who may know
how long the household may be gone.
Before classifying a case as a Type A Precode (4),
Temporarily Absent, all of the following conditions must
exist:
U
All household members are temporarily away and
not expected to return home until the current closeout
date has passed. They might be on vacation, a
business trip, caring for sick relatives, or some other
similar reason.
U
All of the household's personal belongings are still
in the sample unit. In other words, the sample
household has not moved their personal belongings to
another location. This is especially important if you
see a "For Sale" or "For Rent" sign on the property.
U
The sample unit is not a summer cottage or a unit
used only for vacation purposes. In other words,
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the sample unit is the primary residence for the
sample household.
Once you determine that the case qualifies as a Type A
Precode (4), Temporarily Absent, take the following
actions:
Procedures for "Refused" Precode (5), (Outcome 218)
C
After entering Precode (4), enter the date when the
sample household is expected to return to the sample
address in TYPEA_SPEC4.
C
Use the BC_CONTACT screens to enter the name,
title, contact type code, address, telephone number,
and telephone type code for the person who provided
the information about the household.
C
If there is any possibility that the household will
return before your closeout date, attempt to interview
the household prior to your closeout date when
feasible, do not code the household as a Type A yet.
C
When you know that the household definitely will not
return before either closeout dates, complete the rest
of the noninterview section according to the
instructions in Topic 2 of this chapter. Make sure that
you enter the "Return date" when filling Item
TYPEA_SPEC4.
Although our response rates are high, you may occasionally
experience households who refuse to be interviewed.
When you encounter such households, impress upon them
that the information they can provide is valuable and the
survey results will benefit their household and their
community. Make every reasonable effort to obtain
cooperation from each sample household assigned to you.
Despite all your efforts, a sample household may still refuse
to answer the survey questions or may insist that an
interview is not necessary since their household had no
changes or crimes to report for the past 6 months. You are
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still required to complete and/or update the appropriate
items in the control card section and to complete the
NCVS-1 interviews with a household respondent and all
remaining eligible household members, even if no crimes
occurred.
When you are unable to change the way a household feels
about participating in the NCVS and they just refuse to
cooperate, follow these procedures:
For personal visit interviews:
U
Your supervisor may instruct you to notify her/him by
telephone and explain the refusal situation. If your
supervisor will be in the sample area on other
business, she/he could visit the refusal household and
try to change their minds.
U
When all efforts to convert a refusal are unsuccessful,
complete the noninterview section as described in
Topic 2 of this chapter, below.
U
Complete an INTER-COMM (Form 11-36)
explaining the situation and what actions were taken
to gain the household's cooperation.
As soon as your office becomes aware of a refusal
household, they will mail a letter to the household
requesting their cooperation and letting them know that you
will contact them again. The office will also send you a
copy of this letter.
If your office notifies you that a refusal household is
considered a "confirmed" refusal, you will no longer
attempt to interview the refusal household. For future
enumeration periods, verify with neighbors or other
knowledgeable sources whether or not the same household
is still living in the sample unit.
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If the confirmed refusal household is still living at the
sample unit:
C
Enter Type A Precode (5) in Item TYPEA.
C
Complete the Noninterview section as described in
Topic 2 of this chapter, below.
C
In the Case Level Notes, enter "Confirmed refusal
household - Do not attempt to interview household."
If you discover that a new household has moved into the
sample unit, visit and interview the new or "replacement"
household and code the parent household as “replaced.”
See this manual, Part A, Chapter 3 or Part B, Chapter 2 for
procedures for creating a spawned case from a parent case
for the new household. After creating a spawned case,
interview the “replacement” household.
Group Quarters (GQ)
Refusals
Some of your NCVS assignments may include sample units
within GQs, such as hotels, college dormitories, homeless
shelters, and so forth. If either the manager or owner of a
group quarters refuses to allow you to interview persons
residing in sample GQ units, notify your supervisor
immediately. Based on the situation, your supervisor will
provide you with specific instructions.
Procedures for "Other
Occupied" - Precode (6),
(Outcome 219)
Most Type A noninterviews fall under one of the five
reasons already mentioned: Duplicate (2000 Sample Design
Only), Language problems, No one home, Temporarily
absent, and Refused. However, you could encounter other
situations that force you to classify an eligible and occupied
sample unit as a Type A noninterview.
For example, the following situations could justify
classifying a case as a Type A noninterview, Other
occupied:
º
A family member died very recently.
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º
The sample household has been quarantined.
º
The sample household lives in a gated and/or guarded
community and you cannot gain access to the sample
address. Notify your supervisor immediately and
he/she will provide you with specific instructions.
º
A storm or other natural disaster prevents you from
getting to sample addresses in your assignment. In
recent years, weather-related interviewing problems,
such as floods, mud slides, earthquakes, fires, and
heavy snow, have become more prevalent. If you
encounter these problems, try to identify which
sample addresses are occupied and which sample
addresses are vacant.
For previously interviewed households:
Determine occupancy based on the unit's status during
the last enumeration period, unless a knowledgeable
person tells you otherwise.
For first time households:
If a sample unit is assigned to you for the first
enumeration period, try to discover the occupancy
status from neighbors, local merchants, postal
workers, county recorder of deeds, or other local
government officials. Never mention the survey name
when talking to persons who are not household
members at the sample address.
º
More than two of the household respondent’s screen
questions are left unanswered because the household
respondent refused to answer them and you are unable
to interview another eligible household member as the
household respondent.
º
An EXTRA or additional unit for a 2000 sample
design cases is listed on a listing sheet, but not
interviewed.
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Topic 3. Type B Noninterview Categories
Overview
Type B noninterviews include cases which you cannot
interview during a specific interview period because they
are either:
C
Unoccupied or
C
Temporarily occupied by persons who are ineligible
for interview because they have a usual residence
elsewhere (URE).
Any case that you classify as a Type B noninterview could
become eligible for interview in a later enumeration period.
A sample unit may be classified as a Type B noninterview
for any of the following reasons:
Procedures for "Vacant,
Regular" - Precode (1)
(Outcome 226)
T
Vacant, regular
T
Vacant, storage of household furniture
T
Temporarily occupied by persons with a usual
residence elsewhere (URE)
T
Unfit or to be demolished
T
Under construction, not ready
T
Converted to temporary business or storage
T
Unoccupied site for a mobile home, trailer, or tent
T
Permit granted, construction not started
T
Other Type B
The majority of the unoccupied units that you discover will
probably classify as "Vacant, regular." If you discover that a
sample address is unoccupied and the following conditions
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exist, you can classify the unit as a Type B noninterview,
Vacant, regular:
Special Situations
±
The unit is vacant and the occupants have
permanently left the unit.
±
The unit is for sale or rent.
±
The unit is being held off the sales market.
±
The unit is seasonally closed (e.g., a vacation home).
±
A dilapidated unit that is still considered a living
quarters, such as a housing unit that is very run down,
in need of many repairs, and still occupied as a living
quarters. Do not include unoccupied units that are
condemned, unfit for human habitation, awaiting
demolition or being demolished.
±
A vacant living quarters such as a mobile home, tent,
or a similar structure.
±
A GQ unit that may be vacant in transient quarters.
You may discover a vacant sample unit that is in the
process of being converted to make more units or merged to
make fewer units. Classify the unoccupied units created
by the conversion or merger as Type B, Precode (1),
Vacant, regular, if:
C
The conversion or merger has progressed to the stage
where you can identify the converted or merged units
as they will be when completed, or
C
A responsible person can tell you how the units will
be when completed.
Otherwise, classify the original sample unit as a Type B,
Precode (1), Vacant, regular.
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The same procedures used for conversions and mergers also
apply to sample units that are undergoing repairs or
alterations.
Procedures for "Vacant,
Storage of Household
Furniture" - Precode (2),
(Outcome 227)
Only use Type B, Precode (2) when an unoccupied sample
unit is used solely for the storage of excess furniture. This
is not the same as a vacant unit that is fully furnished and
awaiting a potential renter or owner. For a vacant,
furnished unit that is waiting to be rented or sold, use Type
B, Precode (1), Vacant, regular.
Procedures for
"Temporarily Occupied by
Persons With a URE" Precode (3), (Outcome 225)
If an entire household is staying at a sample unit
temporarily (e.g., on vacation) and the household has a
usual residence elsewhere (URE), they are not eligible
household members; do not interview them. If you
discover this situation, classify the unit as a Type B,
Precode (3), Temporarily occupied by persons with a URE.
Procedures for "Unfit or to
be Demolished" - Precode
(4), (Outcome 228)
Consider an unoccupied sample unit as unfit for human
habitation if the unit is no longer protected from the
elements because the roof, walls, windows, or doors are
either damaged or missing. This may have been caused by
vandalism, fire, or deterioration from neglect and age.
If you see the following conditions, the likely classificatin
for the unit is Type B, Precode 4, Unfit or to be
demolished:
º
Windows are broken
º
Doors are either missing or swinging open
º
Parts of the roof or walls are missing or destroyed
leaving holes in the unit's structure
º
Part of the structure has been blown or washed away
º
Part of the structure has collapsed or is missing.
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Do not use Type B, Precode 4, for the following two
situations:
W
When doors and windows are boarded up to keep
them from becoming destroyed by vandalism or bad
weather.
W
When doors and windows are not intended to be used
in a structure, such as in some rural sections of the
country.
Also use the "Unfit or to be demolished" reason for vacant
sample units that you can verify as being scheduled for
demolition. You must see positive evidence, such as a
demolition sign, notice, or mark on the sample unit or on
the building that houses the sample unit.
Procedures for "Under
Construction, Not Ready" Precode (5), (Outcome 229)
Type B, Precode (5) is intended for sample units that are in
the process of being newly constructed and are not yet
ready for occupancy because the following items have not
been installed:
C
Exterior windows and doors and
C
Usable floors.
Once the newly constructed sample unit is ready for
occupancy, but is still vacant, classify it as Type B
Precode (1), Vacant, regular.
Procedures for "Converted
to Temporary Business or
Storage" - Precode (6),
(Outcome 230)
Use Type B, Precode (6) when a sample unit that is
intended as a living quarters is used instead for the
temporary storage of commercial or business supplies,
machinery or other products related to a business. If you
can determine that the storage of these business supplies is
permanent, then classify the sample unit as Type C
Precode (5), Converted to permanent business or storage,
not Type B Precode 6.
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Do not use "Converted to temporary business or storage," if
you discover that the vacant unit is intended for the storage
of business supplies in the future, but not at the time of
your visit.
Remember that there is a separate Type B noninterview
reason for a sample unit that is vacant and used solely to
store household furniture. Do not use "Converted to
temporary business or storage" when it is household
furniture that is being stored in the vacant unit.
Procedures for
"Unoccupied Site for
Mobile Home, Trailer, or
Tent” - Precode (7),
(Outcome 231)
Although mobile homes, trailers, tents, boats, cars, buses,
caves, and so forth are not located within a typical building
structure, they can still be considered housing units if they
meet our housing unit definition. (See page 1.2 in
Volume I, Listing and Coverage: A Survival Guide for the
Field Representative, Form 11-8.) If the sample unit is
listed by its site identification rather than an address, and
you find that the site is vacant, classify the sample unit as
Type B, Precode (7), Unoccupied site for a mobile home,
trailer, or tent.
Procedures for "Permit
Granted, Construction Not
Started" - Precode (8),
(Outcome 232)
There may be instances when you are assigned a sample
unit in a permit segment and discover that the construction
permit has been issued, but construction has not yet started.
When this occurs, classify the sample unit as Type B,
Precode (8), Permit granted, construction not started.
Procedures for "Type B,
Other" - Precode (9),
(Outcome 233)
Most Type B noninterviews will fall under one of the
specific reasons already mentioned. If you discover a rare
situation that is not covered in any of the specific Type B
noninterview reasons, use Type B, Precode (9), Other.
Then, at Item TYPEB_SPEC9, enter a description of the
reason you are coding this case as a Type B.
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Topic 4. Type C Noninterview Categories
Overview
Type C noninterviews are sample units that are ineligible
for the NCVS sample and need to be removed permanently
from the sample. Many Type C noninterviews occur
because of changes that happen between the time a unit is
listed and the time the unit is assigned for interview.
Type C noninterview reasons include:
Procedures for "Unused
Line of Listing Sheet" Precode (1), (Outcome 247)
T
Unused line of listing sheet
T
Demolished
T
House or trailer moved
T
Outside segment
T
Converted to permanent business or storage
T
Merged
T
Condemned
T
Built after April 1, 1990/2000
T
Removed during subsampling (2000 sample design
only)
T
Unit already had a chance of selection (2000 sample
design only)
T
Permit abandoned or Type C, Other
T
Spawned in error
When working with listing sheets in unit, permit, and group
quarters (GQ) segments, you may discover as you list units
or verify listings that a multi-unit structure has fewer units
than expected. If you are assigned a sample unit for
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interview and find out that the assigned case is actually an
unused line on the listing sheet, classify the case as Type C
Precode (1), Unused line of listing sheet. (See the
appropriate chapters in Volume I, Listing and Coverage: A
Survival Guide for the Field Representative, Form 11-8, for
more details about the use of listing sheets.)
Procedures for
"Demolished" - Precode
(2), (Outcome 240)
You could be assigned a sample unit and then discover that
it no longer exists because it was demolished or is in the
process of being demolished. If this happens, classify the
case as Type C, Precode (2), Demolished.
When an unoccupied unit is scheduled to be demolished,
but demolition work has not yet begun, do not classify the
unit as Type C, Precode (2) When demolition work has not
yet begun, classify the unit as Type B, Precode (4), Unfit or
to be demolished.
Procedures for "House or
Trailer Moved" Precode (3)
- (Outcome 241)
It is possible that a sample unit could have been moved
from its site after it was listed. This is more likely to
happen when the unit is a mobile home or trailer, but it
could also be a house. If this happens and the unit is listed
by its street address, not its site identification, then classify
the unit as Type C, Precode (3), House or trailer moved.
Procedures for "Outside
Segment" - Precode (4),
(Outcome 242)
Use Type C, Precode (4) when the original listing for an
area segment is incorrect and, at the time of interview, you
discover that the unit is physically located outside of the
area segment boundaries.
Procedures for "Converted
to Permanent Business or
Storage" - Precode (5),
(Outcome 243)
Use Type C when a sample unit has been converted
permanently from living quarters to storage space for a
business. The unit may be used to store such items as farm
products, machinery, lumber, business supplies, and so
forth.
Procedures for "Merged" Precode (6), (Outcome 244)
Merged units occur when two or more apartment units or
two single family homes combine to form one new unit.
Based on the situation and segment type, instructions can
vary for when to classify a sample unit as Type C, Precode
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(6), Merged. Detailed instructions for merged units are
provided in Appendix B, as well as in the appropriate
chapters of Volume I, Listing and Coverage: A Survival
Guide for the Field Representative, Form 11-8.
Procedures for
"Condemned" - Precode
(7), (Outcome 245)
Before you can use Type C, Precode (7), the sample unit
must be unoccupied and there must be positive evidence
that the unit is condemned, such as a sign, notice, or mark
on the unit or on the building that houses the unit.
Do not use Type C, Precode (7), Condemned, if:
C
You see a "condemned" sign, but the unit is occupied.
If the occupants qualify as eligible household
members, try to conduct interviews at the sample unit
and ignore the "condemned" sign.
C
The sample unit is vacant, but you can't find any
positive evidence that the unit is "condemned." If the
unit is vacant and unfit for human habitation, classify
it as Type B, Precode (4), Unfit or to be demolished.
Be careful not to classify a sample unit as a Type C
noninterview when it should be a Type B noninterview.
This type of mistake can remove a unit permanently
from the survey's sample.
Procedures for "Built After
April 1, 2000" - Precode
(8), Outcome 246
When you are working in a permit-issuing area segment,
the instrument knows whether or not to ask about the year
the sample unit was built. If it is required, the instrument
displays and leads you through Item YEARBUILT, which
asks when the structure was originally built (for 2000
sample design cases). When asked, the question is asked of
the household respondent during the first enumeration
period interview.
For 2000 Sample Design Cases:
If the household respondent answers “No” to Item
YEARBUILT, because the sample unit was built after
April 1, 2000:
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Procedures for “Removed
During Subsampling” Precode (9), (Outcome 256)
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
•
Enter Precode (2) in Item YEARBUILT,
•
End the interview, and
•
Classify the sample unit as a Type C, Precode (8),
Built After April 1, 2000.
Type C, Precode (9), can only be assigned to a 2000 sample
design case that:
•
Is either a parent or EXTRA unit case that did not
have a chance of selection AND
•
The case was deleted from sample during
subsampling when more than 15 units (parent and
EXTRA units) were discovered. Your RO will
provide you with the subsampling instructions that
they receive from Headquarters (HQ).
Procedures for “Unit
Already Had a Chance of
Selection” - Precode (10),
(Outcome 257)
Type C, Precode (10) can only be assigned to a 2000
sample design case that HQ has identified as having a
chance of selection for sample. This may occur when you
discover more than one EXTRA unit and contact your RO
for instructions. Your RO will check with HQ to see if the
case is listed in the 2000 Census Master Address File
(MAF) with an “In Census” flag. Your RO will relay the
HQ findings back to you, so you will know whether to
interview the EXTRA unit or classify the case as Type C,
Precode (10), Unit Already Had a Chance of Selection.
Procedures for "Permit
Abandoned" - Precode (11)
(Outcome 248)
At times, you may find from the builder or the permit office
that the builder abandoned the building permit and never
built the structure for a sample unit. If this happens and the
permit will never be used, classify the case as Type C,
Precode (11), Permit abandoned. Since Type C, Precode
(11) is used for both “Permit abandoned” and “Type C
Other,” make sure to enter “Permit Abandoned” on the
“Specify” line.
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Procedures for "Type C,
Other" - Precode (11),
(Outcome 248)
Most Type C noninterviews fall under one of the specific
reasons already mentioned. If you discover a rare situation
that is not covered in any of the Type C noninterview
reasons already mentioned, use Type C, Precode (11), and
enter the “Other” reason in Item TYPEC_SPEC. An
example of a Type C, Other reason is “Basic street address
(BSA) identifies an institutional (or military) GQ.”
Procedures for “Spawned
in Error”- Precode (12),
(Outcome 290)
Discuss “Spawned in error” cases with your regional office
before coding them as Type C, Precode (12).
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Topic 5. Type Z Noninterview Persons
What Is a Type Z
Noninterview?
Classify an eligible household member as a Type Z
noninterview when you are unable to interview an eligible
household member and the household member is not the
household respondent.
Unlike Type A, B, and C noninterviews, a Type Z
noninterview relates to an eligible household member
(other than the household respondent) and does not relate
to the entire sample household. Another difference is that a
personal visit is not required prior to classifying a person as
a Type Z noninterview.
However, if you are unable interview the household
respondent, the entire sample household classifies as a
Type A noninterview because:
X
You must interview the household respondent before
interviewing anyone else in the household.
AND
X
Minimizing Type Z
Noninterviews
You cannot classify a household respondent as a
Type Z noninterview person.
It is important to keep both Type A and Type Z
noninterviews to a minimum, so that:
C
Your response rate does not suffer and
C
The sample data you collect is truly representative of
the entire U.S. population.
Individuals who are difficult to find at home or who resist
being interviewed may have different victimization
experiences than persons who are readily available for
interviews. Therefore, failure to get interviews from all
eligible household members could introduce a serious bias
into the survey results.
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Situations Causing Type Z
Noninterviews
There are several reasons why you might be unable to
interview one or more eligible household members in a
sample unit. Some situations will be beyond your control,
while other situations can be overcome by improving your
salesmanship and contacting households when you are most
likely to reach household members.
Never Available
(Precode 1)
Refused (Precode 2)
You may find that an individual respondent within a sample
household is never available when you contact the
household. If all of the following conditions are true, then
you can use Type Z, Precode (1) for an individual
respondent:
T
You made repeated attempts to reach the individual
respondent.
T
You are sure that the individual respondent is not
temporarily absent. If the respondent is temporarily
absent, try to get a proxy interview following the
proxy interview procedures provided in Part C,
Chapter 1, of this manual.
T
You have a completed interview with the household
respondent.
Even after you try to persuade a respondent to comply with
our survey, some individual respondents will still refuse to
be interviewed. You cannot take a proxy interview for
an eligible respondent who refuses to be interviewed.
When an individual respondent refuses to be interviewed,
use Type Z Precode 2.
Also use Precode 2, Refused:
C
Any time another person refuses to allow an interview
with an eligible household member, such as a
household member refusing to let you interview
his/her elderly parent or 14-year-old child.
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C
An acceptable proxy respondent refuses to give an
interview for an eligible respondent who is unable to
respond for himself/herself due to a physical and/or
mental problem or due to being temporarily absent
from the sample address.
Physically/Mentally
Unable to Answer and
No Proxy Available
(Precode 3)
You are allowed to take proxy interviews for individual
respondents who are physically and/or mentally unable to
be interviewed during the entire interview period.
"Physically/mentally unable to answer" means that the
household member must have health and/or mental illness
problems that are continuous throughout the entire
interview period. If you are unable to find an eligible proxy
respondent for this person, classify the household member
as a Type Z noninterview and use Type Z Precode 3.
Temporarily Absent and
No Proxy Available
(Precode 4)
If an individual respondent is temporarily away from home
and not expected to return before your closeout date, you can
take a proxy interview. If you cannot find an eligible proxy
respondent for this person, classify the household member as
a Type Z noninterview and use Type Z Precode 4.
Other Type Z Situations
(Precode 5)
Use Precode 5 when you are unable to interview an eligible
respondent (other than the household respondent) and the
situation does not fit Type Z Precodes 1 through 4. Here are
some examples:
Household member cannot speak English/no acceptable
interpreter-Another situation you may encounter is a household member
who cannot speak English and an acceptable interpreter is
not available. If this occurs, classify the person as a Type Z
noninterview and use Type Z Precode 5. Do not take a
proxy interview in this situation.
Noninterviews
A6-30
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Part A, Chapter 6
No acceptable proxy respondent available for a 12- or
13-year-old child-If a 12- or 13-year-old household member is not allowed to
answer for himself/herself and no acceptable proxy
respondent is available, classify the child as a Type Z
noninterview and use Type Z Precode 5.
Noninterviews
A6-31
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Part A, Chapter 7
Chapter 7
Interviewing Materials
Table of Topics
Topic
Page
1 Description of Materials
A7-2
2 Materials Kept Month to Month
A7-7
3 Materials Supplied Monthly
A7-8
Interviewing Materials - Descriptions and Receipt/Transmittal Instructions
A7-1
Part A, Chapter 7
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Topic 1. Description of Materials
Titles and Form Numbers
Listed below are the titles and form numbers of the forms
that you use specifically for NCVS:
C Field Representative's Information Card Booklet, NCVS554
C NCVS At a Glance, NCVS-550.1
C NCVS Fact Sheet, NCVS-110
C NCVS Introductory Letters, NCVS-572(L) and NCVS573(L)
C NCVS Thank You Letters, NCVS-593(L) and NCVS594(L)
There are other materials that you will use in the course of
your work, but those materials are generic to most surveys,
such as appointment slips, and INTER-COMMs.
Field Representative's
Information Card Booklet,
NCVS-554
Your Information Card Booklet contains two types of cards.
Some of the cards in this booklet are designed for you to
show respondents as you conduct certain parts of the NCVS
interview in person. By using these cards during a personal
visit interview, you can:
C Avoid reading long lists of answer categories and
C Allow respondents to read all the categories before
selecting the appropriate answer.
The remaining cards in the booklet are designed to help you
with specific parts of your NCVS job.
The Information Card Booklet is arranged as follows:
Page
1
2, 3
Shows an explanation of the NCVS which satisfies
the Privacy Act requirements, together with
commonly asked questions and suggested answers.
Information about NCVS data uses and users
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NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Part A, Chapter 7
4
Displays listing reminders, along with guidelines
on when to fill the CAPI case level notes.
5
Provides a summary table to help you determine
who to include as a household member.
6, 7
Provides the Education Codes flashcards (Page 6 in
English, Page 7 in Spanish) that you show to a
household respondent when asking Item
EDUCATIONATTAIN in person during the first,
third, fifth, and seventh enumeration periods.
8, 9
Provides the Hispanic Origin flashcards (Page 8 in
English, Page 9 in Spanish) that you show to a
household respondent when asking Item
SP_ORIGIN in person.
10, 11
Provides the Race flashcards (Page 10 in English,
Page 11 in Spanish) that you show to a household
respondent when asking Item RACE in person.
12, 13
Provides the Employment flashcards (Page 12 in
English, Page 13 in Spanish) to show a household
member who is at least 16 years of age when
asking Item JOBDESCRIPTION in person.
14, 15
Provides the Household Income flashcards (Page
14 in English, Page 15 in Spanish) that you show
to the household respondent when asking Item
HOUSEHOLDINCOME in person.
16
Gives you the NCVS definition for the term
“rape.”
17
Gives you the NCVS definition for the term
“presence.”
18
Gives information about classifying Type Z
noninterviews.
Interviewing Materials - Descriptions and Receipt/Transmittal Instructions
A7-3
Part A, Chapter 7
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
19
Gives information about proxy interviews.
20, 21
Provides a quick reference guide of important
NCVS definitions and concepts.
22, 23
Provides a quick reference to help you complete
the Summary section of the instrument. These
items relate to incidents of theft and attempted
theft. When the offender is a police officer, page
23 also provides guidance on preparing the
summary report.
24, 25
Provides a list of standard abbreviations to use
when writing summary reports.
26, 27
Provides a 2-year calendar, along with a list of
holidays for each year. When necessary, allow the
respondent to view these calendars during a
personal visit interview to help him/her remember
the months covered by the reference period and the
exact month in which an incident occurred.
28
Instructions for conducting NCVS interviews in
Spanish
29
List of function keys for case management and the
NCVS CAPI instrument
NCVS At a Glance,
NCVS-550.1
NCVS At a Glance provides information about the survey's
purpose, its sponsor, data users and uses, length of
interview, and participation requirements, along with
answers to seven frequently asked questions. It also
contains reference information to help you with NCVS key
concepts and definitions.
NCVS Fact Sheet,
NCVS-110
This brochure provides summarized results from the most
recent NCVS findings. The results are presented in text,
graphs, and charts. Prior to interviewing a sample
household for the first enumeration period, your office will
mail the household an NCVS Fact Sheet, NCVS-110, and an
Interviewing Materials - Descriptions and Receipt/Transmittal Instructions
A7-4
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Part A, Chapter 7
introductory letter, NCVS-572(L). For subsequent
enumeration periods, you can hand the respondent an NCVS
Fact Sheet when:
NCVS Introductory Letters,
NCVS-572(L) and NCVS573(L)
C
The respondent requests the type of information
provided in this brochure.
C
You discover a replacement household at a sample
unit.
C
You feel that the brochure may encourage a respondent
to cooperate.
Before you visit a sample household, the regional office will
mail the household an introductory letter which briefly
describes the NCVS and lets them know to expect your visit
or telephone call. The NCVS-572(L) letter is sent to each
first enumeration period household and the NCVS-573(L)
letter is sent to each second through seventh enumeration
period household.
At the GETLETTER_CP screen, you ask the household
respondent if they received an introductory letter sent to the
sample household. (This is sent by the regional office.) If
the respondent answers “No,” or they aren’t sure if they
received the letter, hand the respondent a copy of the
appropriate letter and a copy of the NCVS Fact Sheet
(NCVS-110) when conducting the interview in person.
The introductory letters are also available in Spanish,
Chinese, Korean, and Vietnamese. Contact your regional
office if you need copies of the letters in these languages.
NCVS Thank You Letters,
NCVS-593(L) and
NCVS-594(L)
There are two different preprinted "Thank You" letters for
you to use as appropriate. The NCVS-593(L) letter is
written to help leave a positive impression with a reluctant
respondent and possibly help you to gain his/her cooperation
during the next enumeration period. After interviewing a
household, mail the NCVS-593(L) "Thank You" letter to the
household if they showed any signs of refusing in the future.
Interviewing Materials - Descriptions and Receipt/Transmittal Instructions
A7-5
Part A, Chapter 7
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
The NCVS-594(L) letter is written as a "Thank You"
letter for you to mail to sample households who have
completed their interviews for the seventh enumeration
period.
Both of these "Thank You" letters are also available in
Spanish.
Letters in Spanish, Chinese,
Korean, and Vietnamese
The RO supplies you automatically with "Introductory" and
"Thank You" letters printed in English. If you know that
your assignment area includes households that may speak
Spanish, Chinese, Korean, or Vietnamese, make sure that
you request letters in the required languages (Spanish,
Chinese, Korean, or Vietnamese). While the NCVS letters
are available in English, as well as all four of these foreign
languages, the NCVS questions are only available in English
and Spanish.
Valid OMB Control Number
and Expiration Date
The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) control
number 1121-0111 is required to conduct the NCVS, along
with the correct approval expiration date. This control
number and expiration date are accessible using the FAQ tab
in the instrument and then entering Precode (10).
Interviewing Materials - Descriptions and Receipt/Transmittal Instructions
A7-6
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Part A, Chapter 7
Topic 2. Materials Kept Month to Month
Materials Needed Each
Interview Month
Your regional office will provide you with the following
supplies used monthly:
T A black portfolio to hold your identification card and all
of your assignment materials
T Copies of both "Introductory" letters, NCVS-572(L) and
NCVS-573(L)
T Copies of both "Thank You" letters, NCVS-593(L) and
NCVS-594(L)
T Copies of "Request for Appointment" slips, Forms 11-38
and 11-38A
T Copies of blank Interviewer Communications (INTERCOMMs), Form 11-36
T A Field Representative's Information Card Booklet,
NCVS-554
T Copies of the NCVS Fact Sheet, NCVS-110
T Mechanical pencils
Notify your regional office whenever you start to run low on
any of these supplies or need to have an item replaced.
Interviewing Materials - Descriptions and Receipt/Transmittal Instructions
A7-7
Part A, Chapter 7
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Topic 3. Materials Supplied Monthly
Assignment Materials for an
Interview Month
Importance of the Monthly
FR Memorandum
Before the start of each interview month, your regional
office will send you:
C
A detailed memorandum which provides any special
topics of which you need to be aware, as well as
reminders and regular monthly topics, and
C
Segment folders containing the listing sheets, maps, and
any other related materials and instructions you may
need for your listing and interviewing work. Call your
supervisor immediately if any of the instructions are
unclear to you.
Read all NCVS monthly memoranda very carefully so that
you can conduct your work accurately for each interview
month. Every month the memorandum covers current
monthly topics, as well as any special reminders. Ongoing
regular monthly topics are covered as an attachment to the
memorandum. Contact your regional office if any part of
the memorandum is unclear to you.
Interviewing Materials - Descriptions and Receipt/Transmittal Instructions
A7-8
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Part B, Chapter 1
Chapter 1
Overview of the NCVS Instrument
Table of Topics
Topic
Page
1
Introduction
B1-2
2
Screen Layout
B1-5
3
Selection of Questions and Screen
Content
B1-8
4
Methods of Making Entries
B1-12
5
Navigation and Using Function Keys
B1-16
6
Partial Interviews and Callbacks
B1-21
7
CAPI Outcome Codes
B1-25
8
How to Use the Tool Bar
B1-27
Overview of the NCVS Instrument
B1-1
Part B, Chapter 1
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Topic 1. Introduction
Learning About the NCVS
Instrument
The NCVS instrument is divided into three sections known
as the front, middle, and back.
The Front Section of the NCVS instrument is designed to:
For new sample cases:
•
Provide the address for an initial personal visit
interview.
For continuing cases:
•
If available, provide the telephone number to dial and
the introduction to read to the person who answers your
telephone call.
•
If telephone information has not already been collected,
provides you with screens to collect it.
For both new and continuing cases:
•
Identify possible interviewing problems.
•
Verify that you have reached the correct address and
household.
•
Verify that you are speaking to an eligible household
respondent and, if necessary, to select another eligible
household respondent.
•
Provide you with general reference information to
answer respondent questions.
Overview of the NCVS Instrument
B1-2
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Part B, Chapter 1
•
Provide you with the appropriate screens to collect,
update or verify information from the sample
household’s demographic information - names, ages,
ethnicity, race, sex, education, and marital status of
household members, and so on.
The Front Section of the NCVS instrument is discussed
further in Part B, Chapter 2, of this manual.
The Middle Section of the NCVS instrument is designed
to:
•
Determine whether any of the eligible household
members (12 years of age or older) at the sample
address were victimized by crime during each
household member’s 6-month reference period. These
questions are referred to as the screening items.
The screen items cover a wide variety of situations and
are designed to provide the respondent with concrete
examples of the types of crimes that are typically
reported for the NCVS and could be overlooked by
respondents. These screen items ensure that we collect
ALL incidents of crime that occurred during each
sample household member’s 6-month reference period.
•
Collect a variety of information about each reported
incidence of crime that occurred during a sample
household member’s 6-month reference period. It is
important to record accurate and complete information
about each crime incident, so that we have a clear
picture of what happened during the incident. These
questions are referred to as the incident report items.
•
Add any additional incidents that may have been
discovered while completing the incident report items
for the current incident.
Overview of the NCVS Instrument
B1-3
Part B, Chapter 1
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
•
Check the current incident against any previously
reported incidents to avoid reporting duplicate
incidents.
The Middle Section of the NCVS instrument is discussed
further in Part B, Chapters 3, 4, and 5, of this manual.
The Back Section of the NCVS instrument is designed to:
•
Make appointments to call back a sample household so
you or another interviewer can interview sample
household members who are unavailable or who cannot
complete their interview.
•
Thank each sample household member for his/her time
and participation in the NCVS.
•
Enter any final notes about the case which you or
another FR may need for future contacts.
The Back Section of the NCVS instrument is discussed
further in Part B, Chapter 6, of this manual.
In addition to this introduction, Chapter 1 also provides you
with an overview of how:
•
The NCVS instrument selects the correct questions for
each interview.
•
A typical NCVS screen is formatted.
•
To make entries on the NCVS screens during an
interview.
•
To use the function keys during an interview.
Chapter 1 also provides general instructions for starting the
NCVS interview, setting callback interviews, resuming a
partially completed interview, and recovering from program
errors.
Overview of the NCVS Instrument
B1-4
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Part B, Chapter 1
Topic 2. Screen Layout
The initial FR training for NCVS provides an in-depth look
at a wide variety of features that you need to be familiar
with in the CAPI instrument. This chapter of the manual
highlights the key features that are specific to the NCVS
instrument.
Components of a
Screen
Information Pane
Most screens in the NCVS instrument (see example in
Figure A at the end of this chapter) are divided into two
basic parts:
•
The Information (Info) Pane, in the upper half of
your computer screen, which includes the tool bar
and question text with the possible answer
categories (if any); and
•
The Form Pane, in the lower half of the computer
screen.
The Information (or Info) Pane (see Figure A) is located
on the top half of the screen.
It includes the following:
•
•
•
The tool bar
Question text in black letters
FR instruction in blue letters (if any). A blue
diamond identifies the FR instruction
The Info Pane (see Figure A) also includes the list of
possible answer categories (if any) around the middle
portion of the screen.
Figure B illustrates an Info Pane with question text in
black letters and an FR instruction.
Each option on the list of answer categories has a predetermined numeric code or “precode” to distinguish it
Overview of the NCVS Instrument
B1-5
Part B, Chapter 1
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
from the others. The precode is what you must enter in the
Form Pane (described below) to record the respondent’s
answer(s).
There are questions that have a long list of possible
answers, and that allow the respondent to report more than
one answer. Each time you enter a precode in the Form
Pane for those types of questions, you will see the
corresponding text in the answer categories highlighted in
blue. The blue highlighting is intended to help you
distinguish the answers already reported from those not yet
selected.
Form Pane
The Form Pane (see Figure A) is the bottom half of the
screen, where you will always make your entries.
The Form Pane provides a summary list of the data items to
be collected, and can give you a sense of where you are in
the interview, and of how much ground you must cover to
complete a given section.
In the NCVS instrument, you will sometimes find that a
single Form Pane will cover a whole section, in which case
the Form Pane will give you a complete list of all the data
items you will collect in that section. More often than not,
however, you will find that more than one Form Pane is
needed to cover a section, especially when the section has a
question with a lengthy answer list.
The Form Pane can appear in one of two basic formats:
•
•
In column format; or
In table format
In the NCVS instrument, the column format (see Figure B)
is used whenever the table format is not appropriate. In the
column format, the instrument will drive you to navigate
from top to bottom for each column that appears in the
Form Pane.
Overview of the NCVS Instrument
B1-6
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Part B, Chapter 1
The table format is used when there is sufficient space on
the screen to allow FRs to collect - on a row-by-row basis the same set of details for any item listed in the leftmost
column. In the table format (shown in Figure C), the
instrument will drive you to move - or “navigate”- from left
to right. This means that each time you enter an item in the
leftmost column the instrument will drive you down that
same row, from left to right, to collect more details about
that item.
Two-Level Screen
Interaction
In the NCVS instrument, each item displayed in the Info
Pane is reflected only as an item label in the Form Pane,
thus allowing space on the bottom half to trace all of the
entries you make in a section. The Info Pane changes as
you move item by item. By contrast, the Form Pane
remains stationary until you either reach the end of the
Form Pane or exit the Form Pane. As you enter the
answers in the Form Pane, the layout of the Form Pane
does not change. Only the contents of the Form Pane
change as the instrument fills in your entries next to the
appropriate item labels.
Overview of the NCVS Instrument
B1-7
Part B, Chapter 1
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Topic 3. Selection of Questions and Screen Content
Selection of Questions
The first interview with the sample household must be
made in person. Once the initial personal visit interview is
conducted, data that you collect about the household and its
members is retained. Based on the household information,
along with the information that you enter during subsequent
NCVS interviews, the instrument determines which
questions to display and how to word these questions
during an interview.
The NCVS instrument also fills the appropriate proper
names, pronouns, verbs, and reference dates into the text of
the NCVS questions. In some cases, a household member’s
answers from a previous interview are pre-filled on the
screen. The following screen shows an example of the
household member’s age, birth date, marital status, military
service, education, Spanish origin, and race as reported
during the previous enumeration period:
Overview of the NCVS Instrument
B1-8
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Screen Content
NCVS Question
Part B, Chapter 1
A typical NCVS instrument screen contains the following
information:
The NCVS question appears in the Info Pane. Most NCVS
instrument screens also include answer categories, along
with precodes to enter for each answer category.
Specific instructions to you appear on the screen in blue
text, preceded with a diamond symbol. See Figure B for
an example.
CASEID
In the bottom left corner of the form pane, you will see the
case identification number or CASEID, which is an 8-digit
number used to identify NCVS cases. Each sample address
selected for an NCVS interview is assigned a unique
CASEID.
Item or Screen Name
Next to the CASEID, you will see the Item or Screen
Name, which, in most cases, identifies the NCVS question
shown on the screen. However, not all screens display an
NCVS question. Some screens provide information for you
to read to a respondent or information for you to read to
yourself.
Time, date, and
respondent
information
Next to the item name, time, date, and the name of the
person to whom you are talking, and the name of the person
you are talking about appear.
Screens Without
Questions
Some screens in the NCVS instrument provide information
solely for your benefit and do not provide any question for
you to ask of a respondent. The START_CP screen shown
on the next page is an example of this type of NCVS
screen.
This screen contains text that appears in blue. This
indicates that you are only to read the information to
yourself.
Overview of the NCVS Instrument
B1-9
Part B, Chapter 1
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Overview of the NCVS Instrument
B1-10
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Part B, Chapter 1
There are also NCVS screens that only display statements
to be read to a respondent, such as the DISABILITY_
INTRO screen shown below. Note that the text is in bold
black print.
Overview of the NCVS Instrument
B1-11
Part B, Chapter 1
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Topic 4. Methods of Making Entries
Types of Entries
Single Entry Questions
Each screen in the NCVS instrument requires you to make
some type of entry to proceed to the next screen. These
entries could be in the form of:
•
Precodes - Examples include: (1) for “Yes,” or
“Continue,” (2) for “No,” or (3) for “Don’t know.”
•
Numerical - Examples include: (1-31) for “Days of the
month,” (1 - 999,999) for “Total amount,” or (1-96) for
“Number of years.”
•
Text or Write In - Examples include: “Jacket stolen
from unlocked car” to describe a crime incident in the
crime screening section or a more lengthy write-in entry
for a crime incident summary report.
Most NCVS items only allow you to enter one precode to
answer a question. Items START_CP, TENURE, and
AGECHECK shown in Figures A, B, and C, respectively,
are examples of single entry questions.
Single entry questions display answer categories preceded
by circles or “radio buttons,” which fill with a black dot
when an answer is selected. The instrument does not allow
more than one “button” to be filled.
Multiple Entry Questions
Some NCVS items allow you to enter more than one
precode to answer a question. We refer to these questions
as “multiple entry” questions and they always include an
instruction to you, such as “ENTER ALL THAT APPLY,
SEPARATE WITH COMMAS.”
Multiple entry questions display answer categories
preceded by squares; as you enter each precode, a check
mark “T” appears next to the corresponding answer
category. By entering the same precode a second time, you
can deselect the answer category and the “T” disappears.
Overview of the NCVS Instrument
B1-12
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Part B, Chapter 1
You can also backspace over your entry to deselect. You
can also type in the entry numbers, making sure to separate
them with commas. Precodes may be entered in any order.
When you are done entering precodes to answer the
question, you must press “Enter” to indicate that there are
no more entries. Item NOTREPORTEDPOLICE, which
is shown below, is an example of a “multiple entry”
question.
Overview of the NCVS Instrument
B1-13
Part B, Chapter 1
Don’t Know or Refused
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Some NCVS screens display a numeric precode for “Don’t
know,” while other NCVS screens allow you to enter Ctrl +
D for “Don’t know,” even if it is not displayed on the
screen. We refer to this type of precode as a “blind” code.
If a respondent declines to answer a particular question, you
can enter Ctrl + R for “Refused.”
Always attempt to convince a respondent to answer a
question or to at least get a respondent’s best estimate.
Whenever possible, avoid entering Ctrl + D or Ctrl + R
during an interview.
Invalid Entries
If you enter an invalid precode or press “ENTER” without
making an entry for a screen that requires it, the NCVS
instrument will display a pop-up error message. When you
see an “input invalid ” message, click on the “OK” button
or hit the “Escape” key. Enter a valid response for the
screen and then press “ENTER” to proceed to the next
screen. In the case of multiple entry questions, you must
enter one or more valid responses for the screen and then
press “Enter” to indicate that there are no more responses.
Soft and Hard Edits
In order to detect inconsistencies in the data at the time of
data capture, several questions contain edit checks. The
edit checks examine the responses to individual items and
determine if the responses are consistent with the other data
entered. A message appears in a pop-up screen when
possible errors (inconsistencies) are detected in the survey.
The screen displays an error message and identifies the
questions that are inconsistent with one another.
There are two types of edit checks, soft edit checks and
hard edit checks. A soft edit check would be created for a
14 year old attending college (possible but not likely), for
example, and a hard edit would be created for a 4 year old
attending college (not possible). For soft edit checks, you
have the option of accepting the responses and therefore the
inconsistency (select the Suppress button) or resolving the
Overview of the NCVS Instrument
B1-14
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Part B, Chapter 1
error by going back (select the GoTo button) to the items in
question and rechecking the responses. To go back and
correct a particular item, make sure that the item displayed
in the "Questions involved" column of the "Edit Check
Error Message" is highlighted and then click the GoTo
button, which takes you to that question so you can correct
it.
For hard edit checks, you must go back and resolve the
inconsistency. In many cases, inconsistencies occur
because of keying errors.
Ask or Verify Instruction
Selected screens in the NCVS instrument include an “ASK
OR VERIFY” instruction. If you see this instruction and
the respondent has already provided the answer to the
question during the course of the interview, you are allowed
to verify the answer with the respondent, instead of asking
the question on the screen. However, this is only allowed
for screens that have the “ASK OR VERIFY” instruction.
If you don’t see this instruction, you must always ask the
question exactly as it is worded on the screen.
Overview of the NCVS Instrument
B1-15
Part B, Chapter 1
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Topic 5. Navigation and Using Function Keys
Navigation
There are a number of different ways to navigate in the
NCVS instrument. You can navigate:
•
•
•
•
•
•
Mouse or Keyboard
With the mouse or the keyboard;
From left to right;
From top to bottom;
Back and forth between sections;
Back and forth (across Form Panes) within a
section; and
Index tabs at top left of the Info Pane: Main,
HHRoster, NewHHR, FAQs, and F10.
You can use only the keyboard, or only the mouse that is
embedded in your laptop (immediately below the
keyboard), or you can use both – going back and forth
between the two – to navigate through the instrument or to
make data entries. If you wish, you can also use an external
mouse.
NOTE: Because the use of the mouse is very intuitive (that
is, you can easily guess where you should point and click in
order to get somewhere, or to enter something), this manual
and any NCVS instrument training you receive will focus
mainly on explaining how to navigate and enter data
through the use of the keyboard.
Arrow Keys
Use the arrow keys mostly when navigating sequentially,
from one item to the next. Use the Left and Right Arrows
to navigate horizontally, and use the Up and Down Arrows
to navigate vertically.
Page Up/Page Down Keys
Use the Page Up and Page Down keys when navigating
sequentially, from one Form Pane to the next. Note that
you cannot page down to the next Form Pane until you have
completed the Form Pane where your cursor is. Note also
that you may have to readjust your cursor when you page
Overview of the NCVS Instrument
B1-16
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Part B, Chapter 1
down or page up to a Form Pane, because the instrument
always places you on the first item of the Form Pane.
Tabs
Tabs have two functions: you can use them as place
markers, and you can use them as a “jump” menu.
However, you can use them as a “jump” menu only when
you are using the mouse. To use tabs, position the cursor
over the tab you wish to use and left-click the mouse.
Tabs in the NCVS instrument are as follows:
Main - Use this tab to return to the interview after pressing
the “HH roster” or “FAQs” tab.
HH Roster - Use this tab to show the household
composition.
New HHR - This tab allows you to select a new household
respondent if necessary.
FAQs - This tab takes you to the list of frequently asked
questions.
F10 - Use this tab if you need to end the interview because
of a refusal or breakoff, or if a callback must be scheduled.
Purpose of Function Keys
in the NCVS Instrument
Each function key or combination of keys will allow you to
perform specific tasks while working in the NCVS
instrument. The operation of each function key is described
in this topic and summarized on your computer template,
which is shown in Figure D.
F1 - Question Help
By pressing the F1 function key, any help screens for the
current question are displayed in a pop-up box. Questions
that have help screens are identified by “?[F1]” displayed in
the top left hand portion of the information pane.
SHIFT F1 - Display
Household Roster
By pressing the SHIFT and F1 keys simultaneously, you
can access the household roster at the SHOWROSCP
screen. You can access the household roster at any time
Overview of the NCVS Instrument
B1-17
Part B, Chapter 1
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
during an NCVS interview to reference the information
shown on this screen. The SHOWROSCP screen does not
allow you to make changes to the household roster.
F2 - NOT AVAILABLE
The F2 function key is not used in the NCVS instrument.
SHIFT F2 - Frequently
Asked Questions
By pressing the SHIFT and F2 keys simultaneously, you
can access the help screens for nine frequently asked NCVS
questions from the FAQMain screen. These help screens
will help you answer respondent’s questions.
F3 - NOT AVAILABLE
The F3 function key is not used in the NCVS instrument.
F4 - Jump Menu
By pressing the F4 function key, you can access a “Jump”
menu, which allows you to jump back to a previously
answered section of the incident report items. Note that
this function only works in the incident report items, which
are part of the middle section of the NCVS instrument.
SHIFT F5 - Spanish
Version
By pressing the SHIFT and F5 keys simultaneously once
you have passed the START_CP screen, a pop-up menu
appears. Select the “Spanish” option and the instrument
switches to the Spanish version of the NCVS instrument for
the current question and all subsequent questions. If you
want to return to the English version, just press the SHIFT
and F5 keys simultaneously again and select “English”
from the pop-up menu.
F6 - NOT AVAILABLE
The F6 function key is not used in the NCVS instrument.
F7 - Enter Notes
By pressing the F7 function key, you can enter notes for
several screens within the NCVS instrument. After
pressing F7, a pop-up “Notes” box appears. Enter the text
of your note, and then click the “Save” button in the box to
leave the F7 notes mode. When F7 notes are entered for an
instrument screen, a paperclip icon will appear next to the
item name on the form pane telling you that a “Note
Exists.”
Overview of the NCVS Instrument
B1-18
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
SHIFT F7 - View Notes
Part B, Chapter 1
For any screen that indicates a “Note Exists,” you can press
the SHIFT and F7 keys simultaneously to view these notes
and to add any new notes by typing the text of your new
note. When you press SHIFT and F7, a pop-up notes box
appears. This box lets you view all notes to date; to add
more notes use the F7 function key.
If there are no F7 item notes for an item when you press
SHIFT and F7, a pop-up box appears that tells you there
are no notes for that item.
F8 - Return From Skip
By pressing the F8 function key, you can return or skip
back to the item from which you pressed the F10 key,
which skips to the end of the interview. This may come in
handy if you press the F10 key by mistake.
SHIFT F9 - New HHR
By pressing the SHIFT and F9 keys simultaneously, you
can change the household respondent (HHR) before the
household respondent’s interview has been completed.
F10 - Skip to End
By pressing the F10 function key, you can skip over
unanswered questions when a respondent breaks off the
interview before you can complete it. After pressing the
F10 function key, you will skip to the back section of the
instrument where you can schedule a callback.
The instrument sets a person’s interview status to “partially
completed,” so that you can resume the interview for that
person later when the respondent is available.
Up Arrow - Back One Item
While in the middle section of the NCVS instrument, the
Up Arrow key allows you to move back one item.
Down Arrow - Forward
One Item
While in the middle section of the NCVS instrument, the
Down Arrow key moves forward one item.
Home - First Item
By pressing the Home key, you can move the cursor to the
FIRST screen in the current section.
Overview of the NCVS Instrument
B1-19
Part B, Chapter 1
End - Last Item
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
By pressing the End key, you can move the cursor to the
next unanswered question in the current section.
Overview of the NCVS Instrument
B1-20
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Part B, Chapter 1
Topic 6. Partial Interviews and Callbacks
Getting Started
The NCVS interviewing begins on the first day of every
month. It is important to complete as many interviews as
possible within the first few days of the interview period.
Introducing Yourself
Once you have contacted a sample household, it is critical
that you quickly establish a good rapport with the
respondent. Remember to not only be businesslike and
professional, but also try to sound friendly and relaxed.
Keep track of your pace throughout the interview, because
speaking either too quickly or too slowly can make the
respondent feel uncomfortable.
Exiting a Partial Interview
At times, you may have to exit the NCVS instrument, even
though the interview is only partially completed. For
example, this can happen when a respondent breaks off the
interview for personal reasons, regardless of whether the
respondent offers to continue the interview at another time,
or if the next eligible respondent is not available at that
time.
If this happens, press the F10 function key or the F10 index
tab to exit the unfinished interview. If you are unable to
exit from the current screen, go forward or backward a
screen or two until the instrument allows the F10 function.
Pressing the F10 function key takes you to the
REFCBBREAK_CP screen as shown on the next page.
Overview of the NCVS Instrument
B1-21
Part B, Chapter 1
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
To set up a callback, enter (2) at the REFCBBREAK_CP
screen, you will see the APPT screen, which is shown on
the next page. Use the APPT screen to indicate the best
time for the household respondent to complete the
interview (if the household has indicated that they are
willing to complete the interview at a later time). The
remaining callback screens are covered in Part B,
Chapter 4.
Overview of the NCVS Instrument
B1-22
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Completing a Partial
Interview
Part B, Chapter 1
Before you call a sample household to complete a partial
interview, you will have an opportunity to:
•
Review interviewer notes from the previous
interview.
•
Identify which household member’s interview is
incomplete and at which item the interview will
resume.
•
Identify which household members still need to be
interviewed.
Once you verify certain facts, the instrument will continue
with the next unanswered question for the household
member whose interview is incomplete. After pressing the
Overview of the NCVS Instrument
B1-23
Part B, Chapter 1
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
INTRO_PARTIAL_CP screen, press the “end” key to go
to the next unanswered question in the interview.
The instrument also allows you to review previously
answered questions from a household member’s partial
interview, if necessary, by using the up and down arrow
keys.
Recovering From Program
Errors
Occasionally, you may get stuck in a loop where the
instrument continues to cycle through only a few questions.
If the computer will not go to the next appropriate question,
carefully check your answers on each screen as you step
through the loop again. If you discover an incorrect entry,
correcting the entry may also correct the loop problem.
If this happens in the incident report items, you can try
using the F4 function key, so you can jump back to another
part of the incident report items and attempt to continue
from that point. As a last resort, notify your supervisor
about the problem before exiting the case, whenever
possible.
Let the respondent know that you are experiencing
computer problems and, if you cannot correct the problem
in a relatively short time, press the F10 function key and set
a callback for the case.
Overview of the NCVS Instrument
B1-24
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Part B, Chapter 1
Topic 7. CAPI Outcome Codes
Outcome code
Description
200
New case - not yet started/checked in
201
Completed interview (no Type Z’s)
202
Accessed instrument, insufficient partial
203
Sufficient partial - no more follow-up needed
204
Sufficient partial - follow-up needed
211
Type A - duplicate (2000 sample design cases only)
213
Type A - Language problems
216
Type A - No one home
217
Type A - Temporarily absent
218
Type A - Refused
219
Type A - Other occupied
226
Type B - Vacant - regular
227
Type B - Vacant - storage of household furniture
225
Type B - Temporarily occupied by persons with usual
residence elsewhere (URE)
228
Type B - Unfit or to be demolished
229
Type B - Under construction, not ready
230
Type B - Converted to temporary business or storage
231
Type B - Unoccupied site for mobile home, trailer, or
tent
232
Type B - Permit granted, construction not started
233
Type B - Other
Overview of the NCVS Instrument
B1-25
Part B, Chapter 1
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
247
Type C - Unused line of listing sheet
240
Type C - Demolished
241
Type C - House or trailer moved
242
Type C - Outside segment
243
Type C - Converted to permanent business or storage
244
Type C - Merged
245
Type C - Condemned
246
Type C - Built after April 1, 2000
248
Type C - Other
256
Type C - Removed during subsampling
257
Type C - Unit already had a chance of selection
290
Type C - Case spawned in error
341
Replaced household (parent case)
Overview of the NCVS Instrument
B1-26
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Part B, Chapter 1
Topic 8. How to Use the Tool Bar
GENERAL
The NCVS Tool Bar has five main sections: Forms,
Answer, Navigate, Options, and Help. Use your mouse
to navigate the Tool Bar. The sections and their menus
and functions are as follows:
Forms - Includes
Save and Exit
functions
Browse Forms - Ctrl + B (not used in NCVS)
Save - Ctrl + S
Check (not used in NCVS)
Exit - F10
Answer - Shortcuts
for various answer
functions
Don’t Know - Ctrl + D
Refused - Ctrl + R
Change Respondent - Shift + F9
Item Notes/Remark - F7
Repeat - F12 (only used in roster section of NCVS)
Show Question Text - Ctrl + F3
Incident to Add - Ctrl + I
Navigate - shortcuts
for navigating
through the
instrument
Jump Menu - F4
Return - F8
Add’l Skip to Next Person/Sec - Ctrl +F9 (not used in
NCVS)
Show Function Keys - Ctrl + K
Search Tag - Ctrl + F
Show notes/remarks - Shift + F7
Options miscellaneous
functions
Language - Shift + F5
Interview Time Preference - Ctrl + T
Case Level Notes - Ctrl + F7
Show Original Notes - Shift + F12
Mute (not used in NCVS)
Calculator - F11 - (shows calculator in pop-up window)
Calendar - Ctrl + F11
Help - shows various
help functions
Question Help - F1 (only for questions with a help screen)
Show Function Keys - Shift + F10
Show HH - Shift + F1
Show Status (not used in NCVS)
Overview of the NCVS Instrument
B1-27
Part B, Chapter 1
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
FAQ - Shift + F2
RI FAQ - (not used in NCVS)
Show Standard Abbreviations - Shift + F11
Report Error - Ctrl + E
Info - Ctrl + H - (Tells what version of Blaise software
you’re using)
Overview of the NCVS Instrument
B1-28
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Part B, Chapter 1
Information Pane and Form Pane
Information
(Info)
Pane û
Form
Pane û
Overview of the NCVS Instrument
B1-29
FIGURE A
Part B, Chapter 1
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Form Pane in Column Format
Question
text ú
FR ü
instruction
Answer
categories û
Overview of the NCVS Instrument
B1-30
FIGURE B
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Part B, Chapter 1
Form Pane in Table Format
Overview of the NCVS Instrument
B1-31
FIGURE C
Ctrl+F3
HOME
First
Question
on Path
END
Next
Question
on Path
Show
Question
Text
RI FAQs
FAQs
Show HH
Don’t
Know
Ctrl+D
Shift + F4
Shift +
F3
Shift + F2
F4
Shift + F1
F3
Jump
Menu
F2
Question
Help
F1
Function keys for NCVS:
Search
Tag
Ctrl+F
Language
Shift + F5
F5
Info
Ctrl+H
Shift + F6
F6
Case Level
Notes
Ctrl+F7
Show
Notes/
Remarks
Shift + F7
Item Notes/
Remark
F7
Show
Function
Keys
Ctrl+K
Shift +
F8
Return
F8
Show DK
&
Refused
Ctrl+M
Refused
Ctrl+R
Show
Function
Keys
Shift + F10
Shift + F9
New
HHR
Exit
F10
Skip
Forward
F9
Calendar
Ctrl+F11
Show
Standard
Abbrev.
Shift + F11
Calculator
F11
Interview
Time
Preference
Ctrl+T
Show
Original
Notes (RI)
Shift + F12
Copy Down
(Repeat)
F12
FIGURE D
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Part B, Chapter 2
Chapter 2
Front Section of the NCVS Instrument
Table of Topics
Topic
Page
1
Introduction
B2-3
2
Screen Layout and Instructions for
START_CP
B2-4
3
CAPI Personal Visit Interview for
Household Respondent and Individual
Respondent(s) (Screen Layout and
Instructions for START_CP through
INTRO_REC_CP)
4
CAPI Telephone Interview for Household
Respondent and Individual Respondent(s)
(Screen Layout and Instructions for
START_CP through INTRO_REC_CP)
B2-7
B2-21
5
Selecting a New Household or Individual
Respondent for CAPI Personal Visit and
Telephone Interview
(Screen Layout and Instructions for
NEWHHR_CP, HELLO_ALT2_CP,
HELP_OTH_CP, ALTERNATE1_CP,
TOOLATE_CP, and NEXTPERSON)
B2-34
6
Completing Self Response and Proxy
Interviews and Coding Initial Refusals
(Screen Layout and Instructions for
INTERVIEWSTATUS through
INTROFORNEWRESPONDENT)
B2-41
Front Section of the NCVS Instrument
B2-1
Part B, Chapter 2
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
7
Verifying Sample Address, Primary
Telephone Number and Mailing Address
(Screen Layout and Instructions for
GETLETTER_CP through
NEWMAILGQDESCRIPTION_CP)
B2-54
8
Coverage and Table X Sections
(Screen Layout and Instructions for
YEARBUILT through TABX_FR)
B2-63
9
Housing Unit Characteristics
(Screen Layout and Instructions for
TENURE through
RESTRICTEDACCESS)
B2-76
10 Household Roster Demographic
Characteristics
(Screen Layout and Instructions for
HHROSTER_FNAME through
ANY_OTHERCHNG)
B2-94
Front Section of the NCVS Instrument
B2-2
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Part B, Chapter 2
Topic 1. Introduction
Overview of the Front
Section
The Front Section of the NCVS instrument is designed to:
•
Give you case-level information to review before
attempting contact with the sample household;
•
Guide you through screens for making contact with a
household respondent or an individual respondent for
personal visit or telephone interviews, and record
possible interviewing problems;
•
Verify that you have reached the correct address and
household, and to code a case as a replacement
household when necessary;
•
Guide you through screens for selecting a new
household respondent or new individual respondent;
•
Update sample address, mailing address, and telephone
number information for the household with the
household respondent; and
•
Provide you with the appropriate screens to update or
verify information from the sample household’s control
card section.
Topic 2 covers most of the NCVS screens that make up the
front section of the NCVS instrument. Some “Front
Section” screens display the instruction, “ASK OR
VERIFY.” For screens which include this instruction, you
are allowed to verify the answer with the respondent
without asking the question, provided the respondent
already furnished the information earlier in the interview.
If you do not see this instruction, you must ask the question
exactly as worded on the screen.
Front Section of the NCVS Instrument
B2-3
Part B, Chapter 2
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Topic 2. Screen Layout and Instructions for START_CP
CENSUS CATI/CAPI SYSTEM
National Crime Victimization Survey
Case status is: New Case
Date: July 2, 2008
Time: 9:53 am
Incoming/Continuing: Incoming
Interview Number: 01
Confirmed Refusal: No
"
"
"
"
1.
2.
3.
4.
Telephone interview
Personal visit interview (See notes)
Personal visit interview (Skip all notes and go to GEN_INTRO_CP)
Noninterview (Type A/B/C)
" 5. Ready to transmit case - no more followup (Type Z’s)
" 6. Quit: Do not attempt now
START_CP
START_CP
The START_CP screen is the first NCVS instrument
screen that you see when you enter a case. As shown
above, this screen gives you the following information:
•
•
•
•
•
•
Survey title
Case status
Current date and time
Incoming/Continuing status
Interview Number (1 through 7) (also referred to in this
chapter as Time in Sample or TIS 1-7)
Confirmed Refusal Status (Yes or No)
After reviewing the information, choose the appropriate
Precode (1-6), then press ENTER to move to the next
screen.
Front Section of the NCVS Instrument
B2-4
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Part B, Chapter 2
Precode (1)
For interviews you conduct by telephone, enter Precode (1).
Telephone interviews are discussed in more detail in Topic
4 of this chapter.
Precode (2)
For interviews you conduct by personal visit for which you
wish to view information available for the case, enter
Precode (2). Entering Precode (2) allows you to view:
•
•
The household roster (SHOW_CP_ROSTER),
and
A reminder screen to view case level notes and the
interview time preference grid (Best Time to
Call/no Sunday information) (SHOW_INFO_CP)
Precode (3)
For interviews you conduct by personal visit and for which
you do not wish to view information available for the case,
enter Precode (3). This option is essentially the same as
selecting Precode (2) except that you bypass Items
SHOW_CP_ROSTER and SHOW_INFO_CP. Personal
Visit interviews are discussed in more detail in Topic 3 of
this chapter.
Precode (4)
To code a case as a noninterview (Type A/B/C), enter
Precode (4). These Noninterview outcomes are discussed
in more detail in Part A, Chapter 6.
Precode (5)
To code Type Z reasons for individual respondents in cases
that are a sufficient partial (that is, the interview is
complete for the household respondent) and for which you
no longer will make attempts to interview any remaining
individual respondent(s) in the sample household whose
interview(s) is/are not complete, enter Precode (5). Coding
persons as Type Z noninterviews is also discussed in more
detail in Part A, Chapter 6.
Precode (6)
Enter Precode (6) if you want to exit the case, for example,
if you do not want to attempt interviewing the case at this
time. After entering Precode (6) you will skip to the
VERIFY screen in the back of the instrument. The Back
Front Section of the NCVS Instrument
B2-5
Part B, Chapter 2
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Section of the instrument is further discussed in Part B,
Chapter 6.
Front Section of the NCVS Instrument
B2-6
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Part B, Chapter 2
Topic 3. CAPI Personal Visit Interview for
Household Respondent and Individual Respondent(s)
(Screen Layout and Instructions for START_CP
through INTRO_REC_CP)
CENSUS CATI/CAPI SYSTEM
National Crime Victimization Survey
Case status is: New Case
Date: July 2, 2008
Time: 9:53 am
Incoming/Continuing: Incoming
Interview Number: 01
Confirmed Refusal: No
"
"
"
"
1.
2.
3.
4.
Telephone interview
Personal visit interview (See notes)
Personal visit interview (Skip all notes and go to GEN_INTRO_CP)
Noninterview (Type A/B/C)
" 5. Ready to transmit case - no more followup (Type Z’s)
" 6. Quit: Do not attempt now
START_CP
START_CP
The START_CP screen is the first NCVS instrument
screen that you see when you enter a case. As shown
above, this screen gives you the following information:
•
•
•
•
•
•
Survey title
Case status
Current date and time.
Incoming/Continuing status
Interview Number (1 through 7) (also referred to in this
chapter as Time in Sample or TIS 1-7)
Confirmed Refusal Status (Yes or No)
After reviewing the information, choose Precode (2) or (3)
to continue with a personal visit interview.
Front Section of the NCVS Instrument
B2-7
Part B, Chapter 2
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
When you select Precode (2) at the START_CP screen you
continue with the SHOW_CP_ROSTER screen.
Status of household composition
LN
NAME
REL
MEMBER
SEX
AGE
STATUS
1
2
3
Ted Moe
Megan Moe
Jane Moe
Ref Per
W ife
Daughtr
Member
Member
Member
M
F
F
43
43
14
NEED SELF
NEED SELF
NEED SELF
" 1. Enter 1 to Continue
____________________________________________
SHOW _CP_ROSTER
SHOW_CP_ROSTER
The SHOW_CP_ROSTER screen displays the household
roster. The roster will include anyone added to the roster
during the time the case has been in sample. Therefore,
persons coded as nonmembers are also displayed at this
screen. In addition to the SHOW_CP_ROSTER screen,
you can also view the household roster at any place in the
instrument by clicking on the HHROSTER index tab at the
top of the Info Pane or by pressing the “Shift” + “F1” keys.
INFORMATION FROM PREVIOUS INTERVIEW
Press Control + F7 to view case level notes
Press Control + T to view interview time preference
Language:
" 1. Enter 1 to Continue
_______________________________________________
SHOW _INFO_CP
SHOW_INFO_CP
The SHOW_INFO_CP screen gives you a chance to
review any notes entered for the case since the household
first came into sample, by pressing the “Ctrl” + F7" keys
simultaneously. You can also check for any “Best Time to
Front Section of the NCVS Instrument
B2-8
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Part B, Chapter 2
Call or No Sunday Information” that was previously
entered in the Interview Time Preferences grid by pressing
the “Ctrl” “+ “T” keys simultaneously. Last, this will
display any non-English languages the household may
speak based on entries in the instrument during a previous
contact. From the SHOW_INFO_CP screen, continue
with the GEN_INTRO_CP screen when attempting to
contact the Household Respondent or the
WHOTOCALL_CP screen when attempting to reach an
Individual Respondent once the case has reached the status
of a sufficient partial (that is, the interview is complete for
the household respondent).
For interviews you conduct by personal visit and for which
you do not wish to view information available for the case,
the instrument bypasses Items SHOW_CP_ROSTER and
SHOW_INFO_CP and continue with either the
GEN_INTRO_CP screen (when attempting to contact the
Household Respondent) or the WHOTOCALL_CP screen
(when attempting to reach an Individual Respondent).
Enter the line number of the person with whom you want to speak.
" 1. Ted Moe
" 3. Jane Moe
________________________________________________________________________
W HOTOCALL_CP
WHOTOCALL_CP
Item WHOTOCALL_CP appears when you are reentering a case where you have already completed the
Household Respondent’s interview. This screen is used to
select a person to contact in order to set up the fills in the
question text in Item GEN_INTRO_CP as well as other
screens in the Front Section of the instrument with the
name of the next person you are trying to reach.
This screen allows you to enter the line number for any
individual respondent whose interview you have not yet
Front Section of the NCVS Instrument
B2-9
Part B, Chapter 2
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
completed. The instrument only displays those respondents
who have not completed their interview yet.
Enter the line number of the person you want to speak to
and then press the “Enter” key to proceed to Item
GEN_INTRO_CP.
? [F1]
Identify yourself - and show I.D.
Hello, I’m (YOUR NAM E)...from the U.S. Census Bureau. Here is my identification.
If new household - give introductory letter and allow time to read
ASK FOR: Eligible respondent (a household member at least 18 years of age and knowledgeable about the
household)
Household address is:
101 Ocean View Circle
Anytown, VA 99997
" 1. Respondent available
" 2. Respondent not available
" 3. Unavailable through closeout
______________________________________________________________________________
GEN_INTRO_CP
GEN_INTRO_CP
Item GEN_INTRO_CP gives you instructions for
introducing yourself and starting the personal visit
interview. It also displays information about who to ask
for:
•
For incoming (TIS 1) households in which you have not
yet established a household respondent, this screen
displays: “ASK FOR:” Eligible respondent (a
household member at least 18 years of age and
knowledgeable about the household).
•
For incoming (TIS 1) households for which you have
established a household respondent but are making a
callback to complete their interview, or for continuing
Front Section of the NCVS Instrument
B2-10
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Part B, Chapter 2
cases in which you are interviewing the household
respondent, this screen displays the household
respondent’s name after the interviewer instruction that
reads: “ASK TO SPEAK TO:”
•
For any (TIS 1-7) household in which you are
interviewing an individual respondent, the individual
respondent’s name displays after the interviewer
instruction that reads: “ASK TO SPEAK TO:” The
name of the individual respondent is filled based upon
the line number you enter in the WHOTOCALL_CP
screen. The WHOTOCALL_CP screen appears in the
instrument front only after you have completed the
interview for the household respondent.
The precodes you enter in the GEN_INTRO_CP screen
result in the instrument progressing to different screens
based on the case’s Time in Sample (that is, whether it is
incoming (TIS 1) or continuing (TIS 2-7), and whether you
are interviewing a household respondent on the first
attempt, interviewing a household respondent on a reentry
into the case (for example, to complete a partial interview
with the household respondent), or interviewing an
individual respondent.
Precode (1)
Entering Precode (1), “Respondent available” in Item
GEN_INTRO_CP takes you to:
•
the CAPI_INTRO_B screen when you are
interviewing a household respondent whose interview
has not been at least partially completed. (All TIS)
•
the INTRO_PARTIAL_CP screen when you are
interviewing a household respondent or an individual
respondent whose interview has been partially
completed this interview period. (All TIS)
•
the INTRO_REC_CP screen when you are
interviewing an individual respondent whose interview
has not been at least partially completed. (All TIS)
Front Section of the NCVS Instrument
B2-11
Part B, Chapter 2
Precode (2)
Precode (3)
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
If you enter Precode (2), “Respondent not available,” at the
GEN_INTRO_CP screen the instrument goes to:
•
the HHNUM_VR_CP screen for a continuing case
when you are interviewing a household respondent
whose interview has not been at least partially
completed. (TIS 2-7).
•
the NEWHHR_CP screen for a continuing case when
you are attempting to interview a household respondent
whose interview has been partially completed this
interview period. (TIS 1-7)
•
the VERIFY screen in the back of the instrument for an
incoming case when you are attempting to interview a
household respondent whose interview has not been at
least partially completed. (TIS 1)
•
the ALTERNATE1_CP screen for a case when you are
attempting to interview an individual respondent who is
not available but there is at least one other individual
respondent in the household who still needs to be
interviewed. The ALTERNATE1_CP screen allows
you to select the line number of the another person to
attempt to interview. (All TIS)
Entering Precode (3), “Respondent not available through
closeout,” in the GEN_INTRO_CP screen progresses to:
•
the VERIFY screen in the back of the instrument for an
incoming case when you are attempting to interview a
household respondent whose interview has not been at
least partially completed. (TIS 1)
•
the GEN_INTRO_CP_CK screen when you are
conducting an interview with a TIS 2-7 case. The
GEN_INTRO_CP_CK screen is used to determine
whether a new household respondent is needed or
Front Section of the NCVS Instrument
B2-12
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Part B, Chapter 2
whether a proxy interview is needed when attempting to
reach an individual respondent.
(For household respondent):
Are you sure this person is unavailable through closeout? If so, you must select a new household
respondent.
(For individual respondent):
Are you sure this person is unavailable through closeout? If so, try to find a proxy respondent for this
person.
_____________________________________________________
Questions involved
Value
GEN_INTRO_CP: Introduction 1st time
Unavailable through closeout
Suppress
GEN_INTRO_CP_CK
Close
Goto
The GEN_INTRO_CP_CK screen displays FR
instructions based on the situation. When interviewing the
Household Respondent the instrument displays the first FR
instruction in the screen shot above and when interviewing
an Individual Respondent the instrument displays the
second FR instruction.
When the “Suppress” button is selected at this edit check,
the instrument progresses to screens to allow you to select
a new household respondent (Items HELLO_ALT2_CP or
HELP_OTH_CP) or allow you to select a proxy
respondent for an individual respondent (TOOLATE_CP).
These screens are discussed in more detail in Topic 5 of
this chapter.
When the “Close” or “Goto” buttons are selected, the
instrument returns to the GEN_INTRO_CP screen.
Front Section of the NCVS Instrument
B2-13
Part B, Chapter 2
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Is respondent ready to complete the interview?
"
"
"
"
"
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Continue
Inconvenient time - callback needed
Reluctant respondent - hold for refusal follow-up
Other outcome -problem/select new household respondent
W rong address (wrong case selected)
CAPI_INTRO_B
CAPI_INTRO_B
The CAPI_INTRO_B screen checks to make sure the
respondent is ready to complete the interview.
The precodes you enter in the CAPI_INTRO_B screen
result in the instrument progressing to different screens
based on the case’s Time in Sample (that is, whether it is
incoming (TIS 1) or continuing (TIS 2-7).
Precode (1)
Precode (1), “Continue,” takes you to:
•
GETLETTER_CP for an incoming case where there
has not been at least a partial interview obtained with
the household respondent. GETLETTER_CP verifies
whether or not the household received the
“Introductory” or “Continuing Household” letter sent by
your Regional Office.
•
HHNUM_VR_CP which asks, “Is this a replacement
household?” for a continuing case in which you have
not completed at least a partial interview with the
household respondent.
A replacement household is one in which the
household interviewed in the previous enumeration
period has moved away from the sample address
and has been replaced by a new household.
Precodes (2) and (3)
Entering Precode (2), “Inconvenient time. Callback
needed.” or Precode (3) “Reluctant respondent - hold for
refusal followup”, takes you to:
Front Section of the NCVS Instrument
B2-14
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Part B, Chapter 2
•
the VERIFY screen (and then out of the instrument) for
an incoming case
•
the HHNUM_VR_CP screen, which asks, “Is this a
replacement household?” for a continuing case in which
you have not completed at least a partial interview with
the household respondent.
Entering Precode (4), “Other outcome OR problem
interviewing respondent” takes you to:
Precode (4)
•
HHNUM_VR_CP screen, for a continuing case.
•
HHRPICK_CK for an incoming case.
HHRPICK_CK is a hard error pop-up screen that
displays the following message:
Error. You indicated respondent was available to continue the interview or you are trying to change a
household respondent for an incoming case that does not yet have a household respondent.
Questions involved
CAPI_INTRO_B: Ready for PV?
Value
Other outcome-problem/select new...
Suppress
HHRPICK_CK
Close
Goto
At this edit check, press the “Goto” button to return to the
CAPI_INTRO_B screen and select another precode.
This edit check appears when you have selected Precode
(1), “Respondent available” in GEN_INTRO_CP, as well
as Precode (4), “Other outcome OR problem interviewing
respondent” in CAPI_INTRO_B; which are two
inconsistent answers. It also appears when you are trying to
change a household respondent in an incoming case when
the household respondent has not yet been selected.
Selection of the initial household respondent for an
incoming case is done at Item PICK1STHHRESP.
Precode (5)
Entering Precode (5), “Wrong address (wrong case
selected),” in Item CAPI_INTRO_B takes you to:
Front Section of the NCVS Instrument
B2-15
Part B, Chapter 2
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
•
the VERIFY screen (and then out of the instrument) for
an incoming or continuing case.
Is this a replacement household?
If unsure, enter 2 (No)
" 1. Yes
" 1. No
_________________________________________________
HHNUM_VR_CP
HHNUM_VR_CP
This screen is displayed when entering a case, either for a
personal visit interview or telephone interview, where you
have not obtained at least a partial interview with the
household respondent.
If the household is a replacement household, indicate that
by entering Precode (1), “Yes.” The instrument goes to
Item CK_REPLACE_CP, which is the first of two screens
that need to be completed before setting up a replacement
household.
If the household is not a replacement, enter Precode (2),
“No.” Then interview the household as usual.
A replacement household means that there are NO members of the household interviewed during the
previous enumeration period living at this address.
Are you sure this is a replacement household?
" 1. Yes
" 2. No
_________________________________________________
CK_REPLACE_CP
CK_REPLACE_CP
The CK_REPLACE_CP screen contains an interviewer
instruction asking you to verify that this household is
Front Section of the NCVS Instrument
B2-16
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Part B, Chapter 2
indeed a replacement household and meets the NCVS
definition of a replacement household. Enter Precode (1)
“Yes” to code this as a replacement household and continue
with Item SPAWNED_CP, otherwise enter Precode (2)
“No”. After entering Precode (2), you will encounter an
edit check pop-up that instructs you on how to proceed.
Inconsistent answers were entered in HHNUM_VR_CP
and CK_REPLACE_CP.
Below select either "HHNUM_VR_CP: Replacement
household?" "Yes" and press the "Goto" button to return to the
HHNUM_VR_CP screen to change the answer to "No" to
indicate this is not a replacement household OR
select "CK_REPLACE_CP: Verify Replacement "No" and
press the "Goto" button to return to the CK_REPLACE_CP
screen to change the answer to "Yes" to verify this is a
replacement household.
_________________________________________________
Questions involved
Value
HHNUM_VR_CP: Replacement household?
Yes
CK_REPLACE_CP: Verify Replacement
No
Suppress
Close
Goto
This edit check appears when you have coded that this is a
replacement household in Item HHNUM_VR_CP and then
coded that it is not a replacement household in Item
CK_REPLACE_CP. If you selected that this was a
replacement household in error, select the first row in the
“Questions Involved” column to return to the
HHNUM_VR_CP screen and change the answer to “No”
to code that this IS NOT a replacement household.
Otherwise, select the second row in the “Questions
Involved” column to return to the CK_REPLACE_CP
screen and change the answer to “Yes” to code that this IS a
replacement household.
NOTE: Only code a case as a replacement
household after you have confirmed new
respondents have moved into the sample address.
If new respondents have not moved in yet, then the
current case should be coded as a Type B
Front Section of the NCVS Instrument
B2-17
Part B, Chapter 2
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Noninterview. Do not code a vacant sample
address as a replacement household since the
original household has not been replaced yet.
A new case for the replacement household will be spawned in Case Management after you exit the case.
Enter 1 to exit this case, which will automatically be made a Type C.
Select the newly spawned case in Case Management to interview the replacement household.
" 1. Enter 1 to Continue
_________________________________________________
SPAW NED_CP
SPAWNED_CP
The SPAWNED_CP screen appears when Precode (1) is
entered in Item CK_REPLACE_CP. This screen informs
you that the current case will be coded as a Type C
“Replacement Household” and a new replacement
household will be created in Laptop Case Management.
The new household, created in Laptop Case Management
must be interviewed. After entering “1” at Item
SPAWNED_CP the instrument skips to the VERIFY
screen in the back of the instrument.
PARTIAL INTERVIEW FOR: Ted Moe
IF NECESSARY: Hello, this is (YOUR NAME) from the U.S. Census Bureau.
W e completed part of your interview for the National Crime Victimization Survey and would like to finish it
now.
" 1. Enter 1 to Continue
__________________________________________________
INTRO_PARTIAL_CP
INTRO_PARTIAL_CP
The INTRO_PARTIAL_CP screen appears when you are
interviewing a household respondent or an individual
respondent whose interview has been partially completed
this interview period.. (All TIS)
Front Section of the NCVS Instrument
B2-18
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Part B, Chapter 2
This screen comes up after entering Precode (1) in Item
GEN_INTRO_CP or a valid line number in Item
ALTERNATE1_CP when calling back for a respondent
with a partial interview. Use this screen to reintroduce
yourself and the survey to the respondent before proceeding
with the respondent’s interview. After Entering (1) to
continue, you can press the “End” key to skip to the last
unanswered question in this respondent’s interview. For
example, if you had stopped the interview with a
respondent at Item LOCATION_GENERAL in the
incident report section during your original contact with the
respondent. Upon callback, enter Precode (1) in Item
INTRO_PARTIAL_CP and at the next screen that
appears press the “End” key to skip to the
LOCATION_GENERAL screen. This saves you and the
respondent valuable time by not having to go through all of
the screens the respondent has already answered during the
previous contact.
?[F1]
RECALLED RESPONDENT: Jane Moe
IF NECESSARY: Hello, this is (YOUR NAME) from the U.S. Census Bureau.
W e are talking with members of your household to obtain statistics on the kinds and amount of crime
committed against individuals 12 years of age or older.
W e would like to complete your interview now.
" 1. Enter 1 to Continue
____________________________________________
INTRO_REC_CP
INTRO_REC_CP
The INTRO_REC_CP screen appears when you are
interviewing an individual respondent whose interview has
not been at least partially completed. (All TIS)
This screen comes up after entering Precode (1) in Item
GEN_INTRO_CP or a valid line number in Item
Front Section of the NCVS Instrument
B2-19
Part B, Chapter 2
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
ALTERNATE1_CP when calling back for a respondent
who has not been interviewed yet. Use this screen to
introduce yourself and the survey to the respondent before
proceeding with the respondent’s interview. After Entering
(1) to continue, proceed to the NEXTPERSON screen,
which will be prefilled with the respondent’s line number.
Press the “Enter” key to continue to the
INTERVIEWSTATUS screen to begin the respondent’s
interview.
Front Section of the NCVS Instrument
B2-20
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Part B, Chapter 2
Topic 4. CAPI Telephone Interview for
Household Respondent and Individual Respondents
(Screen Layout and Instructions for
START_CP through INTRO_REC_CP)
CENSUS CATI/CAPI SYSTEM
National Crime Victimization Survey
Case status is: New Case
Date: July 3, 2008
Time: 10:06 am
Incoming/Continuing: Continuing
Interview Number: 02
Confirmed Refusal: No
"
"
"
"
"
"
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Telephone interview
Personal visit interview (See notes)
Personal visit interview (Skip all notes and go to GEN_INTRO_CP)
Noninterview (Type A/B/C)
Ready to transmit case - no more followup (Type Z’s)
Quit: Do not attempt now
START_CP
START_CP
(Telephone Interview)
The START_CP screen is the first NCVS instrument
screen that you see when you enter a case. As shown
above, this screen gives you the following information:
•
•
•
•
•
•
Survey title
Case status
Current date and time.
Incoming/Continuing status
Interview Number (1 through 7)
Confirmed Refusal Status (Yes or No)
After reviewing the information, choose Precode (1) to
conduct the interview by telephone.
Front Section of the NCVS Instrument
B2-21
Part B, Chapter 2
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
If you enter Precode (1) for an incoming case (TIS 1) and
you have not yet completed the interview with the
household respondent you will see the edit check,
NEED_PV_CK.
This is an incoming case and requires a personal visit interview with the household respondent, unless this
is a last resort.
If this is a last resort, select “Suppress” to continue with a telephone interview for this case. Otherwise,
select “Goto” to return to the START_CP screen and select personal interview.
______________________________________________________________________
Questions involved
Value
START_CP: Start CAPI interview
Telephone interview
Suppress
NEED_PV_CK
Close
Goto
NEED_PV_CK appears for TIS 1 cases as well as
replacement households when Precode (1) is selected at
START_CP when the household has not yet been
interviewed. Although incoming cases should be done by
personal visit, this was added to accommodate households
that request a telephone interview.
To continue with a telephone interview click on the
“Suppress” button, which takes you to the DIAL_CP
screen to start a telephone interview. Otherwise, click on
the “Goto” button to return to the START_CP screen to
select Precode (2) or (3) to continue with a personal visit
interview. Personal visit interviews are discussed in Topic
3 of this chapter.
START_CP
(Telephone Interview)
When entering Precode (1) in Item START_CP for TIS 2-7
cases you progress to the following screens to view
information available for the case, that is:
•
•
the household roster (SHOW_CP_ROSTER) and
a reminder screen to view case level notes and the
interview time preference grid (Best Time to
Call/no Sunday information) (SHOW_INFO_CP).
Front Section of the NCVS Instrument
B2-22
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Part B, Chapter 2
(Note that Precodes 2-6 and corresponding instrument paths
are discussed in detail in Topic 2 of this chapter.)
Status of household composition
LN
NAME
REL
MEMBER
SEX
AGE
STATUS
1
2
3
Ted Moe
Megan Moe
Jane Moe
Ref Per
W ife
Daughtr
Member
Member
Member
M
F
F
43
43
14
NEED SELF
NEED SELF
NEED SELF
" 1. Enter 1 to Continue
____________________________________________
SHOW _CP_ROSTER
SHOW_CP_ROSTER
The SHOW_CP_ROSTER screen displays the household
roster. The roster includes anyone added to the roster
during the time the case has been in sample. Therefore,
persons coded as nonmembers are also displayed at this
screen. In addition to the SHOW_CP_ROSTER screen,
you can also view the household roster at any place in the
instrument by clicking on the HHROSTER index tab at the
top of the Info Pane or by pressing the “Shift” + “F1” keys.
INFORMATION FROM PREVIOUS INTERVIEW
Press Control + F7 to view case level notes
Press Control + T to view interview time preference
Language:
" 1. Enter 1 to Continue
_______________________________________________
SHOW _INFO_CP
SHOW_INFO_CP
The SHOW_INFO_CP screen gives you a chance to
review any notes entered for the case since the household
first came into sample, by pressing the “Ctrl” + F7" keys
simultaneously. You can also check for any “Best Time to
Front Section of the NCVS Instrument
B2-23
Part B, Chapter 2
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Call or No Sunday Information” that was previously
entered in the Interview Time Preferences grid by pressing
the “Ctrl” “+ “T” keys simultaneously. Last, this displays
any non-English languages the household may speak based
on entries in the instrument during a previous contact.
From the SHOW_INFO_CP screen, continue with the
HHNUM_VR_CP screen when first attempting to contact
the Household Respondent or the WHOTOCALL_CP
screen when attempting to reach an Individual Respondent
once the case has reached the status of a sufficient partial
(that is, the interview is complete for the household
respondent).
Is this a replacement household?
If unsure, enter 2 (No)
" 1. Yes
" 2. No
_________________________________________________
HHNUM_VR_CP
HHNUM_VR_CP
This screen is displayed when entering a case, either for a
personal visit interview or telephone interview, where you
have not obtained at least a partial interview with the
household respondent.
If the household is not a replacement, enter Precode (2),
“No.” Then interview the household as usual.
During a telephone interview, when you have discovered
that the previous household has moved out and Item
HHNUM_VR_CP screen appears after selecting the
“Goto” button at the VERADD_CP_CK screen press the
F10 key or click on the F10 tab to get out of the case. You
must follow up with a personal visit to verify the current
status of the sample address (vacant or occupied by new
respondents). Do not code a case as a replacement
household until you have followed up and verified that:
Front Section of the NCVS Instrument
B2-24
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Part B, Chapter 2
•
the entire household has moved out of the sample
address
AND
•
at least one new respondent has moved into the
sample address.
If you determine that the sample address is vacant, code the
case as a noninterview following the instructions in Part A,
Chapter 6. Do not code this situation as a replacement
household, since a new household has not moved into the
sample address.
Enter the line number of the person with whom you want to speak.
" 1. Ted Moe
" 3. Jane Moe
______________________________________________________________________________
W HOTOCALL_CP
WHOTOCALL_CP
(Telephone Interview)
Item WHOTOCALL_CP appears when you re-enter a
case where you have already completed the Household
Respondent’s interview. This screen is used to select a
person to contact in order to set up the fills in the question
text in Item DIAL_CP as well as other screens in the Front
Section of the instrument with the name of the next person
you are trying to reach.
This screen allows you to enter the line number for any
individual respondent whose interview you have not yet
completed. The instrument only displays those respondents
who have not completed their interview yet.
Enter the line number of the person you want to speak to
and then press the “Enter” key to go to Item DIAL_CP.
Front Section of the NCVS Instrument
B2-25
Part B, Chapter 2
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Dial number
Primary Number
(991) 555-9899 EXTENSION:
Phone Type: Home
Other Number:
(991) 555-9898 EXTENSION: 999
Phone Type: W ork
Household respondent last enumeration: Ted Moe
Current Household respondent: Megan Moe
Address: 101 Ocean View Circle
Anytown, VA 99997
" 1. Someone answers
" 2. No contact/answering machine
" 3. New telephone number/number disconnected
" 4. NOT ATTEMPTED NOW
_____________________________________
DIAL_CP
DIAL_CP
At the DIAL_CP screen, you code the outcome of the call.
Precode (1)
Enter Precode (1) when someone answers; this takes you to
the HELLO_1_CP screen.
Precode (2)
Enter Precode (2) when you get an answering machine or a
busy signal. This precode takes you to the back of the
instrument and the VERIFY screen.
Precode (3)
If you get a recorded message that the number has been
disconnected or a new number is given, enter Precode (3)
which takes you to the NEW_NUMBER_CP screen.
Precode (4)
Entering Precode (4) takes you to the VERIFY screen to
exit the instrument.
Front Section of the NCVS Instrument
B2-26
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Part B, Chapter 2
Record new telephone number.
Enter 0 for no new telephone number.
OLD NUMBER: (991) 555-9899
__________________________________________
NEW _NUMBER_CP
If you find out that the phone number you dialed has been
disconnected and no new number is given, enter 0 (zero) at
the NEW_NUMBER_CP screen to exit the instrument, via
the VERIFY screen. Otherwise, enter the new phone
number at this screen.
NEW_NUMBER_CP
After typing the new number and pressing “Enter,” the
instrument goes back to the DIAL_CP, which directs you
to call using the new number. If you do not enter the full
ten-digit phone number or if you enter an invalid area code,
an edit check pop-up appears that sends you back to the
NEW_NUMBER_CP screen to reenter the new number.
Hello. This is (YOUR NAME)... from the U.S. Census Bureau.
May I please speak with Megan Moe?
" 1. This is the correct person
" 2. Correct person called to the phone
" 3. Person not home now or not available now
" 4. Person unknown at this number
" 5. Person no longer lives here
" 6. Person unavailable through closeout (includes deceased individuals)
___________________________________________________
HELLO_1_CP
HELLO_1_CP
The HELLO_1_CP provides the introduction for you to
use once someone answers the phone. After saying
“Hello,” you are prompted to introduce yourself and then
ask for either the household respondent from the last
enumeration (first time calling the household this
enumeration), the current household respondent (if you
have started the interview with a household respondent), or
the person selected at the WHOTOCALL_CP screen.
Front Section of the NCVS Instrument
B2-27
Part B, Chapter 2
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
The precode you enter at HELLO_1_CP determines what
screen the instrument brings up next, based on whether you
are interviewing a household respondent on the first
attempt, interviewing a household respondent on a reentry
into the case (for example, to complete a partial interview
with the household respondent), or interviewing an
individual respondent.
Precodes (1) and (2)
Precodes (3) or (5)
Entering Precode (1), “This is the correct person or Precode
or (2) “Correct person called to the phone” takes you to:
•
the GETLETTER_CP screen when you are
interviewing a household respondent whose interview
has not been at least partially completed. (All TIS)
•
the INTRO_PARTIAL_CP screen when you are
interviewing a household respondent or an individual
respondent whose interview has been partially
completed this interview period. (All TIS)
•
the INTRO_REC_CP screen when you are
interviewing an individual respondent whose interview
has not been at least partially completed. (All TIS)
Entering Precode (3), “Person not home now or not
available now” or Precode (5), “Person no longer lives
here” takes you to either:
•
the HELLO_ALT2_CP, HELP_OTH_CP, or the
NEWHHR_CP screens when interviewing a household
respondent. These screens are discussed further in
Topic 5 of this chapter. (TIS 2-7)
•
the ALTERNATE1_CP screen for a case when you are
attempting to interview an individual respondent who is
not available, but there is at least one other individual
respondent in the household who still needs to be
interviewed. The ALTERNATE1_CP screen allows
you to enter the line number of the next person you
want to attempt to interview. This screen is discussed
further in Topic 5 of this Chapter. (All TIS)
Front Section of the NCVS Instrument
B2-28
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Part B, Chapter 2
Entering Precode (4), “Person unknown at this number,”
goes to:
Precode (4)
•
Precode (6)
the DIAL_CORRECT_CP screen, which asks, “Have
I reached (telephone number)?” to ensure that you have
dialed the correct number.
Entering Precode (6) “Other outcome or problem
interviewing respondent” goes to:
•
TOOLATE_CP if attempting to interview an
individual respondent. This item asks for a household
member who can serve as a proxy for an unavailable
respondent or a respondent who cannot be interviewed
for some other reason. This item is discussed in more
detail in Topic 5 of this chapter. (All TIS)
Have I reached (991) 555-9899?
" 1. Yes
" 2. No
____________________________________________________________________________________
DIAL_CORRECT_CP
DIAL_CORRECT_CP
When you call a household and the person who answers the
phone says they do not know the respondent you asked for
at Item HELLO_1_CP, the instrument goes to the
DIAL_CORRECT_CP screen, to verify that you dialed
the correct telephone number.
If you dialed the number correctly at Item DIAL_CP AND
you have not yet reached the household respondent, enter
Precode (1) which takes you to:
•
the RTNUM_CP screen to verify whether you have
reached the household, when you have not contacted the
household yet this enumeration period.
•
the NEWHHR_CP screen if you have already made
contact with the household respondent. At the
Front Section of the NCVS Instrument
B2-29
Part B, Chapter 2
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
NEWHHR_CP screen the FR instructions asks you if
you want to change the household respondent.
•
the ALTERNATE1_CP screen if you are attempting to
contact an individual respondent and there are other
household members who have not completed their
interview, or to the VERIFY screen, in the back of the
instrument, when there are no other respondents left to
interview.
If you did not dial the correct number, enter Precode (2).
You will then see the edit check pop-up to verify that the
correct number was not reached.
Select the “Goto” button in order to return to the
DIAL_CP screen to redial the phone number for the household.
Otherwise, select the “Close” button to return to the
DIAL_CORRECT_CP screen.
_________________________________________________
Questions involved
Value
DIAL_CP: Dail phone number
Someone answers
DIAL_CORRECT_CP: Correct number
No
Close
Goto
This edit check appears to verify that you have misdialed
the phone number for the household. If you have
misdialed, select the first row in the “Questions Involved”
column to return to the DIAL_CP screen and redial the
phone number. Otherwise, select the second row in the
“Questions Involved” column to return to the
DIAL_CORRECT_CP screen and change the answer to
“Yes” to code that you have dialed the correct number.
After changing the answer in Item DIAL_CORRECT_CP
to “Yes” the instrument continues with Item RTNUM_CP.
Front Section of the NCVS Instrument
B2-30
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Part B, Chapter 2
I'm trying to reach someone in the Moe household.
Have I reached the correct household?
" 1. Yes
" 2. No
_________________________________________________________________________
RTNUM_CP
RTNUM_CP
The RTNUM_CP screen appears when you code at the
HELLO_1_CP screen that the household respondent you
are trying to reach is not known by the person who
answered the phone and that person confirms that you
dialed the correct number.
At RTNUM_CP, verify with the person on the telephone
whether the phone number still belongs to the household
from the last enumeration. If it is the same, enter Precode
(1) and the instrument continues to Item
HELLO_ALT2_CP or HELP_OTH_CP, depending on
the roster composition. See Topic 5 of this chapter for
more information on these two items.
If you have not reached the correct household, enter
Precode (2) and the instrument goes to Item VERIFY at the
back of the instrument.
PARTIAL INTERVIEW FOR: Ted Moe
IF NECESSARY: Hello, this is (YOUR NAME) from the U.S. Census Bureau.
W e completed part of your interview for the National Crime Victimization Survey and would like to finish it
now.
" 1. Enter 1 to Continue
__________________________________________________
INTRO_PARTIAL_CP
INTRO_PARTIAL_CP
The INTRO_PARTIAL_CP screen will appear when you
are interviewing a household respondent or an individual
respondent whose interview has been partially completed
this interview period.. (All TIS)
Front Section of the NCVS Instrument
B2-31
Part B, Chapter 2
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
This screen comes up after entering Precodes (1) or (2) in
Item HELLO_1_CP or a valid line number in Item
ALTERNATE1_CP when calling back for a respondent
with a partial interview. Use this screen to reintroduce
yourself and the survey to the respondent before proceeding
with the respondent’s interview. After Entering (1) to
continue, you can press the “End” key to skip to the last
unanswered question in this respondent’s interview. For
example, if you had stopped the interview with a
respondent at Item LOCATION_GENERAL in the
incident report section during your original contact with the
respondent. Upon callback you enter Precode (1) in Item
INTRO_PARTIAL_CP and at the next screen that
appears you would press the “End” key to skip to the
LOCATION_GENERAL screen. This save you the
respondent valuable time by not having to go through all of
the screens the respondent has already answered during the
previous contact.
?[F1]
RECALLED RESPONDENT: Jane Moe
IF NECESSARY: Hello, this is (YOUR NAME) from the U.S. Census Bureau.
W e are talking with members of your household to obtain statistics on the kinds and amount of crime
committed against individuals 12 years of age or older.
W e would like to complete your interview now.
" 1. Enter 1 to Continue
____________________________________________
INTRO_REC_CP
INTRO_REC_CP
The INTRO_REC_CP screen will appear when you are
interviewing an individual respondent whose interview has
not been at least partially completed. (All TIS)
This screen will come up after entering Precodes (1) or (2)
in Item HELLO_1_CP or a valid line number in Item
ALTERNATE1_CP when calling back for a respondent
who has not been interviewed yet. Use this screen to
Front Section of the NCVS Instrument
B2-32
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Part B, Chapter 2
introduce yourself and the survey to the respondent before
proceeding with the respondent’s interview. After Entering
(1) to continue, proceed to the NEXTPERSON screen,
which will be prefilled with the respondent’s line number.
Press the “Enter” key to continue to the
INTERVIEWSTATUS screen to begin the respondent’s
interview.
Front Section of the NCVS Instrument
B2-33
Part B, Chapter 2
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Topic 5. Selecting a New Household or Individual Respondent
During CAPI Personal Visit and Telephone Interviews
(Screen Layout and Instructions for the
NEWHHR_CP, HELLO_ALT2_CP, HELP_OTH_CP,
ALTERNATE1_CP, TOOLATE_CP and NEXTPERSON)
Do you want to select a new household respondent?
" 1. Yes
" 2. No
_______________________________________________________________________________________
NEW HHR_CP
NEWHHR_CP
If you answer (2), at Item GEN_INTRO_CP, (3), (5), or
(6) at Item HELLO_1_CP, or (1), at Item
DIAL_CORRECT_CP, the instrument takes you to the
NEWHHR_CP screen when you have already started the
interview with the household respondent. The
NEWHHR_CP screen contains the interviewer instruction,
“Do you want to select a new household respondent?”
Enter (1) for “Yes,” and (2) for “No,” to exit the
instrument.
Entering Precode (1), “Yes,” at Item NEWHHR_CP takes
you to the HELLO_ALT2_CP screen (if other eligible
HHRs are listed on the household roster), which prompts
you to ask for another household respondent based on those
who are eligible to be an HHR. If there are no other
eligible HHRs on the household roster the instrument will
proceed to Item HELP_OTH_CP, which asks if the person
you are currently talking to or anyone else who lives there
is eligible to be a household respondent.
NOTE: An eligible household respondent is a
household member who is:
•
•
•
Age 18 or older or
Age 17 and married to the reference person
or
Age 17 when all members of the household
are age 17 or younger
Front Section of the NCVS Instrument
B2-34
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Part B, Chapter 2
You can also use the “New HHR” index tab at the top left
of the screen to select the line number to change household
respondents. (Only eligible household respondents will be
listed at NEW_HHR.) You may use the “New HHR”
Section Tab during the household respondent’s interview,
until you have completed the household roster updates.
NEW_HHR
(index tab)
May I speak to ( Ask for another possible household respondent.)
LN
NAME
STATUS
SEX
AGE
1
Ted Moe
NEED SELF
F
43
Enter precode or line number
Enter 31 if no one available now
" 1. Ted Moe
" 31. No one listed available now
________________________________________________________________________________________
HELLO_ALT2_CP
HELLO_ALT2_CP
Item HELLO_ALT2_CP is displayed so that you can
select a new household respondent when entries in Items
NEWHHR_CP, GEN_INTRO_CP,
GEN_INTRO_CP_CK, HELLO_1_CP,
CAPI_INTRO_B, or RTNUM_CP are coded that you
need to select a new household respondent. The
HELLO_ALT2_CP screen appears only when there are
other household members listed as possible household
respondents.
Use this screen to help identify an eligible household
respondent for the current interview period; the
HELLO_ALT2_CP screen presents you with a list of
other eligible household respondents. You must interview
an eligible household respondent BEFORE interviewing
any other NCVS eligible household members. Note that
only those who are eligible to be selected to act as the
household respondent should be displayed at this screen. If
an eligible household respondent is available, enter that
household member’s line number and you will continue
Front Section of the NCVS Instrument
B2-35
Part B, Chapter 2
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
with the household respondent’s interview at the
GETLETTER_CP screen. Otherwise, enter Precode (31),
“No one listed above available now.” This takes you to the
HELP_OTH_CP screen, described below.
Perhaps you can help me.
I would like to speak to a member of the Moe household who lives there, is at least 18 years old, and is
knowledgeable about the household.
(If appropriate:) W ould you or someone else there now qualify?
" 1. Yes (person you are speaking with or someone else available)
" 2. No (no one available or qualified)
" 3. Wrong household
___________________________________________________________________________________
HELP_OTH_CP
HELP_OTH_CP
Item HELP_OTH_CP is another screen used to identify an
eligible household respondent for the current interview
period. This screen appears when you have coded that you
would like to change the household respondent, but there
are no other persons listed on the roster who qualify as a
household respondent.
The HELP_OTH_CP screen is displayed when there are
no other eligible household respondents listed on the roster
and you have entered in Items NEWHHR_CP,
GEN_INTRO_CP, GEN_INTRO_CP_CK,
HELLO_1_CP, CAPI_INTRO_B, and RTNUM_CP that
you need to select a new household respondent. The
HELP_OTH_CP screen is also on path when you enter
Precode (31) in Item HELLO_ALT2_CP because no one
listed as an eligible household respondent is available when
you call.
An entry of Precode (1), “Yes (person you are speaking
with or someone else available),” goes to the
OTHR_NAME_FIRST_CP screen to collect the name of
the new household respondent. Entries of Precode (2), “No
(no one available or qualified),” and Precode (3), “Wrong
household,” exits the instrument.
Front Section of the NCVS Instrument
B2-36
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Part B, Chapter 2
W hat is your name?
Enter the respondent's first name on this screen and last name on the next screen.
______________________________________________________________________________________
OTHR_NAM E_FIRST_CP
W hat is your last name?
Enter respondent's last name.
______________________________________________________________________________________
OTHR_NAM E_LAST_CP
OTHR_NAME_FIRST_CP
and
OTHR_NAME_LAST_CP
Items OTHR_NAME_FIRST_CP and
OTHR_NAME_LAST_CP are used to collect the name of
the new HHR not already listed on the household roster.
These screens are accessed when Item HELP_OTH_CP
equals 1. After collecting this person’s name, the
instrument codes this new line number/respondent as the
new household respondent. When you reach the Control
Card Section, the instrument directs you to collect
demographic information for this new household
respondent. Topic 9 discusses the screens used to collect
and update the demographic information in more detail.
Front Section of the NCVS Instrument
B2-37
Part B, Chapter 2
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
These household members have not yet been interviewed:
LN
NAM E
1.
3.
Ted Moe
Jane Moe
I still need to interview (READ NAMES FROM ABOVE)
Are either of them available now?
Enter line number or precode.
Enter 31 if No or No other household members available.
" 1. Ted Moe
" 3. Jane Moe
" 31. No or no one listed above available now
______________________________________________________________________
ALTERNATE1_CP
ALTERNATE1_CP
The Item ALTERNATE1_CP presents you with a list of
household members (individual respondents) who have not
yet been interviewed or have not completed their interview.
This screen appears when the person selected at Item
WHOTOCALL_CP is coded as not available in the
screens HELLO_1_CP, TOOLATE_CP,
DIAL_CORRECT_CP or GEN_INTRO_CP.
Therefore, when there are other respondents who still need
to be interviewed, Item ALTERNATE1_CP is asked to
see if any of the remaining NCVS eligible household
members you have not yet completed their NCVS or
supplement interviews are available to complete their
interview. At this screen read the question text to the
person you are speaking to and then enter the line number
or precode for the household member you wish to
interview; enter Precode (31) if no other household
members are available.
Front Section of the NCVS Instrument
B2-38
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Part B, Chapter 2
Since the survey must be completed before Jane Moe's return, I can take her information from someone else.
W ould you or someone there now know how to answer the crime questions for Ted Moe?
" 1. Yes
" 2. No
___________________________________________________________________________________
TOOLATE_CP
TOOLATE_CP
This item asks for a household member who can serve as a
proxy for an unavailable respondent or a respondent who
cannot be interviewed for some other reason.
Item TOOLATE_CP appears when Precode (6), “Person
unavailable through closeout,” is entered in Item
HELLO_1_CP or the “Suppress” button is selected at the
edit check GEN_INTRO_CP_CK. If someone can act as
a proxy respondent (Precode (1)) the instrument leads you
down the path to collect the proxy reason and the line
number of the proxy respondent (that is, the person you talk
to in order to collect the data for the proxy person/person
not able to complete their interview by self-response). For
a household member to act as the proxy respondent, they
must have completed their own interview and done so by
self-response. Coding proxy interviews is discussed more
in Topic 6, below.
If a proxy respondent is not currently available, enter
Precode (2) to go to the ALTERNATE1_CP screen when
there are other individual respondents left to be
interviewed. Otherwise, you exit the instrument via the
VERIFY screen.
Front Section of the NCVS Instrument
B2-39
Part B, Chapter 2
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
***Do not F10 from this screen ***
LN
NAME
STATUS
HRESP
REL
SEX
AGE
_________________________________________________________________________________________
1
2
3
Ted Moe
Megan Moe
Jane Moe
Done-Int
Done-Int
NEED SELF
R
Ref Person
W ife
Daughtr
M
F
F
43
43
14
I also need to speak with Jane Moe.
Is Jane Moe at home now?
Enter the person’s line number for next interview.
***Do not F10 from this screen ***
________________________________________________________________________________________
" 3. Jane Moe
" 32. Household complete
" 31. Respondent refused for someone else " 33. No other person available now
_________________________________________________________________________________________
NEXTPERSON
NEXTPERSON
This item shows the household roster and instructs you to
enter the line number of the next person to be interviewed.
After selecting the next person to interview the instrument
will continue with Item INTERVIEWSTATUS to review
the type of interview needed for the respondent before
beginning their NCVS interview.
If the respondent you just completed an interview with
refuses for someone else, enter Precode (31) which will
lead you through screens to code that line number as a
refusal; see Topic 6 for more details on coding a respondent
as a refusal. If no other person is available for an interview,
enter Precode (33), which will take you to the
REFCBBREAK_CP screen in the back of the instrument.
Front Section of the NCVS Instrument
B2-40
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Part B, Chapter 2
Topic 6. Completing Self Response and Proxy Interviews
and Coding Initial Refusals
(Screen Layout and Instructions for the INTERVIEWSTATUS through
INTROFORNEWRESPONDENT)
Review self/proxy status and person’s name before proceeding to screen questions.
Interview is for: Jane Moe
Talking to: Jane Moe
Self/Proxy status: SELF INTERVIEW
Jane M oe ISN’T the household respondent
If wrong person selected, back up to the NEXTPERSON screen to select the next person to be
interviewed.
" 1. Continue with this respondent’s interview
" 2. Change to a proxy interview
________________________________________________________________________________
INTERVIEWSTATUS
INTERVIEWSTATUS
The INTERVIEWSTATUS screen is the first screen
encountered after selecting the next person to interview. As
shown above, this screen gives you the following
information:
•
•
•
•
The name of the current respondent;
The name of the person you are speaking to;
The respondent’s current “Proxy Status” (Self or Proxy
Interview);
Whether the current respondent is or is not the
household respondent.
If the wrong line number was selected, back up to the
NEXTPERSON screen and enter the correct line number.
If the correct line number was selected and you are ready to
continue with a self interview, select Precode (1),
“Continue with this respondent’s interview” to start this
respondent’s NCVS interview. Otherwise, select Precode
(2), “Change to a proxy interview” to change the
Front Section of the NCVS Instrument
B2-41
Part B, Chapter 2
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
respondent’s interview status from a Self interview to a
Proxy interview.
You are about to change this respondent’s interview status to a proxy interview.
If you are sure the interview for this respondent needs to be completed by proxy, click the “Suppress”
button. Otherwise, click the “Close” or “Goto” button to return to the INTERVIEW STATUS screen.
________________________________________________________________________________
Questions involved
INTERVIEW STATUS:
Value
Proxy
Suppress
PERSTATUSPROXY
Close
Goto
The PERSTATUSPROXY edit check appears in order to
verify that you want to code the current respondent as a
proxy interview. See Part C, Chapter 1 of this manual for
more information regarding proxy interviews.
If the respondent’s interview needs to be completed by
proxy, click on the “Suppress” button. After clicking the
“Suppress” button, continue with the Item
PROXYREASON to code the reason a proxy interview is
needed for this respondent. If you’ve reached this screen by
mistake, click on the “Close” or “Goto” button to return to
Item INTERVIEWSTATUS.
Enter the reason for proxy interview.
" 1. Proxy person is 12-13 years old and parent refused permission for self interview.
" 2. Proxy person is physically/mentally unable to answer.
" 3. Proxy person is temporarily absent and won’t return before closeout.
________________________________________________________________________________
PROXYREASON
PROXYREASON
After you have determined a Proxy interview is needed by
clicking on the “Suppress” button at the
PERSTATUSPROXY edit check, the PROXYREASON
screen will appear.
Front Section of the NCVS Instrument
B2-42
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Part B, Chapter 2
For the NCVS, a proxy person is a person who cannot
answer the questions for himself/herself (person talking
about). In other words, a proxy person is someone who
cannot complete his/her interview by self-response. The
proxy respondent is the person who will be answering the
questions for the proxy person (person talking to).
Precode (1)
Enter Precode (1), “Proxy person is 12-13 years old and
parent refused permission for self interview” when the
household member is 12 or 13 years old and the child’s
parent(s) refuse(s) to allow you to interview the 12 or 13year-old child by self-response. In this situation, only a
parent who has already completed their own NCVS
interview by self-response can be the proxy respondent.
If you enter Precode (1), and the household member is older
than 13, Item PROXYAGEERROR appears. Otherwise,
continue with the PICKPROXYRESP screen to select the
proxy respondent.
Precode (2)
Enter Precode (2), “Proxy person is physically/mentally
unable to answer” when the household member has a
physical and/or mental illness which prevents him/her from
responding directly to you. Entering Precode (2) takes you
to the PROXYREASONSPEC screen to record the
household member’s physical/mental illness that prohibits a
self-response interview.
Precode (3)
Enter Precode (3), “Proxy person is temporarily absent and
won’t return before closeout” when the household member
is away from the sample address temporarily AND is not
expected to return during the interview period. Before
taking a proxy interview, make sure that the person is still a
household member and will not return at any time during
the interview period. After entering Precode (3), the
instrument goes to Item PROXYDATERETURN_MO to
record the date the household member is expected to return
to the sample address.
Refer to Part C, Chapter 1 of this manual for more
information about acceptable reasons for conducting a
proxy interview.
Front Section of the NCVS Instrument
B2-43
Part B, Chapter 2
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
A proxy interview is not acceptable because the respondent is older than 13.
Interview status will be reset to “SELF” interview.
" 1. Enter 1 to Continue
________________________________________________________________________________
PROXYAGEERROR
PROXYAGEERROR
The PROXYAGEERROR screen appears when Precode
(1) is entered in the PROXYREASON screen and the
household member is older than 13. This household
member’s interview status will be set to a “self” interview.
Since Precode (1) was an invalid reason at Item
PROXYREASON, the instrument will return to the
NEXTPERSON screen where you can continue with this
household member’s interview by self-response, select
another household member to interview, or exit the case.
Describe the physical or mental condition that prevents the respondent from completing a self interview.
________________________________________________________________________________
PROXYREASONSPEC
PROXYREASONSPEC
Item PROXYREASONSPEC is the screen where you will
type in a description of the physical or mental condition of
this household member, that prevents him/her from
completing the interview by self-response. For example,
“Line Number 2 is in the late stages of Alzheimer’s.”
Proxy interviews cannot be conducted for temporary
conditions, such as a respondent has a cold, is drunk/on
drugs, or is heavily medicated. In these situations, contact
the person at a later date to conduct his/her interview.
After entering a valid proxy reason, the instrument
continues to Item PICKPROXYRESP.
Front Section of the NCVS Instrument
B2-44
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Part B, Chapter 2
If unsure, ask:
W hen is Jane M oe expected to return?
Enter month on this screen.
________________________________________________________________________________
PROXYDATERETURN_M O
If unsure, ask:
W hen is Jane M oe expected to return?
Enter day on this screen.
________________________________________________________________________________
PROXYDATERETURN_DY
If unsure, ask:
W hen is Jane M oe expected to return?
Enter year on this screen.
________________________________________________________________________________
PROXYDATERETURN_YR
PROXYDATERETURN_MO,
PROXYDATERETURN_DY,
PROXYDATERETURN_YR
Items PROXYDATERETURN_MO,
PROXYDATERETURN_DY and
PROXYDATERETURN_YR are used to record the
date when the household member is expected to return
to the sample address. These screens appear when
Precode (3) is entered in Item PROXYREASON.
Although Items PROXYDATERETURN_MO and
PROXYDATERETURN_DY are two digits, you only
need to enter one digit (without a leading “0”). Rather,
you can enter a one digit for the months of January
through September (1-9) as well as for the first nine days
Front Section of the NCVS Instrument
B2-45
Part B, Chapter 2
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
of a month. However, for the Item
PROXYDATERETURN_YR, you must enter all four
digits. For example, for September 2, 2008 you enter
“9/2/2008.”
When a household member you are speaking with is
unsure of the exact date the proxy person will return,
you may:
T
Press the “Ctrl” and “D” keys at the same
time to code a blind “Don’t Know” in any
of the return date screens.
If the household member with whom you are speaking
refuses to give you the exact date the proxy person will
return, you may:
T
Press the “Ctrl” and “R” keys at the same
time to code a blind “Refused” in any of
the return date screens.
If you enter Don’t Know or Refused in any of these
screens, the instrument proceeds to the
RETURNBYCLOSEOUT screen to verify whether the
proxy person will return before the current month’s
close-out.
After entering the date the household member is
expected to return, the instrument will proceed to:
•
Item RETURNDATEERROR1 when
the date entered is before close-out;
•
Item RETURNDATEERROR2 when
the date entered is more than six months
after close-out;
•
Item PICKPROXYRESP when a valid
return date is entered.
Front Section of the NCVS Instrument
B2-46
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Part B, Chapter 2
Error: Date is unacceptable. You must set a callback date for this respondent.
" 1. Enter 1 to Continue
________________________________________________________________________________
RETURNDATEERROR1
RETURNDATEERROR1
The RETURNDATEERROR1 screen appears when the
date entered in Items PROXYDATERETURN_MO
through PROXYDATERETURN_DY is prior to the
current month’s close-out date. Since the household
member will return before close-out, set up a callback for
this respondent to complete his/her interview by selfresponse upon his/her return. The instrument returns to the
NEXTPERSON screen after entering Precode (1) at Item
RETURNDATEERROR1.
Date is more than 6 months beyond the closeout date.
Since this person will be away from the household for such as extended period of time, they are being
coded as a nonmember.
Since Jane Moe is away for an extended period of time, no interview is required for her at this time.
" 1. Enter 1 to Continue
________________________________________________________________________________
RETURNDATEERROR2
RETURNDATEERROR2
The RETURNDATEERROR2 screen appears when the
date entered in Items PROXYDATERETURN_MO
through PROXYDATERETURN_DY is more than six
months after the current month’s close-out date. Since the
household member will not return for an extended period of
time, they will be coded as a nonmember and, therefore, no
interview is needed. When this occurs, be sure to read the
statement, “Since (proxy person’s name) is away for an
extended period of time, no interview is required for
(him/her) at this time.” to the person with whom you are
speaking. This will let them know you will not be asking
the NCVS questions about that person. After entering
Front Section of the NCVS Instrument
B2-47
Part B, Chapter 2
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Precode (1), the instrument returns to the NEXTPERSON
screen.
Do you expect Jane Moe to return by July 31, 2008?
" 1. Yes
" 2. No
________________________________________________________________________________
RETURNBYCLOSEOUT
Item RETURNBYCLOSEOUT appears when a blind
“Don’t Know” or “Refused” is entered in any of the screens
PROXYDATERETURN_MO through
PROXYDATERETURN_YR. This item is used to
determine whether the household member will return
before close-out.
RETURNBYCLOSEOUT
If he/she is expected to return before close-out, enter
Precode (1), and the instrument returns to Item
NEXTPERSON. Set up a callback for this respondent to
complete his/her interview by self-response upon his/her
return.
If the household member is not expected to return prior to
close-out, enter Precode (2), and the instrument proceeds to
Item VERIFYHHM to verify that this person is still
considered a household member.
Verify that the proxy person is still a household member.
Does Jane Moe usually live here?
If “No,” probe for usual residence elsewhere.
" 1. Yes
" 2. No
________________________________________________________________________________
VERIFYHHM
Front Section of the NCVS Instrument
B2-48
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
VERIFYHHM
Part B, Chapter 2
Item VERIFYHHM is designed to assist in determining
whether or not the person you are about to code as the
proxy person is still considered a household member. Ask
the following question in Item VERIFYHHM: “Does Jane
Moe usually live here?”
If that person does usually live there, enter Precode (1) and
continue to the PICKPROXYRESP screen to select the
proxy respondent. If the answer is "No," the instrument
will continue to Item VERIFYMEMURE to determine
whether the person has a usual place of residence held
elsewhere. Ordinarily, a person's usual place of residence is
the place where the person eats and sleeps the majority of
the time.
As a general rule, a person is considered a household
member if:
C
the sample address is the person's usual
place of residence, or
C
the person is staying at the sample address at
the time of interview and does not have a
usual place of residence elsewhere.
(Also see Part C, Chapter 1, Topic 3, and Part B, Chapter
2, Topic 10 of this manual, as well as your Information
Card Booklet (NCVS-554) for assistance in determining
household membership.)
Does Jane Moe have a usual place of residence elsewhere?
" 1. Yes
" 2. No
________________________________________________________________________________
VERIFYMEM URE
VERIFYMEMURE
When a household respondent mentions that a person on
the roster does not usually live there, follow up with the
question in Item VERIFYMEMURE to determine if the
Front Section of the NCVS Instrument
B2-49
Part B, Chapter 2
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
person qualifies as a household member for the NCVS. If
the respondent replies that this person has a usual residence
elsewhere, enter Precode (1), “Yes,” in Item
VERIFYMEMURE, which indicates that this person is
NOT a household member. However, entering Precode (2),
“No,” indicates that this person does not have a usual
residence elsewhere and, therefore, classifies as a
household member by NCVS standards and thus, would
need to complete their interview by proxy. The instrument
proceeds to the PICKPROXYRESP screen.
If you are still unsure whether to include a person on the
household roster as a household member, select Precode
(2), “No,” in Item VERIFYMEMURE, and continue to
interview the person by proxy. Explain the situation in the
“Case Level Notes.”
LN
NAME
STATUS
HRESP
REL
SEX
AGE
_________________________________________________________________________________________
1
2
3
Ted Moe
Megan Moe
Jane Moe
Done-Int
Done-Int
NEED PRXY
R
Ref Person
W ife
Daughtr
M
F
F
43
43
13
Enter line number of current respondent.
If unsure, ask name.
" 1. Ted Moe
" 2. Megan Moe
________________________________________________________________________________
PICKPROXYRESP
PICKPROXYRESP
Select the proxy respondent at Item PICKPROXYRESP.
That is, select the person who will answer the questions for
the proxy person. In order for a person to be selected as the
proxy respondent, they must have already completed his/her
own NCVS interview by self response. After selecting a
valid proxy respondent, the instrument continues with Item
INTPROXYSTATUS.
Front Section of the NCVS Instrument
B2-50
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Part B, Chapter 2
Review self/proxy status and person’s name before proceeding to screen questions.
Interview is for: Jane Moe
Talking to: Megan Moe
Self/Proxy status: PROXY INTERVIEW
Jane M oe ISN’T the household respondent
" 1. Enter 1 to Continue
________________________________________________________________________________
INTPROXYSTATUS
Item INTPROXYSTATUS is the last of the series of
screens to code a proxy interview before proceeding to the
NCVS questions. Review the text displayed to verify that
the proxy person is correctly coded as a proxy interview
and that the correct proxy respondent has been selected. If
everything is correct, enter Precode “(1),” to continue. The
instrument will begin the proxy person’s interview at Item
TIMEATADDRESS, which is the first screen in the
Middle Section of the NCVS instrument, as shown in Part
B, Chapter 3 of this manual.
INTPROXYSTATUS
LN
NAME
STATUS
HRESP
REL
SEX
AGE
_________________________________________________________________________________________
1
2
3
Ted Moe
Megan Moe
Jane Moe
Done-Int
Done-Int
NEED SELF
R
Ref Person
W ife
Daughtr
M
F
F
43
43
13
Enter line number of person refused FOR.
If unsure, ask name.
________________________________________________________________________________
W HICHLINEREFUSEDFOR
WHICHLINEREFUSEDFOR
After entering Precode (33), “Respondent refused FOR
someone else” at the NEXTPERSON screen, Item
Front Section of the NCVS Instrument
B2-51
Part B, Chapter 2
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
WHICHLINEREFUSEDFOR appears. At this screen,
enter the line number of the respondent who refused to
be interviewed or for whom another household member
refused. This changes the household member’s status to
“Refused,” but does not code them as a noninterview.
After entering the line number in Item
WHICHLINEREFUSEDFOR, continue to the
PERSTATUSREFUSED screen.
Changed to: REFUSED
If this person is a TYPE Z NONINTERVIEW , you will need to code them as such in the Type Z section of
the instrument. To do this you must first exit the instrument and then re-enter the case. W hen you are ready to
transmit the case, enter Precode "5" at the START_CP screen to access the Type Z section.
" 1. Enter 1 to Continue
________________________________________________________________________________
PERSTATUSREFUSED
PERSTATUSREFUSED
Item PERSTATUSREFUSED is an edit check that shows
the current respondent has been coded as a refusal.
However, they have not been coded as a Type Z
Noninterview at this point. Respondents cannot be coded
as Type Z Noninterviews until you are ready to transmit the
case.
In order to code this respondent as a Type Z, first:
T
complete interviews with all remaining
NCVS eligible household members;
T
exit the case;
T
re-enter the case, enter Precode (5), “Ready
to transmit case - no more followup (Type
Z’s)” at the START_CP screen;
T
enter the Type Z reason for each household
member who was not interviewed. Follow
the instructions for coding Type Z
Front Section of the NCVS Instrument
B2-52
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Part B, Chapter 2
Noninterviews in Part A, Chapter 6 of this
manual.
Re-introduction for new respondent.
If necessary Hello, I’m (YOUR NAME) from the U.S. Census Bureau.
I’m here concerning the National Crime Victimization Survey. W e are talking with members of your
household to obtain statistics on the kinds and amount of crime committed against individuals 12 years of age
or older.
W e would like to complete your interview now.
" 1. Enter 1 to Continue
________________________________________________________________________________
INTROFORNEW RESPONDENT
INTROFORNEWRESPONDENT
The INTROFORNEWRESPONDENT screen appears
when you are interviewing an individual respondent whose
interview has not been at least partially completed. (All
TIS)
This screen will be displayed after a valid line number is
entered in the NEXTPERSON screen. This screen should
be used to introduce yourself and the survey to the
respondent before proceeding with the respondent’s
interview. After Entering (1) to continue, proceed to the
TIMEATADDRESS screen, which is the first screen in the
Middle Section of the NCVS instrument, as shown in Part
B, Chapter 3 of this manual.
Front Section of the NCVS Instrument
B2-53
Part B, Chapter 2
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Topic 7. Verifying the Sample Address, Primary Telephone Number
and Mailing Address (Screen Layout and Instructions for
GETLETTER_CP through NEWMAILGQDESCRIPTION_CP)
If necessary: Hello I'm (YOUR NAME) from the U.S. Census Bureau.
I'm calling concerning the National Crime Victimization Survey. The Census Bureau is conducting a survey
here and throughout the Nation to determine how often people are victims of crime. (W e contacted your
household for this survey several months ago.) Did you receive our introductory letter in the mail?
" 1. Yes
" 2. No
" 3. Don’t Know
________________________________________________________________________________
GETLETTER_CP
GETLETTER_CP
The GETLETTER_CP screen inquires about whether the
respondent received the NCVS introductory letter. This
screen is presented for situations where you have not yet
started the interview with a household respondent.
For personal visits, an FR instruction is displayed: ‘If “No”
or “Don’t know” give respondent an introductory letter and
allow time to read.’ If you encounter this situation, hand
the household respondent the letter (NCVS-572(L) for
incoming and replacement households or NCVS-573(L) for
continuing households).
For continuing households, the instrument automatically
inserts the statement “We contacted your household for this
survey several months ago.” So it is important that you
read text to the respondent as worded since that statement
will not be displayed for incoming or replacement
households.
All precodes entered at this screen progress to the section of
the instrument where you verify the sample address,
beginning with the VERADD_CP screen.
Front Section of the NCVS Instrument
B2-54
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Part B, Chapter 2
Confirm address information
I have your address listed as ...
Read address below
101 Ocean View Circle
Anytown, VA 99997
Is that your exact address?
" 1. SAME address
" 2. MOVED (NOT same address)
" 3. Haven’t moved, but address has changed
" 4. Incorrect address previously recorded
____________________________________________________________________________
VERADD_CP
VERADD_CP
The purpose of the VERADD_CP screen is to verify that
you reached the correct address. Read the address as it is
displayed so we can verify that we have the correct full
address for the sample household.
Precode (1)
Enter Precode (1) when you confirm that you reached the
correct sample address and no address corrections are
necessary. After entering Precode (1), for incoming cases,
the instrument goes to Item MAILINGSAME_CP. After
entering Precode (1), for continuing cases, the instrument
goes to Item CHNGPH_CP, then to Item
MAILINGSAME_CP.
Precode (2)
Enter Precode (2) when you discover that you reached a
different address. (Precode (2) is an invalid entry for TIS-1
cases.) It is possible that the last interviewed household
moved from the sample address and kept the same phone
number. For the NCVS, we do not interview a household
after they have moved from the sample address. After
entering Precode (2), the instrument goes to the
MOVED_CP screen.
Precode (3)
Enter Precode (3) when you discover that you reached the
correct sample address, but the address has changed. After
entering Precode (3), continue with the CHNGPH_CP
screen, then continue to collect the new address.
Front Section of the NCVS Instrument
B2-55
Part B, Chapter 2
Precode (4)
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Enter Precode (4) when you discover that you reached the
correct sample address, but the address was recorded
incorrectly in a previous interview. After entering
Precode (4), continue with the CHNGPH_CP screen, and
then continue with the screens to update the sample
address.
Since your address rather than you personally was chosen for inclusion in the survey, no interview is required
of you at this time. Thank you for your past cooperation. The help you gave us was an important
contribution to the National Crime Victimization Survey data.
" 1. Enter 1 to continue
____________________________________________________________________________
MOVED_CP
MOVED_CP
The MOVED_CP screen is used to inform the person you
are speaking with that we do not need to interview them
since they have moved from the sample address as well as
thank them for their past cooperation. Entering Precode (1)
to continue takes you to the error pop-up,
VERADD_CP_CK.
(If an incoming case, the instrument will display:)
Invalid entry
(Else if this is a continuing case, the instrument will display:)
This case needs to be made a replacement household. Press GOTO to proceed to HHNUM_VR_CP.
____________________________________________________
Questions involved
HHNUM_VR_CP: Replacement household?
MOVED_CP: Moved
Value
No
Enter 1 to continue
Suppress
VERADD_CP_CK
Close
Goto
When interviewing an incoming case, you will encounter
the VERADD_CP_CK screen when Precode (2) is selected
at Item VERADD_CP since that is not a valid entry. In
Front Section of the NCVS Instrument
B2-56
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Part B, Chapter 2
this situation the VERADD_CP_CK screen will display
the message “Invalid entry”.
This edit check also appears after entering Precode (1) in
the MOVED_CP screen to verify that the entire household
has moved from the sample address. In this situation the
edit check will display the instruction “This case needs to
be made a replacement household. Press the “Goto” button
to proceed to Item HHNUM_VR_CP, discussed in more
detail in Topic 3 above. Otherwise press the “Close”
button to return to the VERADD_CP screen.
Do you need to change the current phone number?
CURRENT NUMBER: (991) 555-9899
" 1. Yes
" 2. No
_____________________________________________________________________
CHNGPH_CP
CHNGPH_CP
Item CHNGPH_CP appears for all continuing cases that
are not replacement households. For any continuing case
(TIS 2-7) you are asked if you would like to change the
current phone number. If yes, enter Precode (1) and
continue to the NEWPH_CP screen to ask the respondent
for the new phone number. If no, continue with the screens
to change the address (starting at Item
NEWADDHNO_CP) when Precodes (3) or (4) were
entered in Item VERADD_CP or Item
MAILINGSAME_CP when Precode (1) was entered in
VERADD_CP.
W hat is the area code and telephone number where you would like to be called?
Record new number
Enter 0 for no telephone number
______________________________________________________________________
NEW PH_CP
Front Section of the NCVS Instrument
B2-57
Part B, Chapter 2
NEWPH_CP
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Item NEWPH_CP appears when the respondent indicates
in the CHNGPH_CP screen that they would like to change
the telephone number at which they are contacted. Enter
the new number or enter 0 for no telephone number. The
instrument continues with the screens to change the
household address (starting at Item NEWADDHNO_CP)
when Precodes (3) or (4) were entered in Item
VERADD_CP or Item MAILINGSAME_CP when
Precode (1) was entered in VERADD_CP.
OLD ADDRESS
101 Ocean View Circle
Anytown, VA 99997
If incorrect or missing, enter new house number, otherwise press “Enter” to continue
________________________________________________________________________________
NEW ADDHNO_CP
NEWADDHNO_CP
through NEWADDGQDESCRIPTION_CP
screens
Items NEWADDHNO_CP through
NEWADDGQDESCRIPTION_CP are asked when the
household respondent indicates at the VERADD_CP
screen that you are at the correct sample address, but the
actual address has changed or was previously recorded
incorrectly. These screens allow you to correct or add any
of the following information: house number, house number
suffix, street name, unit designation, non-city style address,
physical location description, city, state, ZIP code, group
quarters building name, and group quarters description. If
no change is needed for a particular item, press “Enter” to
move to the next screen.
The original address information is displayed in the info
pane in the middle of the screen and can be edited in the
form pane at the bottom of the screen.
After you update the address information, the
ADRCHECK_CP screen appears to record the reason for
the change(s).
Front Section of the NCVS Instrument
B2-58
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Part B, Chapter 2
Enter reason why address information provided by respondent did not match displayed address
OLD ADDRESS
NEW ADDRESS
101 Ocean View Circle
Anytown, VA 99997
101A Ocean Avenue
Anytown, VA 99997
HOUSE NUM BER
" 11. House number was incorrect
" 12. House number was missing/blank
HOUSE NUM BER SUFFIX
" 13. House number suffix was incorrect (e.g. A instead of B)
" 14. House number suffix was missing
STREET NAM E
" 15. Street name was correct by misspelled (e.g. Pak instead of Oak Street)
" 16. Street name was not correct (e.g Oak instead of Pickford)
UNIT DESIGNATION
" 17. Unit designation was incorrect (e.g. A instead of 1)
" 18. Unit designation was missing
NON-CITY STYLE ADDRESS
" 19. Non-city style address was incorrect (P.O. Box 12 instead of P.O. Box 121)
ZIP CODE
" 20. ZIP code was missing or incorrect
STATE
" 21. State was missing or incorrect (ME instead of MD)
CITY
" 22. City name was missing or incorrect
GROUP QUARTERS
" 23. Group quarters name was missing or incorrect
" 24. Building name was missing or incorrect
" 25. 911 Address Conversion
__________________________________________________________________________________
ADRCHECK_CP
ADRCHECK_CP
The ADRCHECK_CP screen prompts you to enter a
reason(s) why the address information provided by the
respondent did not match the displayed address for the
sample unit. Note that this item allows multiple entries.
Front Section of the NCVS Instrument
B2-59
Part B, Chapter 2
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
After recording the reason for the update the instrument
continues with Item MAILINGSAME_CP.
Is your mailing address (still) the same as your physical address?
" 1. Yes
" 2. No
________________________________________________________________________
MAILINGSAME_CP
MAILINGSAME_CP
MAILINGSAME_CP asks, “Is your mailing address still
the same as your physical address?” The instrument will
fill the word “still” in the question text when the prior
household respondent reported that the mailing address was
the same as the physical address. If the mailing and
physical addresses were reported as being different the
previous enumeration or this is an incoming or replacement
household you the question will be worded, “Is your
mailing address the same as your physical address?”
Enter Precode (1) for “Yes” and the instrument takes you to
either Item YEARBUILT or Item HUCOVERAGE or
Item TENURE when the case is a TIS 1. If the case is a
TIS 3, 5, or 7 and Precode (1) is entered in Item
MAILINGSAME_CP then the instrument will go to Item
TENURE, otherwise the instrument will go to Item
STUDENTHOUSING during even numbered
enumerations. If a replacement household is spawned
during an even numbered enumeration, the instrument
proceeds to the TENURE screen, because a spawned case
is treated like a TIS 1 case.
Enter precode (2) for “No” and the instrument takes you to
the VERIFYMAILING_CP screen to verify that the
previous mailing address is correct. If we had not
previously collected a mailing address, the instrument
instead goes to Item NEWMAILHNO_CP.
Front Section of the NCVS Instrument
B2-60
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Part B, Chapter 2
I have your mailing address as...
101 Ocean View Circle
Anytown, VA 99997
Is that correct?
" 1. Yes
" 2. No
____________________________________________________________________________________
VERIFYMAILING_CP
VERIFYMAILING_CP
The VERIFYMAILING_CP screen asks, “I have your
mailing address as ‘101 Ocena View Circle, Anytown, VA
99997.’ Is that correct?”
Enter Precode (1) for “Yes” and the instrument takes you to
either Item YEARBUILT or Item HUCOVERAGE or
Item TENURE when the case is a TIS 1. If the case is a
TIS 3, 5, or 7 and Precode (1) is entered in Item
VERIFYMAILING_CP then the instrument will go to
Item TENURE, otherwise the instrument will go to Item
STUDENTHOUSING during even numbered
enumerations. If a replacement household is spawned
during an even numbered enumeration, the instrument
proceeds to the TENURE screen, because a spawned case
is treated like a TIS 1 case.
Enter Precode (2) for “No” and the instrument takes you to
the NEWMAILHNO_CP screen, which begins the series
of screens that allow you to edit all of the mailing address
fields.
OLD ADDRESS
101 Ocean View Circle
Anytown, VA 99997
If incorrect or missing, enter new house number, otherwise press “Enter” to continue
________________________________________________________________________________
NEW MAILHNO_CP
Front Section of the NCVS Instrument
B2-61
Part B, Chapter 2
NEWMAILHNO_CP
through NEWMAILGQ
DESCRIPTION_CP
screens
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
The NEWADDHNO_CP through
NEWADDGQDESCRIPTION_CP screens allow you to
modify the mailing address information for the household
and include all of the same address fields for the sample
address except physical location description, which is not
part of the mailing address.
The original address information is displayed in the info
pane in the middle of the screen and can be edited in the
form pane at the bottom of the screen. If no change is
needed, press “Enter” to move to the next screen.
After completing the screens, continue with either Item
YEARBUILT or Item HUCOVERAGE or Item
TENURE when the case is a TIS 1. If the case is a TIS 3,
5, or 7 the instrument goes to Item TENURE, otherwise
the instrument will go to Item STUDENTHOUSING
during even numbered enumerations. If a replacement
household is spawned during an even numbered
enumeration, the instrument proceeds to the TENURE
screen, because a spawned case is treated like a TIS 1 case.
Front Section of the NCVS Instrument
B2-62
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Part B, Chapter 2
Topic 8. The Coverage and Table X Sections
(Screen Layout and Instructions for
YEARBUILT through TABX_FR)
W as this structure built before April of 2000?
Do not ask for GQs, mobile homes, trailers, tents, or any other unit not located in a structure.
" 1. Yes
" 2. No (This case will be classified as a Type C)
____________________________________________________________________
YEARBUILT
YEARBUILT
Whenever an assigned case is in permit-issuing segments
and meets certain criteria, such as a 2000 sample design
case during the incoming rotation, the YEARBUILT
screen is on path. When this screen appears, ask, "Was this
structure built before April of 2000?" Only ask this
question during the first enumeration period and ask it
regardless of whether the sample address is occupied or
vacant.
If you are unable to ask the question in Item YEARBUILT
because the case is a potential Type A or Type B
noninterview, ask this question of a knowledgeable person
such as a long-term neighbor or an apartment manager.
*
Understanding “Year
Built”
Whenever you ask this question of a
nonhousehold member, never mention the survey
by name.
When you ask the question in Item YEARBUILT, our
intent is to verify that the original structure was completed
before April 2000. We are not interested in the completion
date for later remodeling, additions, or conversions.
Consider the structure to be completed when all exterior
windows and doors have been installed and the final usable
floors are finished. At this point, the unit is considered
ready for occupancy. In the case of a multi-unit structure,
all units in the structure would use the same "year built"
date.
Front Section of the NCVS Instrument
B2-63
Part B, Chapter 2
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
If the structure containing the sample unit was built before
April 1, 2000 select Precode (1) “Yes” in Item
YEARBUILT and continue with:
•
the HUCOVERAGE screen when the address is not
part of a multi-unit structure.
•
Otherwise, continue with the Item TENURE.
If the structure containing the sample unit was built after
April 1, 2000 select Precode (2) “No, (this case will be
classified as a Type C)" in Item YEARBUILT and
continue with Item YEARBUILT_CK to verify this entry.
Are you sure this structure was built after April of 2000?
_______________________________________________________________________________
Questions involved
Value
YEARBUILT: Built before April, 2000
No
Suppress
Close
Goto
YEARBUILT_CK
If you accept the answer in Item YEARBUILT by selecting
the “Suppress” button at the YEARBUILT_CK screen,
you continue to the BCNAME_CV screen to collect
information about the contact person (i.e., the person with
whom you confirmed the answer to Item YEARBUILT).
Otherwise, choose the “Close” or “Goto” buttons to return
to the YEARBUILT screen.
YEARBUILT_CK
Uncertainty About Year
Built
If there is uncertainty about whether the structure was built
either before or after April 1, 2000 select Precode (1)
“Yes,” and then:
C
Note in the “Case Level Notes” that you estimated the
year built, and
C
Continue the interview.
(See the Form 11-8, Listing and Coverage Manual, for
2000 sample design cases for detailed instructions on
determining year built.)
Front Section of the NCVS Instrument
B2-64
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Part B, Chapter 2
No Entries on the Area
Segment Listing Sheet
When you are instructed in Item YEARBUILT to
determine "year built" at the time of interview, do not make
any entries on the Area Segment Listing Sheet in column
7g, Year built, and do not line through any units that you
determine are built after April 1, 2000.
Replacement Households
When you discover a replacement household at a sample
address, you need to code the original case as a
replacement, and then conduct an interview using the
spawned case. For a replacement household in an area
segment, you do not ask the question in Item
YEARBUILT. This question was already asked of the
original household, and certain household data are copied
from the original household into the spawned case.
Enter name of contact person.
Press ENTER for None or Same.
Name of contact person:
Title of contact person:
Phone number to contact:
Extension:
Observation Only?:
_________________________________________________________________________
BCNAM E_CV
Enter title of contact person.
Press ENTER for None or Same.
Name of contact person: Sue Doe
Title of contact person:
Phone number to contact:
Extension:
Observation Only?:
_________________________________________________________________________
BCTITL_CV
Front Section of the NCVS Instrument
B2-65
Part B, Chapter 2
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Enter phone number of contact person.
Press ENTER for None or Same.
Name of contact person: Sue Doe
Title of contact person:
Neighbor
Phone number to contact:
Extension:
Observation Only?:
_________________________________________________________________________
BCNUM_CV
Enter phone number of contact person.
Press ENTER for None or Same.
Name of contact person: Sue Doe
Title of contact person:
Neighbor
Phone number to contact:
Observation Only?:
Extension:
" 1. Yes
" 2. No
_________________________________________________________________________
BCOBS_CV
BCNAME_CV BCOBS_CV
After coding that the structure at the sample unit was built
after April 1, 2000, continue with Items BCNAME_CV,
BCTITL_CV and BCNUM_CV to collect information
about the contact person’s name, title and telephone
number. (A contact person is someone who is
knowledgeable about the household - a neighbor, mail
carrier, postal carrier, etc.).
If, by observation, you determined that the structure was
built after April 2000 press the “Enter” (key without typing
anything) in Items BCNAME_CV, BCTITL_CV and
BCNUM_CV to proceed to the BCOBS_CV screen. Then
enter Precode (1) “Yes” in Item BCOBS_CV, otherwise
enter Precode (2) when you verified the question in Item
YEARBUILT with someone.
After completing the contact person’s information section,
proceed to the THANKYOU_CP screen.
Front Section of the NCVS Instrument
B2-66
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Part B, Chapter 2
Are there any other living quarters, either occupied or vacant, at this address?
" 1. Yes
" 2. No
________________________________________________________________________________
HUCOVERAGE
HUCOVERAGE
Item HUCOVERAGE is only asked during the first
enumeration period, and only for single housing units in
unit, area, or permit segments. The question in Item
HUCOVERAGE asks, “Are there any other living
quarters, either occupied or vacant, at this address?”
If you get a “No” answer, select Precode (2) and continue
with Item TENURE. After getting a “Yes” answer to the
question in Item HUCOVERAGE, select Precode (1) and
continue with the TABX_INTRO screen to verify that you
are about to add one or more extra units at the sample
address.
W ARNING
You are about to begin asking questions about one or more additional living arrangements at this location
to determine if they qualify as EXTRA UNITS!!!
If you have accidentally reached this screen, PRESS "UP ARROW " to back up to the previous screen and
correct earlier entry.
" 1. Enter 1 to continue
____________________________________________________________________________________
TABX_INTRO
TABX_INTRO
By pressing “1” to continue, you proceed to the screens in
the Table X section of the instrument to collect the address
information for the extra unit(s). This portion of the
instrument is split into two sections. The first section
collects the address information for all of the extra units
found Items EXTRAHNO through MOREEXTRA),
while the second section is used to determine if each other
living quarters is a true EXTRA unit (Items
ALREADYLISTED through TABX_FR).
Front Section of the NCVS Instrument
B2-67
Part B, Chapter 2
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
If you reached this screen by error and there are no other
living quarters at this address, back up to Item
HUCOVERAGE and change the answer to “No”.
W hat is the exact address of this other living quarters?
Enter the house number; otherwise, press “Enter” to continue
___________________________________________________________________________________
EXTRAHNO
EXTRAHNO
When completing Table X, start with Item EXTRAHNO,
“What is the exact address of this other living quarters?”
regardless of the segment type. Enter the complete address
for the potential EXTRA unit using the screens
EXTRAHNO through EXTRAGQDESCRIPTION.
These screens collect the following information: house
number, house number suffix, street name, unit designation,
non-city style address, physical description, place, State
abbreviation, 5-digit ZIP Code, 4-digit ZIP Code extension,
building name and the GQ unit description.
The instrument automatically pre-fills Items EXTRAHNO
through EXTRAGQDESCRIPTION based on the data on
the input file of the original case. Correct or add any
missing information for the extra unit in these screens. If
no update needs to be made to a particular component of
the address, press the “Enter” key to continue to the next
screen.
Did you find another living quarters, either occupied or vacant at this address?
" 1. Yes
" 2. No
___________________________________________________________________________________
MOREEXTRA
MOREEXTRA
After collecting the extra unit’s address, the instrument
goes to Item MOREEXTRA which has the FR instruction,
“Did you find another living quarters, either occupied or
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Part B, Chapter 2
vacant at this address?” If you have found another unit,
select Precode (1), “Yes,” to continue collecting the address
information for the next extra unit, following the steps
above. Once again the instrument pre-fills the sample
unit’s address. After collecting the address information for
the next unit, the MOREEXTRA screen appears once
again, asking you if there are more units to be added.
NOTE: You can add up to 27 extra units in the
instrument. If you find more than 27 extra units, the
instrument will instruct you to call your RO to
determine which extra units should be interviewed.
After you have collected the address information for all of
the extra units, enter Precode (2) “No” at Item
MOREEXTRA to continue to the next set of questions
within the Table X section. This next section is used to
determine if any of the extra units found are eligible to be
interviewed.
ADDRESS OF POTENTIAL EXTRA UNIT:
101A Ocean View Circle
Anytown, VA 99997
Is this address already listed?
" 1. Yes
" 2. No
______________________________________________________________________
ALREADYLISTED
ALREADYLISTED
If the case is in a permit segment, continue with Item
ALREADYLISTED to determine if the other living
quarters may be listed already on the Unit/Permit listing
sheet, Form 11-3. If the address displayed in Item
ALREADYLISTED is listed on the listing sheet, enter
Precode (1) “Yes” which skips to the TABX_NO screen
which states that this other living quarters is not considered
an EXTRA unit, for the purposes of this survey. In other
words, you will not need to interview this extra unit
because it already had a chance to be selected since it was
Front Section of the NCVS Instrument
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Part B, Chapter 2
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
listed during the listing process. However, if the unit is not
listed on the listing sheet, enter Precode (2) “No” and
continue with Item SAMESTRSPACE.
ADDRESS OF POTENTIAL EXTRA UNIT:
101A Ocean View Circle
Anytown, VA 99997
Are the additional living quarters within the same structure and within the same space as the sample unit?
" 1. Yes
" 2. No
________________________________________________________________
SAMESTRSPACE
SAMESTRSPACE
Item SAMESTRSPACE is also asked only for permit
segment addresses to determine if the additional living
quarters is within the same structure and same space as the
sample unit. A “Yes” answer leads you to Item
SEPARATENESS, while a “No” answer leads to the
TABX_NO screen, because the living quarters does not
qualify as an EXTRA unit in a permit segment.
ADDRESS OF POTENTIAL EXTRA UNIT:
101A Ocean View Circle
Anytown, VA 99997
Are the additional living quarters in the same structure as the sample unit?
" 1. Yes
" 2. No
____________________________________________________________________________________
SAMESTRUCTURE
SAMESTRUCTURE
The SAMESTRUCTURE screen is asked only for area
segment addresses to determine if the additional living
quarters is located in the same structure as the sample unit.
It is on path after entering Precode (2) “No” at Item
MOREEXTRA. The instrument proceeds to Item INAGQ
when entering Precode (1) “Yes.” Entering Precode (2)
Front Section of the NCVS Instrument
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Part B, Chapter 2
“No” will go to the TABX_NO screen, because the living
quarters does not qualify as an EXTRA unit in an area
segment.
ADDRESS OF POTENTIAL EXTRA UNIT:
101A Ocean View Circle
Anytown, VA 99997
Are the additional living quarters within the same basic address of the original sample unit?
" 1. Yes
" 2. No
______________________________________________________________________
SAMEBSA
SAMEBSA
This item is on path after entering Precode (2) “No” at Item
MOREEXTRA and is only asked for unit segment
addresses to determine if the additional living quarters is
located within the same basic address as the original sample
unit. The instrument proceeds to Item INAGQ when
entering Precode (1) “Yes.” Entering Precode (2) “No”
will go to the TABX_NO screen, because the living
quarters does not qualify as an EXTRA unit in a unit
segment.
ADDRESS OF POTENTIAL EXTRA UNIT:
101A Ocean View Circle
Anytown, VA 99997
Are the additional living quarters in a group quarters?
" 1. Yes
" 2. No
______________________________________________________________________
INAGQ
INAGQ
Item INAGQ is asked to ensure that the additional living
quarters is not in a group quarters (GQ), because we do not
allow the creation of EXTRA units in GQs. More
information on GQs can be found in the Form 11-8,
Listing and Coverage Manual. A “Yes” answer in Item
Front Section of the NCVS Instrument
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Part B, Chapter 2
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
INAGQ proceeds to Item TABX_NO while a “No” answer
leads you to Item SEPARATENESS.
ADDRESS OF POTENTIAL EXTRA UNIT:
101A Ocean View Circle
Anytown, VA 99997
Do the occupants or intended occupants of the additional living quarters live separately from all other
persons on the property?
" 1. Yes
" 2. No
___________________________________________________________________
SEPARATENESS
Definition of Separate
Living Quarters
A separate living quarters is one in which the occupants
live and eat separately from all other persons on the
property, and have direct access to their living quarters
from the outside or through a common hall or lobby.
SEPARATENESS
Before an additional living quarters can be considered an
EXTRA housing unit, it must meet the criteria for
"separateness." Item SEPARATENESS is designed to
determine whether the occupants or intended occupants of
the additional living quarters live separately from all other
persons on the property.
T Select Precode (1) "Yes":
If you determine that the occupants or intended
occupants of the additional living quarters live
separately from all other persons on the property and
continue filling the Table X section by asking Item
DIRECTACCESS.
T Select Precode (2) "No":
If you find that the occupants or intended occupants of
the additional living quarters do not live separately from
all other persons on the property. This means that the
additional living quarters does not qualify as a separate
housing unit. Selecting Precode (2) will proceed to the
TABX_NO screen. Include the occupants of the
additional living quarters as part of the original sample
Front Section of the NCVS Instrument
B2-72
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Part B, Chapter 2
unit, and continue the interview for the original sample
unit.
ADDRESS OF POTENTIAL EXTRA UNIT:
101A Ocean View Circle
Anytown, VA 99997
Do the occupants or intended occupants of the additional living quarters have direct access from the
outside or through a common hall?
" 1. Yes
" 2. No
__________________________________________________________________
DIRECTACCESS
DIRECTACCESS
Another component of "separateness" involves "direct
access" to the living quarters. Once you determine in Item
SEPARATENESS that the occupants of the additional
living quarters live separately from all other persons on the
property, the next step is to determine whether the
occupants or the intended occupants have direct access
from the outside of the additional living quarters or through
a common hall.
T Select Precode (1) "Yes":
Once you determine that the occupants or the intended
occupants of the additional living quarters have direct
access. At this point, you have completed the process
of determining that the additional living quarters does
qualify as an EXTRA housing unit. After selecting
Precode (1) "Yes" in Item DIRECTACCESS, continue
with Item TABXSPAWN.
T Select Precode (2) "No":
If the additional living quarters does not have direct
access from the outside or through a common hall.
Since the additional living quarters does not qualify as
an EXTRA housing unit, select Precode (2) which will
proceed to the TABX_NO screen. Include the
occupants of the additional living quarters with the
original sample unit, and continue the interview for the
original sample unit.
Front Section of the NCVS Instrument
B2-73
Part B, Chapter 2
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
This other living quarters IS NOT considered to be an extra unit.
" 1. Enter 1 to continue
_______________________________________________________________________
TABX_NO
When the other living quarters identified in the
EXTRAHNO through MOREEXTRA screens do not
meet the criteria of being an EXTRA housing unit, the
instrument goes to the TABX_NO screen. This item
informs you that this particular unit is NOT considered to
be an EXTRA unit and, therefore, a spawned case is not
created.
TABX_NO
After pressing “1 to continue” the instrument goes to one of
the following screens when there are more additional living
quarters that need to be reviewed; ALREADYLISTED,
SAMESTRUCTURE or SAMEBSA. Otherwise, after all
other living quarters have been reviewed, the instrument
proceeds to Item TENURE (when no EXTRA units were
found) or to Item TABX_FR (when at least one EXTRA
unit was found).
This other living quarters IS an extra unit. Do not include members of this unit as members of the current
unit. They MUST be interviewed separately.
Add the extra unit to your listing sheet according to the instructions in your Listing and Coverage manual.
ADDRESS OF THE EXTRA UNIT:
101A Ocean View Circle
Anytown, VA 99997
" 1. Enter 1 to continue
________________________________________________________________________________________
TABXSPAW N
TABXSPAWN
If another living quarters is determined to be an EXTRA
unit you will come to the screen TABXSPAWN, which
tells you that this other living quarters is an EXTRA unit
and must be interviewed separately from the parent case.
Front Section of the NCVS Instrument
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NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Part B, Chapter 2
After pressing “1 to continue” the instrument goes to one of
the following screens when there are more additional living
quarters that need to be reviewed; ALREADYLISTED or
SAMESTRUCTURE or SAMEBSA. Otherwise, the
instrument goes to Item TABX_FR after all other living
quarters have been reviewed AND there is at least one
EXTRA unit found.
Interview the parent case.
After interviewing the parent unit, you will receive instructions on what to do with the EXTRA unit(s).
You have identified 1 extra unit(s).
" 1. Enter 1 to continue
___________________________________________________________________
TABX_FR
TABX_FR
This item appears when you have completed reviewing all
other living quarters added in Items EXTRAHNO through
MOREEXTRA when at least one EXTRA unit is found.
The TABX_FR screen is used for informational purposes
to let you know the total number of EXTRA units that were
spawned, as well as directing you to continue interviewing
the parent household. From the TABX_FR screen the
instrument continues with Item TENURE for the parent
household.
The instrument, in conjunction with Laptop Case
Management (LCM), spawns the necessary number of
EXTRA units. These EXTRA units will need to be
interviewed and will then appear in your Case List screen in
LCM. They can be distinguished from the parent case by a
letter, rather than a zero, in the first digit of a caseid. The
alpha-character is automatically assigned in reverse order
from Z to A. For example, if it is determined that caseid
00000001 has two EXTRA units, the first EXTRA unit
found will have the caseid Z0000001. The second EXTRA
unit is assigned caseid Y0000001; the caseid for the parent
case is still 00000001.
Front Section of the NCVS Instrument
B2-75
Part B, Chapter 2
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Topic 9. Housing Unit Characteristics
(Screen Layout and Instructions for
TENURE through RESTRICTEDACCESS)
Ask or verify:
Are your living quarters ...
Read answer categories
" 1. Owned or being bought by you or someone in your household?
" 2. Rented for cash?
" 3. Occupied without payment of cash rent?
TENURE
TENURE
The question at the TENURE screen is asked initially
during the first interview with the sample household, which
should be a personal visit interview. You only see the
TENURE screen when you interview a sample household
during the third, fifth, and seventh enumeration periods,
since this question is asked of the original household only
during the odd-numbered interview periods. (The
exception to this rule is when you create a replacement
household during an even-numbered interview period.)
Although the interviewer instruction specifies that this is an
“Ask or verify” question, you must always ask it during the
first enumeration. In subsequent enumerations you can
either re-ask the question of the respondent and read the
answer categories until you get a “Yes” response, or verify
that the information collected during the previous interview
is still correct.
After completing Item TENURE, the instrument takes you
to the STUDENTHOUSING screen.
Front Section of the NCVS Instrument
B2-76
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Owned or Being Bought
by You or Someone in
Your Household
Part B, Chapter 2
Before entering Precode (1) at the TENURE screen to
indicate that the living quarters is owned or being bought
by someone in the sample household, make sure that the
owner or co-owner of the sample unit:
•
•
•
Is a household member.
Actually lives in the sample unit when the unit is a
cooperative apartment or a condominium unit.
Has paid completely for the housing unit or is paying on
a mortgage for the housing unit.
Rented for Cash
Before entering Precode (2) at the TENURE screen to
indicate that the living quarters is rented for cash, make
sure that money is paid for rent or a contract exists for
payment of rent for the housing unit. The person paying the
rent does not have to live in the housing unit (for example,
the rent payer could be a welfare agency or a college
student’s parents.)
Occupied Without
Payment of Cash Rent
Before entering Precode (3) at the TENURE screen to
indicate that the living quarters is occupied without
payment of cash rent, make sure that the sample household:
•
Does not own or have to pay a mortgage payment.
•
Is not required to pay rent to reside in the housing unit
and no one else pays the rent for the household.
Examples of this situation might include:
•
A household living in a unit without paying rent in
exchange for services the household provides to the
owner.
•
A household living in a unit without paying rent as a
gift from a relative or friend who does not live in the
housing unit.
•
A household that is only required to pay for the utilities
they use and is not required to pay rent.
Front Section of the NCVS Instrument
B2-77
Part B, Chapter 2
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Special situations
Situation
Action
Sample address is in a multi-unit
structure.
Mark Item TENURE based only
on the status of the unit in
sample.
Sample address is in a rooming
house or dormitory that requires
the payment of rent.
Mark Item TENURE to show
that the room is “Rented for
cash.”
Sample address is a mobile
home or trailer.
Mark Item TENURE only for
the status of the mobile home or
trailer and not for the site or land
on which it is located.
Sample address is located on a
military base and rent is paid
directly by the household or
deducted from their pay.
Mark Item TENURE to show
that the room is “Rented for
cash.”
A sample household owns a
piece of property and rents an
adjacent property and both are
used as a single place.
Mark Item TENURE to show
the tenure status for the property
on which the sample address is
located.
Are your living quarters presently used as student
housing by a college or university?
" 1. Yes
" 2. No
STUDENTHOUSING
STUDENTHOUSING
The STUDENTHOUSING screen is used to verify
whether or not the living quarters at the sample address is
presently being used as student housing by a college or
university. Even though this question is asked during the
initial personal visit interview, this information must be
verified each interview period to determine if there are any
changes in the housing unit’s status.
When Item TENURE is answered with Precode (1),
“Owned or being bought by you or someone in your
household,” and that case is TIS 1 or a replacement
household, the instrument continues with Item
Front Section of the NCVS Instrument
B2-78
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Part B, Chapter 2
INDIANRESERVATIONHU. Otherwise, the instrument
continues with the NAMECHECK screen.
When Item TENURE is answered with either Precode (2),
“Rented for cash,” or Precode (3), “Occupied without
payment of cash rent,” the instrument proceeds to Item
PUBLICHOUSING.
Is this building owned by a public housing authority?
" 1. Yes, public housing
" 2. No, not public housing
__________________________________________________________________________
PUBLICHOUSING
PUBLICHOUSING
Item PUBLICHOUSING is asked of incoming sample
cases and cases in interview periods 3, 5 and 7 in living
quarters that are rented for cash or occupied without
payment of cash rent.
If you get a “Yes” answer to the PUBLICHOUSING
screen, make sure that the unit is in a federally funded
project. If the building is funded by a state or local
government, select Precode (2), “No, not public housing.”
Also select Precode (2) if the building is part of a federally
assisted housing program, such as VA, FHA, voucher, or
certificate assisted housing.
If you select Precode (1), “Yes, public housing,” the
instrument proceeds to the
PUBLICHOUSINGMGRVERIFY screen when
conducting a personal visit interview or to Item
NAMECHECK for telephone interviews. If you select
Precode (2), “No, not public housing,” the instrument
proceeds to Item INDIANRESERVATIONHU for
incoming and replacement household cases, otherwise the
instrument goes to the NAMECHECK screen.
Front Section of the NCVS Instrument
B2-79
Part B, Chapter 2
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
If possible, verify PUBLICHOUSING entry of 1 (Yes) with the manager of building.
Able to verify
" 1. Public housing
" 2. Not public housing
Unable to verify
" 3. Telephone
" 4. Other - Specify
________________________________________________________________________________________
PUBLICHOUSINGMGRVERIFY
PUBLICHOUSING
MGRVERIFY
If you determine in Item PUBLICHOUSING that the
sample unit is in a building that is owned by a public
housing authority, the instrument proceeds to
PUBLICHOUSINGMGRVERIFY, which instructs you,
wherever possible, to:
!
!
Locate the building manager; and
Verify that this fact is true.
Do this verification the first time the case is identified as
being owned by a public housing authority in Item
PUBLICHOUSING. If you are unable to verify the
respondent’s “Yes” answer in the PUBLICHOUSING
screen, mark Precode (4), “Other - specify” in Item
PUBLICHOUSINGMGRVERIFY. After selecting
Precode (4), the instrument goes to the
PUBLICHOUSINGMGRVERIFYSPEC screen, where
you are prompted to enter the reason you could not verify
the unit’s public housing status.
When you are conducting a telephone interview, the
PUBLICHOUSINGMGRVERIFY is bypassed and
automatically filled with Precode (3).
If you are unable to verify the structure’s public housing
status during the first enumeration period, try to verify
public housing status in a subsequent enumeration period, if
possible, and update the answer for Item
PUBLICHOUSINGMGRVERIFY then.
Front Section of the NCVS Instrument
B2-80
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Part B, Chapter 2
Specify the reason why you are unable to verify the public housing status for this housing unit.
_____________________________________________________________________
PUBLICHOUSINGM GRVERIFYSPEC
PUBLICHOUSING
MGRVERIFYSPEC
The instrument proceeds to Item
PUBLICHOUSINGMGRVERIFYSPEC if you selected
Precode (4), “Other - Specify” in
PUBLICHOUSINGMGRVERIFY. Use this space to
specify the reason you were unable to verify the unit’s
public housing status.
Are your living quarters located on an American Indian Reservation or on American Indian
Lands?
" 1. Yes
" 2. No
INDIANRESERVATIONHU
INDIAN
RESERVATIONHU
What Is an American
Indian Reservation?
The INDIANRESERVATIONHU screen appears only
during the initial interview (including a replacement
household) or when it was left unanswered during the
initial personal visit interview with the sample household.
It is acceptable to answer this item without asking the
question if you are familiar with the area in which the
sample address is located and know for sure whether or not
the living quarters is located on an American Indian
reservation or on American Indian lands. When there is
any doubt about which precode to select, ask the household
respondent the question before selecting a precode.
An American Indian Reservation is a territory reserved as a
permanent tribal homeland with boundaries established by
treaty, statute, or executive or court order. The federal
government and some state governments established
reservations as territory over which American Indians
possess governmental jurisdiction. These entities are
designated as colonies, communities, pueblos, rancherias,
reservations, and reserves.
Front Section of the NCVS Instrument
B2-81
Part B, Chapter 2
What Are American
Indian Lands?
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
American Indian Lands are comprised of tribal subdivisions
and trust lands.
A tribal subdivision is an administrative subdivision of a
reservation. Tribal subdivisions may extend beyond the
boundary of their reservations and are internal units of self
government or administration that serve social, cultural, or
economic purposes for the American Indians living on and
adjacent to the reservation.
Trust Lands are held in trust by the federal government for
either a tribe (tribal trust land) or an individual member of
a tribe (individual trust land). Such land is always
associated with a specific federally recognized reservation
or tribe, but may be located on or off the reservation.
During the past 12 months did sales of crops, livestock,
and other farm products from this place amount to $1,000 or more?
" 1. Yes
" 2. No
______________________________________________________________________
FARMSALES
FARMSALES
What We Mean by
“Place”
Item FARMSALES is asked of incoming cases or
replacement households which are identified as being in a
rural area.
For this question, the term "place" encompasses one or
more tracts of land which the respondent considers to be on
the same property, farm, ranch, or estate. These tracts may
be adjoining or separated by a road, creek, or other pieces
of land. In most cases, a "place" can be clearly defined.
For example, in a built-up area, a "place" is likely to consist
of a house and a lot. However, in a more rural setting, a
"place" could consist of a whole tract of land or a
combination of two or three pieces of land (for example, a
sample address on one piece of land and another piece of
land used to grow crops for sale).
Front Section of the NCVS Instrument
B2-82
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
What We Mean by
“Sales of Crops,
Livestock, and other
Farm Products”
Part B, Chapter 2
The household respondent should report the gross amount
of money received for the sale of crops, vegetables, fruits,
nuts, livestock and livestock products (milk, wool, and so
forth), poultry and eggs, and nursery and forest products
that are produced at this place and sold at any time during
the past 12 months.
Exclude the value of any products consumed at the place.
The household respondent does not need to provide an
exact amount. He/she only needs to identify whether or
not these sales totaled $1,000 or more during the past 12
months.
Sample household owns or is buying the property:
In this case, farm sales include sales from the entire acreage
or property that the sample household owns or is buying,
even if a portion of the property is rented to someone else.
Sample household is paying cash rent for the property:
In this case, farm sales include only the amount of sales
generated from the property they are renting.
Sample household lives on property without paying
cash rent:
In this case, if the sample address for both the owner and
the non-cash renter are in the sample, include the amount of
farm sales from the entire acreage of the owner. Do not
limit the amount of sales to only the property occupied
without payment of cash rent.
Sample household lives on property subsidized by the
federal government not to grow certain crops:
Only include the amount of the subsidy if the respondent
would normally have grown and sold the crops that he/she
is paid not to grow.
Sample household moved to the property during the
past 6 months:
Explain to the current household that this question refers to
farm sales from the property during the past 12 months,
regardless of who resided on the property during those 12
months. If the current respondent is unable to answer this
Front Section of the NCVS Instrument
B2-83
Part B, Chapter 2
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
question, press “Ctrl” + “D” simultaneously to code the
item as “Don’t know.”
Sample household is unable or unwilling to answer:
If a respondent is unable or unwilling to answer Item
FARMSALES, press “Ctrl” + “D” simultaneously to code
the item as “Don’t know.” Use the Case Level Notes to
explain why you entered “Don’t know” for Item
FARMSALES.
Please mark whether or not the sample household has direct access to their living quarters.
" 1. Direct
" 2. Through another unit - Not a separate HU; combine with unit through which access is gained
__________________________________________________________________________________
ACCESS
ACCESS
This question is asked of incoming cases, replacement
households or continuing cases, when the question has not
been previously answered. It is designed to indicate
whether or not the sample household has direct access to
their living quarters.
A living quarters has direct access when an occupant can
either:
! Enter his/her living quarters directly from the outside of
the structure or
! Enter his/her living quarters from a common hall or
lobby that is used by occupants of more than one unit
(as found in apartment buildings). The hall or lobby
must not be part of any unit and must be clearly
separate from all units in the structure.
If the only entrance to an occupant’s living quarters is
through a room or hall of another household’s living
quarters, then the living quarters does not have direct
access.
Front Section of the NCVS Instrument
B2-84
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Part B, Chapter 2
Only mark Item ACCESS by your observation when you
are sure that the sample unit has direct access. If you are
not sure, ask the household respondent before you complete
Item ACCESS.
If you mark Precode (2) because the unit does not have
direct access, then the sample address is not a separate
housing unit and should be considered part of the housing
unit through which access to it is gained. It is also possible
that the unit may have been merged with another unit. A
merger is the result of combining two or more unit
addresses to form one unit address. A merger could
involve two single family homes or two or more apartments
in a multi-unit structure.
Please select one box that describes the type of housing unit.
" 1. House, apartment, flat
" 2. HU in nontransient hotel, motel, etc.
" 3. HU permanent in transient hotel, motel, etc.
" 4. HU in rooming house
" 5. Mobile home or trailer with no permanent room added
" 6. Mobile home or trailer with one or more permanent rooms attached
" 7. HU not specified above - Describe
" 8. Quarters not HU in rooming or boarding house
" 9. Unit not permanent in transient hotel, motel, etc.
" 10. Unoccupied site for mobile home, trailer, or tent
" 11. Student quarters in college dormitory
" 12. Other unit not specified above - Describe
___________________________________________________________________________________
TYPEOFHOUSINGUNIT
TYPEOFHOUSINGUNIT
This question is asked only of incoming cases, replacement
households or continuing cases, when the question has not
ben previously answered.
A housing unit is a group of rooms or a single room
occupied as separate living quarters or intended for
occupancy as separate living quarters. A housing unit may
be occupied by a family or one person, as well as by two or
more unrelated persons who share the living quarters.
Front Section of the NCVS Instrument
B2-85
Part B, Chapter 2
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
To be considered a separate living quarters, the occupants
must:
T Live and eat separately from all other persons on the
property and
T Have direct access to their living quarters from the
outside or through a common hall or lobby (as found in
apartment buildings).
Once you have determined that the sample address qualifies
as a housing unit, then mark the appropriate box in Item
TYPEOFHOUSINGUNIT to indicate the type (not
condition) of housing unit. For example, mark Precode (1),
“House, apartment, flat,” for a vacant or occupied housing
unit that appears to be dilapidated, but still meets the
housing unit definition.
Precode (1), House,
Apartment, Flat
Mark Precode (1) for Item TYPEOFHOUSINGUNIT
when the housing unit is:
C
C
C
C
An ordinary house or apartment,
An apartment located over a garage or behind a store,
A janitor's quarters in an office building, and
Housing units in structures like converted barns or
sheds.
Precode (2), HU in
Nontransient Hotel,
Motel, etc.
Mark Precode (2) for Item TYPEOFHOUSINGUNIT
when the housing unit is in a nontransient hotel, motel,
motor court, or YMCA. A hotel or motel is classified as
nontransient if 75 percent or more of the rooms or suites
are occupied or intended for occupancy by permanent
guests. Permanent guests usually stay a month or more at
reduced monthly or weekly rates.
Precode (3), HU
Permanent in Transient
Hotel, Motel, etc.
Mark Precode (3) for Item TYPEOFHOUSINGUNIT
when the housing unit is occupied or intended for
occupancy by permanent guests or resident employees. A
hotel or motel is classified as transient if more than 25
percent of the rooms or suites are occupied or intended for
occupancy by transient guests. Transient guests usually
stay less than a month and pay daily rates.
Front Section of the NCVS Instrument
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Part B, Chapter 2
Precode (4), HU in
Rooming House
Mark Precode (4) for Item TYPEOFHOUSINGUNIT
when the housing unit is located in a rooming house or a
combination rooming and boarding house. Both rooming
houses and boarding houses are group quarters that have
five or more units for rent. However, the weekly or
monthly rent paid by roomers at a rooming house does not
cover meals, but it could cover linens and maid service. At
a boarding house, the weekly or monthly rent paid by its
boarders entitles them to their room and regular meals. The
proprietor may or may not eat with the boarders at a
boarding house.
Precode (5), Mobile
Home or Trailer With
No Permanent Room
Added
Mark Precode (5) for Item TYPEOFHOUSINGUNIT
when the housing unit is a mobile home or trailer
(regardless of the type of foundation) and no permanent
rooms have been added to the mobile home or trailer.
Open or unheated porches or sheds built onto trailers are
not considered rooms.
Precode (6), Mobile
Home or Trailer With
One or More Permanent
Rooms Added
Mark Precode (6) for Item TYPEOFHOUSINGUNIT
when the housing unit is a mobile home or trailer
(regardless of the type of foundation) and one or more
permanent rooms have been added. Sheds and open or
unheated porches built onto trailers are not considered
rooms.
Precode (7), HU Not
Specified Above
Mark Precode (7) for Item TYPEOFHOUSINGUNIT
when a housing unit cannot be described by the specific
categories already listed. Tents, houseboats, and railroad
cars can fall into this category if they meet the housing unit
definition. Whenever you mark Precode (7), make sure to
describe the type of structure accurately in Item
TYPEOFHOUSINGUNITSPEC7.
Precode (8), Quarters
Not HU in Rooming or
Boarding House
Mark Precode (8) for Item TYPEOFHOUSINGUNIT if
the GQ unit is located in a rooming or boarding house or a
combination rooming and boarding house. The sample unit
must not meet the housing unit definition. (Also see page
5.3-9 of Volume I in the Listing and Coverage Manual,
Form 11-8.)
Front Section of the NCVS Instrument
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Precode (9), Unit Not
Permanent in Transient
Hotel, Motel, etc.
Mark Precode (9) for Item TYPEOFHOUSINGUNIT if
the GQ unit is located in a transient hotel, motel, motor
court, etc. and is occupied or intended for occupancy by
transient guests. The sample unit must not meet the
housing unit definition. (Also see page 5.3-10 of Volume I
in the Listing and Coverage Manual, Form 11-8.)
Precode (10),
Unoccupied Site for
Mobile Home, Trailer, or
Tent
Mark Precode (10) for Item TYPEOFHOUSINGUNIT if
the sample address identifies an unoccupied site for a
mobile home, trailer, or tent within a group quarters. The
site must not be intended for a mobile home, trailer, or tent
that meets the housing unit definition.
Precode (11), Student
Quarters in College
Dormitory
Mark Precode (11) for Item TYPEOFHOUSINGUNIT if
the GQ unit is occupied by a college student in a dormitory.
The sample unit must not meet the housing unit definition.
Precode (12), Other Unit
Not Specified Above
Mark Precode (12) for Item TYPEOFHOUSINGUNIT if
the GQ unit is not described in the categories already
mentioned. For example, mark Precode (12) for
dormitories used by nurses and interns in military hospitals
(GQ Type Code 904 for the 2000 sample design). Then
enter the description of the GQ type as shown in the Table
of GQ Types in Item TYPEOFHOUSINGUNITSPEC12.
For the 2000 sample design, refer to Appendix F of Volume
I of the Form 11-8 manual.
Identifying Changes in
Type of Living Quarters
If you discover a change in the type of living quarters or an
error in classification, correct the entries, if possible, and
note the circumstances and the date that you discovered the
change or error in the Case Level Notes.
Front Section of the NCVS Instrument
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NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Part B, Chapter 2
Observe or ask:
How many housing units are in this structure?
" 1. 1
" 2. 2
" 3. 3
" 4. 4
" 5. 5-9
" 6. 10+
" 7. Mobile home/trailer
" 8. Only OTHER units
_____________________________________________________________________________________
NUMBEROFUNITS
NUMBEROFUNITS
What Is a Structure?
If you are sure how to mark Item NUMBEROFUNITS by
your observation, mark the appropriate precode without
asking the question. However, if there is any doubt in your
mind, ask the question of the household respondent and
select the appropriate precode to indicate the number of
housing units in the structure. The NUMBEROFUNITS
screen is asked only of incoming cases, replacement
households or continuing cases, where the question has not
previously been answered. If you enter Precodes (1) or (7)
the instrument takes you to Item
GATEDWALLEDCOMMUNITY. Otherwise, the
instrument takes you to Item
DIRECTENTRANCETOUNIT.
A structure is a separate building that either:
C
Has open space on all sides (no other building
attached to it) or
C
Is separated from other structures by dividing walls
that extend from ground to roof.
Consider the following residential buildings to be separate
structures if the common wall between them goes from
ground to roof:
T
Double houses
Front Section of the NCVS Instrument
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NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
T
Duplex houses
T
Row houses
T
Houses attached to nonresidential structures.
Sheds and private garages attached to houses are not
considered separate structures because they are not intended
for occupancy as separate living quarters.
What Is a Housing Unit?
A housing unit is a group of rooms or a single room
occupied as separate living quarters or intended for
occupancy as separate living quarters. A housing unit may
be occupied by a family or one person, as well as by two or
more unrelated persons who share the living quarters.
(See Volume I, Chapter 1, Section 1.2 of the 2000 sample
design Listing and Coverage Manual, for more information
about separate living quarters and direct access.)
Single-Unit Structures
If you select Precode (1) or Precode (7) because there is
only one housing unit in the structure, the instrument skips
to Item GATEDWALLEDCOMMUNITY. Make sure to
mark Precode (7), “Mobile home/trailer,” in Item
NUMBEROFUNITS if you marked either Precode (5),
“Mobile home or trailer with no permanent room added” or
Precode (6), “Mobile home or trailer with one or more
permanent rooms added,” in Item
TYPEOFHOUSINGUNIT.
Multi-Unit Structures
If you mark Precode (2), (3), (4), (5), or (6) because there
are two or more housing units in the structure, complete
Item DIRECTENTRANCETOUNIT to inquire about
direct access from outside the structure.
Group Quarters Units
If the sample address identifies a group quarters (GQ) unit,
mark Precode (8) "Only OTHER units." Make sure to mark
Precode (8) in Item NUMBEROFUNITS if you marked
any one of the Precodes (8) through (12) in Item
TYPEOFHOUSINGUNIT.
Front Section of the NCVS Instrument
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Part B, Chapter 2
Observe or ask:
Does the unit have an outside entrance, patio doors, or windows, etc., on the ground level - or outside stairs
leading directly to this unit?
" 1. Yes
" 2. No
" 3. Don’t know
_______________________________________________________________________
DIRECTENTRANCETOUNIT
DIRECTENTRANCETOUNIT
Item DIRECTENTRANCETOUNIT is asked only of
incoming cases, replacement households or continuing
cases, when the question has not previously been answered.
When you are sure how to mark Item
DIRECTENTRANCETOUNIT by your observations,
mark the appropriate precode without asking the question.
However, if there is any doubt in your mind, ask the
question of the household respondent and mark the
appropriate precode.
Precode (1) “Yes”
Mark Precode (1), "Yes" if there is some means of entering
the sample unit directly from the outside, such as a door,
patio doors, or windows at ground level (even if there are
locks and/or bars to prevent entrance) and outside stairs
(such as porch, deck, or fire escape stairs) that lead directly
to an outside entrance for the sample unit.
Precode (2) “No”
Mark Precode (2), "No" when there is no direct access into
the sample unit from outside of the structure and the only
entrance to the sample unit is through a common hall from
within the structure, such as a common hall into a second
floor apartment.
Precode (3) “Don’t
know”
In most cases, you should not need to mark the “Don’t
know” answer, so only select it as a last resort.
Front Section of the NCVS Instrument
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Part B, Chapter 2
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Ask if unsure
Is this unit in a gated or walled community that restricts access by non-residents or requires entry codes, key
cards, or security guard approval to access?
" 1. Yes
" 2. No
_______________________________________________________________________
GATEDW ALLEDCOMM UNITY
GATEDWALLED
COMMUNITY
Item GATEDWALLEDCOMMUNITY is asked only of
incoming cases or continuing cases where the question has
not previously been answered. When you are sure how to
answer the question in the
GATEDWALLEDCOMMUNITY screen by your
observation, select the appropriate precode without asking
the question. If there is any doubt about how to properly
fill this item, ask the question of the household respondent
and then mark the appropriate precode.
Precode (1) “Yes”
Enter Precode (1), “Yes,” if access to the household’s
community requires some sort of special entry procedure
and the community is surrounded by walls, fences, or other
barriers to restrict entrance to the community’s homes by
non-residents of the community. Some resort or retirement
communities are good examples of gated or walled
communities. This restricted access refers to the entire
community, rather than just to an individual building or
housing unit. It also includes communities with guard
houses or protection that are operational during certain
hours, such as evenings only. However, it excludes
neighborhood watch programs with no authority to stop
visitors, as well as single-family housing units with gated
driveways.
Precode (2) “No”
Enter Precode (2), “No,” if the household’s unit is not
located in a gated or walled community which restricts
access to non-residents.
Front Section of the NCVS Instrument
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Part B, Chapter 2
Ask if unsure
Is this unit in a building that requires a special entry system such as entry codes, key cards, or security guard
approval to access?
" 1. Yes
" 2. No
_______________________________________________________________________
RESTRICTEDACCESS
RESTRICTEDACCESS
Item RESTRICTEDACCESS is asked only of incoming
cases, replacement households or continuing cases, when
the question has not previously been answered.
Precode (1) “Yes”
Enter Precode (1), “Yes,” if the housing unit is in a building
that has some type of special entry system, such as an
intercom system from which the occupants can identify and
“buzz in” visitors or a security guard who monitors access
into the building.
Precode (2) “No”
Enter Precode (2), “No,” if the housing unit is not located
in a building that requires a special entry system for access
(including an intercom system or a security guard).
After completing RESTRICTEDACCESS the instrument
continues with the household roster demographic
characteristics section to build or update the household
roster. This is detailed in Topic 10 of this chapter.
Front Section of the NCVS Instrument
B2-93
Part B, Chapter 2
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Topic 10. Household Roster Demographic Characteristics
(Screen Layout and Instructions for
HHROSTER_FNAME Through ROSTERREVIEW)
Overview of the Control
Card Section
The Control Card section of the NCVS instrument is made
up of three parts or tables; the PreDemo Table, the
DemoDetailed Table and the DemoChange Table. The
PreDemo Table is used to collect basic information about
the person living at the sample address, such as; their name,
gender, membership status. On the other hand, the
DemoDetailed Table is used to collect the more detailed
demographic information, such as; their age, marital status,
highest level of schooling and race, to name a few. Last,
the DemoChange Table is used to correct demographic
information that was previously collected and may not have
been updated or verified during the current enumeration.
The PreDemo Table General Information
The order in which you proceed through the PreDemo
Table, depends on whether the case is an incoming or
continuing household. An “incoming household” is one
that is being interviewed for the first time; either the first
time it is in sample or as a replacement household. A
“continuing household” is a case in enumerations 2-7 that is
not a replacement household.
For an incoming household you start this section by
building the roster, entering the names of the persons living
or staying at the sample address beginning at the
HHROSTER_FNAME screen. After entering the
person’s name you collect personal demographic
information about them, such as their relationship to the
reference person, gender and household membership. For a
continuing case, you start this section at the
NAMECHECK screen to verify all the household
members listed from the previous enumeration are still
household members.
For all enumerations, continue by collecting and/or
verifying personal demographic information for each
household member in the DemoDetailed Table.
Front Section of the NCVS Instrument
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NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Part B, Chapter 2
Build the household roster by listing each person who is
living or staying at the sample address. Each person is
assigned a unique line number that is automatically allotted
in the instrument and is displayed to the left of the person’s
name. This line number distinguishes the various
individuals from each other in the instrument as well as the
output data. The line number is also used to identify the
household respondent for each enumeration period as well
as to identify the household member who reported an
incident. The line number should also be used to refer to a
person in the Incident Summary screen as well as the “Case
Level Notes,” rather than using the person’s name.
Building the Household
Roster During the First
Enumeration Period
W hat are the names of all people living or staying here? Start with the name of the person or one of the
people who owns this home.
Enter first name on this screen.
Enter 999 to leave the table.
__________________________________________________________________________________
HHROSTER_FNAM E
W hat are the names of all people living or staying here? Start with the name of the person or one of the
people who owns this home.
Enter last name on this screen.
__________________________________________________________________________________
HHROSTER_LNAM E
HHROSTER_FNAME and
HHROSTER_LNAME
Build the household roster during the first interview with a
sample household starting with the first and last name of
each person living or staying at the sample address.
Once you ask the question in bold type, "What are the
names of all people living or staying here?" the next
statement you read varies, depending on the answer
recorded in Item TENURE.
T If the living quarters is either owned or being bought
by someone in the household, then read the
Front Section of the NCVS Instrument
B2-95
Part B, Chapter 2
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
statement as follows: "Start with the name of the
person or one of the people who owns this home."
T If the living quarters is rented for cash, then read the
statement as follows: "Start with the name of the
person or one of the people who rents this home."
For Item HHROSTER_LNAME is the second item of the
two screens used to enter a person’s name into the roster.
Therefore, the question text is in grey, which means that
you do not have to ask the question since you most likely
were given the person’s first and last name when you asked
the question in Item HHROSTER_FNAME.
Who to List on the
Roster
List the names (last names first) of the following persons:
T All persons living or staying at the sample address
at the time of your contact.
T All persons who usually live at the sample address,
but who are temporarily away for reasons such as
visiting friends or relatives, traveling for their jobs,
in "general" hospitals, and so forth.
T All children who usually live at the sample address,
including infants under 1 year of age.
T Any lodgers, servants, hired hands, and other
persons who usually live at the sample address.
T Visitors and other persons who are not household
members (do not usually live at the sample
address), but are in the sample household at the
time of your interview and have stayed at the
sample address at least one night before your
interview, such as a visitor or student with a usual
residence elsewhere.
Preferred Order for
Listing Names
Listed below is the "preferred" order for listing names on
the roster by relationship to the reference person:
C
Reference person
Front Section of the NCVS Instrument
B2-96
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Part B, Chapter 2
C
Husband or wife of the reference person
C
Unmarried children of the reference person or
his/her spouse, starting with the oldest and ending
with the youngest
C
Married sons and/or daughters of the reference
person or his/her spouse, followed by the married
child's spouse, and each of their children (oldest to
youngest)
C
Other persons related to the reference person or
his/her spouse. (If these other relatives are related
to each other, list them together.)
C
Lodgers and other nonrelatives staying at the sample
address. (If these other nonrelatives are related to
each other, list them together.)
Although this is the "preferred" order, it is not necessary to
change entries in the roster so that they match the
"preferred" order.
Verifying Living
Arrangements (EXTRA
Units)
As you build the household roster, you may discover that a
family group, nonrelatives, and so forth actually have
separate living quarters that qualify as an EXTRA housing
unit. Each EXTRA unit that meets the housing unit
definition should spawn an EXTRA case. However, if the
living quarters does not qualify as an EXTRA housing unit,
list these persons with the original household roster. Only
create EXTRA units for incoming 2000 sample design
cases. (Also see instructions for completing Table X in
Topic 8 of this chapter.)
Completing the
Household Roster
Normally, you list the reference person in the first line of
the household roster. Then complete Items SEX (male or
female) RELATIONSHIP (relationship to reference
person) and HHMEMBER (household member) for one
line number before entering the next person in Item
HHROSTER_FNAME.
Front Section of the NCVS Instrument
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NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
NOTE: The instrument will automatically fill Precode
(21), “Reference Person” in Item RELATIONSHIP
field for the first person listed on the roster when
building the roster for a new household. In this
situation the instrument will skip from Item SEX to
Item HHMEMBER.
The instrument automatically prefills the last name of the
person in the previous row so for each person with the same
last name as the preceding person you can just press the
“Enter” key to move from Item HHROSTER_LNAME to
Item SEX. If the last names are different you can press the
“Delete” key or type over the previous entry when the last
name is highlighted in blue.
As you complete the household roster, you may need to
probe for the household respondent to give you the names
of all remaining persons staying at the sample address. If
so, you can ask, "What are the names of all other persons
who are living or staying here?" Repeat this question, as
necessary, until you are sure that the household roster is
complete. Once you are sure you have collected the names
of all the persons living or staying at the sample address
enter ‘999’ at Item HHROSTER_FNAME in the next
empty row to proceed to the HHLDCOVERAGE screen.
If you mistakenly enter ‘999’ in Item
HHROSTER_FNAME of a person who is already listed
on the roster you will encounter an edit check pop-up that
instructs you on how to proceed.
Front Section of the NCVS Instrument
B2-98
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Part B, Chapter 2
You can only enter 999 on a blank line - not over an existing
person.
If you need to delete this person from the roster, use arrow
key to go to MEMBERCHANGES and enter the reason why
this person is no longer a member.
Select “Close” to return to HHROSTER_FNAME to restore
Jane to the household roster.
_________________________________________________
Questions involved
Value
HHROSTER_FNAM E: First name
999
Close
Goto
This edit check appears when you have entered ‘999’ over
someone’s name. You are only permitted to enter ‘999’ on
a line that is not occupied by a person listed on the roster.
Click on the “Close” or “Goto” buttons to return to Item
HHROSTER_FNAME and reenter the person’s name that
was overwritten with the entry of ‘999.’ Notice that this
edit check displays the first name of the person that needs
to be stored in the third interviewer instruction, so make
note of the name before returning to the
HHROSTER_FNAME screen.
If you enter ‘999’ in Item HHROSTER_FNAME to exit
the PreDemos Table and the person listed as the reference
person is coded as a nonmember you will also encounter an
edit check pop-up that instructs you on how to proceed.
You need to select a reference person who is a
household member.
Enter 21 in the “Relation” column for the reference person.
_________________________________________________
Questions involved
Value
HHROSTER_FNAM E: First name
999
Close
Goto
This edit check appears when enter ‘999’ to exit the
PreDemos Table and the line number marked as the
reference person is also listed as a nonmember. Click on
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Part B, Chapter 2
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
the “Close” or “Goto” buttons to return to Item
HHROSTER_FNAME and resolve this issue by either;
T changing the current reference persons member
status to Precode (1) or
T entering Precode (21) “Reference Person” in Item
RELATIONSHIP for another line number.
Every case must have a valid reference person before
leaving the PreDemos Table.
For the remaining items in the household roster
demographic screens the instrument automatically fills the
name of the household member for whom you are
collecting information in the question text.
Ask if necessary
Is Ted Moe male or female?
" 1. Male
" 2. Female
_________________________________________________________________________
SEX
SEX
(Household Member’s
Gender)
For each household member, enter Precode (1) for “Male”
or Precode (2) for “Female,” as appropriate. You can
usually determine the household member’s sex from his/her
name. However, if there is any doubt, ask the question in
Item SEX and enter the appropriate precode based on the
household respondent’s answer.
Front Section of the NCVS Instrument
B2-100
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Part B, Chapter 2
W hat is Ted Moe’s relationship to you?
" 11. Husband
" 16. Mother
" 12. Wife
" 17. Brother
" 13. Son
" 18. Sister
" 14. Daughter
" 19. Other relative
" 15. Father
" 20. Nonrelative
_______________________________________________________________________________________
RELATIONSHIP
Use Item RELATIONSHIP to identify the reference
person and the relationship of each remaining person listed
on the roster to the reference person. The reference person
is a concept used solely for the purpose of establishing the
relationship of everyone on the roster to one specific
person. When building the roster, the instrument
automatically codes the first person listed as the reference
person, so you do not need to select someone to be the
reference person at this point.
RELATIONSHIP
(Relationship to the
Reference Person)
Ask the household respondent the question in Item
RELATIONSHIP and enter the precode corresponding to
the relationship (husband, wife, son, daughter, and so forth)
to the reference person.
Reference Person
The reference person is usually the first person mentioned
when you begin to build the household roster. Since we
want a responsible adult household member who is less
likely to permanently leave the household, it is preferable to
designate one of the persons who owns or rents the home as
the reference person. Each household must have a
reference person and the reference person must be a
household member.
(Also see Part C, Chapter 1, Topic 4, for more
information about the reference person.)
Relationship of Other
Persons to the Reference
Person
Once you have identified which person will be the
reference person, you must determine the precise
relationship of all other persons listed on the roster to the
reference person.
Front Section of the NCVS Instrument
B2-101
Part B, Chapter 2
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Edit Checks Based on
Relationship Codes
After coding the RELATIONSHIP screen you may
encounter a pop-up edit check screen based on a possible
inconsistency in the responses entered into Items SEX and
RELATIONSHIP. You will encounter these edit checks
when:
T You have listed more than one husband or more
than one wife;
T You have listed both a husband and a wife as
relationships to the reference person;
T You have listed more than one father or more than
one mother;
T Someone is the person’s gender is inconsistent with
the relationship, such as; a male sister, or a female
father.
If you encounter these edit checks, correct the inconsistency
when necessary.
Does Ted Moe usually live here?
If "No", probe for usual residence elsewhere.
" 1. Yes
" 2. No
______________________________________________________________________
HHM EMBER
HHMEMBER
(Household Member Status)
Item HHMEMBER is designed to help you determine
whether or not each person listed in the household roster is
considered a household member. Once you have identified
a person's relationship to the reference person in Item
RELATIONSHIP, ask the following question in Item
HHMEMBER, "Does...usually live here?" If the answer
is "No," try to determine whether the person has a usual
place of residence held elsewhere for him/her in Item
HSEMEMURE. Ordinarily, a person's usual place of
Front Section of the NCVS Instrument
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residence is the place where the person eats and sleeps the
majority of the time.
As a general rule, a person is considered a household
member if:
C
The sample address is the person's usual place of
residence or
C
The person is staying at the sample address at the
time of interview and does not have a usual place of
residence elsewhere.
(Also see Part C, Chapter 1, Topic 3, of this manual as
well as your Information Card Booklet (NCVS-554) for
help in determining household membership.)
Person Is a Household
Member
If you determine that the person meets the household
member criteria:
T Select Precode (1) “Yes” in Item HHMEMBER
and
T Continue to the next line on the household roster.
Person Is Not a
Household Member
If you determine that the person does not meet the
household member criteria:
T Select Precode (2) “No” in Item HHMEMBER and
T Then ask the question in HSEMEMURE to
confirm that person’s usual place of residence is
elsewhere.
Does Ted Moe have a usual place of residence elsewhere?
" 1. Yes
" 2. No
_____________________________________________________________________
HSEMEMURE
Front Section of the NCVS Instrument
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HSEMEMURE
(Usual Residence
Elsewhere)
When a household respondent mentions that a person on
the roster does not usually live there, follow up with the
question in Item HSEMEMURE to determine if the person
qualifies as a household member under NCVS procedures.
If the household respondent replies that this person has a
usual residence elsewhere, then enter Precode (1) “Yes” in
Item HSEMEMURE which means this person is NOT a
household member. However, entering Precode (2) “No”
means that the person does not have a usual residence
elsewhere and therefore classifies as a member by NCVS
standards.
If the entire household has a usual residence elsewhere,
follow the procedures for classifying the case as a Type B
Noninterview, as discussed after Item HHLDCOVERAGE
below.
(See Part A, Chapter 6, Topic 3, for procedures to classify
a case as a Type B noninterview.)
When Unsure About
Household Membership
First, reread the information:
T In Part C, Chapter 1, Topic 3, of this manual and
T In your Information Card Booklet (NCVS-554).
If you are still unsure whether to include a person on the
household roster as a household member, select Precode
(1), "Yes," in Item HHMEMBER, continue to interview
the person, and explain the situation in the "Case Level
Notes."
Front Section of the NCVS Instrument
B2-104
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Part B, Chapter 2
I have Read names below listed as living or staying at this address.
LN
NAME
REL
AGE
SEX
MARITAL
STATUS
____________________________________________________________________________________
1
Ted Moe
Ref Person
43
M
Married
NEED SELF
2
Megan Moe
W ife
43
F
Married
NEED SELF
3
Jane Moe
Daughtr
14
F
Never Married NEED SELF
Are ALL of these people still living or staying at that address?
_____________________________________________________________________________________
"1. Yes
"2. No
_____________________________________________________________________________________
NAMECHECK
Verifying the Household
Roster During the Second
Through Seventh
Enumeration Periods
In enumerations two through seven you will verify, with the
household respondent, that the household roster is up-todate. In the NAMCHECK screen you will begin the
process of adding members to the household, persons as
nonmembers or adding back persons who were previously
coded as nonmembers.
NAMECHECK
(Verifying the Roster)
The Item NAMECHECK appears after the
STUDENTHOUSING or PUBLICHOUSING screens.
The NAMECHECK screen is only asked during
enumerations 2-7 for continuing cases to verify that all of
the people listed on the roster, from the previous
enumeration, are still living or staying at the sample address
at the time of the current interview. The Item
NAMECHECK should only display those people who
were marked as household members during the previous
enumeration. When reading the question to the household
respondent you are instructed to read all the names of the
people displayed at this item. So using the example above
you would ask, "I have Ted, Megan and Jane Moe listed
as living or staying at this address. Are ALL of these
people still living or staying at this address?"
On the other hand, if the household respondent is the only
household member the question is phrased, "I have you
listed as living or staying at this address. Is that correct?"
Who Should Be Listed
The household roster on the NAMECHECK screen should
Front Section of the NCVS Instrument
B2-105
Part B, Chapter 2
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
include:
T All persons living or staying at the sample address
at the time of the interview.
T All persons who usually live at the sample address,
but who are temporarily away for reasons such as
visiting friends or relatives, traveling for their jobs,
in “general” hospitals, and so forth.
T All children who usually live at the sample address,
including infants under 1 year of age.
T Any lodgers, servants, hired hands, and other
persons who usually live at the sample address.
T Visitors and other persons who are not household
members (do not usually live at the sample
address), but are in the sample household at the
time of your interview and have stayed at the
sample address at least one night before your
interview, such as a visitor or student with a usual
residence elsewhere.
If the household roster is correct, enter Precode (1) “Yes” at
the NAMECHECK screen and continue with the Item
HHLDCOVERAGE.
If you determine that the roster is not correct either because
someone listed is no longer a household member, there is
someone new living or staying at the address or someone
who is listed on the roster as a nonmember has returned to
the household and needs to be recoded as a household
member, enter Precode (2) “No” at Item NAMECHECK.
Then continue with the Item REFPERSTILLLIVE to
determine if the reference person still lives at the sample
address before moving on to the MEMBERCHANGES
screen, to code the reason the household roster is changing.
Front Section of the NCVS Instrument
B2-106
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Part B, Chapter 2
Ask or verify
Does Ted Moe still live at this address?
" 1. Yes
" 2. No
______________________________________________________________________
REFPERSTILLLIVE
The REFPERSTILLLIVE screen appears when you have
coded that there has been a change to the household
composition at the NAMECHECK screen. At the Item
REFPERSTILLLIVE you will ask or verify whether the
reference person still lives at the sample address.
REFPERSTILLLIVE
Enter Precode (1) for a “Yes” answer, indicating that the
reference person is still a usual resident and still qualifies as
the reference person for the sample household. After
entering Precode (1), continue with the
MEMBERCHANGES screen to code the reason there was
a change in the household composition.
Changing the Reference
Person (Person Is Not a
Household Member)
If you determine that the person identified in Item
RELATIONSHIP as the reference person is not a
household member, you must identify another household
member as the reference person. If you encounter this
situation, you must:
•
Enter Precode (2) “No” in Item NAMECHECK.
•
Enter Precode (2) “No” in Item
REFPERSTILLLIVE.
•
Determine who should be the new reference person
by asking the question in Item NEWREFPER.
•
If necessary, correct the relationship Precodes in
Item RELATIONSHIP for the remaining persons
in the household roster to show their relationship to
the new reference person.
Front Section of the NCVS Instrument
B2-107
Part B, Chapter 2
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
W hat is the name of the person (or one of the persons) who owns or rents that home? W ould that be you?
Enter line number of the new reference person or 31 if someone not listed
LN
NAME
REL
AGE
SEX
MARITAL
STATUS
____________________________________________________________________________________
1
Ted Moe
Ref Person
43
M
Married
NEED SELF
2
Megan Moe
W ife
43
F
Married
NEED SELF
_____________________________________________________________________________________
NEW REFPER
NEWREFPER
This item is similar to the screen in the front of the
instrument where you can select a new household
respondent (Item HELLO_ALT2_CP). Item
NEWREFPER asks the current household respondent to
select a new reference person by asking, “What is the name
of the person (or one of the persons) who owns or rents
that home? Would that be you?” After reading the
question, select a new reference person based on the people
listed on the NEWREFPER screen. The instrument
should only display persons at this screen who qualify to be
selected as the reference person, based on the criteria for
selecting a reference person. (For more information on
who qualifies as a reference person see Part C, Chapter 1,
Topic 4, of this manual.)
Although rare, you may encounter a situation where the
household respondent mentions someone who is not listed
on the roster displayed at this item. If that occurs, verify
that this new person is actually a household member and if
so, enter Precode (31) “Someone not listed above” in Item
NEWREFPER to add a new person to the roster via the
PreDemos Table discussed above. By adding a new
household member using this path, the instrument
automatically removes the code in the “Relation” column
from the previous reference person. The instrument will
also create a new line number and assigns Precode (21)
“Reference Person” in the “Relation” column of this person
just added to the household roster. The instrument also
empties the “Relation” column for any remaining
household members. You will need to enter the
relationship codes for the remaining household members
based on the new reference person.
Front Section of the NCVS Instrument
B2-108
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Part B, Chapter 2
When a new person is added to the roster as the new
reference person the instrument will continue with the
MEMBERCHANGES screen for line number 1. At this
point, you should enter the reason the previous reference
person has left the household and then use the arrow keys
to go to the Item HHROSTER_FNAME for the new
reference person. Complete the items for this person;
HHROSTER_FNAME, HHROSTER_LNAME, SEX
and MEMBERCHANGES.
Note: Don’t forget to enter the reason the new
reference person entered the household in the
MEMBERCHANGES screen.
Enter reason why there is a change in household membership for this person.
If no change is needed for this person, press the ENTER key without selecting a precode.
Use the arrow keys to move through the table and REVIEW /UPDATE demographics. W hen done, press
Page Down.
W HY ENTERED HOUSEHOLD:
" 11. Returned from school or college
" 12. Returned from institution
" 13. Entered because of marriage/separation/
divorce
" 14. Person entered household for reasons
other than above
W HY LEFT HOUSEHOLD:
" 15. Person died
" 16. Left for school or college
" 17. Entered institution
" 18. Left because of marriage/separation/divorce
" 19. Person left household for reasons other than
above
" 20. Visitor - residence elsewhere
_____________________________________________________________________________________
MEMBERCHANGES
MEMBERCHANGES
(Changes in Household
Composition)
Item MEMBERCHANGES is accessible when a change
in the household composition has been noted by an entry in
Items HELP_OTH_CP, NAMECHECK or
HHLDCOVERAGE. When a change has occurred in the
household composition, record the reason for the change
based on the Precodes listed in the Item
MEMBERCHANGES. The instrument will automatically
go to the MEMBERCHANGES screen that is associated
with the first line number. Even if Line Number 1 does not
have any changes, the instrument starts at line number 1. If
there were no changes to the first line number’s household
Front Section of the NCVS Instrument
B2-109
Part B, Chapter 2
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
member status you can use the down arrow to navigate to
the line number where the first change occurred.
Item MEMBERCHANGES does not have a question for
you to ask the household respondent. Use this screen to
document household composition changes when you
discover that a household member has entered or left the
household since the previous interview. Try to determine
the reason for the change without antagonizing the
household respondent with questions that may be too
personal or specific.
Once you determine the reason a household member
entered or left a household, find the appropriate 2-digit
reason code in the answer list, which is divided by reasons
for entering and leaving the household. If the reason does
not fit into any of the precodes, use the "Case Level Notes"
to further explain the change.
Adding a Household
Member
When a new person enters a household, proceed as follows:
T Add the person's name to the household roster using
the HHROSTER_FNAME and
HHROSTER_LNAME screens in the next unused
row. These items were discussed earlier in this
topic.
T Complete Item RELATIONSHIP to determine the
new person's relationship to the reference person.
T Complete Item HHMEMBER to determine if the
new person qualifies as a household member.
•
If you get a "Yes" answer in Item
HHMEMBER, complete Items
BRTHDATEMO through RACE (in the
DemoDetailed Table) for the new household
member, as applicable.
•
If you get a "No" answer in Item
HHMEMBER, ask the question in Item
HSEMEMURE. If the new person does not
Front Section of the NCVS Instrument
B2-110
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Part B, Chapter 2
have a usual residence elsewhere enter Precode
(2) “No”, then follow the instruction above for
when HHMEMBER equals “Yes”. Otherwise,
enter Precode (1) in Item HSEMEMURE, since
the person being added is staying at the
household temporarily and has a usual residence
elsewhere. In this case you need not collect data
for Items BRTHDATEMO through RACE (in
the DemoDetailed Table) for this person
because they are not considered a household
member. However, you do need to enter
Precode (20) “Visitor - residence elsewhere” in
Item MEMBERCHANGES for this person.
T In Item MEMBERCHANGES, enter the
appropriate Precode (11 - 14), to code the reason the
household member was added to the roster. In the
“Case Level Notes” enter a brief description of the
reason for the change. For example, "L2 added to
roster Precode 14/Married to L1/1-2008."
Deleting a Household
Member
Person dies:
If a person listed on the roster has died, enter Precode (15),
"Person died," in Item MEMBERCHANGES and add a
brief description in the “Case Level Notes.”
Person leaves household:
If a person leaves a household and is not just temporarily
absent, enter the appropriate Precode (16-19) in Item
MEMBERCHANGES. Then in the “Case Level Notes”
enter a brief description, such as; "L4 left HHLD/Precode
16/Attending College/2-2008" or "Precode 19/L2 Active
military duty overseas/3-2008."
Person's Household
Membership Changes
If a person listed on the roster was coded as a nonmember
during a previous enumeration and then returns while the
household is still in sample, enter the appropriate Precode
(11-14) in Item MEMBERCHANGES. Be sure to verify
that this person’s Membership status in the “HHmember”
column has changed to a value of (1) “Yes.” In the “Case
Level Notes” enter a brief description of the reason the
person has returned to the household, for example, “L3
Front Section of the NCVS Instrument
B2-111
Part B, Chapter 2
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
returned to household/Precode 13/ Released from prison/72008."
If you discover that a person who was listed as a URE
(usual residence elsewhere) in a previous enumeration
period, is now a household member, enter the appropriate
Precode (11-14) in Item MEMBERCHANGES. Be sure
to verify that this person’s Membership status in the “HH
member” column has changed to a value of (1) “Yes.”
Then in the “Case Level Notes” enter a brief description of
the reason the person has returned to the household, for
example, "Precode 14/L2 Returned from active military
duty overseas/2-2008."
Have I missed anyone else living or staying here such as
any babies, any lodgers, or anyone who is away at present
traveling or in the hospital?
" 1. Yes
" 2. No
________________________________________________________________________
HHLDCOVERAGE
HHLDCOVERAGE
(Household Roster
Coverage)
Asking Item
HHLDCOVERAGE 1st Enumeration Period
Item HHLDCOVERAGE is designed to remind the
household respondent to mention anyone he/she may have
forgotten to mention initially and to ensure that the
household roster is complete. Many household respondents
forget to mention babies, lodgers, and visitors when asked
about persons staying at their home.
During the first enumeration, Item HHLDCOVERAGE
will appear after you enter ‘999’ in the next empty row, at
the HHROSTER_FNAME screen to indicate you’ve
completed building the roster.
When interviewing a sample household for the first time,
start Item HHLDCOVERAGE by reading, "Have I missed
anyone else living or staying here such as any babies, any
lodgers, or anyone who is away at present traveling or in
the hospital?"
Front Section of the NCVS Instrument
B2-112
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Part B, Chapter 2
If the household respondent answers "Yes" to the question
in Item HHLDCOVERAGE:
T
Select Precode (1) "Yes,"
T
Add the person's name to the household
roster via the HHROSTER_FNAME and
HHROSTER_LNAME screens, and
T
Complete Items SEX, RELATIONSHIP
and HHMEMBER for the added person.
T
Continue asking if you missed anyone else
living or staying at the address until the
household respondent answers, "No." Then
enter ‘999’ again in the next empty row at
the HHROSTER_FNAME screen. Then
enter Precode (2) “No” in Item
HHLDCOVERAGE. The instrument then
proceeds to the BIRTHDATEMO screen
to begin collecting the rest of the
demographic information for each
household member.
If the household respondent answers "No" to the question in
Item HHLDCOVERAGE:
Asking Item
HHLDCOVERAGE 2nd Through 7th
Enumeration Periods
T
Select Precode (2) "No,"
T
The instrument proceeds to Item
BIRTHDATEMO to begin collecting the
rest of the demographic information for
each household member.
The HHLDCOVERAGE screen appears next for the
second through seventh enumeration cases after entering
Precode (1) “Yes” at Item NAMECHECK to signify the
input roster was correct.
Front Section of the NCVS Instrument
B2-113
Part B, Chapter 2
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
The Item HHLDCOVERAGE is also on path during Time
in Sample two through seven after entering Precode (2)
“No” in NAMECHECK to signify the input roster was not
correct and then entering ‘999’ in the next empty row in
Item HHROSTER_FNAME when you have completed
making those changes to the roster. Once you reach Item
HHLDCOVERAGE, ask the question in Item
HHLDCOVERAGE, "Have I missed anyone else living
or staying here such as any babies, any lodgers, or
anyone who is away at present traveling or in the
hospital?"
If the household respondent answers "Yes" to the question
in Item HHLDCOVERAGE:
T Select Precode (1) "Yes,"
T Add the person's name to the household roster via
the HHROSTER_FNAME and
HHROSTER_LNAME screens, and
T Complete Items SEX, RELATIONSHIP and
HHMEMBER for the added person.
T Continue asking if you missed anyone else living or
staying at the address until the household
respondent answers "No." Then enter ‘999' in the
next empty row at the HHROSTER_FNAME
screen and then enter Precode (2) “No” in Item
HHLDCOVERAGE. The instrument then
proceeds to the AGECHECK screen for the first
household member to begin verifying and/or
collecting the rest of the demographic information
for each household member.
If the household respondent answers "No" to the question in
Item HHLDCOVERAGE:
T Select Precode (2) "No,"
Front Section of the NCVS Instrument
B2-114
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Part B, Chapter 2
T Households consisting entirely of persons who are
not household members and have a usual residence
elsewhere proceed to Item ENTIREHHURE.
T Otherwise, the instrument proceeds to Item
AGECHECK to begin verifying the demographic
information collected during previous enumerations
for each household member.
All people on the household roster have a usual residence elsewhere.
Enter 1 to exit the case.
The reenter the case to code it a Noninterview (Type B - Entire Household URE) via START_CP.
" 1. Enter 1 to continue
__________________________________________________________________________________
ENTIREHHURE
ENTIREHHURE
In the situation, where all of the persons listed on the
household roster have a usual residence elsewhere the case
will need to be coded as a Type B Noninterview. This
screen will appear when Precode (2) is entered in Item
HHLDCOVERAGE and all of the persons listed on the
roster have been coded as nonmembers.
By entering Precode (1) at the ENTIREHHURE screen
you acknowledge that this case classifies as a Type B
noninterview (outcome code 225), “Temporarily occupied
by persons with URE”.
After exiting the case, you will need to reenter the case to
complete the process of coding this case as a Type B via the
START_CP screen. (Also see Part A, Chapter 6, Topic 3,
Type B Noninterview Categories.)
The DemoDetailed Table General Information
Once you have verified which persons listed in the
household roster qualify as household members at the
sample address, then begin collecting and/or verifying the
demographic information for each household member. The
DemoDetailed Table consists of Items AGECHECK
Front Section of the NCVS Instrument
B2-115
Part B, Chapter 2
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
through RACE which are used to obtain personal
characteristics (date of birth, age, marital status, and so
forth) for each household member listed on the roster.
Complete Items AGECHECK through RACE, as
applicable, for one household member before completing
these items for the next household member on the roster.
You do not complete Items AGECHECK through RACE
for any nonhousehold members listed on the roster.
I have you listed as 43 years old as of last month.
Is that correct?
" 1. Yes, age IS correct
" 2. No, age is NOT correct
__________________________________________________________________________
AGECHECK
AGECHECK
(Verifying the Age on Input)
During enumerations two through seven the AGECHECK
screen is the first of these demographic information
collection/verification screens and is used to verify each
household member’s current age during each enumeration
period. This screen appears for the first household member
and is then repeated for each remaining household member.
The NCVS instrument inserts the appropriate household
member’s name and age based on information from the
previous interview.
When a case is loaded, the instrument calculates each
household member’s age, based on the date of birth that
was collected during a prior enumeration period and fills
that age into the question text of Item AGECHECK.
During enumerations two through seven you will ask the
household respondent the question in Item AGECHECK
for each household member. So for example, when
verifying the household respondent’s age you will ask, “I
have you listed as 43 years old. Is that correct?”
Be sure to ask the question as worded, because the question
text changes when a household member’s birth month is the
same as the current interviewing month. In this situation
the instrument automatically inserts the phrase “as of last
month” into the question text to alert the household
Front Section of the NCVS Instrument
B2-116
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Part B, Chapter 2
respondent we are verifying the person’s age “as of last
month.” This way if a household member’s birthday has
already occurred during the current interview month the age
information is collected/verified the same across all cases.
Therefore, when the interviewing month is the same as the
birth month for a household member ask, in Item
AGECHECK, “I have you listed as 43 years old, as of
last month. Is that correct?”
When the Previous Age
Recorded Is Correct
When you ask the question in Item AGECHECK and the
household respondent confirms the household member’s
age is correct:
T Enter Precode (1) “Yes, age IS correct”.
T Continue to verify the remaining demographic
information items for the current household
member. If the current household member you are
verifying information about is 14 years of age or
older the instrument proceeds to the MARTIAL
screen. If the current household member is 12 or 13
years of age the instrument proceeds to either Item
EDUCATIONATTAIN or Item
ATTENDINGSCHOOL. Otherwise, if the current
household member is under 12 years of age the
instrument proceeds to Item AGECHECK for the
next household member or to the
ROSTERREVIEW screen when there are no more
household members left to verify demographic
information for.
When the Previous Age
Recorded Is Not Correct
When you ask the question in Item AGECHECK and the
household respondent says the age we previously recorded
is incorrect:
T Enter Precode (2) “Yes, age is NOT correct”.
T The instrument proceeds to the BRTHDATEMO,
BRTHDATEDY and BRTHDATEYR screens to edit
the incorrect date of birth information. See below for
more information regarding completing these three
items.
Front Section of the NCVS Instrument
B2-117
Part B, Chapter 2
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
If a household member’s date of birth (month, day, or year)
was not completed or the person's date of birth was refused
during a prior enumeration, the instrument will not be able
to calculate an age for that person for the current
enumeration. In this situation, the instrument skips the
AGECHECK screen and go to the Items
BRTHDATEMO, BRTHDATEDY and BRTHDATEYR
screens to edit the incorrect or incomplete date of birth
information.
When the Birthday
Previously Collected is
Incomplete or Refused
W hat is Ted Moe’s date of birth?
Enter month on this screen
______________________________________________________________________
BRTHDATEM O
W hat is Ted Moe’s date of birth?
Enter day on this screen
_______________________________________________________________________
BRTHDATEDY
W hat is Ted Moe’s date of birth?
Enter year on this screen
If the year is less than 1890, enter 1890
_______________________________________________________________________
BRTHDATEYR
BRTHDATEMO,
BRTHDATEDY and
BRTHDATEYR
(Date of Birth)
During the first enumeration you come to the
BRTHDATEMO screen after entering Precode (2) in Item
HHLDCOVERAGE in order to start collecting a
household member’s date of birth. You also come to Item
BRTHDATEMO during enumerations two through seven
when a person was added to the household roster during the
current enumeration, when the household member’s date of
birth was not correct (you entered Precode (2) in Item
AGECHECK) or the date of birth was incomplete or
refused during a previous enumeration.
Front Section of the NCVS Instrument
B2-118
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Entering the Date of
Birth
Part B, Chapter 2
Although Items BRTHDATEMO and BRTHDATEDY
are two digits, you do not need to enter a zero for a one
digit month or day. Rather, you can enter a one digit for the
months of January through September (1-9) as well as for
the first 9 days of a month. However, for Item
BRTHDATEYR you must enter 4 digits. For example,
enter 4/2/2005 for April 2, 2005.
When a household respondent is unsure of the exact date of
birth, you can:
T Press the “Ctrl” and “D” keys at the same time to
code a blind “Don’t Know” in any or all three birth
date screens.
T If you enter don’t know in Item BRTHDATEYR
the instrument proceeds to the ESTAGE screen to
ask the household respondent to estimate the
household member’s age.
Date of Birth is Refused
If the household respondent refuses to give you another
household member's date of birth, you can:
T Press the “Ctrl” and “R” keys at the same time to
code a blind “Refused” in any or all three birth date
screens.
T If you enter refused in Item BRTHDATEYR the
instrument proceeds to the AGERNG screen to ask
the household respondent to select which age range
the household member’s age fits into, based upon
the age ranges specified in the answer list.
That would make Ted Moe 43 years old.
Is that correct?
" 1. Yes
" 2. No
______________________________________________________________________
VFYAGE
Front Section of the NCVS Instrument
B2-119
Part B, Chapter 2
VFYAGE
(Verify Age Based on Birth
Date Collected)
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
After collecting the date of birth information the instrument
goes to the VFYAGE screen to verify that the age
calculated in the instrument, based on the date of birth
information collected in Items BRTHDATEMO,
BRTHDATEDY and BRTHDATEYR is correct. If you
entered a blind “Don’t Know” or a blind “Refusal” in Item
BRTHDATEYR the instrument bypasses this screen and
continues on to either the ESTAGE or AGERNG screens
as discussed below.
The VFYAGE screen is set up similarly to Item
AGECHECK. So, for example, when verifying the age
based on the date of birth just collected for the household
respondent you will ask, “That would make you 43 years
old. Is that correct?” Be sure to ask the question as
worded, because the question text changes when a
household member’s birth month is the same as the current
interviewing month. In this situation the instrument
automatically inserts the phrase “as of last month” into the
question text to alert the household respondent we are
verifying the person’s age as of last month. This way if a
household member’s birthday has already occurred during
the current interview month the age information is
collected/verified the same across all cases. Therefore,
when the interviewing month is the same as the birth month
for a household member, ask in Item VFYAGE, “That
would make you 43 years old, as of last month. Is that
correct?”
If the age is not correct enter Precode (2) to return to the
BRTHDATEMO, BRTHDATEDY and BRTHDATEYR
screens to edit the incorrect date of birth information. If the
age is correct and the current household member you are
verifying information about is 14 years of age or older the
instrument proceeds to the MARTIAL screen. If the
current household member is 12 or 13 years of age the
instrument proceeds to either Item EDUCATIONATTAIN
or Item ATTENDINGSCHOOL. Otherwise, if the current
household member is under 12 years of age the instrument
proceeds to Item AGECHECK for the next household
member or to the ROSTERREVIEW screen when there
Front Section of the NCVS Instrument
B2-120
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Part B, Chapter 2
are no more household members left to verify demographic
information for.
Even though you don’t know Ted Moe’s exact birthdate, what is your best guess as to how old he was on his
last birthday?
________________________________________________________________________
ESTAGE
ESTAGE
(Estimating a Household
Member's Age)
Item ESTAGE is asked when the household respondent
does not know the birth year for a household member and
you entered a blind “Don’t Know” in Item
BRTHDATEYR. This screen is used to collect an
estimated age of the household member, in lieu of a date of
birth. This is done in an attempt to get some age for a
household member in order to determine whether the
respondent is eligible for the NCVS. Age is also used as
criteria for asking certain questions like employment, as
well as some NCVS supplements.
For Babies Under 1 Year:
Enter "0" in Item ESTAGE for household members who
are under 1 year of age.
For Adults Over Age 96:
Enter "96" in Item ESTAGE for an adult whose age is 96
or older.
If you enter a blind “Don’t Know” or a blind “Refusal” in
Item ESTAGE the instrument will proceed to the
AGERNG screen. Otherwise if the current household
member you are verifying information about is 14 years of
age or older the instrument proceeds to the MARTIAL
screen. If the current household member is 12 or 13 years
of age the instrument proceeds to either Item
EDUCATIONATTAIN or Item ATTENDINGSCHOOL.
Otherwise, if the current household member is under 12
years of age the instrument proceeds to Item AGECHECK
for the next household member or to the
ROSTERREVIEW screen when there are no more
household members left to verify demographic information
for.
Front Section of the NCVS Instrument
B2-121
Part B, Chapter 2
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Is he a child, a teenager, or an adult? Is he ...
Read appropriate age categories.
" 1. 0 - 11 years old?
" 6. 25 - 34 years old?
" 2. 12 - 13 years old?
" 7. 35 - 49 years old?
" 3. 14 - 15 years old?
" 8. 50 - 65 years old?
" 4. 16 - 17 years old?
" 9. 66 years old or older?
" 5. 18 - 24 years old?
_____________________________________________________________________
AGERNG
AGERNG
(Coding an Age into a
Range of Ages)
Item AGERNG is asked when the household respondent
refuses to give you the birth year for a household member
and you entered a blind “Refused” in Item
BRTHDATEYR. The AGERNG screen also appears
when you enter a blind “Don’t Know” or a blind “Refusal”
in Item ESTAGE. The AGERNG screen is used to code a
household member’s age into one of nine ranges. This is
done in an attempt to narrow down a household member’s
age in order to determine whether the respondent is eligible
for the NCVS. Age is also used as a criterion for asking
certain questions like employment as well as some NCVS
supplements.
After entering appropriate precode in Item AGERNG and
the current household member you are verifying
information about is 14 years of age or older the instrument
proceeds to the MARTIAL screen. If the current
household member is 12 or 13 years of age the instrument
proceeds to either Item EDUCATIONATTAIN or Item
ATTENDINGSCHOOL. Otherwise, if the current
household member is under 12 years of age the instrument
proceeds to Item AGECHECK for the next household
member or to the ROSTERREVIEW screen when there
are no more household members left to verify demographic
information for.
Front Section of the NCVS Instrument
B2-122
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Part B, Chapter 2
LAST REPORTED AS: Married
Enter new marital status for Ted Moe
If in doubt, ask:
Is Ted Moe now married, widowed, divorced, separated, or has he never been married?
" 1. Married
" 2. W idowed
" 3. Divorced
" 4. Separated
" 5. Never married
_______________________________________________________________________
MARITAL
MARITAL
(Marital Status)
Item MARITAL is used to verify the marital status of each
household member who is at least 14 years of age during
each enumeration period. For household members who are
12 or 13 years of age, the instrument codes them
automatically as “Never married,” Precode (5). In most
cases, this screen also shows the person’s marital status as
reported in the previous enumeration period. You can often
determine a household member's marital status without
asking the question in Item MARITAL. However, if there
is any doubt, ask the question in Item MARITAL as
worded for all household members who are 14 years of age
and older.
If an unrelated man and woman are living together and it is
not evident whether or not they consider themselves as
married to each other (either legally or by common law),
ask the question in Item MARITAL as worded or
determine the marital status without asking, if possible.
Precode (1) “Married”
Enter Precode (1) “Married” in Item MARITAL when:
T
The person is currently married and living with
his/her spouse.
T
The person is currently married, but is parted
temporarily from his/her spouse for reasons other
than marital discord. For example, employment,
Front Section of the NCVS Instrument
B2-123
Part B, Chapter 2
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
military service, spouse in nursing home, and so
forth.
T
The person is not officially married, but is living
with someone as husband and wife, such as a
common-law marriage.
If the person is separated from his/her spouse due to marital
discord, enter Precode (4) “Separated.”
Precode (2) “Widowed”
Enter Precode 2 “Widowed” in Item MARITAL when the
household member's spouse has died and the person has not
remarried. If not sure, ask the question in Item MARITAL
as worded and accept the household respondent's answer.
Precode (3) “Divorced”
Enter Precode (3) “Divorced” when the person's divorce is
final. If you suspect that the person's divorce is not final,
ask the question in Item MARITAL as worded and accept
the household respondent's answer.
Precode (4) “Separated”
Enter Precode 4 “Separated” in Item MARITAL when:
T
The person is married, but has a legal separation.
T
The person is married, but has parted from his/her
spouse because of marital discord.
T
The person expects to obtain a divorce in the
future.
T
The person intends to remain separated from
his/her spouse permanently and never get a
divorce.
If the person is separated from his/her spouse for reasons
other than marital discord, enter Precode (1) “Married.”
Precode (5)
“Never Married”
Enter Precode (5) “Never married” in Item MARITAL
when the person has never been married or the person's
only marriage was annulled. The instrument prefills
Precode (5) “Never married,” automatically and skips over
Front Section of the NCVS Instrument
B2-124
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Part B, Chapter 2
this item for children in the household who are under 14
years of age.
After completing the MARITAL screen the instrument will
proceed to Item ARMEDFORCES when the current
household member you are verifying information about is
between the ages of 18 and 65. If the current household
member is between the ages of 14 and 17 the instrument
proceeds to either Item EDUCATIONATTAIN or Item
ATTENDINGSCHOOL.
LAST REPORTED AS: No
Is Ted Moe now in the Armed Forces?
" 1. Yes
" 2. No
______________________________________________________________________
ARMEDFORCES
ARMEDFORCES
(Armed Forces)
For each household member (male or female) between the
ages 18 and 65, ask the question in Item
ARMEDFORCES. The instrument skips over the
ARMEDFORCES screen when the household member is
under 18 years of age or over 65 years of age. In most
cases, this screen also shows the person’s military status as
reported in the previous enumeration period.
A household member who is between 18 and 65 years of
age is considered as "in the Armed Forces" when the person
is serving on active duty at the time of interview in the:
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
U.S. Army
U.S. Navy
U.S. Air Force
U.S. Marine Corps
U.S. Coast Guard
Reserve branch of any of the above Armed
Services and is currently on active duty status for
several months
U.S. Public Health Service as commissioned
officers who are attached to any branch of the
above Armed Services
Front Section of the NCVS Instrument
B2-125
Part B, Chapter 2
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
C
C
National Guard in Federal Service (if his/her unit
has become part of regular forces by Presidential
Order)
U.S. military academies as Cadets (for example,
West Point, Naval Academy, Air Force Academy,
and the Coast Guard Academy).
Each of the military services has a regular component and a
reserve component. Members of the regular component
of any branch of the Armed Forces are always considered to
be on active duty, unless they are retired. Members of the
reserve component of any branch of the Armed Forces are
only considered to be on active duty when they have been
called to active duty by military order and are currently on
active duty for several months.
First Enumeration
Period
Select Precode (1) “Yes” if the household member is
currently in the Armed Forces on active duty.
Select Precode (2) “No” if the household member is not
currently on active duty in the Armed Forces. Also select
Precode (2) if the household member:
T
Only serves in the Coast Guard Temporary
Reserve
T
Is an employee of the Merchant Marines,
Maritime Commission, or the American Field
Service Department
T
Is a civilian employee of the Department of
Defense
T
Serves in a National Guard unit not blanketed
into the regular forces by Presidential order and is
not serving the 4-6 months of active duty in
connection with provisions of the Reserve Forces
Act of 1955
T
Is in short periods of active reserve training or is
attending weekly reserve meetings.
Front Section of the NCVS Instrument
B2-126
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Part B, Chapter 2
If you are still unsure which box to mark in Item
ARMEDFORCES, select Precode (1) “Yes” and explain
the situation in the “Case Level Notes.”
Subsequent
Enumeration Periods
When you see Precode (1) marked in Item
ARMEDFORCES for a household member, verify each
enumeration period that the person is still an active duty
member of the Armed Forces. If you discover that the
person is no longer an active duty member of the Armed
Forces, select Precode (2). Using the "Case Level Notes",
note the change and the date that you discovered the change
(for example, Item 20 - L2 separated from AF (1/2007).
If a household member has turned 18 years of age since the
last interview, this item will appear, but the response will
be empty because it was previously unanswered. Ask the
question in Item ARMEDFORCES during the current
interview.
If you happen to discover that any household member ages
18 to 65 years has entered the Armed Forces on active duty
since the last interview, select Precode (1) in Item
ARMEDFORCES. Using the "Case Level Notes," note
the change and the date that you discovered the change (for
example, Item 20 - L3 joined the AF (1/2007).
& (Page 6)
LAST REPORTED AS: 12th grade (no diploma)
W hat is the highest level of school Ted Moe completed or the highest degree he received?
" 1. 1st grade
" 11. 11th grade
" 2. 2nd grade
" 12. 12th grade (no diploma)
" 3. 3rd grade
" 13. High school graduate (diploma, or the equivalent)
" 4. 4th grade
" 14. Some college (No Degree)
" 5. 5th grade
" 15. Associate’s degree
" 6. 6th grade
" 16. Bachelor’s degree (e.g. BA, AB, BS)
" 7. 7th grade
" 17. Master’s degree (e.g. MA, MS, MEng, MSW , MBA)
" 8. 8th grade
" 18. Professional School degree (e.g. MD, DDS, DVM, LLB, JD)
" 9. 9th grade
" 19. Doctoral degree (e.g. PhD, EdD)
" 10. 10th grade
" 20. Never attended, preschool, kindergarten
____________________________________________________________________
EDUCATIONATTAIN
Front Section of the NCVS Instrument
B2-127
Part B, Chapter 2
EDUCATIONATTAIN
(Educational Attainment)
When to Ask Item
EDUCATIONATTAIN
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Item EDUCATIONATTAIN is designed to provide up-todate information on the educational attainment of each
household member who is 12 years of age or older. The
question in this item asks about the highest level of school
completed or the highest degree received by the household
member. In most cases, this screen also shows the person’s
highest level of education as reported previously.
During the first, third, fifth, and seventh enumeration
periods, ask Item EDUCATIONATTAIN for each eligible
household member. The instrument skips over this
question, during these enumerations, for any household
members who are under 12 years of age during the
reference period.
Under the following situations, also ask Item
EDUCATIONATTAIN during an enumeration period
other than the first, third, fifth, and seventh enumeration
period:
C
The household was not interviewed in the
previous enumeration period (first, third, or fifth).
C
The person became a household member since
the previous enumeration period.
C
The person celebrated his/her 12th birthday since
the previous enumeration period.
Before asking Item EDUCATIONATTAIN during a
personal visit, open your Information Card Booklet
(NCVS-554) and show the “Table of Education Codes”
flashcard to the household respondent. Notice in Item
EDUCATIONATTAIN that the page number (Page 6) that
the “Table of Education Codes” are on is displayed next to
the Flashcard icon in the upper left hand corner of the
screen.
If you add a household member during a telephone
interview, ask Item EDUCATIONATTAIN, and if
necessary, read the education categories from the answer
list.
Front Section of the NCVS Instrument
B2-128
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Education Codes for
Item
EDUCATIONATTAIN
Part B, Chapter 2
A “Table of Education Codes” also appears in your
Information Card Booklet (NCVS-554). Shown below are
the available precodes for Item EDUCATIONATTAIN,
along with descriptions for these educational attainment
codes.
If interviewing during a household member's summer
vacation from school, enter the appropriate code for the
grade just completed, NOT the grade that he/she will attend
in the fall. For persons who have skipped or repeated
grades, enter the code for the highest grade completed,
regardless of the number of years it took.
CODE
DESCRIPTION OF GRADE/YEAR/DEGREE
1-8
Use one of these codes, as appropriate, for elem entary
school grades 1 through 8.
9 - 11
Use one of these codes, as appropriate, for high school
grades 9 through 11.
12
Enter code (12) if the respondent com pleted
12th grade, but did not receive a high school diplom a.
13
Enter code (13) if the respondent com pleted 12th grade and
received a high school diplom a or the equivalent of a high
school diplom a.
14
Enter code (14) if the respondent com pleted som e college
without receiving a college degree.
15
Enter code (15) if the respondent has an Associate’s degree,
which is norm ally awarded after com pleting two years of
college.
16
Enter code (16) if the respondent has a Bachelor’s degree
(BA, AB, or BS), which is norm ally awarded after com pleting
four years of college.
17
Enter code (17) if the respondent has a Master’s degree
(MA, MS, MEng, MSW , or MBA), which is norm ally awarded
after com pleting six years of college.
18
Enter code (18) if the respondent has a Professional School
degree (MD, DDS, DVM, LLB, or JD) earned in fields such
as m edicine, dentistry, chiropractic m edicine, optom etry,
osteopathic m edicine, pharm acy, podiatry, veterinary
m edicine, law, or theology.
Front Section of the NCVS Instrument
B2-129
Part B, Chapter 2
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
19
Enter code (19) if the respondent has a Doctorate degree
(PhD or EdD).
20
Use this code for children who have never attended school
and for children attending kindergarten, preschool, or only
day care.
Special Situations for
Item
EDUCATIONATTAIN
Here are some examples for handling a response other than
the highest grade or year completed:
Junior high/middle school:
Since junior high or middle school can cover different
grades in different localities, probe to determine the highest
grade or year completed and enter the appropriate code in
Item EDUCATIONATTAIN.
High school equivalency tests:
Enter Precode 13 in Item EDUCATIONATTAIN for
persons who pass a high school equivalency test, such as
the GED, or who receive a high school diploma while in
the Armed Forces.
Post-graduate high school:
Enter Precode 13 in Item EDUCATIONATTAIN for
persons who have received a high school diploma and are
attending post-graduate high school courses in preparation
for attending college.
Miscellaneous school system:
Determine the equivalent grade in the American regular
school system for household members who have obtained
their formal education in foreign schools, ungraded schools,
night schools or by the instruction of tutors (if counted
toward promotion in the American regular school system),
"readers" (roughly equivalent to regular grades), or
"normal" schools.
Front Section of the NCVS Instrument
B2-130
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Part B, Chapter 2
You marked 8 th grade as the highest level of school completed for a person age18. Are you sure this is
correct?
_______________________________________________________________________________
Questions involved
Value
EDUCATIONATTAIN: Education
8th grade
Suppress
Close
Goto
EDUCATION_CK
EDUCATION_CK
(Edit Check to Verify
Education Attainment)
Item EDUCATION_CK is a soft edit check that compares
the entry in EDUCATIONATTAIN against the household
member’s age. The edit check is set up to be displayed
when the precode entered in EDUCATIONATTAIN does
not fit the norm for someone the age of the household
member. For example, this item would appear if a 14 year
old is coded as having completed college. If the entry in
EDUCATIONATTAIN is correct, then click on the
“Suppress” button to continue with the
ATTENDINGSCHOOL screen. Otherwise, press either
the “Goto” or “Close” buttons to go back to the
EDUCATIONATTAIN screen to change the answer.
LAST REPORTED AS: Regular school
Is Jane Moe currently attending or enrolled in a regular school such as elementary or high school or enrolled
either full-time or part-time in a college or university, trade, or vocational school?
" 1. Regular school
" 2. College/University
" 3. Trade school
" 4. Vocational school
" 5. None of the above schools
__________________________________________________________________________________
ATTENDINGSCHOOL
ATTENDINGSCHOOL
(Attending School)
Item ATTENDINGSCHOOL is designed to determine
whether or not each household member who is 12 years of
age or older is currently attending or enrolled in regular
school (elementary or high school) or enrolled full-time or
part-time in a college or university, trade, or vocational
school. In most cases, this screen also shows the answer
given for this household member as reported in the
Front Section of the NCVS Instrument
B2-131
Part B, Chapter 2
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
previous enumeration period. Ask the question in Item
ATTENDINGSCHOOL in ALL enumeration periods.
When asking Item ATTENDINGSCHOOL for a high
school graduate, the instrument automatically omits the
phrase, “enrolled in a regular school such as elementary
or high school or” In other words, this phrase should be
omitted for the person when you enter educational
attainment code 13 or a higher code in Item
EDUCATIONATTAIN.
Precode (1) “Regular
school”
The term "regular school" includes both public and private
schools starting with kindergarten and continuing through
elementary, junior or middle, and high school, regardless of
whether the classes are graded or ungraded. If a household
member is enrolled or attends special education classes, but
the school consists of mostly regular classes, use Precode
(1) “Regular school” for the person. However, if the
person's school is entirely for special education classes, use
Precode (5), “None of the above schools.”
Precode (2) “College/
University”
Use Precode (2), “College/University,” for each household
member who:
•
•
Has graduated from high school, and
Is currently enrolled in or attending a 2- or 4-year
college or university or post-graduate school.
Precode (3) “Trade
school”
Use Precode (3), “Trade school,” when a household
member is enrolled in or attending a secondary school
teaching a skilled trade that does not earn college credit. A
trade school prepares a person for a skilled trade, such as
plumber or electrician. Most trade schools have
apprentice/journeyman programs.
Precode (4) “Vocational
school”
Use Precode (4), “Vocational school,” when a household
member is enrolled in or attending a secondary school
teaching a skill to help the person pursue a career, such as
barber or cosmetology schools. These courses do not earn
college credit.
Front Section of the NCVS Instrument
B2-132
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Precode (5) “None of the
above schools”
Part B, Chapter 2
Use Precode (5), “None of the above schools,” when the
household member is:
•
C
C
C
Not enrolled in or attending any type of school,
Attending a home school,
Attending a school devoted entirely to special
education, such as an alternative school, or
Working on completing a GED.
& (Page 8)
Are you Spanish, Hispanic, or Latino?
" 1. Yes
" 2. No
SP_ORIGIN
SP_ORIGIN
(Hispanic or Spanish
Origin)
Item SP_ORIGIN is only asked once to record whether or
not each household member is Spanish, Hispanic, or Latino
by his/her national, cultural, or language group. Always
ask Item SP_ORIGIN during the first interview or when
adding a household member during a subsequent
enumeration period, regardless of the household member's
race.
Purpose of Item
SP_ORIGIN
If a respondent wants to know why we ask whether anyone
is Spanish, Hispanic or Latino, explain that this information
enables us to tabulate crime victimization data for this
group of people, since they comprise the largest minority
group in this country.
Completing Item
SP_ORIGIN
For a personal visit interview, open the Information Card
Booklet (NCVS-554) and show the “Hispanic Origin”
flashcard to the household respondent before asking Item
SP_ORIGIN. Notice in Item SP_ORIGIN that the page
number (Page 8) is displayed next to the Flashcard icon in
the upper left hand corner of the screen. For a telephone
interview, ask the Hispanic origin question from the
Information Card Book including the Hispanic Origin
examples.
Front Section of the NCVS Instrument
B2-133
Part B, Chapter 2
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Enter Precode (1) for “Yes” even if the household member
has multiple origins and one origin is Spanish, Hispanic, or
Latino.
If you get a "No" answer, enter Precode (2) for the
household member.
If you get a "Don't know" answer, probe by asking if the
household member has a parent or grandparent who is
Spanish, Hispanic or Latino. The following list may also
help to determine whether or not a person is Spanish,
Hispanic or Latino.
A Spanish, Hispanic, or Latino person identifies his/her ancestry with one of the following groups:
Argentina
Balaoric Islands
Basque
Bolivia
Boricua
Californie
Californio (Californi)
Canary Islands
Catalonian
Central Am erican
(Spanish speaking)
Chicano
Chile
Colom bia
Costa Rica
Cuban
Dom inican Republic
Ecuador
El Salvador
Guatem ala
Hispanic
Honduras
Iberian (i.e., Spain)
La Raza
Majorcan
Mexican
Mexican Am erican
Nicaragua
Panam a
Paraguay
Peru
Puerto Rican
South Am erican
(Spanish speaking)
Spanish
Spaniard
Spanish Am erican
Spanish speaking
Uruguay
Venezuela
When a household respondent is still unable to answer
Item SP_ORIGIN for a household member, enter “Ctrl” +
“D” for “Don’t know.” If a household respondent refuses
to answer Item SP_ORIGIN for a household member,
enter “Ctrl” + “R” for “Refused.” In both of these
situations, enter a note in the "Case Level Notes" (for
example, SP_ORIGIN - DK for LN3...).
Front Section of the NCVS Instrument
B2-134
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Part B, Chapter 2
& (Page 10)
If personal interview show flash card.
If telephone interview read answer categories.
Do not probe.
Please choose one or more races that you consider/considers yourself to be.
" 1. White
" 2. Black or African American
" 3. American Indian, or Alaska Native
" 4. Asian
" 5. Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander
" 6. Other - Specify
RACE
RACE
(Race)
Ask Item RACE once for each household member to
record up to six races that each household member
considers him/herself to be. Enter the appropriate race
code(s) for each household member's race(s) based on the
household respondent's answer. If you add any household
members in subsequent enumeration periods, make sure to
complete Item RACE for these added persons at that time.
Before asking Item RACE for a personal visit interview,
open the Information Card Booklet (NCVS-554) and show
the “Race” flashcard to the household respondent. Notice
in Item RACE that the page number (Page 10) is displayed
next to the Flashcard icon in the upper left hand corner of
the screen.
If you add a household member during a telephone
interview, ask Item RACE and, if necessary, read the race
categories from the answer list.
Do NOT mark Item RACE either by observation, probing,
or asking a neighbor. Since the Census Bureau bases race
on self-identification, you must ask this race question for
each household member even when it may seem obvious.
Codes for Item RACE
Once the household respondent has identified the
household member's race(s), enter the appropriate
precode(s) on that person's line in Item RACE. Only enter
Precode (6), “Other,” as a last resort. If you enter Precode
Front Section of the NCVS Instrument
B2-135
Part B, Chapter 2
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
(6), then you must also enter the race description at the
RACE_SPECIFY screen.
Response is an ethnic origin:
If the answer is an ethnic origin (Italian, Irish, French,
Hispanic, German, etc.), ask the household respondent to
identify to which racial group(s) each household member
belongs based on the categories shown on the race
flashcard. A person's ethnic origin or ancestry does not
automatically identify his/her race.
Refusal:
If the household respondent refuses to give you any race
information for the household, press “Ctrl” + “R” to code
this item as “Refused.” Likewise, if the household
respondent is unable to answer Item RACE for a household
member, enter “Ctrl” + “D” for “Don’t Know.” Coding
“Refusals” and “Don’t Know” should be done at Item
RACE; do not use the write-in space in the
RACE_SPECIFY screen to code responses of “Refused”
or “Don’t Know”. In both of these situations you should
enter a note in the "Case Level Notes" (for example, RACE
- RF for LN3...).
Review all categories
Is this information correct?
LN NAME
REL
AGE
SEX
MARITAL
STATUS
______________________________________________________________________________________
1
2
3
TED MOE
MEGAN MOE
JANE M OE
Ref Per
W ife
Daughtr
43
43
14
M
F
F
Married
Married
Never married
NEED SELF
NEED SELF
NEED SELF
" 1. Yes
" 2. No
_____________________________________________________________________________
ROSTERREVIEW
ROSTERREVIEW
(Reviewing the Household
Roster)
When you have completed the Control Card questions in
the NCVS instrument for all household members, you will
see the ROSTERREVIEW screen which is the last screen
in the front section of the NCVS instrument. This screen
Front Section of the NCVS Instrument
B2-136
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Part B, Chapter 2
gives you one LAST opportunity to make changes to the
household roster. If no household roster changes are
required, enter Precode (1), “Yes” which takes you to the
TIMEATADDRESS screen, which is the first screen in the
middle section of the NCVS instrument and is shown in
Part B, Chapter 3 of this manual.
If changes are required to the roster because something was
previously coded incorrectly, enter Precode (2), “No” and
the instrument progresses to the Item WHOTOCHANGE,
the first screen in the DemoChange Table, to select the line
number of the household member whose information needs
to be updated.
The DemoChange Table General Information
The DemoChange Table is only accessed when Precode (2)
is entered in Item ROSTERREVIEW. The DemoChange
Table should be used to edit demographic information that
is missing or was coded incorrectly in a previous
enumeration. This section allows you to make changes to
certain demographic information for any household
member. You may edit multiple demographic variables for
a person at one time, but can only edit the information for
one person at a time.
Enter the line number of the person requiring a change.
LN
NAME
REL
AGE
SEX
MARITAL
STATUS
_________________________________________________________________________
1
Ted Moe
Ref Person
43
M
Married
NEED SELF
2
Megan Moe
W ife
43
F
Married
NEED SELF
3
Jane Moe
Daughtr
14
F
Never married
NEED SELF
___________________________________________________________________________
W HOTOCHANGE
WHOTOCHANGE
(Selecting a Household
Member to Update Their
Information)
At Item WHOTOCHANGE enter the number that
corresponds to the line number of the household member
whose information needs to be updated. After entering the
number, the instrument proceeds to the WHATFIX screen.
Front Section of the NCVS Instrument
B2-137
Part B, Chapter 2
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
HOUSEHOLD RESPONDENT: Megan Moe
REFERENCE PERSON: Ted Moe
W hat change is needed?
LN
NAME
STATUS
REL
AGE
SEX
MARITAL
_________________________________________________________________________
3
Jane Moe
Daughtr
NEED SELF
14
F
Never married
G 1. Name
G 2. Relationship
G 3. Date of Birth
G 4. Sex
G 5. Marital Status
__________________________________________________________________________
W HATFIX
WHATFIX (Selecting the
Information to Update)
At Item WHATFIX select the precode(s) that correspond
with the demographic information that needs to be updated;
you can select up to five precodes per household member.
Since you must first select a household member in Item
WHOTOCHANGE, you can only update one household
member’s demographic information at a time.
You will only go through those screens listed below that
correspond to the precode(s) selected in Item WHATFIX.
Precode (1) “Name”
Precode (2)
“Relationship”
Enter Precode (1) "Name" when you notice that the
household member’s name, as listed in Item
ROSTERREVIEW is either incorrect or misspelled. After
selecting all the precodes in Item WHATFIX press “Enter”
to proceed to the CHNG_NAMEFIRST screen when you
selected Precode (1) in the WHATFIX screen.
Enter Precode (2) "Relationship" when you notice that the
household member’s relationship code is incorrectly
displayed in Item ROSTERREVIEW. You cannot change
who the reference person is or their relationship code via
the WHATFIX screen; this must be done in the
NAMECHECK and REFPERSTILLLIVE screens
discussed earlier in this topic. However, you can change
any other household member’s relationship code using
Front Section of the NCVS Instrument
B2-138
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Part B, Chapter 2
these screens. When Precode (2) is selected in Item
WHATFIX, the CHNG_REL screen appears.
Precode (3) “Date of
Birth”
Enter Precode (3) "Date of Birth" when you notice that the
household member’s age is not correct or is missing in Item
ROSTERREVIEW. If there is no data in the “AGE”
column for a respondent it is because the age was not
collected during a previous enumeration. If this is the case,
take this opportunity to collect birth date information.
When Precode (3) is selected in Item WHATFIX, the
CHNG_BRTHDATEMO screen appears to collect or
update the date of birth information for that household
member.
Precode (4) “Sex”
Enter Precode (3) "Sex" when you notice that the household
member’s gender is incorrect at Item ROSTERREVIEW.
When Precode (4) is selected in Item WHATFIX, the
CHNG_SEX screen appears.
Precode (5) “Marital
Status”
Enter Precode (5) "Marital Status" when you notice that the
household member’s marital status is incorrect at Item
ROSTERREVIEW. You will not be able to change the
marital status for household members under the age of 14,
since the instrument automatically codes the marital status
for those household members as Precode (5), “Never
married.” When Precode (5) is selected in Item
WHATFIX, the CHNG_MARITAL screen appears.
OLD FIRST NAME: Jane
OLD LAST NAM E: Moe
Enter corrected first name
Press the enter key if no change to first name
______________________________________________________________________
CHNG_NAM EFIRST
Front Section of the NCVS Instrument
B2-139
Part B, Chapter 2
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
OLD FIRST NAME: Jane
OLD LAST NAM E: Moe
Enter corrected last name
Press the enter key if no change to last name
______________________________________________________________________
CHNG_NAM ELAST
CHNG_NAMEFIRST and
CHNG_NAMELAST
(Changing a Member’s
Name)
Items CHNG_NAMEFIRST and CHNG_NAMELAST
should be used to correct a misspelled first or last name or a
situation where a respondent prefers to be listed differently.
For example, a household respondent would rather be listed
as “Chris” rather than “Christopher”. The instrument will
always go to the CHNG_NAMEFIRST screen when
Precode (1) is entered in Item WHATFIX. Therefore, if
only the last name needs to be updated, you can just press
the “Enter” key to move to the CHNG_NAMELAST
screen without making changes to the household member’s
first name. The same is also true when only the first name
needs to be updated; press the “Enter” key in the
CHNG_NAMELAST screen to move on without making
any changes to that screen.
After updating the household member’s name the
instrument proceeds to Items CHNG_REL,
CHNG_BRTHDATEMO, CHNG_SEX or
CHNG_MARITAL when any of the Precodes (2-5) are
entered in Item WHATFIX, respectively. If none of the
Precodes (2-5) were entered in the WHATFIX screen the
instrument will continue to Item ANY_OTHERCHNG.
Front Section of the NCVS Instrument
B2-140
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Part B, Chapter 2
Ask if necessary.
W hat is Jane Moe’s relationship to Ted?
"
"
"
"
"
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
Husband
Wife
Son
Daughter
Father
"
"
"
"
"
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
Mother
Brother
Sister
Other relative
Nonrelative
___________________________________________________________________
CHNG_REL
CHNG_REL
(Changing a Member’s
Relationship Code)
Item CHNG_REL is used to change the relationship code
when it was previously coded incorrectly or there was a
change that was not caught during the current interview. If
you selected Precode (1) in addition to Precode (2) in Item
WHATFIX the instrument proceeds to Item
CHNG_NAMEFIRST before coming to the CHNG_REL
screen. You will not be able to change who the reference
person is or their relationship code via the CHNG_REL
screen; this must be done in the NAMECHECK and
REFPERSTILLLIVE screens discussed earlier in this
topic. You will, however, be able to change any other
household member’s relationship code using Item
CHNG_REL.
If the relationship code entered in Item CHNG_REL
conflicts with the relationship codes of other household
members, such as there being both a “Husband” and a
“Wife” codes or a the relationship conflicts with the gender
entered for the person, such as a “Female” “Brother” then
you will encounter the same edit checks discussed earlier in
Topic 10, when we covered the RELATIONSHIP screen.
After updating the household member’s relationship code,
the instrument proceeds to Items
CHNG_BRTHDATEMO, CHNG_SEX or
CHNG_MARITAL depending on which of the Precodes
(3-5) are entered in Item WHATFIX, respectively. If none
of the Precodes (2-5) were entered in Item WHATFIX the
instrument proceeds to Item CHNG _ANYOTHER.
Front Section of the NCVS Instrument
B2-141
Part B, Chapter 2
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Ask if necessary.
Enter month on this screen.
Press the enter key if no change to day.
OLD BIRTHDATE (Month): 04
W hat is your date of birth?
___________________________________________________________________________________
CHNG_BRTHDATEM O
Ask if necessary.
Enter day on this screen.
Press the enter key if no change to day.
OLD BIRTHDATE (Day): 21
W hat is your date of birth?
___________________________________________________________________________________
CHNG_BRTHDATEDY
Ask if necessary.
Enter year on this screen.
If year is less than 1890, enter 1890.
Press the enter key if no change to year.
OLD BIRTHDATE (Year): 1995
W hat is your date of birth?
___________________________________________________________________________________
CHNG_BRTHDATEYR
CHNG_BRTHDATEMO,
CHNG_BRTHDATEDY,
CHNG_BRTHDATEYR
(Changing a Member’s Date
of Birth)
Use Items CHNG_BRTHDATEMO,
CHNG_BRTHDATEDY and CHNG_BRTHDATEYR
to change a household member’s date of birth when you
notice that the household member’s age is missing or
incorrect at the ROSTERREVIEW screen. These items
appear when Precode (3) is selected at Item WHATFIX,
but the instrument proceeds through Items
CHNG_NAMEFIRST, CHNG_NAMELAST and
CHNG_REL if Precodes (1) and/or (2) were also selected
at Item WHATFIX.
Front Section of the NCVS Instrument
B2-142
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Part B, Chapter 2
If necessary, ask the household respondent the question in
the CHNG_BRTHDATEMO screen and enter in the
household member’s birth month. If the displayed birth
month is correct, press the “Enter” key to move to the next
screen without making any changes to Item
CHNG_BRTHDATEMO. Type in the day or press the
“Enter” key when the displayed day of the month is correct
in Item CHNG_BRTHDATEDY. The instrument will go
to the CHNG_BRTHDATEYR screen to update, when
necessary, the birth year of the household member. If the
birth year is correct, press the “Enter” key, otherwise type
in a new birth year between 1890 and the current year.
After updating the household member’s date of birth the
instrument will proceed to Items CHNG_SEX or
CHNG_MARITAL when either Precode (4) or (5) are
entered in Item WHATFIX, respectively. If neither
Precode (4) or Precode (5) were entered in Item
WHATFIX the instrument proceeds to Item
CHNG _ANYOTHER.
Ask if necessary:
Is Jane Moe male or female?
" 1. Male
" 2. Female
_____________________________________________________________
CHNG_SEX
CHNG_SEX
(Changing a Member’s
Gender Designation)
Use Item CHNG_SEX to change the gender designation if
it was previously coded incorrectly. If you selected
Precodes (1), (2) and/or (3) in addition to Precode (4) in
Item WHATFIX the instrument proceeds to Items
CHNG_NAMEFIRST, CHNG_NAMELAST,
CHNG_REL, CHNG_BRTHDATEMO,
CHNG_BRTHDATEDY, CHNG_BRTHDATEYR
before coming to the CHNG_SEX screen.
After updating the household member’s gender designation
the instrument proceeds to Item CHNG_MARITAL when
Front Section of the NCVS Instrument
B2-143
Part B, Chapter 2
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Precode (5) was entered in Item WHATFIX, otherwise the
instrument proceeds to Item CHNG _ANYOTHER.
Ask if necessary
Is Jane Moe now married, widowed, divorced, separated or has he never been married?
" 1. Married
" 2. W idowed
" 3. Divorced
" 4. Separated
" 5. Never married
__________________________________________________________________________________
CHNG_MARITAL
Item CHNG_MARITAL should be used to change the
household member’s marital status if it was previously
coded incorrectly or has changed. If you selected any or all
of the Precodes (1) through (4) in Item WHATFIX the
instrument proceeds through Items CHNG_NAMEFIRST,
CHNG_NAMELAST, CHNG_REL,
CHNG_BRTHDATEMO, CHNG_BRTHDATEDY,
CHNG_BRTHDATEYR and CHNG_SEX before coming
to the CHNG_MARITAL screen.
CHNG_MARITAL
(Changing a Member’s
Marital Status)
After updating the household member’s marital status the
instrument continues to ANY_OTHERCHNG.
Please review your changes. To correct, back up using the arrow keys.
LN
NAME
STATUS
REL
AGE SEX
MARITAL
_________________________________________________________________________
1
Jane Moe
NEED SELF
Daughtr
14
F
Never married
" 1. Enter 1 to Continue
_________________________________________________________________________
ANY_OTHERCHNG
ANY_OTHERCHNG
(Reviewing the Changes Just
Entered)
When you have completed updating a household member’s
demographic information in the DemoChange Table the
NCVS instrument goes to Item ANY_OTHERCHNG. If
Front Section of the NCVS Instrument
B2-144
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Part B, Chapter 2
the changes you just made are correct enter “1” to go back
to the ROSTERREVIEW screen. If more corrections
must be made for the current household member, back up
using the arrow keys to the appropriate screen to make the
changes.
If there are other persons on the household roster whose
information needs updating, follow the steps outlined in
Items ROSTERREVIEW through CHNG_MARITAL.
Front Section of the NCVS Instrument
B2-145
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Part B, Chapter 3
Chapter 3
Middle Section of the NCVS Instrument:
Introduction and Screening Items
Table of Topics
Topic
Page
1
Introduction
B3-2
2
Screening Questions
B3-3
3
Identity Theft
B3-29
4
Screener Section Closing Screens
B3-40
5
Employment
B3-42
6
Informing the Household Respondent,
Household Income, End Screens, Other
Languages, and Choosing the Next
Respondent to Interview
B3-53
Introduction and Screening Items
B3-1
Part B, Chapter 3
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Topic 1. Introduction
Overview of the Middle
Section
The Middle Section of the NCVS instrument is designed to:
•
Determine whether any of the eligible household
members (12 years of age or older) at the sample
address were victimized by crime during each
household member’s 6-month reference period. These
questions are referred to as the screening items of the
NCVS instrument.
The screening items cover a wide variety of situations
and are designed to provide the respondent with
concrete examples of the types of crimes that are
typically reported for the NCVS and could be
overlooked by respondents. These screen items
attempt to ensure that we collect ALL incidents of
crime that occurred during each sample household
member’s 6-month reference period.
•
Collect a variety of detailed information about each
reported incidence of crime that occurred during a
sample household member’s 6-month reference period.
It is important to record accurate and complete
information about each crime incident, so that we have
a clear picture of what happened during the incident.
These questions are referred to as the incident report
items of the NCVS instrument.
For screens which include the “Ask or verify” instruction,
you can verify the answer with the respondent without
asking the question, if the respondent provided the
information earlier in the interview. If you do not see the
“Ask or verify” instruction on the screen, you must ask the
question as worded.
Introduction and Screening Items
B3-2
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Part B, Chapter 3
Topic 2. Screening Questions
Before we get to the crime questions, I have some questions that are helpful in studying where and why
crimes occur.
! Ask or verify:
Last reported as: 3 years
How long have you lived at this address?
! Probe: Just approximately.
! Enter number of years lived at address
! Enter 0 for less than a year
________________________________________________________________________________
TIMEATADDRESS
TIMEATADDRESS
Item TIMEATADDRESS is the first question in the
screening section of the NCVS instrument and is used to
determine the length of continuous time the respondent
has lived at the sample address. Since Items
TIMEATADDRESS and TIMESMOVEDIN5YEARS do
not relate directly to crimes, it is important that you read the
lead-in statement to the respondent before asking the
question or verifying the answer from the last enumeration,
which is displayed in the top right corner of the screen at
Item TIMEATADDRESS.
If a respondent seems unsure about how to answer this
question, you can tell him/her that we are interested in the
most recent continuous length of time the respondent has
lived as a usual resident at the sample address.
Here is an example:
During the past 5 years, a household member:
T Resided at the sample address,
Introduction and Screening Items
B3-3
Part B, Chapter 3
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
T Then left the sample address for 6 months to live on a
college campus, and
T Then returned to reside at the sample address just
3 months prior to the interview and has stayed there
continuously during the past 3 months.
For this example, enter Precode (0), “Less than a year” at
Item TIMEATADDRESS. After entering Precode (0),
continue with Item MONTHSATADDRESS where you
enter the number of months that the household member has
lived at the sample address.
Here are some examples of what to enter in
TIMEATADDRESS or MONTHSATADDRESS based
on a respondent’s answer:
IF RESPONDENT SAYS:
Don’t know
(Control +D)
ENTER:
4 1/2 months
5 months
6 months and 1 week
6 months
2 weeks
1 month
11 months and 3 weeks
1 year
11 months and 1 week
11 months
8 weeks
2 months
Half a year
6 months
11 1/2 months
1 year
All my life
Respondent’s age
If the respondent’s answer is vague, enter a “Don’t know”
answer (Control + D) at either Item TIMEATADDRESS
or MONTHSATADDRESS, and continue with Item
TIMEATADDRESSPROBE shown below to elicit a more
exact answer.
Introduction and Screening Items
B3-4
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Part B, Chapter 3
Have you lived here:
" 1. More than 5 years?
" 2. Less than 5 years but more than 1 year?
" 3. Less than 1 year but more than 6 months?
" 4. Six months or less?
" 5. Don’t know
____________________________________________________________________
TIMEATADDRESSPROBE
TIMEATADDRESS
PROBE
Item TIMEATADDRESSPROBE provides probe
questions to help the respondent identify the length of time
he/she has lived continuously at the sample address. If the
respondent is unsure or their answer to this question is
vague, probe to get a more exact answer. Some examples
of probes:
Respondent's answer:
Probe:
Years and years
Would you say more than
5 years or less than 5 years?
5 to 10 years
Would you say more than
7 years or less than 7 years?
Less than a year
Would you say more than
6 months or less than 6
months?
It's been so long, I can't
really say.
Can you give me your
best estimate?
When the respondent is the household respondent and has
lived at the sample address for 5 or more years, continue
with Item BUSINESS. For all other respondents in the
household who have lived at the sample address for 5 or
more years, continue with Item SQTHEFT. When a
respondent has lived at the sample address for less than 5
years, continue with Item TIMESMOVEDIN5YEARS
shown on the next page.
Introduction and Screening Items
B3-5
Part B, Chapter 3
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Altogether, how many times have you moved in the last 5 years?
! Enter number of times
____________________________________________________________________TIMESMOVEDIN5YEARS
TIMESMOVED
IN5YEARS
Item TIMESMOVEDIN5YEARS is used to determine
how many times the respondent has moved in the last 5
years. Ask the question and enter the number provided by
the respondent. Do not enter a range of numbers, such as
"2-4." Count all moves whether inside or outside of the
United States, including the move into the sample unit.
Each time a respondent changes his/her usual place of
residence is considered one move. Since it is acceptable to
enter an estimate, only enter Control + D, “Don’t know,” as
a last resort.
For respondents who are students, you may need to explain
what we consider to be a move. For example, Jeffrey Doe
moved from his parents’ home (the sample address) to a
college dormitory and then moved back to his parents’
home in the 5 years prior to the interview. For this
situation, Jeffrey Doe moved two times for Item
TIMESMOVEDIN5YEARS.
Although some students may consider their usual place of
residence to be their parents’ home, we consider their usual
place of residence to be the place where they usually live
and sleep. During the school year, their usual residence
could be a college dormitory or apartment. Each time a
student changes the place where he/she usually lives and
sleeps is considered a move, even if it is just moving from
one dormitory room to another one.
Introduction and Screening Items
B3-6
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Part B, Chapter 3
Does anyone in this household operate a business from this address?
" 1. Yes
" 2. No
_____________________________________________________________
BUSINESS
BUSINESS
Item BUSINESS is asked only of the household respondent
to determine if a sample household member operates a
business from the sample address. A “Yes” answer,
Precode (1), takes you to Item BUSINESSSIGN and a
“No” answer, Precode (2), takes you to Item SQTHEFT.
Is there a sign on the premises or some other indication to the general public that a business is operated from
this address?
" 1. Yes
" 2. No
_____________________________________________________________
BUSINESSSIGN
BUSINESSSIGN
Recognizable Business
Item BUSINESSSIGN is asked only of the household
respondent to determine if the business operated from the
sample address is considered recognizable or
unrecognizable.
For a business to be considered recognizable, it must have
a sign announcing the business and the sign must be:
C
Visible to the public from OUTSIDE the sample
housing unit,
AND
C
Located on the sample household's property, such as a
sign on a front door, window, garage door, mail box, or
a free standing sign in the front yard of the sample
housing unit.
Introduction and Screening Items
B3-7
Part B, Chapter 3
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
The following indicators are NOT evidence that a business
is recognizable:
Y The business is advertised in a newspaper, magazine,
telephone book, or on the Internet.
Y A motor vehicle, such as a van, car, truck, or bus, is
parked in the driveway or in front of the housing unit,
even if the vehicle carries the business logo on it.
Unrecognizable Business
If NO business sign is visible from outside the sample
housing unit, then the business is considered
unrecognizable. Any reported incidents of theft from an
unrecognizable business operated by a sample household
member must be included in the NCVS.
Here is the reason why we need to differentiate between a
recognizable and an unrecognizable business operated from
the sample address by a household member:
•
We keep crime incidents that involve property stolen
from an unrecognizable business,
BUT
•
We do NOT keep crime incidents that ONLY involve
property stolen from a recognizable business.
However, if the following types of incidents are reported,
we want to keep them regardless of whether a household
member operates a recognizable business:
T Personal property was stolen from the household
respondent or another household member.
T The household respondent or another household
member received a face-to-face threat of physical
harm, was attacked, or an attempt was made to
attack the household member.
Introduction and Screening Items
B3-8
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Part B, Chapter 3
T Someone illegally entered, broke into or attempted
to break into the sample unit.
(Refer to Part C, Chapter 2, Topic 4, of this manual for
detailed definitions and examples of special situations for
recognizable and unrecognizable businesses.)
SCREEN QUESTIONS
The screen questions cover a wide variety of situations and
are designed to provide the respondent with concrete
examples of the kinds of crimes that are typically reported
for the NCVS and could be overlooked by respondents.
These screen questions ensure that we collect ALL
incidents of crime in a sample household that occurred
during each respondent’s six-month reference period.
The household respondent’s interview has a few additional
screen questions to elicit crime incidents involving the
entire household, in addition to crime incidents involving
just the household respondent. These additional screen
questions are asked in items SQTHEFT, SQBREAKIN,
SQTOTALVEHICLES, and SQMVTHEFT to
determine whether any crime incidents involving the entire
household happened.
C
In Item SQTHEFT - Things stolen from outside the
home (for example, lawn furniture or a garden hose),
and things stolen from a household member under 12
years of age (for example, a 10-year-old's bicycle stolen
from the home's driveway),
C
In Item SQBREAKIN - Break-ins, attempted break-ins,
or illegal entries at the sample address (for example, the
house, garage, shed, or a storage room), or at a hotel,
motel, or vacation home where the respondent was
staying,
C
In Item SQTOTALVEHICLES - The total number of
motor vehicles owned by the entire household during
the 6 months prior to the interview, and
Introduction and Screening Items
B3-9
Part B, Chapter 3
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
C
General Instructions for
Screening Questions
In Item SQMVTHEFT - Thefts or attempted thefts of
motor vehicles owned by the household during the 6
months prior to the interview, including gasoline and
parts (for example, tire, hubcap, attached car stereo or
satellite radio, wheels, battery, CD player, and so on).
In most cases, record incidents as a respondent reports
them, regardless of whether the screening question relates
to the type of incident reported.
Most of the screening questions have at least three
categories and could have as many as eight categories. This
may prompt some respondents to give you an answer before
you finish reading each category. Even if you get
interrupted, you must read each and every category in its
entirety, so that we do not miss any crime incidents.
The following technique may help you get through all the
categories of a screening question before a respondent
answers:
1
After reading each category, only pause long enough to
let the respondent know that you are about to start
reading the next category. If you pause too long, the
respondent may feel that you are waiting for an answer.
2
After reading all categories for a screening question,
pause long enough to allow the respondent to reply. If
the respondent doesn't give you an answer, then ask the
question, "Did any incidents of this type happen to
you?"
3
If you get a "Yes" response, enter Precode (1) which
brings up a screen similar to the SQTHEFTTIMES
screen, which asks, “How many times?”
Use this screen to record the total number of incidents
reported at the screening question, along with a brief
description of what happened during each incident. If
the respondent reports more than one incident for a
Introduction and Screening Items
B3-10
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Part B, Chapter 3
screening question, number each incident separately and
enter a brief description for each incident (for example,
#1, L1 threatened by coworker, #2, L1's purse
snatched).
If this technique does not work and a respondent either
interrupts you in the middle of reading a category or before
you finish reading all categories for a screening question,
follow these steps:
Respondent answers in the middle of reading a category:
1
Stop and thank the respondent, but explain that there is
more to the question which he/she still needs to hear
before giving an answer.
2
Reread the unfinished category again from the
beginning. If the respondent gives you a "No" answer
after you finish reading the entire category, tell the
respondent that you need to finish reading ALL
categories for the question. If the respondent gives you
a "Yes" answer before you have read all categories, then
follow the instructions below.
Respondent answers "Yes" before you have read ALL
categories:
1
Stop and thank the respondent, but explain that there
are more categories which he/she still needs to hear
before giving an answer.
2
Reread the categories again from the beginning. If the
respondent gives you a "No" answer before you finish
reading the entire list, tell the respondent that you need
to finish reading ALL categories for the question. If
the respondent gives you a "Yes" answer before you
have read all categories, then follow the instructions
below.
Introduction and Screening Items
B3-11
Part B, Chapter 3
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
By using these techniques, there is less chance of missing
any crime incidents which occurred during a respondent's
reference period. (Also see Part A, Chapter 2, Topic 6, for
general interviewing techniques to use for the NCVS.)
I'm going to read some examples that will give you an idea of the kinds of crimes this study covers. As I go
through them, tell me if any of these happened to you in the last 6 months, that is, since January 13, 2007.
W as something belonging to you stolen, such as-! Read each category.
--Things that you carry, like luggage, a wallet, purse, briefcase, book --Clothing, jewelry, or cellphone --Bicycle or sports equipment --Things in your home - like a TV, stereo, or tools --Things outside your home, such as a garden hose or lawn furniture --Things belonging to children in the household --Things from a vehicle, such as a package, groceries, camera, or CDs -OR
--Did anyone ATTEMPT to steal anything belonging to you?
! Ask only if necessary:
Did any incidents of this type happen to you?
" 1. Yes
" 2. No
________________________________________________________________________________________
SQTHEFT
SQTHEFT
Item SQTHEFT is the first screening question and is asked
of all eligible household members. However, the following
two categories for this item are asked only of the household
respondent:
•
Things outside your home, such as a garden hose or
lawn furniture.
•
Things belonging to children in the household.
Note that the instrument automatically inserts the date
marking the beginning of the reference period in the
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question. Also note that this date may not be the same for
all respondents. Item SQTHEFT is designed to remind
each respondent of incidents in which thefts were attempted
or completed during the 6 months prior to the interview.
Other than any incidents already mentioned, has anyone -! Read each category
– Broken in or ATTEMPTED to break into your home by forcing a door or window, pushing past someone,
jimmying a lock, cutting a screen, or entering through an open door or window?
– Has anyone illegally gotten in or tried to get into a garage, shed, or storage room?
OR
– Illegally gotten in or tried to get into a hotel or motel room or vacation home where you were staying?
! Ask only if necessary:
Did any incidents of this type happen to you?
" 1. Yes
" 2. No
______________________________________________________________________________
SQBREAKIN
SQBREAKIN
Item SQBREAKIN is asked only of the household
respondent to find out if:
•
The household respondent’s home or lodging was
broken into or illegally entered,
OR
•
An attempt was made to break into or illegally enter the
household respondent’s home or lodging.
Note that the phrase “Other than any incident already
mentioned” only displays in Item SQBREAKIN if an
incident was reported in SQTHEFT. For the remaining
screen questions, SQMVTHEFT and
SQNOCALLPOLICECRIME, the phrase “Other than
any incidents already mentioned” is automatically displayed
when at least one incident was reported in a previous screen
Introduction and Screening Items
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question by the current respondent. If no incidents have
been reported, then this phrase is omitted from the question
text.
Moved Into Sample
Address During
Reference Period
A household respondent may have lived in more than one
housing unit during the past 6 months. If you encounter
this situation, include all incidents reported at Item
SQBREAKIN that happened during the household
respondent's reference period AND involved property
owned or rented by the current household respondent.
Incident Happened at
Sample Address Before
Owned/Rented by
Household Respondent
Only accept incidents involving property owned or
rented by the current household during the 6 months
prior to the interview. For example, you would accept a
reported incident if the current household respondent was
the owner/renter of the sample unit, but had not yet moved
into the sample unit when the incident occurred.
However, do NOT accept the reported incident when the
following conditions exist:
C
The household respondent reports an incident that
happened at the sample address during the household
respondent's 6-month reference period,
BUT
C
Household Respondent
Owns/Rents a Recreation
Vehicle or Vacation
Home
The current household respondent was not the owner or
renter at the sample address at the time of the incident.
For example, the sample unit may still have been owned
or rented by the previous owner/renter or may have
been vacant while it was available for sale or rent.
Accept the incident if the recreation vehicle or vacation
home was owned or rented by the household respondent
AND was being occupied as a housing unit at the time of
the incident.
Do not accept incidents involving break-ins or attempted
break-ins of vacation or second homes when:
Introduction and Screening Items
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Y The vacation or second home is part of a recognizable
business,
Y The vacation or second home was rented to a
nonhousehold member at the time of the incident,
OR
Y The vacation or second home was not occupied by the
sample household as a residence at the time of the
incident.
W hat was the TOTAL number of cars, vans, trucks, motorcycles, or other motor vehicles owned by you or
any other member of this household during the last 6 months?
Include those you no longer own.
! If greater than 4, enter 4.
________________________________________________________________________
SQTOTALVEHICLES
SQTOTALVEHICLES
Item SQTOTALVEHICLES is another question that is
asked only of the household respondent to determine:
C
The total number of motor vehicles currently or
previously owned by the sample household during the
last 6 months;
AND
C
Whether any of these motor vehicles were stolen or
used without permission, including parts and gasoline;
AND
C
Whether any attempts were made to steal or use them
without permission, including parts and gasoline.
Make sure to include the statement “Include those you no
longer own” at the end of the question to remind
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respondents that we want them to include vehicles they
owned during the last six months.
If the sample household has not owned any motor vehicles
during the six months prior to the interview, enter (0) for
“None” and continue with Item SQATTACKWHERE.
Otherwise, enter the appropriate number of vehicles up to
the number “4.” If the answer is “more than 4 vehicles,”
enter “4.” If the respondent refuses to answer the question
for Item SQTOTALVEHICLES, you still ask the
screening question for Item SQMVTHEFT, which asks
whether anyone stole or used any of the vehicles or their
parts without permission.
What to Include for Item
SQTOTALVEHICLES
If a household respondent questions what to include in the
total number of motor vehicles for Item
SQTOTALVEHICLES, here are some guidelines on the
type of vehicles to include:
T Include cars, vans, trucks, sport utility vehicles,
motorcycles, or any other motorized vehicle that can be
legally used as a means of transportation on most roads
or highways (for example, motorized recreation
vehicles that do not require towing).
T Include a motorized vehicle owned by a sample
household member during the 6 months prior to the
interview, even if it has been sold, given away, junked,
stolen, or abandoned.
T Include all vehicles owned by an unrecognizable
business that a household member operates, as well as
all vehicles owned for the household's personal use.
T Include vehicles owned by a recognizable business that
a household member operates IF the vehicles are used at
least partially for the household's personal use.
Introduction and Screening Items
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Part B, Chapter 3
T Include vehicles leased by a household member for at
least one month when the leased vehicles are the
responsibility of the household member if stolen.
What to Exclude for
Item
SQTOTALVEHICLES
If a household respondent questions what to exclude from
the total number of motor vehicles for Item
SQTOTALVEHICLES, here are some guidelines on the
type of vehicles to exclude:
Y Exclude motorized vehicles that cannot be driven
legally as a means of transportation on most roads or
highways (for example, minibikes, go-carts, or
snowmobiles).
Y Exclude vehicles owned by a recognizable business
when the business is operated by a household member
AND the vehicles are used ONLY for business
purposes.
Y Exclude business vehicles that are loaned to a
household member for private use when the business is
NOT owned by a household member.
Y Exclude vehicles that a household member rented for
less than one month.
Y Exclude vehicles owned by parents in a sample
household when their children are using the vehicles
while attending school away from the sample address.
Respondent Refuses to
Answer Item
SQTOTALVEHICLES
If a household respondent refuses to answer or feels uneasy
about answering Item SQTOTALVEHICLES, explain the
reasons for asking about motor vehicles owned by the
household.
These reasons include determining whether or not we need
to ask about:
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T Any motor vehicles owned by the sample household
that were stolen or used without permission, including
parts and gasoline.
AND
T Any attempts made to steal or use these motor vehicles
without permission, including parts and gasoline.
During the last 6 months, other than any incident(s) already mentioned, was the vehicle ! Read each category
– Stolen or used without permission?
– Did anyone steal any parts such as a tire, car stereo, hubcap, or battery?
– Did anyone steal any gas from it?
OR
– Did anyone ATTEMPT to steal any vehicle or parts attached to it?
! Ask only if necessary:
Did any incidents of this type happen to you?
" 1. Yes
" 2. No
______________________________________________________________________________
SQMVTHEFT
SQMVTHEFT
Distinguishing Between
Vandalism and
Attempted Thefts
Item SQMVTHEFT, shown above, refers to the motor
vehicles mentioned at Item SQTOTALVEHICLES and is
asked only of the household respondent to determine
whether:
•
Any of these motor vehicles were stolen or used
without permission, including parts and gasoline.
•
Any attempts were made to steal or use them without
permission, including parts and gasoline.
Accept reported attempts to steal motor vehicles or motor
vehicle parts owned by the household, because attempted
thefts are just as important as actual thefts. However, it
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Part B, Chapter 3
may not always be clear to a respondent that an attempt was
made to steal his/her vehicle or parts (for example, a broken
car window). If it is unclear whether the incident was an
attempted theft or an act of vandalism:
Examples of Motor
Vehicle Parts
C
Probe by asking, "Do you think the offender was
actually trying to break into or steal your vehicle or do
you think it was an act of vandalism?"
C
Rely on the respondent's perception. If the respondent
feels the incident was an attempted theft or is still
unsure, enter Precode (1), “Yes,” at Item
SQMVTHEFT. However, if the respondent feels the
incident was an act of vandalism (for example, a broken
antenna, mirror or slashed tires) AND there was no
attempt to steal a motor vehicle, including parts and
gasoline, enter Precode (2), “No,” at Item
SQMVTHEFT.
The following items are examples of parts attached to
motor vehicles: tires, wheels, hubcaps, manufacturer’s
insignias, CD players, car stereos, cellular phones, batteries,
steering wheels, door handles, and so on. If a respondent
reports a theft or attempted theft of other types of items
from a vehicle at Item SQMVTHEFT (for example,
Christmas presents or grocery items), accept the reported
incident at Item SQMVTHEFT.
Introduction and Screening Items
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NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Other than any incidents already mentioned, since January 13, 2007, were you attacked or threatened OR did
you have something stolen from you ! Read each category
– At home including the porch or yard – At or near a friend’s, relative’s, or neighbor’s home – At work or school – In places such as a storage shed or laundry room, a shopping mall, restaurant, bank, or airport – W hile riding in any vehicle
– On the street or in a parking lot – At such places as a party, theater, gym, picnic area, bowling lanes, or while fishing or hunting OR
– Did anyone ATTEMPT to attack or ATTEMPT to steal anything belonging to you from any of these
places?
! Ask only if necessary:
Did any incidents of this type happen to you?
___________________________________________________________________________
" 1. Yes
" 2. No
SQATTACKW HERE
SQATTACKWHERE
Acceptable and
Unacceptable Threats
Item SQATTACKWHERE is asked of all eligible
household members and is designed to remind each
respondent of incidents in which he/she may have been
attacked or threatened with physical harm in a variety of
locations or situations. This item also asks about things
stolen from the respondent or attempts to steal anything
from the respondent.
The following conditions must exist for a threat to be
acceptable for the NCVS:
T The threat must be delivered verbally and face-to-face
between the offender and the respondent.
AND
T The threat must involve the potential for physical harm
to the respondent.
Introduction and Screening Items
B3-20
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Part B, Chapter 3
Do not accept threats that an offender makes over the
telephone, in a letter, FAX, or electronic message. Also
unacceptable are threats or warnings delivered by another
person for the offender, as well as a respondent saying that
he/she just felt threatened.
Other than any incidents already mentioned, has anyone attacked or threatened you in any of these ways -! Exclude telephone threats
! Read each category
– W ith any weapon, for instance, a gun or knife – W ith anything like a baseball bat, frying pan, scissors, or stick – By something thrown, such as a rock or bottle – Include any grabbing, punching, or choking – Any rape, attempted rape, or other type of sexual attack – Any face to face threats OR
– Any attack or threat or use of force by anyone at all?
Please mention it even if you are not certain it was a crime.
" 1. Yes
" 2. No
_________________________________________________________________
SQATTACKHOW
SQATTACKHOW
Item SQATTACKHOW is asked of all eligible household
members and is designed to remind each respondent of
incidents in which he/she may have been attacked or
threatened with physical harm involving various weapons
or the use of force. Only accept threats that are verbal,
face-to-face threats to physically harm the respondent.
Do not accept threats that an offender makes over the
telephone, in a letter, FAX, or electronic message. Also
unacceptable are threats or warnings delivered by another
person for the offender, as well as a respondent saying that
he/she just felt threatened.
With the exception of cases involving police officers,
accept any incidents in which the offender had a weapon
present during the incident, even if the offender did not use
it. Also accept incidents in which the offender threw
Introduction and Screening Items
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something or shot at the respondent, even though the object
may not qualify as a weapon for the NCVS.
People often don’t think of incidents committed by someone they know. Other than any incidents already
mentioned, did you have something stolen from you or were you attacked or threatened by -! Exclude telephone threats
! Reach each category
–
–
–
–
Someone at work or school A neighbor or friend A relative or family member Any other person you have met or known?
! Ask only if necessary:
Did any incidents of this type happen to you?
" 1. Yes
" 2. No
______________________________________________________________________________
SQATTACKKNOW NOFF
SQATTACKKNOWNOFF
Item SQATTACKKNOWNOFF is asked of all eligible
household members and is designed to remind each
respondent of incidents in which the offender was someone
he/she knows (for example, co-worker, friend, neighbor,
relative, or family member) and involved a theft, attack, or
threat. Only accept verbal, face-to-face threats to physically
harm the respondent.
Do not accept threats that an offender makes over the
telephone, in a letter, FAX, or electronic message. Also
unacceptable are threats or warnings delivered by another
person for the offender, as well as a respondent saying that
he/she just felt threatened.
Introduction and Screening Items
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Part B, Chapter 3
Incidents involving forced or unwanted sexual acts are often difficult to talk about. Other than any incidents
already mentioned, have you been forced or coerced to engage in unwanted sexual activity by -! Read each category
– Someone you didn’t know – A casual acquaintance OR
– Someone you know well?
! Ask only if necessary:
Did any incidents of this type happen to you?
" 1. Yes
" 2. No
________________________________________________________________________________
SQSEXUAL
SQSEXUAL
Item SQSEXUAL is asked of all eligible household
members and is designed to record all incidents in which
the respondent was forced or coerced to engage in
unwanted sexual activity, regardless of whether the
respondent did or did not know the offender. Make sure to
read the lead-in statement before asking the question at this
screen.
During the last 6 months, other than any incident(s) already mentioned, did you call the police to report
something that happened to YOU which you thought was a crime?
" 1. Yes
" 2. No
_______________________________________________________________________
SQCALLPOLICECRIM E
SQCALLPOLICE
CRIME
Item SQCALLPOLICECRIME is asked of all eligible
household members and is designed to remind each
respondent of incidents that the respondent reported to the
police because something happened to the respondent that
he/she thought was a crime. This is a general question
designed to bring out crimes that the respondent may have
Introduction and Screening Items
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overlooked earlier or perhaps we did not ask about
specifically in an earlier screening question. (For
example, incidents in which the offender was a child, or
no loss or injury resulted.)
As you ask the question in Item
SQCALLPOLICECRIME, always emphasize the word
“YOU,” which appears in capital letters. If the respondent
relates an incident that might not be a crime, such as a
traffic accident, or that involved a nonhousehold member,
stress that for this item we are only interested in an incident
when:
C
It was reported to the police,
C
It directly affected the respondent or another household
member,
AND
C
The respondent believes it to be a crime.
After stressing these points, accept the respondent's answer
and enter Precode (1), “Yes,” for Item
SQCALLPOLICECRIME. After entering Precode (1),
you see the SQCALLPOLICESPEC screen.
W hat happened?
! (Describe all incidents for this screener below)
_____________________________________________________________________
SQCALLPOLICESPEC
SQCALLPOLICESPEC
The SQCALLPOLICESPEC screen is used to describe
what happened during these incidents and whether or not a
household member was victimized during the incident.
When you finish entering your descriptions, press ENTER.
Introduction and Screening Items
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NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Part B, Chapter 3
! If not sure ask:
W ere you attacked or threatened, or was something stolen or an attempt made to steal something that
belonged to you or another household member?
" 1. Yes
" 2. No
_________________________________________________________________________________
SQCALLPOLICEATTACKTHREAT
SQCALLPOLICE
ATTACKTHREAT
If you can determine the answer to
SQCALLPOLICEATTACKTHREAT, “Were you
attacked or threatened, or was something stolen or an
attempt made to steal something that belonged to you or
another household member?” based upon responses to
previous screen questions you can enter the appropriate
precode without asking the question. However, if you are
not sure whether the respondent was attacked or threatened,
or something was stolen or an attempt was made to steal
something that belonged to the respondent or another
household member, ask the question before entering the
precode.
When multiple incidents are reported at the
SQCALLPOLICESPEC screen AND at least one of the
incidents involves the respondent being attacked or
threatened, or something was stolen or an attempt was
made to steal something that belonged to the respondent or
another household member, then enter Precode (1), “Yes.”
After entering Precode (1), ask “How many times?” in
Item SQCALLPOLICEATTACKTHREATTIMES and
enter the TOTAL number of incidents reported at
SQCALLPOLICESPEC in which the respondent was
attacked or threatened, or something was stolen, or an
attempt was made to steal something that belongs to the
respondent or another household member.
Introduction and Screening Items
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If you enter Precode (2), “No,” at the SQCALLPOLICE
ATTACKTHREAT screen, you are indicating that the
incident did not involve an NCVS crime.
How many times?
____________________________________________________________________________________
SQCALLPOLICEATTACKTHREATTIMES
SQCALLPOLICE
ATTACKTHREATTIMES
When multiple incidents are reported in
SQCALLPOLICEATTACKTHREAT AND at least one
of the incidents involves the respondent being attacked or
threatened, or something was stolen or an attempt was
made to steal something that belonged to the respondent or
another household member, the instrument brings up Item
SQCALLPOLICEATTACKTHREATTIMES. Ask
“How many times?” and enter the TOTAL number of
incidents reported at Item
SQCALLPOLICEATTACKSPEC in which the
respondent was attacked.
During the last 6 months, other than any incident(s) already mentioned, did anything which you thought was a
crime happen to YOU, but did NOT report to the police?
" 1. Yes
" 2. No
_______________________________________________________________________
SQNOCALLPOLICECRIM E
SQNOCALLPOLICE
CRIME
Item SQNOCALLPOLICECRIME is asked of all eligible
household members and is designed to remind each
respondent of incidents that he/she did NOT report to the
police, even though the respondent thought they were
crimes. These incidents could have been overlooked earlier
in the interview because we did not ask about them
specifically (for example, incidents in which the offender
was a child or no loss or injury resulted). As you ask the
question in Item SQNOCALLPOLICECRIME, always
emphasize the words “YOU” and “NOT,” which are
displayed in capital letters.
Introduction and Screening Items
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Part B, Chapter 3
If the respondent relates an incident that might not be a
crime, such as a traffic accident, or that involved a
nonhousehold member, stress that for this item we are only
interested in an incident when:
•
It directly affected the respondent or another household
member
AND
•
The respondent believes it to be a crime.
After emphasizing these points, accept the respondent’s
answer and enter the appropriate precode.
After entering Precode (1), “Yes,” for Item
SQNOCALLPOLICECRIME, continue with Item
SQNOCALLPOLICESPEC, which asks for incident
details.
W hat happened?
Describe all incidents for this screener below.
________________________________________________________________________
SQNOCALLPOLICESPEC
The SQNOCALLPOLICESPEC screen is used to
describe what happened during these incidents, and whether
or not a household member was victimized during the
incident. Enter the incident description, then press ENTER.
SQNOCALLPOLICE
SPEC
! If not sure ask:
W ere you attacked or threatened, or was something stolen or an attempt made to steal something that
belonged to you or another household member?
" 1. Yes
" 2. No
_________________________________________________________________________________
SQNOCALLPOLICEATTACKTHREAT
Introduction and Screening Items
B3-27
Part B, Chapter 3
SQNOCALLPOLICE
ATTACKTHREAT
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
If you can determine from previous responses to screen
questions the answer to the question at the
SQNOCALLPOLICEATTACKTHREAT screen, “Were
you attacked or threatened, or was something stolen or an
attempt made to steal something that belonged to you or
another household member?” you can enter the
appropriate precode without asking the question. However,
if you are not sure whether the respondent was attacked or
threatened, or something was stolen or an attempt was
made to steal something that belonged to the respondent or
another household member, ask the question before
entering the precode.
If you enter Precode (2), “No,” at
SQNOCALLPOLICEATTACKTHREAT, you are
indicating that the incident did not involve an NCVS crime.
How many times?
____________________________________________________________________________________
SQNOCALLPOLICEATTACKTHREATTIMES
SQNOCALLPOLICE
ATTACKTHREAT
TIMES
When multiple incidents are reported in
SQNOCALLPOLICEATTACKTHREAT AND at least
one of the incidents involves the respondent being
attacked or threatened, or something was stolen or an
attempt was made to steal something that belonged to the
respondent or another household member, the instrument
brings up Item
SQNOCALLPOLICEATTACKTHREATTIMES. Ask
“How many times?” and enter the TOTAL number of
incidents reported at Screen
SQNOCALLPOLICEATTACKSPEC in which the
respondent was attacked.
Introduction and Screening Items
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NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Part B, Chapter 3
Topic 3. Identity Theft
The next few questions are related to identity theft. They refer to episodes of identity theft discovered by you
or anyone in your household during the last 6 months.
" Enter 1 to continue
_____________________________________________________________________
IDENTITYTHEFTINTRO1
IDENTITYTHEFT
INTRO1
In the identity theft section of the instrument, respondents
are asked questions about any incidents of identity theft
which may have been discovered by someone in the
household in the last six months, in which someone used or
attempted to use various forms of personal information
without permission to commit fraud or other crimes.
The identity theft items ask about credit cards
(IDTHEFTCREDITCARD), other accounts
(IDTHEFTACCOUNTS), personal information
(IDTHEFTPERSONALINFO), and the number of times
such incidents have occurred.
Since January 13, 2007, have you or anyone in your household discovered that someone Used or attempted to use any existing credit cards or credit card numbers without permission to place charges
on an account?
" 1. Yes
" 2. No
_______________________________________________________________________
IDTHEFTCREDITCARD
IDTHEFTCREDITCARD
IDTHEFTCREDITCARD asks whether or not you or
anyone in the household discovered that someone used or
attempted to use any existing credit cards or credit card
numbers without permission to place charges on an
account.
Introduction and Screening Items
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Since January 13, 2007, have you or anyone in your household discovered that someone Used or attempted to use any existing accounts other than a credit card account - for example, a wireless
telephone account, bank account or debit/check cards - without the account holder's permission to run up
charges or to take money from accounts?
" 1. Yes
" 2. No
" 3. Don’t know
___________________________________________________________________
IDTHEFTACCOUNTS
IDTHEFTACCOUNTS
IDTHEFTACCOUNTS asks whether or not anyone in the
household discovered that someone used or attempted to
use any existing accounts other than a credit card account for example, a wireless telephone account, bank account, or
debit/check cards - without the account holder’s permission
to run up charges or to take money from accounts. Notice
that the lead-in statement is in gray text, which means it is
optional and it is not necessary to read to the respondent
since it was already read in Item
IDTHEFTCREDITCARD.
Since January 13, 2007, have you or anyone in your household discovered that someone Used or attempted to use personal information without permission to obtain NEW credit cards or loans, run
up debts, open other accounts, or otherwise commit theft, fraud, or some other crime?
" 1. Yes
" 2. No
" 3. Don’t know
___________________________________________________________________
IDTHEFTPERSONALINFO
IDTHEFTPERSONAL
INFO
IDTHEFTPERSONALINFO asks whether anyone in the
household discovered that someone used or attempted to
use personal information without permission to obtain
NEW credit cards or loans, run up debts, open other
accounts, or otherwise commit theft, fraud, or some other
crime.
Introduction and Screening Items
B3-30
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Part B, Chapter 3
If no incidents of identity theft were reported, the
instrument skips to Item PRESENTFORSQS. Otherwise,
you continue with Item IDTHEFTTIMES to determine
how many episodes of identity theft the household
discovered in the last six months.
W as the misuse of (credit/noncredit/personal) one episode or more than one episode of identity theft?
___________________________________________________________________
IDTHEFTTIMES
IDTHEFTTIMES
At this point in the interview, you know that someone in
the household discovered identity theft or attempted
identity theft and now you are trying to determine if this
happened once or multiple times. IDTHEFTTIMES asks,
“Was the misuse of the credit card account(s) and any
existing accounts other than credit cards and personal
information or new account(s) one episode or more than
one episode of identity theft?”
A period of identity theft is referred to as an “episode”
and includes ALL of the individual incidents or actions
that occurred.
An “incident” refers to each individual action that was
taken during the period of identity theft.
A person can experience more than one incident during an
episode and can experience multiple episodes of identity
theft. Also, one episode of identity theft can involve more
than one identity theft type. For example, a person might
have their credit card stolen, a loan taken out in their name,
and a new credit card account opened in their name.
For “One,” enter Precode (1); this takes you to
IDENTITYTHEFTINTRO2. For more than one episode,
enter Precode (2), which takes you to
IDTHEFTSEPARATETIMES.
Introduction and Screening Items
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The part of the question in parentheses (credit/noncredit/
personal) shown above displays differently depending on
the answer to IDTHEFTCREDITCARD through
IDTHEFTPERSONALINFO.
Did these episodes of identity theft occur separately or at the same time?
" 1 Separately
" 2 At the same time
___________________________________________________________________
IDTHEFTSEPARATETIMES
IDTHEFTSEPARATE
TIMES
After determining that multiple episodes of identity theft
were discovered, IDTHEFTSEPARATETIMES is asked
to find out if all of the episodes happened at the same time
or separate from each other. If the answer is “Separately,”
enter Precode (1), which takes you to
IDTHEFTMOSTRECENT. If the answer is “At the same
time,” enter Precode (2), which takes you to
IDENTITYTHEFTINTRO2.
W hich episode of identity theft was most recently discovered?
" 1. Credit card accounts
" 2. Existing accounts other than credit card accounts
" 3. Personal information or new accounts
___________________________________________________________________
IDTHEFTMOSTRECENT
IDTHEFTMOSTRECENT
When multiple incidents of identity theft or attempted
identity theft are reported, ask the question in Item
IDTHEFTMOSTRECENT to find out the type of incident
reported that was most recently discovered. The instrument
automatically displays only those precodes for “Yes”
answers in Items IDTHEFTCREDIT through
IDTHEFTPERSONALINFO.
Introduction and Screening Items
B3-32
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Part B, Chapter 3
Earlier you told me someone misused (credit/noncredit/personal) I would like you to think about all of these
types of misuses during the last SIX months.
_________________________________________________________________________________
IDENTITYTHEFTINTRO2
IDENTITYTHEFT
INTRO2
After coding Item IDTHEFTMOSTRECENT the
instrument continues with Item
IDENTITYTHEFTINTRO2. You only read
IDENTITYTHEFTINTRO2 when the household
respondent reports more than one episode of identity theft
or attempted identity theft. This lets the household
respondent know that we want him/her to focus only on the
most recent discovery of identity theft for Item
IDTHEFTBECOMEAWARE through
IDTHEFTSUMMARY.
How do you think the personal information was obtained? (For example, was it lost or stolen from a wallet,
stolen from the postal mail or garbage, or obtained in some other way?)
" 11.
" 12.
It was lost/It was stolen from respondent's or another household member's wallet or checkbook
It was stolen from a place where respondent or another household member stored it (home,
office, car, etc.)
" 13.
Someone stole it from respondent's or another household member's postal mail
" 14.
Someone stole it from respondent's or another household member's garbage
" 15.
Someone stole it during a purchase or other transaction
" 16.
Someone changed respondent's or other household member's address at the post office
" 17.
Someone hacked into respondent's or another household member's computer
" 18.
Respondent or another household member responded to a scam email/phone call
" 19.
Stolen from personnel files where respondent or another household member works
" 20.
From an office/company that had respondent's or another household member's personal
information in its files
" 21.
Obtained some other way - Specify
___________________________________________________________________
IDTHFT_THINK_PI_OBTAINED
IDTHFT_THINK_PI_
OBTAINED
This question is asked to determine if the respondent has
any idea of how their personal information was obtained by
the offender. If the respondent reports multiple actual
misuses or at least one actual misuse in combination with
one or more attempted misuses, instruct the respondent to
Introduction and Screening Items
B3-33
Part B, Chapter 3
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
report how their personal information was obtained for the
most recent instance.
! How was the personal information obtained in some other way?
___________________________________________________________________
IDTHFT_HOW _ OBTAINED_SP
IDTHFT_HOW_
OBTAINED_SP
Item IDTHFT_HOW_OBTAINED_SP appears when
Precode (21), “Obtained some other way,” is marked in
Item IDTHFT_THINK_PI_OBTAINED. Specify the
other way in which the respondent believes their personal
information was obtained. Be concise; this item allows 100
characters for the answer.
Since (date), what is the approximate total dollar value of what someone obtained while misusing your or
another household member's personal information? Include the value of goods, services, credit, loans, cash,
and anything else the person may have obtained.
!
Record the estimated amount. If the respondent provides a range, ask the respondent to provide
their best estimate.
___________________________________________________________________
IDTHFT_TOTAL_LOSS
IDTHFT_TOTAL_LOSS
Item IDTHFT_TOTAL_LOSS asks the respondent what
the approximate total dollar value someone obtained while
misusing their personal information. When totaling the
dollar amount, instruct the respondent to include the value
of goods, services, credit, loans, cash, and anything else the
person obtained. For credit cards, only include that portion
of the total credit limit that the person obtained. For
example, if someone misused a respondent’s Visa card that
has a $10,000 credit limit to purchase a $2,500 watch, only
include the $2,500 that the person was able to obtain, not
the $10,000 credit limit of the Visa account.
It is essential that you obtain an aggregate dollar value of
what someone obtained for all the actual misuses reported.
Not collecting the aggregate dollar value when multiple
Introduction and Screening Items
B3-34
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Part B, Chapter 3
actual misuses are reported results in understating the
economic loss and does not provide an accurate picture of
the impacts of identity theft.
Record the total dollar amount that someone obtained in
the space provided. The minimum value allowed is $0 and
the maximum value allowed is $999,996. If the respondent
reports a total dollar loss of $1,000,000 or more, then enter
the maximum value allowed, that is, $999,996. If the total
dollar amount entered is $0 the instrument proceeds to Item
IDTHFT_NO_PERSONAL_LOSS.
! The respondent reported a loss of $1000 or more.
! Probe: “I just want to verify that the total amount is (amount entered in IDTHFT_TOTAL_LOSS).”
___________________________________________________________________
Suppress
Close
Goto
IDTHFT_TOTAL_LOSS_CK
IDTHFT_TOTAL_LOSS_
CK
If the total dollar amount entered in Item
IDTHFT_TOTAL_LOSS is $1,000 or more, the
instrument brings up an active signal screen (as shown
above) in which the amount reported is verified with the
respondent. If the respondent verifies that the amount
entered is correct, click “Suppress” or “Close” and the
instrument goes to Item IDTHFT_PERSONAL_LOSS. If
the amount entered is not correct, the instrument goes back
to IDTHFT_TOTAL_LOSS to correct the reported
amount.
All responses of $1-$999 proceed to
IDTHFT_PERSONAL_LOSS.
Introduction and Screening Items
B3-35
Part B, Chapter 3
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Of this (total loss amount), how much, if anything, did you or any other household member personally
lose?
!Record estimated amount.
!If no loss, enter 0.
___________________________________________________________________
IDTHFT_PERSONAL_LOSS
IDTHFT_PERSONAL_
LOSS
This question is only asked when the respondent reports a
total dollar value obtained in IDTHFT_TOTAL_LOSS of
one dollar or more. This question asks the respondent, how
much money they personally lost out of the total dollar
value they reported that someone obtained. Some people
may think of these costs as out-of-pocket expenses. The
question was designed to fill the amount reported by the
respondent in IDTHFT_TOTAL_LOSS in the question
text.
Be sure that the respondent understands that this doesn’t
include money they spent to resolve the situation, but only
the money that was not restored to them by the financial
institution. For example, consider a thief was able to obtain
$1000 from the respondent’s checking account. Because of
reporting time issues, the bank only restores $800 to the
respondent. The total dollar value reported at the
IDTHFT_PERSONAL_LOSS screen would then be
$200.
Record the total dollar amount that someone obtained in
the space provided. The minimum value allowed is $0 and
the maximum value allowed is $999,996. If the respondent
reports a personal loss of $1,000,000 or more, then enter
the maximum value allowed, that is, $999,996.
Introduction and Screening Items
B3-36
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Part B, Chapter 3
Other than the costs you already told me about, how much, IF ANY, additional costs did you or any
other household member incur? Include costs for things such as legal fees, payment of any fraudulent
debts, and any miscellaneous expenses, such as postage, phone calls, or notary fees. Do not include lost
wages.
! Record estimated amount.
___________________________________________________________________
IDTHFT_ADD_COSTS _INCUR
IDTHFT_ADD_COSTS
_INCUR
This question is asked when the respondent reports a
personal loss of one dollar or more. This question asks,
“Other than the costs you already told me about, how
much, if any, additional costs did you incur? Include
costs for things such as legal fees, bounced check fees,
and any miscellaneous expenses, such as postage, phone
calls, or notary fees. Do not include lost wages.” This
could also include the cost the respondent incurred to
obtain credit reports, copies of police reports, expenses to
make copies, or initiating a credit monitoring service.
Record the total amount of additional costs that the
respondent incurred as a result of the misuse of their
personal information. The minimum value allowed is $0
and the maximum value allowed is $999,996.
How much, IF ANY, costs did you or any other household member incur? Include costs for things such
as legal fees, payment of any fraudulent debts, and any miscellaneous expenses, such as postage, phone
calls, or notary fees. Do not include lost wages.
! Record estimated amount.
___________________________________________________________________
IDTHFT_NO_PERSONAL_LOSS
IDTHFT_NO_PERSONAL
_LOSS
Item IDTHFT_NO_PERSONAL_LOSS is asked when
the respondent reports no personal loss in
IDTHFT_PERSONAL LOSS or zero dollar value
obtained in IDTHFT_TOTAL_LOSS. This question asks,
“How much, if any, costs did you incur? Include costs
for things such as legal fees, bounced check fees, and
Introduction and Screening Items
B3-37
Part B, Chapter 3
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
any miscellaneous expenses, such as postage, phone
calls, or notary fees. Do not include lost wages.”
This could also include the cost the respondent incurred to
obtain credit reports, copies of police reports, expenses to
make copies, or initiating a credit monitoring service.
Record the total amount of any costs that the respondent
incurred as a result of the misuse of their personal
information. The minimum value allowed is $0 and the
maximum value allowed is $999,996. If the respondent
reports costs of $999,997 or greater, enter $999,996 in
IDTHFT_NO_PERSONAL_LOSS.
How long has it taken so far to clear up the financial and credit problems associated with the misuse of
your or another household member's personal information?
"
"
"
"
"
"
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
No time
One day or less
More than a day, but less than a week
At least a week, but less than a month
One to two months
Three to six months
___________________________________________________________________
IDTHFT_TIME_TO_ RESOLVE
IDTHFT_TIME_TO_
RESOLVE
Item IDTHFT_TIME_TO_ RESOLVE asks the
respondent how long it took them to clear up all of the
financial and credit problems associated with the misuse of
their personal information. Enter the precode that
corresponds to the number of hours the respondent says it
took to clear the problems.
During this (answer from IDTHFT_TIME_TO_ RESOLVE) period, how many hours did you or any
other household member spend clearing up financial or credit problems?
___________________________________________________________________
IDTHFT_HOURS_RESOLVING
IDTHFT_HOURS_
RESOLVING
Item IDTHFT_HOURS_RESOLVING asks the
respondent how many hours they spent clearing up financial
or credit related problems.
Introduction and Screening Items
B3-38
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Part B, Chapter 3
Enter the total amount of time reported in hours. The
minimum value allowed is 0 hours and the maximum value
allowed is 1,460 hours, which equates to 8 hours a day for
about six months, which is the NCVS reference period.
If the respondent is not specific when reporting the number
of hours, for example, a respondent may state that it took
them a significant amount of hours to resolve the problems
caused by the misuse of their personal information. If this is
the case, then ask the respondent for their best estimate.
Probe by asking the respondent how many hours they spent
on resolving these issues on a daily or weekly basis and
then ask them how many days or weeks it took to finally
resolve all the issues. Multiply the number of hours per day
by the number of days or the number of hours per week by
the number of weeks to arrive at the total number of hours
to enter as a response. Do this process out loud, so the
respondent can verify that your mental calculations match
what they are trying to estimate.
! Briefly summarize the identity theft that occurred against the respondent or another household
member.
! Include the line number of the identity theft victim.
___________________________________________________________________________________
IDTHEFTSUM MARY
IDTHEFTSUMMARY
Use Item IDTHEFTSUMMARY to briefly summarize the
most recent episode of identity theft that was discovered
during the last six months by the household respondent or
another household member. As you summarize the identity
theft episode, make sure to include the line number of the
household member affected by the most recent identity
theft or attempted identity theft. This item allows 300
characters.
Introduction and Screening Items
B3-39
Part B, Chapter 3
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Topic 4. Screener Section Closing Screens
! W ho besides the respondent was present when the screen questions were asked?
! If telephone interview mark box 11.
G 11 Telephone (Field telephone)
G 12 No one besides respondent present
G 13 Respondent’s spouse
G 14 Household member(s) 12+, not spouse
G 15 Household members under 12
G 16 Nonhousehold member(s)
G 17 Someone was present - Can’t say who
G 18 Don’t know if someone else present
___________________________________________________________________________
PRESENTFORSQS
PRESENTFORSQS
The intent of this question is to determine who besides the
respondent was present when the screen questions were
asked. If the interview is taken over the telephone, only
enter Precode (11), “Telephone.” Otherwise, enter the
appropriate precode(s).
! Did the person for whom this interview was taken help the proxy respondent answer any screen questions?
" 1. Yes
" 2. No
" 3. Person for whom interview taken not present
PROXYHELP
PROXYHELP
Item PROXYHELP appears when a proxy interview has
been taken and is intended to find out whether the proxy
person helped the proxy respondent answer any of the
screen questions.
Introduction and Screening Items
B3-40
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Part B, Chapter 3
! End of Screening items
! A total of 1 incident(s)
AND
0 refusals were reported in "how many times?"
" Enter 1 to continue
INC_REPORTS
INC_REPORTS
The INC_REPORTS screen marks the end of the
screening items when a respondent has reported at least one
crime incident. This screen also tells you how many
incidents were reported, and how many refusals were
reported in the “How many times?” screener. Once you
have read this screen, press (1) to proceed. After pressing
(1), continue with the INCIDENTINTRO screen, which
leads you into the incident report items.
No incident reports needed for: John Doe
" Enter 1 to continue
NO_CRIMES
NO_CRIMES
The NO_CRIMES screen marks the end of the screening
questions when a respondent did NOT report any incidents.
After pressing (1) to proceed, continue with Item
ENDSCREENER.
DO NOT F10 to exit the instrument from Item
ENDSCREENER; doing so may cause loss of all collected
data and necessitate restarting the case.
The instrument continues with JOBLASTWEEK when the
respondent is at least 16 years of age. Otherwise, it
continues with the NEXTPERSON screen.
Introduction and Screening Items
B3-41
Part B, Chapter 3
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Topic 5. Employment
Did you have a job or work at a business LAST W EEK?
! If necessary: Do not include volunteer work or work around the house.
! If farm or business operator in household, ask about unpaid work
" 1. Yes
" 2. No
JOBLASTW EEK
JOBLASTWEEK
Item JOBLASTWEEK is asked to determine if the
respondent had a job AT ALL during the week before the
interview. This could be a full-time or part-time job for
salary or wages working for a business, government
agency, or self-employed. Do NOT include volunteer work
for which the respondent was not paid. You only see this
screen if the respondent is at least 16 years of age.
For the NCVS, a job is defined as any activity that is done
for pay, wages, salary, commission, tips, or payment "in
kind," or that is done without pay on a family farm or for a
family business. If someone in the household has a farm or
a business, make sure to probe by asking the respondent
about any unpaid work last week for the family farm or
business.
Precode (1)
Enter Precode (1), "Yes," if the respondent had a job or
worked at a business at any time during the week prior to
the interview, even if the respondent was on vacation or
temporarily absent due to sickness or some other reason.
After entering Precode (1), "Yes," continue with Item
JOBDESCRIPTION.
Precode (2)
Enter Precode (2), "No," if the respondent did not have a
job or work at a business during the week prior to the
interview. Also, enter Precode (2) if a respondent receives
scholarship money while attending school (even if it is in
excess of the cost of tuition, textbooks, lab fees, and so on)
Introduction and Screening Items
B3-42
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Part B, Chapter 3
AND does not have a job. After entering Precode (2),
"No," continue with Item JOBDURINGREFPERIOD.
! Ask or verify:
Did you have a job or work at a business DURING THE LAST 6 MONTHS?
" 1. Yes
" 2. No
JOBDURINGREFPERIOD
JOBDURINGREF
PERIOD
Item JOBDURINGREFPERIOD is asked to determine
whether the respondent had a job or worked at a business at
any time during the 6 months prior to the interview. You
only see this screen when the respondent did not have a job
or work at a business during the week before the interview.
Precode (1)
Enter Precode (1), "Yes," if the respondent had a job or
worked at a business at any time during the 6 months prior
to the interview, even if the respondent was away from
work during some of that time for a vacation or illness.
After entering Precode (1), continue with Item
JOBLAST2WEEKS.
Precode (2)
Enter Precode (2), "No," if the respondent did not have a
job or work at a business at any time during the 6 months
prior to the interview. After entering Precode (2), continue
with the NEXTPERSON screen (In some cases Items
BESTTIME_NOSUNDAY and/or
OTHER_LANGUAGE may appear if they have not been
answered in previous enumerations). (If the respondent is
the household respondent, however, and the household is in
its first, third, fifth, or seventh interview period, the
instrument goes to Item HOUSEHOLDINCOME.)
Introduction and Screening Items
B3-43
Part B, Chapter 3
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Did that (job/work) last 2 consecutive weeks or more?
" 1. Yes
" 2. No
JOBLAST2W EEKS
JOBLAST2WEEKS
Once the respondent tells you in Item
JOBDURINGREFPERIOD that he/she had a job or
worked at a business during the 6 months before the
interview, then you will ask the question in Item
JOBLAST2WEEKS to determine whether that job or
work lasted for 2 or more consecutive weeks.
Precode (1)
Enter Precode (1), "Yes," when the respondent has worked
at least 2 consecutive weeks at the job or business
mentioned in Item JOBDURINGREFPERIOD. After
entering Precode (1), continue with Item
JOBDESCRIPTION.
Precode (2)
Enter Precode (2), "No," when the job or work mentioned
in Item JOBDURINGREFPERIOD did NOT last for at
least 2 consecutive weeks. After entering Precode (2),
continue with the NEXTPERSON screen. (If the
respondent is the household respondent, however, and the
household is in its first, third, fifth, or seventh interview
period, the instrument goes to Item
HOUSEHOLDINCOME.)
Introduction and Screening Items
B3-44
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
&
Part B, Chapter 3
(Page 12)
! Ask or verify:
W hich of the following best describes your job?
! W ere you employed in the -Read each category until respondent says “Yes,” then enter appropriate precode
" 11. Medical Profession?
" 12. Mental Health Services Field?
" 13. Teaching Profession?
" 14. Law Enforcement or Security Field?
" 15. Retail Sales?
" 16. Transportation Field?
" 17. Something else?
__________________________________________________________________________________
JOBDESCRIPTION
JOBDESCRIPTION
Item JOBDESCRIPTION is used to identify whether the
respondent's job is in one of the job classifications which
may increase or decrease his/her likelihood of becoming a
victim of crime. Item JOBDESCRIPTION allows you to
verify a known answer without asking the question first. If
you need to ask this question, make sure to read each
answer category until you get a “Yes” response.
Note the book icon and page reference at the top left of the
screen. This tells you that there is a corresponding page in
the Information Card Booklet (NCVS-554). During
personal visit interviews, show the “Employment”
flashcard to the respondent so they can see the categories.
Ask the question in Item JOBDESCRIPTION, then ask
the respondent to identify on the flashcard the job category
that best describes his/her job. If the respondent cannot
find a job category that describes his/her job, use the
“Something else” answer category and enter the
respondent’s job title at the “Specify” screen.
If the respondent worked at more than one type of job
during the past six months, enter the precode for the
Introduction and Screening Items
B3-45
Part B, Chapter 3
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
category at which the respondent worked the MOST hours.
If the respondent worked at more than one type of job
during the past six months AND spent the same amount of
time at each job, enter the precode for the first category
mentioned.
Once you identify the general job category from one of the
seven category headings in Item JOBDESCRIPTION,
then one of the following screens appears to further identify
the respondent’s job.
If you enter Precode (11), Medical Profession, Item
MEDICALJOB appears.
If you enter Precode (12), Mental Health Services Field,
Item MENTALHEALTHJOB appears.
If you enter Precode (13), Teaching Profession, Item
TEACHINGJOB appears.
If you enter Precode (14), Law Enforcement or Security
Field, Item LAWENFORCEJOB appears.
If you enter Precode (15), Retail Sales, Item
RETAILSALESJOB appears.
If you enter Precode (16), Transportation Field, Item
TRANSPORTJOB appears.
If you enter Precode (17), Something Else, Item
JOBDESCRIPTIONSPEC appears.
! Employed in the Medical Profession
! If not in the medical profession, back up to JOBDESCRIPTION and change answer
As a-! Read each category
" 11. Physician?
" 12. Nurse?
" 13. Technician?
" 14. Other Medical Profession? - Specify
MEDICALJOB
Introduction and Screening Items
B3-46
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
MEDICALJOB
Part B, Chapter 3
If the respondent’s answer is “Other” and you enter Precode
(14), a “Specify” answer screen, Item
MEDICALJOBSPEC appears. Enter the type of medical
profession at MEDICALJOBSPEC.
! Employed in the Mental Health Services Field:
! If not in Mental Health Services Field,
back up to JOBDESCRIPTION and change answer
Are your duties -! Read each category
" 15. Professional (Social worker/psychiatrist)?
" 16. Custodial care?
" 17. Some other M ental Health Services Profession ?- Specify
MENTALHEALTHJOB
MENTALHEALTHJOB
If the respondent answers “Other” and you enter Precode
(17), a “Specify” answer screen, Item
MENTALHEALTHJOBSPEC appears. Enter the type of
mental health services job at
MENTALHEALTHJOBSPEC.
Introduction and Screening Items
B3-47
Part B, Chapter 3
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
! Employed in the Teaching Profession
! If not in the Teaching Profession, back up to JOBDESCRIPTION and change answer
W ere you employed in a-! Read each category
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
18.
19.
20.
21.
22.
23.
24.
Preschool?
Elementary?
Junior high or middle school?
High school?
College or university?
Technical or industrial school?
Special education facility?
" 25. Other Teaching Profession? - Specify
TEACHINGJOB
TEACHINGJOB
If the respondent answers “Other” and you enter Precode
(25), a “Specify” answer screen, Item TEACHJOBSPEC
appears. Enter the type of job in the teaching profession in
TEACHJOBSPEC.
! Employed in the Law Enforcement or Security Field:
! If not in the Law Enforcement or Security Field, back up to JOBDESCRIPTION and change answer
W ere you employed as a-! Read each category
" 26. Law enforcement officer?
" 27. Prison or jail guard?
" 28. Security guard?
" 29. Other Law Enforcement Profession? - Specify
_________________________________________
LAW ENFORCEJOB
LAWENFORCEJOB
If the respondent answers “Other” and you enter Precode
(29), a “Specify” answer screen, Item
LAWENFORCEJOBSPEC appears. Enter the type of job
Introduction and Screening Items
B3-48
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Part B, Chapter 3
in the law enforcement or security field in
LAWENFORCEJOBSPEC.
! Employed in retail sales
! If not in Retail Sales, back up to JOBDESCRIPTION and change answer
W ere you employed as a-! Read each category
"
"
"
"
30.
31.
32.
33.
Convenience or liquor store clerk?
Gas station attendant?
Bartender?
Other Retail Sales Profession? - Specify
RETAILSALESJOB
RETAILSALESJOB
If the respondent answers “Other” and you enter Precode
(33), a “Specify” screen RETAILSALESJOBSPEC
appears. Enter the type of job in retail sales in
RETAILSALESJOBSPEC.
!Employed in the Transportation Field
!If not in Transportation Field, back up to JOBDESCRIPTION and change answer
W ere you employed as a-! Read each category
"34. Bus driver?
"35. Taxi cab driver?
"36. Other Transportation Field Profession? - Specify
TRANSPORTJOB
TRANSPORTJOB
If the respondent answers “Other” and you enter Precode
(36), a “Specify” answer screen TRANSPORTJOBSPEC
appears; enter the type of job in the transportation field.
Introduction and Screening Items
B3-49
Part B, Chapter 3
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
! Please specify the job not covered in the answer categories 11-16 in JOBDESCRIPTION
________________________________________________
JOBDESCRIPTIONSPEC
JOBDESCRIPTIONSPEC
If you enter Precode (17) at Item JOBDESCRIPTION,
you are prompted to enter the respondent’s occupation on
the “JOBDESCRIPTIONSPEC” answer screen.
! Ask or verify:
Is your job with-! Read each category
"1.
"2.
"3.
"4.
A private company, business, or individual for wages?
The Federal government?
A State, county, or local government?
Yourself (Self-employed) in your own business, professional practice, or farm?
EMPLOYERTYPECURRENT
EMPLOYERTYPE
CURRENT
Item EMPLOYERTYPECURRENT is used to determine
whether the respondent's job or work is with:
T A private company, business, or individual for wages,
Precode (1).
T The Federal government, Precode (2).
T A State, county, or local government, Precode (3).
T The respondent's own business, professional practice, or
farm (self-employed), Precode (4).
This item allows you to verify a known answer with the
respondent without asking the question.
Precode (1)
Enter Precode (1) when a respondent worked for a
PRIVATE employer for wages, salary, commission, tips,
Introduction and Screening Items
B3-50
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Part B, Chapter 3
piece-rates, or pay in kind. Also enter Precode (1) for
respondents who worked for pay for churches, unions, and
other private nonprofit organizations.
Precode (2)
Enter Precode (2) when a respondent:
T Worked for any branch of the Federal government.
T Was elected to a paid Federal office.
T Was a member of the Armed Forces.
T Was employed by an international organization (for
example, the United Nations) or a foreign government.
Precode (3)
Enter Precode (3) when a respondent worked in any branch
of a state, county, or local government. This also includes
respondents who were elected to paid state, county, or local
offices.
Precode (4)
Enter Precode (4) when a respondent was self-employed
for profit or fees in his/her OWN business, farm, shop,
office, practice, and so on.
Are you employed by a college or university?
"1. Yes
"2. No
COLLEGEEMPLOYER
COLLEGEEMPLOYER
Item COLLEGEEMPLOYER is used to determine
whether a respondent is employed by a college or
university. If the respondent indicated in Item
TEACHINGJOB that he/she was a teacher employed by a
college or university and you entered Precode (22), the
instrument skips over Item COLLEGEEMPLOYER and
continues with Item CURRENTJOBMSATYPE.
Introduction and Screening Items
B3-51
Part B, Chapter 3
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
W hile working at your job, do you work mostly in-! Read each category
"1.
"2.
"3.
"4.
A city?
Suburban area?
Rural area?
Or combination of any of these?
CURRENTJOBM SATYPE
CURRENTJOB
MSATYPE
Item CURRENTJOBMSATYPE is asked to find out if a
respondent works in a city, suburban area, rural area, or a
combination of any of these areas. If the respondent was a
victim of crime while on the job, we can use this
information to determine if specific areas are more prone to
crime.
Read each answer category as part of the question. Most
respondents will know the correct response, so let the
respondent decide which type of area. When a respondent
worked for more than one employer, enter the precode for
the area in which he/she worked the greater number of
hours. If a respondent works off shore, such as on an
aircraft carrier, the answer to Item
CURRENTJOBMSATYPE should be based on the ship's
home harbor. Avoid entering Precode (4), "Combination of
any of these?" unless a respondent insists that the area
he/she worked in MOST of the time was a combination of
city, suburban, and rural.
BESTTIME_NOSUNDAY
Item BESTTIME_NOSUNDAY allows you to review or
update the interview time preference for the household.
After reviewing the time preference, press "1" to continue.
Introduction and Screening Items
B3-52
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Part B, Chapter 3
Topic 6. Informing the Household Respondent,
Household Income, Other Languages, End Screens,
and Choosing the Next Respondent to Interview
I need to interview all other household members age 12 and older and will be asking them the same questions
I asked you about crime.
(1) Enter 1 to continue
____________________________________________________________________________________
INFORM_HHR
INFORM_HHR
This screen appears after the household respondent has
completed their interview, including the employment
section, but only when there is at least one household
member between12-17 years old. Otherwise, the
instrument skips over this screen and goes to
HOUSEHOLDINCOME. Read the text to the respondent
as shown.
During the months when a supplement is being conducted,
this screen contains additional text to read to the household
respondent regarding asking the supplement questions of
household members under the age of 18.
Introduction and Screening Items
B3-53
Part B, Chapter 3
&
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
(Page 14)
W hich category on this card represents the TOTAL combined income of all members of this
HOUSEHOLD during the past 12 months? This includes money from jobs,
net income from business, farm or rent, pensions, dividends, interest,
Social Security payments, and any other money income received by
members of this HOUSEHOLD who are 14 years of age or older.
! Enter number for range that contains response
"11.
"12.
"13.
"14.
"15.
"16.
"17.
Less than $5,000
$5,000 - $7,499
$7,500 - $9,999
$10,000 - $12,499
$12,500 - $14,999
$15,000 - $17,499
$17,500 - $19,999
"18. $20,000
"19. $25,000
"20. $30,000
"21. $35,000
"22. $40,000
"23. $50,000
"24. $75,000
- $24,999
- $29,999
- $34,999
- $39,999
- $49,999
- $74,999
and over
HOUSEHOLDINCOM E
HOUSEHOLDINCOME
The NCVS instrument brings up Item
HOUSEHOLDINCOME only during the household
respondent’s interview and then only in the first, third,
fifth, and seventh enumeration periods. If necessary,
explain to the household respondent that we do not need
him/her to identify the specific total household income, just
the income range in which it falls.
For personal visit
interviews
Just before reading the question in Item
HOUSEHOLDINCOME, show the household respondent
the flashcard on Page 14 in your Information Card Booklet
(NCVS-554) and then ask the HOUSEHOLDINCOME
question to determine the household’s total combined
income. After reading the question, allow the respondent
time to read the categories, make an estimate, and respond.
When necessary, help the respondent by adding each
household member’s income and/or the income from all
sources to get the total combined income.
For telephone interviews
In most cases, after the first personal visit interview, the
remaining interviews at the sample address are conducted
Introduction and Screening Items
B3-54
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Part B, Chapter 3
by telephone. Read the question and each income category
until the respondent identifies the appropriate category.
What to Include
Respondents may ask about what type of income to include
in the combined household income. Include the following
types of income:
T Income received from jobs
T Net income from business, farm, or rent
T Pensions
T Dividends and interest
T Social security payments
T Alimony and child support
T Public assistance
T Any other money received by household members who
are 14 years of age and older.
We are interested in the household's combined income
during the 12 months immediately preceding the interview
date--not the last calendar year--unless they happen to
coincide. Do not specifically ask a household respondent to
look for tax records; however, a respondent can use income
tax records to help him/her to compare the last calendar
year's income with the income in the 12-month period
preceding the interview.
Make sure that the answer includes the money income
received during the 12 months immediately preceding the
interview and covers the reference person and each
household member who is 14 years of age and older. Do
not include income from nonhousehold persons who are
listed in the household roster. If necessary, name each
household member who is 14 years of age and older, so that
the household respondent understands whose money
Introduction and Screening Items
B3-55
Part B, Chapter 3
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
income we want to include. Remember that you can access
the household roster by pressing the “Shift” and “F1" keys
simultaneously. You can also click the “HH Roster” tab at
the top left of the screen.
What to Exclude
We do not want the household respondent to include:
Y "In kind" income, such as room and board, free meals in
a restaurant, value of crops produced by a farmer and
consumed by his family, and so on.
Y Insurance payments or lump-sum inheritances.
Y Occasional gifts of money from persons not living in
the household or any exchanges of money between
relatives living in the same household.
Y Money received from selling one's own home, car, or
other personal property.
Y Savings withdrawals from banks.
Y Tax refunds.
Y Income from nonhousehold persons who are listed in
the household roster.
Special Situations for
Item HOUSEHOLD
INCOME
If a household respondent reports no income, a loss, or that
they "broke even," enter Precode (11), "Less than $5,000."
Before accepting an answer of "No income," make sure that
the household respondent understands what type of income
we want included and from which persons in the
household.
In difficult cases, try to assist the household respondent by
probing to find out:
•
Which household members worked during the last
12 months.
Introduction and Screening Items
B3-56
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Part B, Chapter 3
•
How much money each working household member
(14 years of age and older) earned each week or pay
period.
•
Whether or not any household members (14 years of
age and older) operated a business or a farm during the
last 12 months.
•
Whether or not any household members (14 years of
age and older) received a pension, dividends, interest,
and so on.
Avoid "Don't know" or "Refused" answers if at all possible.
Reassuring Respondents
You may encounter a household respondent who knows the
household income, but is reluctant to tell you because
he/she does not think we need to know or does not see why
it would be necessary for the survey. If so, explain that
information such as income, race, and sex are essential
for providing statistics which reflect the crime
experiences for various segments of the United States
population.
! Ask or verify:
Do any eligible members in this household require that their interview be conducted in a language other than
English?
"1. Yes
"2. No
OTHER_LANGUAGE
OTHER_LANGUAGE
The OTHER_LANGUAGE question is asked only of the
household respondent during each enumeration. If the
respondent answers “Yes,” Precode (1), the
WHICH_LANGUAGE screen appears.
Enter the language spoken by most of the eligible
household members on this screen, then press “Enter” and
you go to the ENDPERSON screen. If the respondent
Introduction and Screening Items
B3-57
Part B, Chapter 3
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
answers “No,” Precode (2), the instrument takes you to the
ENDPERSON screen, where you enter (1) to continue.
!Ask or verify:
!If multiple languages are spoken, mark the language spoken by most of the eligible household
members.
W hat language is that?
" 1.
Spanish
" 12.
Dutch
" 2.
French
" 13.
Norwegian
" 3.
Russian
" 14.
Swedish
" 4.
German
" 15.
Arabic
" 5.
Vietnamese
" 16.
Greek
" 6.
Chinese
" 17.
Italian
" 7.
Korean
" 18.
Polish
" 8.
Tagalog
" 19.
Portuguese
" 9.
Asian
" 20.
Urdu
" 10.
Japanese
" 21.
Other-Specify
" 11.
Germanic
" 22.
Don't know
___________________________________________________________________
W HICH_LANGUAGE
WHICH_LANGUAGE
Item WHICH_LANGUAGE is an “Ask or verify” screen
and asks, “What language is that?” If multiple languages
are spoken, mark the language spoken by most of the
eligible household members.
Enter the precode for the appropriate language. If the
language is not on this list, enter Precode (21) “OtherSpecify,” and the instrument takes you to Item
LANGUAGE_SPEC, where you specify the appropriate
language.
! You have completed this respondent’s interview
! ***Do not F10 from this screen***
! Enter 1 to continue
_________________________________________________________________
ENDPERSON
Introduction and Screening Items
B3-58
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Part B, Chapter 3
Item ENDPERSON appears when you have completed the
individual respondent’s interview. DO NOT F10 to exit
the instrument from ENDPERSON; doing so may cause
loss of all collected data and necessitate restarting the case.
ENDPERSON
! There are no more incidents to report.
! ***Do not F10 from this screen***
! Enter 1 to continue
________________________________________________________
ENDSCREENER
Item ENDSCREENER appears when there are no more
incident reports to complete for this screener, as well as no
more incidents for this respondent. DO NOT F10 to exit
the instrument from ENDSCREENER; doing so may
cause loss of all collected data and necessitate restarting the
case.
ENDSCREENER
! Current incident report is over
! ***Do not F10 from this screen***
! Enter (1) to continue
_______________________________________________________________________
ENDINCIDENT
ENDINCIDENT
Item ENDINCIDENT appears after each incident report to
let you know that the report has been completed. This
screen is also used by the instrument to close the incident
report, which is why it is important not to press F10 at this
item. If you press F10, it may cause the loss of all collected
data and necessitate restarting the case.
Introduction and Screening Items
B3-59
Part B, Chapter 3
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
! ***Do not F10 from this screen***
LN
NAME
STATUS
HRESP
REL
SEX
_____________________________________________________________________
1
Megan Moe
DONE-Int
R
Ref Person
F
2
Ted Moe
NEED SELF
Husband
M
AGE
25
29
I also need to talk with Ted Moe.
Is Ted Moe at home now?
! Enter person’s line number for next interview
! ***Do not F10 from this screen***
_____________________________________________________________________
" 2. Ted Moe
" 31. Respondent refused FOR someone else
" 33. No other person available now
_____________________________________________________________________
NEXTPERSON
NEXTPERSON
Item NEXTPERSON appears when there are other eligible
household members who still need to complete the NCVS
interview. The line number of each household member is
displayed, along with the person’s name, interview status,
relation, sex, and age. Select the next person in the
household to be interviewed at Item NEXTPERSON.
The question text for Item NEXTPERSON changes
depending on how many household members remain to be
interviewed. For one more household member interview,
the screen display is as shown above. If there is more than
one household member remaining to interview, the screen
display says, “I also need to talk with (names). Are any of
them at home now?”
Select Precode (31) “Respondent refused for someone
else,” if the respondent refused the interview for some other
household member. Select Precode (33), “No other person
available now,” if no other person is currently available and
the interviews for the household are not complete.
DO NOT F10 to exit the instrument from
NEXTPERSON; doing so may cause loss of all collected
Introduction and Screening Items
B3-60
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Part B, Chapter 3
data and necessitate restarting the case. Instead, use
Precode (33) to exit the case.
Introduction and Screening Items
B3-61
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Part B, Chapter 4
Chapter 4
Middle Section of the NCVS Instrument:
Incident Report Items
Table of Topics
1
2
3
Topic
Page
Screen Layout and Instructions for
Items INCIDENTINTRO Through
HAPPEN
B4-2
Screen Layout and Instructions for
Items ONEORMOREOFFENDERS
Through ANYTHINGFURTHER
B4-131
Screen Layout and Instructions for
Items DOINGATINCIDENTTIME
Through SUMMARY
B4-220
Incident Report Items
B4-1
Part B, Chapter 4
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Topic 1. Screen Layout and Instructions for
Items INCIDENTINTRO Through HAPPEN
Talking to: John Doe
Asking about: John Doe
! Starting the First Incident Report
***DO NOT F10 FROM THIS SCREEN***
You said before that during the last 6 months:
L1's bike stolen from carport
Frequency:
1 time(s)
***DO NOT F10 FROM THIS SCREEN***
____________________________________________________________________________
INCIDENTINTRO
INCIDENTINTRO
INCIDENTINTRO marks the beginning of the incident
report section in the middle of the NCVS instrument. This
section gathers a variety of information about each reported
incidence of crime that occurred during the respondent’s
six-month reference period. It is important to record
accurate and complete information so that we get a clear
picture of what happened during the incident. This screen
also identifies:
U The person to whom you are speaking.
U The household member about whom you are asking
these questions.
U The brief description of the incident that you entered in
the screening section of the instrument.
U The number of times the incident happened as reported
in the screening item.
The instrument changes the display of the first interviewer
instruction based on which incident report you are starting.
For the first incident report for a screener question, the
instrument displays “First.” For subsequent incidents
reported in the same screen question, the instrument fills in
the word “Next.”
Incident Report Items
B4-2
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Part B, Chapter 4
Once you are done reviewing this screen, enter Precode (1)
to continue to Item INCIDENTADDRESS or
INCIDENTDATE based on the number of months the
respondent has lived at the sample address, as determined
earlier in the interview in Item TIMEATADDRESS. If the
respondent has lived at the sample address for more than
six months, the instrument continues with Item
INCIDENTDATE. If multiple incidents are reported,
when you complete one crime report, you then return to this
screen for each remaining incident. Do not F10 from Item
INCIDENTINTRO; doing so may result in loss of data
and necessitate restarting the case.
Once you start to complete a crime incident report in this
section, you must finish it, with the exception of incidents
that happened outside of the respondent’s reference period.
For all other situations, it is important to finish this section
once you begin, as you may discover that an additional
NCVS crime has occurred in conjunction with the original
crime.
Asking about:
JOHN DOE
Did (this/the first) incident happen while you were
living here or before you moved to this address?
" 1. W hile living at this address
" 2. Before moving to this address
INCIDENTADDRESS
INCIDENTADDRESS
If the household member has lived at the sample address for
6 months or less, then the NCVS instrument brings up Item
INCIDENTADDRESS in order to determine if the
reported incident occurred while the household member:
C
Lived at the sample address or
C
Lived at a previous address.
Incident Report Items
B4-3
Part B, Chapter 4
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Before asking the question for Item
INCIDENTADDRESS, always read the lead-in statement
which includes the incident description that you entered in
the screening question. When the incident reported in a
screen question happened ONLY ONE TIME during the
reference period, read the question text as follows: “Did
this incident happen while you were living here or before
your moved to this address?”
If more than one incident was reported for a screen
question, read the question for Item
INCIDENTADDRESS as follows: “Did the first incident
happen...?” For subsequent incidents from a screen
question, read the question for Item
INCIDENTADDRESS as follows: “Did this incident
happen...?”
Based on the respondent's answer, enter either Precode (1),
"While living at this address," or Precode (2), "Before
moving to this address." The instrument then goes to Item
INCIDENTDATE.
In what month did (this/the first) incident happen?
Reference Period:
July: 2007
January: 2008
! Encourage respondent to give exact month
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
"
"
"
"
"
"
8. August
9. September
10. October
11. November
12. December
97. Don’t know exact month within reference period
______________________________________________________________
INCIDENTDATE
INCIDENTDATE
Item INCIDENTDATE is used to determine the month
and year in which the incident occurred. Encourage
Incident Report Items
B4-4
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Part B, Chapter 4
respondents to give an exact month. When necessary,
probe with holidays or other special events to help the
respondent identify an exact month of occurrence.
Enter the 1- or 2-digit precode to identify the month in
which the incident happened. It is not necessary to enter a
2-digit precode for the months of January through
September, because the instrument will accept a 1-digit
precode. As a last resort, enter Precode (97) when a
respondent cannot identify the exact month of occurrence.
U When the incident reported in a screen question
happened ONLY ONE TIME during the reference
period, ask INCIDENTDATE this way:
“In what month did this incident happen?”
U When the incident reported in a screen question
happened MORE THAN ONE TIME, you must ask
questions about each incident that occurred during the
reference period separately. Ask the question in
INCIDENTDATE based on the number of incidents
reported.
For the first incident, ask: “In what month did the
first incident happen?”
For subsequent incidents, ask: “In what month did this
incident happen?”
Repeat as necessary for all other occurrences.
Date Is Outside of
Reference Period
The reference period is displayed in the upper right of the
INCIDENTDATE screen as shown above. If the
respondent's answer to Item INCIDENTDATE is a month
outside of his/her reference period, remind the respondent
of the starting and ending dates for his/her reference period.
When the respondent still gives you a date outside of
his/her reference period, enter the appropriate precode for
Incident Report Items
B4-5
Part B, Chapter 4
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
the month given by the respondent. After entering a
precode for a month outside of the respondent’s reference
period, the following edit check pop-up appears:
! If necessary:
Did you say June?
______________________________________________________
Questions involved
Value
INCIDENTDATE: Incident month verify June
Suppress
Close
Goto
If the month reported or entered is incorrect and the
incident happened within the reference period, click
“Goto.” The instrument goes back to INCIDENTDATE
so you can record the correct month.
If you verify at the pop-up screen that the incident was
entered or reported incorrectly and happened outside of the
respondent’s reference period, click “Suppress.” This
makes the incident out-of-scope and no further questions
will be asked about that incident.
W e are only asking about crimes that happened during the last 6
months. We will not collect information on this incident.
__________________________________________
OSINCNOTNEEDED
Once you click “Suppress,” the instrument goes to Item
OSINCNOTNEEDED, where you read “We are only
asking about crimes that happened during the last 6
months. We will not collect information on this incident.”
Then enter (1) to continue.
Did you have anything (else) like this happen between July 2007 and
January 2008?
__________________________________________
INCIDENTDATEPROBE
Incident Report Items
B4-6
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Part B, Chapter 4
Item INCIDENTDATEPROBE appears: “Did you have
anything like this happen between July 2007 and January
2008?” Choose the appropriate precode, (1) for “Yes” and
(2) for “No.” If you choose “Yes,” the instrument goes
back to INCIDENTINTRO to collect an incident report
for that incident. If you choose “No,” the current incident
entry is deleted.
If you delete the incident, the instrument goes to Item
INC_REDUCE in order for you to record the reason why
the incident is being deleted.
! Briefly explain why the number of incidents is being reduced.
________________________________________________
INC_REDUCE
When an incident is deleted, enter a description of why you
deleted that incident, such as “Incident occurred in May;
outside of reference period.”
If the same type of incident occurred more than once AND
one or more of the incidents happened during the reference
period, click “Close” or “Goto”on the edit check pop-up.
Then complete the incident report items for each in-scope
incident.
! If unsure, ask:
Altogether, how many times did this type of incident
happen during the last 6 months?
! Number of incidents recorded for this screening question: 7
INCIDENTNUM BEROFTIMES
INCIDENTNUMBEROF
TIMES
Item INCIDENTNUMBEROFTIMES is used to record,
for a specific screen question, the total number of times that
the incident happened during the reference period. It is also
Incident Report Items
B4-7
Part B, Chapter 4
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
the first item used to determine whether there are multiple
incidents reported for a screen question which could qualify
as a series of crimes.
If you are already sure what the total number is, enter the
number of incidents without asking the question in Item
INCIDENTNUMBEROFTIMES. This screen always
shows the number of incidents reported earlier in the screen
question.
Always record the exact number of incidents and only
include incidents that happened during the respondent's
reference period. The instrument does not permit you to
enter a range of numbers (for example, 1-4).
Whenever a respondent seems unsure, probe to arrive at an
exact number or at least his/her best estimate. Do not rush
the respondent and allow sufficient time for the respondent
to recall information about the incidents. Use neutral
probes to help arrive at an exact number or the respondent's
best estimate, such as "Thinking back, can you recall what
you were doing or what was happening in your life at the
time of the incidents?"
If the entry in Item INCIDENTNUMBEROFTIMES is
less than or equal to the number entered in the screener
question, the instrument continues with either:
U Item INCIDENTTIME when less than six incidents
were reported,
OR
U Item INCIDENTSSIMILAR when six or more
incidents were reported in Item
INCIDENTNUMBEROFTIMES.
When the number of incidents entered at Item
INCIDENTNUMBEROFTIMES does not match the
Incident Report Items
B4-8
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Part B, Chapter 4
number of incidents recorded earlier in the interview at the
screening item, INCIDENTTIMESPROBE appears:
!
Number of incidents recorded in
INCIDENTNUMBEROFTIMES: 2 is GREATER than the
number of incidents recorded for this screening question: 1
!
Information will be collected for 2 incidents.
"
Enter 1 to continue
INCIDENTTIMESPROBE
The INCIDENTTIMESPROBE screen alerts you to the
difference in the number of incidents and lets you know
that you will be completing a separate set of the incident
report items for each incident recorded at Item
INCIDENTNUMBEROFTIMES.
If you enter a number of incidents in Item
INCIDENTTIMESPROBE between 1 and 5, the
instrument continues with Item INCIDENTTIME because
the multiple incidents automatically disqualify as a series of
crimes and, therefore, you must complete a separate set of
incident report items for each incident. Failure to do so
will result in either the respondent classifying as a
noninterview or the household classifying as a
noninterview. If you enter 6 or more incidents in Item
INCIDENTNUMBEROFTIMES, continue with Item
INCIDENTSSIMILAR shown below.
! If unsure, ask:
Are these incidents similar to each other in detail or are they for
different types of crimes?
" 1. Similar
" 2. Different (not a series)
INCIDENTSSIMILAR
Incident Report Items
B4-9
Part B, Chapter 4
INCIDENTSSIMILAR
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Item INCIDENTSSIMILAR is used to determine whether
the multiple incidents are very similar to each other or
whether the incidents involve different types of crimes.
The incidents entered in Item
INCIDENTNUMBEROFTIMES must be very similar
to each other in detail to qualify as a series of crimes. If
you are not sure which precode to enter, ask the respondent
the question in Item INCIDENTSSIMILAR.
Precode (1)
Enter Precode (1), “Similar,” if ALL the incidents entered
in Item INCIDENTNUMBEROFTIMES are very
similar to each other in detail. For example, a respondent
reported seven separate incidents that occurred during the
reference period in which money was stolen from her desk
at work. In each of these incidents, money was stolen from
her desk at work and she was not victimized in any other
way that might classify as a different type of NCVS crime.
Therefore, you would enter Precode (1). After entering
Precode (1), continue with Item RECALLDETAILS.
Precode (2)
Enter Precode (2), “Different (“not a series”),” when there
are facts for some of the incidents entered in Item
INCIDENTNUMBEROFTIMES that differentiate them
from one another. After entering Precode (2), continue
with Item INCIDENTTIME, because these incidents do
not qualify as a series of crimes. For example, a respondent
reported seven separate incidents all of which took place in
the same parking garage during the reference period. For
two of the incidents, the offender threatened to sexually
assault her. For the remaining five incidents, someone
broke into her car and stole unattached items, such as a
coat, music CDs, and so on. In this example, we do NOT
have at least 6 very similar incidents, so enter Precode (2).
Incident Report Items
B4-10
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Part B, Chapter 4
If unsure, ask:
Can you recall enough details of each incident to distinguish them
from each other?
" 1. Yes (not a series)
" 2. No (is a series)
RECALLDETAILS
RECALLDETAILS
Item RECALLDETAILS is used to determine whether the
multiple incidents meet the final criteria for a series of
crimes. If you are not sure whether the respondent can
recall enough facts about each incident to distinguish them
from one another, ask the question of the respondent before
entering a precode for this item.
Precode (1)
Enter Precode (1) when the respondent can remember
enough facts to distinguish the incidents from one another,
so that you can complete most of the required incident
report questions for each incident. By entering Precode (1),
you are confirming that the multiple incidents are NOT a
series of crimes. Therefore, you will complete a separate
set of incident report questions for each incident entered in
Item INCIDENTNUMBEROFTIMES. After entering
Precode (1), continue with Item INCIDENTTIME.
Precode (2)
Enter Precode (2) when the respondent cannot remember
enough facts to distinguish the multiple incidents from one
another, so that it would be impossible to complete a
separate set of incident report questions for each incident
entered in Item INCIDENTNUMBEROFTIMES. By
entering Precode (2), you are confirming that the multiple
incidents entered in Item
INCIDENTNUMBEROFTIMES qualify as a series of
crimes. After entering Precode (2), you will continue with
Item INCIDENTTIME; however, the following statement
will appear above the question, “The following questions
refer only to the most recent incident.”
Incident Report Items
B4-11
Part B, Chapter 4
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
When incidents qualify as a series of crimes, be sure to read
this lead-in statement before reading the question in Item
INCIDENTTIME.
(Also see Part C, Chapter 3, Topic 2, for more
information about a series of crimes.)
About what time did this incident happen?
!
"
"
"
"
During the day:
11 After 6 a.m. -- 12 noon
12 After 12 noon -- 3 p.m.
13 After 3 p.m. -- 6 p.m.
14 Don't know what time of day
!
"
"
"
"
At
15
16
17
18
night:
After 6 p.m. -- 9 p.m.
After 9 p.m. -- 12 midnight
After 12 midnight -- 6 a.m.
Don't know what time of night
! OR
" 19 Don't know whether day or night
INCIDENTTIM E
INCIDENTTIME
Item INCIDENTTIME is used to determine what time of
day or night the incident happened. When completing the
incident report items for a series of crimes, read the lead-in
statement; then the question asks, “About what time did
the most recent incident happen?” This is done to remind
the respondent that we are interested in the most recent
incident in a series of crimes.
Specific Time Given
If a respondent answers with a specific time, such as
10 p.m., then enter the appropriate precode for the time
given (For example, when the answer is 10 p.m., enter
Precode (16), "After 9 p.m. - 12 midnight.") . Make sure to
verify whether the specific time given is "a.m." or "p.m."
Range of Hours Given
When a respondent answers with a range of hours, take
these steps:
Step
1 See if the hours given fit into one answer category.
For example, when a respondent answers with
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NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Part B, Chapter 4
"Between 4 and 6 p.m.," enter Precode (13), "After
3 p.m. - 6 p.m.".
Respondent Does Not
Know What Time
2
If the range of hours does not fit into one answer
category, see if the hours given are all "during the
day" or all "during the night." For example, when a
respondent answers with "Sometime between12 noon
and 4 p.m.," enter Precode (14), "Don't know what
time of day." If a respondent answers with "Between
10 p.m. and 2 a.m.," enter Precode (18), "Don't know
what time of night."
3
If the range of hours overlaps day and night answer
categories, enter Precode (19), "Don't know whether
day or night." For example, when a respondent
answers with "Sometime between 5 a.m. and 10
p.m.," enter Precode (19), "Don't know whether day
or night.”
When a respondent really does not know an exact hour or
range of hours when the incident happened and he/she tells
you that:
C
It happened sometime during the day, enter Precode
(14), "Don't know what time of day."
C
It happened sometime during the night, enter
Precode (18), "Don't know what time of night."
C
He/she really does not know whether it happened
during the day or during the night, enter Precode (19),
"Don't know whether day or night."
Incident Report Items
B4-13
Part B, Chapter 4
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
In what city, town, or village, did this incident occur?
Present residence: ANYTOW N, AK
"
"
"
"
"
1
2
3
4
5
Outside U.S.
Not inside a city/town/village
SAME city/town/village as present residence
DIFFERENT city/town/village from present residence - Specify
Don't know
INCIDENTPLACE
INCIDENTPLACE
Item INCIDENTPLACE is one of the items designed to
establish where the crime occurred. Encourage the
respondent to be as precise as possible.
Precode (1)
Enter Precode (1), "Outside U.S.", when the incident
happened outside of the 50 states and the District of
Columbia. For the purposes of the NCVS, consider Puerto
Rico, the Virgin Islands, and the other U.S. territories as
being outside of the United States. After entering
Precode (1), continue with Item
LOCATION_GENERAL.
Precode (2)
Precode (2), "Not inside a city/town/village," when the
incident did not happen inside the limits of a city, town, or
village. After entering Precode (2), continue with Items
INCIDENTSTATE and INCIDENTCOUNTY.
Precode (3)
Enter Precode (3), “SAME city/town/village as present
residence,” when the incident took place in the same city,
town, or village as the sample address. After entering
Precode (3), continue with Item INCIDENTAIR.
Precode (4)
Enter Precode (4), "DIFFERENT city/town/village from
present residence," when the incident happened in a
different city, town, or village from the sample address.
Make sure to enter the name of the city, town, or village
where the incident occurred on the
INCIDENTPLACESPEC screen that appears after
entering Precode (4). Once you have entered the city, town,
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NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Part B, Chapter 4
or village where the incident occurred, continue with Items
INCIDENTSTATE and INCIDENTCOUNTY.
Precode (5)
Enter Precode (5) when the respondent does not know
where the incident happened. Then continue with Items
INCIDENTSTATE and INCIDENTCOUNTY.
In what state did it occur?
___________________________________________________
INCIDENTSTATE
INCIDENTSTATE
As soon as you start typing the state name in
INCIDENTSTATE, a list of states appears in a pop-up
box. Select the correct state name and press “Enter” or the
“Select” radio button. The instrument goes to
INCIDENTCOUNTY.
In what county did it occur?
____________________________________________________
INCIDENTCOUNTY
INCIDENTCOUNTY
Type in the name of the county in INCIDENTCOUNTY.
Then Item COUNTYSTATE appears, which asks if this is
the same county and state as the respondent’s current
residence. If the respondent’s current address is available,
that information is displayed in item COUNTYSTATE as
shown.
! Ask or verify:
Is this the same county and state as your present residence?
! Present residence: ANYTOW N ALASKA
____________________________________________________
COUNTYSTATE
COUNTYSTATE
Any answer in COUNTYSTATE takes you to
Incident Report Items
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Part B, Chapter 4
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
INCIDENTAIR (see next page), which asks if the incident
occurred on American Indian land/reservation.
Did this incident occur on an American Indian Reservation or on American Indian Lands?
" 1 Yes
" 2 No
INCIDENTAIR
INCIDENTAIR
Item INCIDENTAIR is used to determine whether the
incident happened on an American Indian Reservation or
on American Indian Lands. In most cases, a respondent
will probably answer the question in Item INCIDENTAIR
without hesitation. However, if a respondent is unsure of
how to answer, you need to understand what we mean by
American Indian Reservation and American Indian Lands
so you can help the respondent.
What is an American
Indian Reservation?
American Indian Reservations are territories reserved as
permanent tribal homelands with boundaries established by
treaty, statute, or executive or court order. The Federal
Government and some state governments have established
reservations as territory over which American Indians have
governmental jurisdiction. These entities are designated as
colonies, communities, pueblos, rancherias, reservations,
and reserves.
What are American
Indian Lands?
American Indian Lands are comprised of tribal subdivisions
and trust lands.
A tribal subdivision is an administrative subdivision of a
reservation. Tribal subdivisions may extend beyond the
boundary of their reservations, and are internal units of self
government or administration that serve social, cultural, or
economic purposes for the American Indians living on and
adjacent to the reservation.
Trust Lands are held in trust by the Federal Government
for either a tribe (tribal trust land) or an individual member
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NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Part B, Chapter 4
of a tribe (individual trust land). Such land is always
associated with a specific federally recognized reservation
or tribe, but may be located on or off the reservation.
If you feel that probing is necessary AFTER asking the
question in Item INCIDENTAIR, the following probe may
help the respondent to give you an accurate answer:
"Did the incident happen in an American Indian colony,
community, pueblo, rancheria, reservation, or reserve?"
After completing Item INCIDENTAIR, continue with
Item LOCATION_GENERAL to code where the incident
occurred.
Did this incident happen...
! Read each category until respondent says ‘yes,’ then enter appropriate precode
" 11. In your home or lodging?
" 12. Near your home or lodging?
" 13. At, in, or near a friend’s/relative’s/neighbor’s home?
" 14. At a commercial place?
" 15. In a parking lot or garage?
" 16. At school?
" 17. In an open area, on the street, or on public transportation?
" 36. Somewhere else?
______________________________________________________________________________________
LOCATION_GENERAL
LOCATION_GENERAL
Item LOCATION_GENERAL contains eight GENERAL
categories used to identify the place where an incident
happened. Selecting one of the general categories takes you
to another screen where you select the SPECIFIC type of
place where the incident happened.
It is very important that you enter the most appropriate
precode for Item LOCATION_GENERAL, so that you
follow the correct path through the incident report items. If
you enter the wrong precode in Item
LOCATION_GENERAL, the appropriate questions will
Incident Report Items
B4-17
Part B, Chapter 4
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
not get asked to show what really happened during the
incident.
When a respondent's answer in Item
LOCATION_GENERAL is not clear and you are unsure
which precode to enter, probe for more details to identify
the correct incident location. Item
LOCATION_GENERAL allows you to enter only ONE
precode, so be sure to enter the most appropriate one.
Example:
A respondent's answer for Item
LOCATION_GENERAL is, "At work." That
response is too general for you to know which
precode to enter, so you need to find out where the
respondent works.
If you select Precode (11) ,“In your home or lodging,” at
LOCATION_GENERAL, LOCATION_IN_HOME is
the next screen that appears.
If you select Precode (12) ,“Near your home or lodging,” at
LOCATION_GENERAL, LOCATION_NEAR_HOME
is the next screen that appears.
If you select Precode (13) ,“At, in, or near a
friends’/relative’s/neighbor’s home,” at
LOCATION_GENERAL,
LOCATION_OTHER_HOME is the next screen that
appears.
If you select Precode (14) ,“At a commercial place,” at
LOCATION_GENERAL, LOCATION_COMMERCE
is the next screen that appears.
If you select Precode (15) ,“In a parking lot or garage,” at
LOCATION_GENERAL, LOCATION_PARKING is
the next screen that appears.
Incident Report Items
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NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Part B, Chapter 4
If you select Precode (16) ,“At school,” at
LOCATION_GENERAL, LOCATION_SCHOOL is
the next screen that appears.
If you select Precode (17) ,“In an open area, on the street, or
on public transportation,” at LOCATION_GENERAL,
LOCATION_OPEN_AREA is the next screen that
appears.
If you select Precode (36), “Somewhere else,” at
LOCATION_GENERAL, LOCATION_SPEC is the
next screen that appears. It says, “Please specify the other
location where this incident occurred.” Enter the location
in the Location Specify field, then press “Enter.” The
instrument then skips to RESTRICTEDAREA.
If, after probing, the respondent still doesn’t know where
the incident took place, enter “Ctrl” + “D” to code a blind
“Don’t know” at Item LOCATION_GENERAL.
LOCATION_GENERAL is the only location screen
where you may enter a “Don’t know” response.
! Ask if necessary:
W here in your home or lodging did this incident happen?
" 11. In own dwelling, own attached garage, or enclosed porch (Include illegal entry or attempted illegal
entry of same)
" 12. In detached building on own property, such as detached garage or storage shed, etc. (Include illegal
entry or attempted illegal entry of same)
" 13. In vacation home/second home (Include illegal entry or attempted illegal entry of same)
" 14. In hotel or motel room respondent was staying in (Include illegal
entry or attempted illegal entry of same)
_____________________________________________________________________________________
LOCATION_IN_HOM E
LOCATION_IN_
HOME
LOCATION_IN_HOME covers Precodes (11) through
(14) for enclosed structures at which an incident may have
occurred. An enclosed structure is one which has a door or
window to gain entry through, such as a respondent's house,
apartment, room, garage, shed, enclosed porch, or a
Incident Report Items
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Part B, Chapter 4
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
vacation home, second home, or hotel/motel room in which
the respondent was staying at the time of the incident. This
also includes enclosed structures that are on the
respondent's property, but are detached from the main
structure, such as a detached garage or storage shed.
These enclosed structures must be owned or rented by the
sample household. It does not matter how the offender
gained entrance to the enclosed structure (For example, the
offender may have used force, was let in by a household
member, or gained entrance through an unlocked or open
door or window). However, if the offender did not enter or
try to enter the types of places identified in Precodes (11)
through (14), then return to LOCATION_GENERAL and
enter the most appropriate precode.
Precode (11)
Enter Precode (11), In your own dwelling, own attached
garage, or enclosed porch (Include illegal entry or
attempted entry of same), when the offender either tried
to enter or was inside the following types of places during
the incident:
U The respondent's own dwelling, attached garage, or
enclosed porch.
U The respondent's room in a boarding house, school
dormitory, or a similar type of place. As you ask the
questions in Items OFFENDERLIVE through
OFFENDERGETIN, keep in mind that we are only
interested in the respondent's room and not the rest of
the building. If the incident took place somewhere else
in the building outside of the respondent's room, do
NOT enter Precode (11), instead return to
LOCATION_GENERAL and enter Precode (12),
which will take you to LOCATION_NEAR_HOME,
then select Precode (16), Apartment hall, storage
area, laundry room.
U The respondent's apartment. As you ask the questions
in Items OFFENDERLIVE through
Incident Report Items
B4-20
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Part B, Chapter 4
OFFENDERGETIN, keep in mind that we are only
interested in the respondent's apartment and not the rest
of the apartment building. If the incident took place
somewhere else in the building outside of the
respondent's apartment, do NOT enter Precode (11) in
LOCATION_IN_HOME, instead return to
LOCATION_GENERAL and enter Precode (12),
which will take you to LOCATION_NEAR_HOME,
then select Precode (16), Apartment hall, storage
area, laundry room.
U The respondent's former living quarters, as long as the
respondent was living there at the time of the incident
AND the incident occurred during the respondent's
6-month reference period.
U The respondent's enclosed porch. If the incident
occurred on the respondent's unenclosed porch, do NOT
enter Precode (11), LOCATION_IN_HOME, instead
return to LOCATION_GENERAL and enter Precode
(12), which will take you to
LOCATION_NEAR_HOME, then select Precode
(15), Own yard, sidewalk, driveway, carport,
unenclosed porch.
After entering Precode (11) in LOCATION_IN_HOME,
continue with Item OFFENDERLIVE.
Precode (12)
Enter Precode (12), In detached building on own
property, such as detached garage or storage shed,etc.
(Include illegal entry or attempted illegal entry of
same), when the offender either tried to enter or was inside
the following types of places during the incident:
U A detached building on the respondent's property other
than the respondent's dwelling or attached garage, such
as a detached garage, tool shed, guest house, barn,
greenhouse, and so on. Do NOT enter Precode (12)in
LOCATION_IN_HOME if the incident took place in
an open carport on the respondent's property, instead
Incident Report Items
B4-21
Part B, Chapter 4
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
return to LOCATION_ GENERAL and enter Precode
(12), which takes you to
LOCATION_NEAR_HOME, then select Precode
(15) Own yard, sidewalk, driveway, carport,
unenclosed porch.
U A mobile home or trailer that is NOT used as a
recreation vehicle and is situated on the respondent's
property. If the mobile home or trailer is used as a
recreation vehicle, do NOT enter Precode (12) in
LOCATION_IN_HOME, instead return to
LOCATION_ GENERAL and enter Precode (12),
which will take you to LOCATION_NEAR_ HOME,
then select Precode (15), Own yard, sidewalk,
driveway, carport, unenclosed porch.
After entering Precode (12) in LOCATION_IN_HOME,
continue with Item OFFENDERLIVE.
Precode (13)
Enter Precode (13), In vacation home/second home
(Include illegal entry or attempted illegal entry of
same), when the offender either tried to enter or was inside
the following types of places during the incident:
U A second home either owned or in the possession of the
respondent. Second homes include former dwellings
still owned or rented by the respondent, but not used as
the respondent's primary residence, as well as new
dwellings that are in the possession of the respondent,
but not yet used as the primary residence. If the
incident happened at a second home owned by a
nonhousehold member or rented to a nonhousehold
member, do NOT enter Precode (13) in
LOCATION_IN_HOME, instead return to
LOCATION_GENERAL and select Precode (13),
which takes you to LOCATION_OTHER_HOME,
then select Precode (18), At or in home or other
building on their property.
Incident Report Items
B4-22
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Part B, Chapter 4
U A vacation home owned by the respondent, regardless
of whether or not the respondent was residing at the
vacation home when the incident took place. If the
incident happened at a vacation home that is owned or
rented by a nonhousehold member, do NOT enter
Precode (13) in LOCATION_IN_HOME, instead
return to LOCATION_ GENERAL and select Precode
(13), which takes you to
LOCATION_OTHER_HOME, then select Precode
(18), At or in home or other building on their
property.
U A detached building on the property of a second home
or vacation home owned by the respondent, such as a
detached garage, storage shed, and so on. If the
incident happened in the yard of a vacation or second
home, do NOT enter Precode (13) in
LOCATION_IN_HOME, instead return to
LOCATION_GENERAL, enter Precode (36), then
describe the location on the "Specify" screen, Item
LOCATION_SPEC, that appears after entering
Precode (36).
After entering Precode (13) in LOCATION_IN_HOME,
continue with Item OFFENDERLIVE.
Precode (14)
Enter Precode (14), In hotel or motel room respondent
was staying in (Include illegal entry or attempted illegal
entry of same), when the offender either tried to enter or
was inside a hotel or motel room where the respondent was
staying temporarily during any part of the incident.
However, if the incident happened somewhere else in the
hotel or motel building (for example, in a conference room,
lobby, or hallway) and the offender never entered or tried to
enter the respondent's room, do NOT enter Precode (14) in
LOCATION_IN_HOME, instead return to
LOCATION_GENERAL, enter Precode (14) “At a
commercial place,” which takes you to Item
LOCATION_COMMERCE. There you select Precode
(25), “Inside other commercial building, such as store.”
Incident Report Items
B4-23
Part B, Chapter 4
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
After entering Precode (14) in LOCATION_IN_HOME,
continue with Item OFFENDERLIVE.
! Ask if necessary:
W here near your home or lodging did this incident happen?
" 15. Own yard, sidewalk, driveway, carport, unenclosed porch (does not include apartment yards)
" 16. Apartment hall, storage area, laundry room (does not include apartment parking lot/garage)
" 17. On street immediately adjacent to own home
_______________________________________________________________________________________
LOCATION_NEAR_HOM E
LOCATION_NEAR
_HOME
Precode (15)
LOCATION_NEAR_HOME covers Precodes (15)
through (17) for places near a respondent's primary
residence where an incident may have occurred.
Enter Precode (15), Own yard, sidewalk, driveway,
carport, unenclosed porch (does not include apartment
yards), when the incident happened in the following places
near the respondent's home:
U The respondent's yard, regardless of its size, when it
belongs solely to the respondent's house, townhouse,
mobile home, apartment, condominium, and so on. If
the yard is for the use of all occupants in the apartment
building, do not enter Precode (15) in
LOCATION_NEAR_HOME, instead return to
LOCATION_GENERAL and select Precode (17)
which takes you to the LOCATION_OPEN_AREA
screen. Then enter Precode (33), In apartment yard
park, field, playground.
U The respondent's driveway, mailbox, sidewalk,
unenclosed porch, or carport used solely by the
respondent's unit. If the incident happened in a parking
lot used by more than just the sample unit, do NOT
enter Precode (15) in LOCATION_NEAR_HOME,
instead return to LOCATION_ GENERAL and
choose Precode (15), which takes you to
Incident Report Items
B4-24
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Part B, Chapter 4
LOCATION_PARKING. Then enter Precode (30),
Apartment/townhouse parking lot/garage.
U The respondent's motor vehicle or recreation vehicle
parked on the respondent's property and intended for the
sole use of the respondent.
U The respondent's balcony or patio when it is used solely
by the respondent's unit and there was no illegal entry
or attempted illegal entry to the sample unit itself.
After entering Precode (15) in
LOCATION_NEAR_HOME, you will continue with
Item INSIDEOROUT.
Precode (16)
Enter Precode (16), Apartment hall, storage area,
laundry room (does not include apartment parking
lot/garage), when the incident happened inside a
respondent's residential building, but not in the respondent's
apartment, condominium, room in a boarding house, a
dormitory room, and so on.
Precode (16) is NOT intended for incidents that:
W Happened in another apartment or room in the
respondent's building, other than the respondent's
apartment or room, instead return to
LOCATION_GENERAL and select Precode (13).
LOCATION_OTHER_HOME appears; enter
Precode (18), At or in home or other building on
their property.
W Happened in an apartment parking garage, even if the
parking garage is in the basement of the respondent's
building, instead return to LOCATION_ GENERAL
and select Precode (15). LOCATION_PARKING
appears; enter Precode (30), Apartment/townhouse
parking lot/garage.
Incident Report Items
B4-25
Part B, Chapter 4
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
After entering Precode (16) in
LOCATION_NEAR_HOME, you will continue with
Item INSIDEOROUT.
Precode (17)
Enter Precode (17), On street immediately adjacent to
own home, when the incident occurred on the street
IMMEDIATELY ADJACENT to the respondent's property.
"Immediately adjacent" includes directly in front or to the
side of the sample unit and does NOT include next door or
across the street from the sample unit.
After entering Precode (17) in
LOCATION_NEAR_HOME, you continue with Item
INSIDEOROUT.
! Ask if necessary:
W here at, in, or near a friend’s/relative’s/neighbor’s home did this incident happen?
" 18. At or in home or other building on their property
" 19. Yard, sidewalk, driveway, carport (does not include apartment yards)
" 20. Apartment hall, storage area, laundry room (does not include apartment parking lot/garage)
" 21. On street immediately adjacent to their home
________________________________________________________________________________
LOCATION_OTHER_HOM E
LOCATION_OTHER
_HOME
LOCATION_OTHER_HOME covers Precodes (18)
through (21) for places where an incident may have
happened that are at, in, or near the home of a respondent's
friend, relative, or neighbor.
Precode (18)
Enter Precode (18), At or in home or other building on
their property, when the incident happened at or in a
dwelling or other building on the property owned by a
friend, relative, or neighbor. Other buildings on a friend's,
a relative's, or a neighbor's property could include a garage,
porch, tool shed, guest house, barn, greenhouse, mobile
home, or trailer that is not used as a recreation vehicle, and
so on.
Incident Report Items
B4-26
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Part B, Chapter 4
Also enter Precode (18) when the incident happened at or
in:
T A second home or vacation home owned by a friend,
relative, or neighbor of a respondent.
T A friend's, relative's, or neighbor's room in a boarding
house, school dormitory, or similar type of place.
T A friend's, relative's, or neighbor's apartment.
After entering Precode (18) in
LOCATION_OTHER_HOME, continue with Item
INSIDEOROUT.
If the incident happened at or in a dwelling or other
building on the property of someone the respondent does
not know, return to LOCATION_GENERAL and enter
Precode (36) and enter a description of exactly where the
incident took place when the “Specify” screen appears.
Precode (19)
Enter Precode (19), Yard, sidewalk, driveway, carport
(does not include apartment yards), when the incident
happened in a friend's, relative's, or neighbor's yard,
sidewalk, driveway, carport, balcony, open porch, or patio.
The yard, sidewalk, driveway, carport, balcony, open porch,
or patio must be intended for the sole use of the
respondent's friend, relative, or neighbor and not for the use
of other housing units.
Do NOT enter Precode (19) in
LOCATION_OTHER_HOME if the incident took place
in an apartment yard; instead, return to
LOCATION_GENERAL and select precode (17). The
LOCATION_OPEN_AREA screen appears; select
precode (33). If the incident happened in the yard,
sidewalk, driveway, or carport of someone the respondent
does not know, return to LOCATION_GENERAL and
enter Precode (36); then enter a description of exactly
Incident Report Items
B4-27
Part B, Chapter 4
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
where the incident took place when the “Specify” screen,
LOCATION_SPEC appears.
After entering Precode (19) in
LOCATION_OTHER_HOME, continue with Item
INSIDEOROUT.
Precode (20)
Enter Precode (20), Apartment hall, storage area,
laundry room (does not include apartment parking
lot/garage), when the incident happened in the building
where a respondent's friend, relative, or neighbor lives, but
not in the friend, relative, or neighbor's housing unit. The
building could include apartments, condominiums,
dormitory rooms, boarding house rooms, and so on. If the
incident happened in the building's parking garage, do not
enter Precode (20) in in LOCATION_OTHER_ HOME,
instead return to LOCATION_ GENERAL and enter
Precode (15); then enter Precode (30) at the
LOCATION_PARKING item.
After entering Precode (20) in
LOCATION_OTHER_HOME, continue with Item
INSIDEOROUT.
Precode (21)
Enter Precode (21), On street immediately adjacent to
their home, when the incident occurred on the street
IMMEDIATELY ADJACENT to the property of the
respondent's friend, relative, or neighbor. "Immediately
adjacent" includes directly in front or to the side of the
friend's, the relative's, or the neighbor's unit and does NOT
include next door or across the street from the friend's,
relative's, or neighbor's housing unit.
After entering Precode (21) in
LOCATION_OTHER_HOME, continue with Item
INSIDEOROUT.
Incident Report Items
B4-28
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Part B, Chapter 4
! Ask if necessary:
At what type of a commercial place did this incident happen?
" 22. Inside restaurant, bar, nightclub
" 23. Inside bank
" 24. Inside gas station
" 25. Inside other commercial building, such as a store
" 26. Inside office
" 27. Inside factory or warehouse
____________________________________________________________________________________
LOCATION_COM MERCE
LOCATION_
COMMERCE
LOCATION_COMMERCE covers Precodes (22), (23),
(24), (25), (26), and (27) for different types of commercial
places inside of which the incident could have occurred
Precode (22)
Enter Precode (22), Inside restaurant, bar, nightclub,
when the incident happened INSIDE any type of eating
and/or drinking establishment, such as a restaurant, bar and
grill, cafe, tavern, cafeteria, bar, and so on.
After entering Precode (22) in
LOCATION_COMMERCE, continue with Item
RESTRICTED AREA.
If the incident happened OUTSIDE of an eating and/or
drinking establishment, return to
LOCATION_GENERAL and enter Precode (15), “In a
parking lot or garage,” when the incident happened in a
parking lot outside of the eating and/or drinking
establishment, then enter either Precode (28), “Commercial
parking lot or garage,” or Precode (29), “Noncommercial
parking lot or garage” in LOCATION_PARKING.
Enter Precode (17), “In an open area, on the street, or on
publich transportation,” at LOCATION_GENERAL and
Precode (34), “On the street,” at
LOCATION_OPEN_AREA when the incident happened
on the street near the eating and/or drinking establishment.
Incident Report Items
B4-29
Part B, Chapter 4
Precodes (23), (24), and
(25)
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Enter Precode (23), Inside bank, when the incident
happened in a bank, credit union, or some other type of
financial institution. Enter Precode (24), Inside gas
station, when the incident happened anywhere on the
property of a gas station. Enter Precode (25), Inside other
commercial building, such as a store, when the incident
happened INSIDE a business establishment where
cash/credit is exchanged for purchased products by the
general public, OTHER THAN AT A BANK OR GAS
STATION. For example, in a department store, factory
outlet store, hotel gift shop, and so on.
Precode (25) is NOT intended for incidents that happened
in a:
W Restaurant, bar, or nightclub, instead enter
Precode (22), Inside restaurant, bar, nightclub.
W Commercial parking lot or garage, instead return to
LOCATION_GENERAL and enter Precode (15);
then enter Precode (28), Commercial parking
lot/garage at LOCATION_PARKING.
W Nonommercial parking lot or garage, instead return to
LOCATION_GENERAL and enter Precode (15);
then enter Precode (29), Noncommercial parking
lot/garage at LOCATION_PARKING.
W Airport, bus or train station, or on a bus, train, plane, or
some other type of public transportation, instead return
to LOCATION_GENERAL and enter Precode (17);
then enter Precode (35) On public transportation or
in station, at LOCATION_OPEN_AREA.
After entering Precode (23), (24), or (25) in
LOCATION_COMMERCE, continue with Item
RESTRICTEDAREA.
Precode (26) or (27)
Enter Precode (26), Inside office, when the incident
happened INSIDE a building used for office work,
Incident Report Items
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NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Part B, Chapter 4
including incidents that occurred in post office buildings.
Enter Precode (27), Inside factory or warehouse, when
the incident happened INSIDE a commercial building used
for factory work or warehouse storage purposes.
After entering Precode (26) or (27) in
LOCATION_COMMERCE, continue with Item
RESTRICTEDAREA.
! Ask if necessary:
In what type of a parking lot or garage did this incident happen?
" 28. Commercial parking lot/garage
" 29. Noncommercial parking lot/garage
" 30. Apartment/townhouse parking lot/garage
____________________________________________________________________________________
LOCATION_PARKING
LOCATION_
_PARKING
LOCATION_PARKING covers Precodes (28) through
(30) for all types of parking lots and parking garages at
which the incident could have happened.
Precode (28)
Enter Precode (28), Commercial parking lot/garage,
when the incident took place at an attended or unattended
parking lot or garage which is privately operated for profit
AND requires a parking fee.
Do NOT enter Precode (28) when the incident occurred:
W In a parking lot or garage that has parking meters or is
operated by a local, state, or Federal government,
regardless of whether or not a fee is required, instead
enter Precode (29), Noncommercial parking
lot/garage.
W In a commercial parking lot or garage during hours
when the general public can park free, instead enter
Precode (29), Noncommercial parking lot/garage.
Incident Report Items
B4-31
Part B, Chapter 4
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
After entering Precode (28) in LOCATION_PARKING,
continue with Item RESTRICTEDAREA.
Precode (29)
Enter Precode (29), Noncommercial parking lot/garage,
when the incident happened at a public parking lot or
garage where the general public can park free of charge,
such as at a shopping mall or shopping center, bus station,
office building, and so on.
Also enter Precode (29) when the incident happened at:
T A parking lot or garage that has parking meters.
T A parking lot or garage that is operated by a local, state,
or Federal government, regardless of whether or not a
fee is required.
T A commercial parking lot or garage during hours when
parking is free to the general public.
Do NOT enter Precode (29) when the incident took place:
W At parking meters on the side of a street, instead return
to LOCATION_GENERAL, enter Precode (17), In
open area, then select Precode (34), On the street, at
LOCATION_OPEN_AREA.
W At apartment parking lots, instead enter Precode (30) in
LOCATION_ PARKING.
W At school parking lots or areas, instead enter Precode
(16), At school, at LOCATION_ GENERAL, On
school property, and Precode (32) at
LOCATION_SCHOOL.
After entering Precode (29) in LOCATION_ PARKING,
continue with Item RESTRICTEDAREA.
Precode (30)
Enter Precode (30), Apartment/townhouse parking
lot/garage, when the incident happened in the parking area
Incident Report Items
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NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Part B, Chapter 4
provided for residents and their guests. This includes
residents of apartments, townhouses, rooming houses,
dormitories, condominiums, and so on. It does not matter if
the parking garage is inside or attached to the resident's
building.
After entering Precode (30) in Item
LOCATION_PARKING, continue with Item
RESTRICTEDAREA.
! Ask if necessary:
W here at school did this incident happen?
" 31. Inside school building
" 32. On school property (school parking area, play area, school bus, etc.)
__________________________________________________________________________________
LOCATION_SCHOOL
LOCATION_SCHOOL
LOCATION_SCHOOL, covers Precodes (31) and (32)
for school buildings and school property at which the
incident could have taken place.
Precode (31)
Enter Precode (31), Inside school building, when the
incident happened INSIDE a school building (for example,
in a classroom, gym, hallway, or principal's office). If the
incident happened on the grounds of a school and not inside
a school building, enter Precode (32), On school property.
If the incident happened in a school dormitory building,
return to Item LOCATION_GENERAL, enter Precode
(11), “In own dwelling, own attached garage, or enclosed
porch,” at Item LOCATION_IN_HOME or (16),
“Apartment hall, storage area, laundry room,” at Item
LOCATION_NEAR_HOME, as appropriate.
After entering Precode (31) in Item
LOCATION_SCHOOL, continue with Item
RESPONDENTSSCHOOL.
Incident Report Items
B4-33
Part B, Chapter 4
Precode (32)
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Enter Precode (32), On school property (school parking
area, play area, school bus, etc.), when the incident
happened outside of a school building in areas such as
the school steps, parking lot, athletic field, or playground.
Also enter Precode (32) when the incident happened on a
school bus that is transporting students to or from school
each school day or on a school bus transporting students to
and from a school sponsored activity. If the incident
happened when a school bus was transporting students to or
from an activity NOT sponsored by the school (such as to
an amusement park or summer camp), return to Item
LOCATION_GENERAL and enter Precode (17), “In an
open area, on the street, or on public transportation,” then
enter Precode (35), “On public transportation or in station”
at Item LOCATION_OPEN_ AREA.
After entering Precode (32) in Item
LOCATION_SCHOOL, continue with Item
RESTRICTEDAREA.
! Ask if necessary:
W here in an open area, on the street, or on public transportation did this incident happen?
" 33. In apartment yard, park, field, playground (other than school)
" 34. On the street (other than immediately adjacent to own/friend's/relative's/neighbors's home)
" 35. On public transportation or in station (bus, train, plane, airport,depot, etc.)
___________________________________________________________________________________
LOCATION_OPEN_AREA
LOCATION_OPEN
_AREA
Item LOCATION_OPEN_AREA covers Precodes (33)
through (35) for a variety of places open to the general
public where an incident could take place.
Precode (33)
Enter Precode (33), In apartment yard, park, field,
playground (other than school), when the incident
occurred in a public, unenclosed area AND the area is NOT
on school property. Also enter Precode (33) when the
incident happened in a yard shared by more than one
family.
Incident Report Items
B4-34
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Part B, Chapter 4
After entering Precode (33) in Item
LOCATION_OPEN_AREA, continue with Item
INSIDEOROUT.
Precode (34)
Enter Precode (34), On the street (other than immediately
adjacent to own/friend's/relative's/neighbor's home),
when the incident happened on a public street or highway
AND the street or highway is not adjacent to the
respondent's own home or the home of a respondent's
friend, relative, or neighbor.
Also enter Precode (34) when the incident involved:
•
A parked motor vehicle, such as an incident involving
auto theft,
•
The respondent driving or riding in a motor vehicle,
•
The respondent walking or riding a bicycle on a street,
•
The respondent while on the shoulder of a street or on a
public sidewalk that is not covered in another answer
category of Item LOCATION_GENERAL.
After entering Precode (34) in Item LOCATION_OPEN_
AREA, continue with Item INSIDEOROUT.
Precode (35)
Enter Precode (35), On public transportation or in
station (bus, train, plane, airport, depot, etc.), when the
incident happened on some type of public transportation
(bus, taxi, train, plane, subway, and so on) or in a bus
depot, train station, airport, or subway station. Also enter
Precode (35) when the incident happened on a school bus
while transporting persons to or from an activity that is
NOT sponsored by the school, such as to or from a summer
camp.
After entering Precode (35) in Item
LOCATION_OPEN_AREA, continue with Item
INSIDEOROUT.
Incident Report Items
B4-35
Part B, Chapter 4
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
LOCATION_SPEC
If you choose Precode (36), “Somewhere else” at the
LOCATION_GENERAL screen, the
LOCATION_SPEC screen appears.
Precode (36)
Enter Precode (36) when the incident happened at or in a
place that does not fit any of the places shown for any other
location screen. After entering Precode (36) in
LOCATION_GENERAL, always describe the place or
situation on the "Specify" screen, LOCATION_SPEC,
that appears after entering Precode (36).
Here are some examples for when to enter Precode (36):
C
Fenced in storage yard of a factory
C
Jail or prison
C
Hospital
C
Library
C
Church
C
On a beach.
After entering Precode (36) and describing the crime
incident location on the “Specify” screen, you will continue
with Item RESTRICTEDAREA.
Did the offender live there or have a right to be there, for instance, as a guest or a repair person?
" 1. Yes
" 2. No
OFFENDERLIVE
OFFENDERLIVE
If you enter Precode (11), (12), (13), or (14) in Item
LOCATION_IN_HOME, you will ask the question in
Item OFFENDERLIVE to determine whether the offender
Incident Report Items
B4-36
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Part B, Chapter 4
had a legal right to be in the respondent's home or other
structure on the respondent's property.
Precode (1)
Enter Precode (1), "Yes," when the offender:
•
Was living or staying with the respondent when the
incident happened.
•
Had a legal right to be in the respondent's dwelling or a
building on the respondent's property when the incident
happened, such as a plumber, cleaning service,
hotel/motel maid, and so on.
•
Had permission to enter the respondent's dwelling or a
building on the respondent's property prior to the time
the incident took place, such as a friend, relative,
salesperson, or meter reader. However, if the offender
entered fraudulently, do not enter Precode (1). For
example, if the offender misrepresented his/her purpose
for needing to enter the building/unit/dwelling as a
repair person, policeman, maid, and so on to gain
entrance, enter Precode (2), "No."
After entering Precode (1), continue with Item
FARFROMHOME.
Precode (2)
Enter Precode (2), "No," when the offender:
•
Was not living or staying with the respondent and did
not have a legal right or permission to be in the
dwelling or building on the respondent's property at the
time of the incident.
•
Was let into the dwelling by a child and did not have a
legal right to enter the dwelling because the parents
would not have allowed access to the offender.
•
Pushed his/her way into the dwelling when the
respondent answered the door.
Incident Report Items
B4-37
Part B, Chapter 4
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
•
Entered the dwelling by fraudulently misrepresenting
himself/herself as a repair person, policeman, maid, etc.
After entering Precode (2), continue with Item
OFFENDERINSIDE.
(DON’T KNOW)
Enter Ctrl + D, for "Don't know," when the respondent does
not know who the offender was or whether the offender had
a legal right to be in the dwelling or other building on the
respondent's property. If you think that the respondent
answered "Don't know," because he/she is uncertain who
the offender is, you may want to probe by asking the
respondent if the person suspected of being the offender
had a legal right to be in the respondent's dwelling.
After entering Ctrl + D, continue with Item
OFFENDERINSIDE.
Did the offender actually get INSIDE your (house/apartment/room/garage/shed/enclosed porch) ?
" 1. Yes
" 2. No
OFFENDERINSIDE
OFFENDERINSIDE
After entering “No” or “Don’t know” in Item
OFFENDERLIVE, you will ask the question in Item
OFFENDERINSIDE to determine if the offender actually
entered the building or dwelling. As you ask the question,
make sure to read the appropriate type of structure. For
example, if the incident occurred in the respondent's garage,
ask, "Did the offender actually get INSIDE your
garage?"
Incident Report Items
B4-38
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Part B, Chapter 4
For a Multi-Unit
Structure
If the incident happened in a multi-unit structure, such as an
apartment building or a hotel, we are only interested in the
respondent's apartment unit or hotel room for Item
OFFENDERINSIDE. Enter Precode (2), "No," if the
offender got inside the building, but did not actually get
inside the respondent's apartment unit or hotel room.
Before Entering a
“Don’t know” answer
If you feel that a respondent may know how the offender
entered the dwelling or other building on the respondent's
property even though he/she answered "Don't know," probe
by repeating the respondent's answer or pausing a moment.
However, some respondents really will not know if the
offender actually got inside. For instance, enter Ctrl + D if
a respondent:
C
Did not find anything disturbed or stolen even though
the window in the back door was broken and the door
was unlocked.
C
Was told by a neighbor that an offender was seen
leaving the respondent's house, but there was no
evidence that the offender got inside.
The instrument goes to Item FORCEDENTRY when
precode (1) is selected at Item OFFENDERINSIDE,
otherwise it goes to Item OFFENDERTRY.
Incident Report Items
B4-39
Part B, Chapter 4
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Did the offender TRY to get in your (house/apartment/room/garage/shed/enclosed porch)?
" 1. Yes
" 2. No
OFFENDERTRY
OFFENDERTRY
After entering Precode (2) or “Don’t know” in Item
OFFENDERINSIDE, you will ask the question in Item
OFFENDERTRY to determine if the offender tried to get
into the respondent's dwelling or other building on the
respondent's property. As you read the question, make sure
to read the appropriate type of structure. For example, if
the incident occurred in the respondent's enclosed porch,
ask, "Did the offender TRY to get inside your enclosed
porch?"
For a Multi-Unit
Structure
If the incident happened in a multi-unit structure, such as an
apartment building or a hotel, we are only interested in the
respondent's apartment unit or hotel room for Item
OFFENDERTRY. Enter Precode (2), "No," if the
offender tried to get inside the building, but did not actually
try to get inside the respondent's apartment unit or hotel
room.
Before Entering
Precode (2)
Before entering Precode (2), "No," in Item
OFFENDERTRY, make sure that the respondent did NOT
answer "No" because the offender was let in or entered
through an unlocked or open door or window. In other
words, there was no evidence of forcible entry. If this is the
case, back up and change the answer in Item
OFFENDERINSIDE to “Yes” by entering Precode (1) to
show that the offender actually got inside the respondent's
home or lodging.
Reviewing Answer in
Item LOCATION_
GENERAL
If you entered Precode (2), "No," in Items
OFFENDERINSIDE and OFFENDERTRY, you are
indicating that the offender did NOT get inside or try to get
inside the respondent's home or lodging. Therefore, no
illegal entry or attempted illegal entry happened. Edit
Incident Report Items
B4-40
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Part B, Chapter 4
check ENTRY_CK will appear to alert you to the
inconsistency. In this situation, you must go back to one of
the questions involved in the inconsistency and review the
entry with the respondent so you can verify that the correct
precode was entered to indicate where the incident took
place.
W as there any evidence, such as a broken lock or broken window, that the
offender(s) got in by force?
" 1. Yes
" 2. No
FORCEDENTRY
W hat was the evidence?
! Probe: Anything else?
! Enter all that apply, separate with commas
W INDOW :
" 11. Damage to window (include frame, glass broken/removed/cracked)
" 12. Screen damaged/removed
" 13. Lock on window damaged/tampered with in some way
" 14. Other (specify)
DOOR:
" 15. Damage to door (include frame, glass panes or door removed)
" 16. Screen damaged/removed
" 17. Lock or door handle damaged/tampered with in some way
" 18. Other (specify)
OTHER:
" 19. Other than window or door (specify)
EVIDENCE
Evidence of Forcible Entry
Items FORCEDENTRY and EVIDENCE are used to
determine whether there was any physical, visible evidence
of forcible entry found after the incident took place.
Incident Report Items
B4-41
Part B, Chapter 4
FORCEDENTRY
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Ask the question in Item FORCEDENTRY when:
C
Precode (1) is entered in Item OFFENDERINSIDE
indicating that the offender actually got inside the
respondent's dwelling or lodging
OR
C
Precode (1) or Control + D is entered in Item
OFFENDERTRY indicating that the offender tried to
get in the respondent's dwelling or lodging or the
respondent does not know whether the
offender tried to get in the respondent's dwelling or
lodging.
Precode (1)
Enter Precode (1), "Yes," when there was physical, visible
evidence following the incident that the offender entered or
tried to enter the respondent's dwelling or lodging by force.
Examples of visible evidence are shown in the answer
categories for Item EVIDENCE. After entering Precode
(1) for Item FORCEDENTRY, you will continue with
Item EVIDENCE to identify the types of physical, visible
evidence from the incident.
Precode (2)
Enter Precode (2), "No," in Item FORCEDENTRY, when
the evidence is:
•
A skeleton key or entry through an open window, door,
and so on.
•
A ladder or trash placed next to a window, but there
was no evidence that the window was tampered with in
some way.
•
An injury to the respondent as he/she opened the door
and the offender pushed the respondent out of the way.
Although this is evidence of an attack, it is not evidence
of a break-in.
Incident Report Items
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NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Part B, Chapter 4
•
An offender forces a respondent to let him/her enter the
dwelling or lodging and there is no visible evidence of a
break-in or attempted break-in to the dwelling or
lodging after the incident.
In the examples provided above, enter Precode (2), "No," if
no evidence of a forcible entry or attempted forcible entry
was mentioned. After entering Precode (2) in Item
FORCEDENTRY, continue with Item
OFFENDERGETIN.
EVIDENCE
After entering Precode (1) in Item FORCEDENTRY, you
will ask the question in Item EVIDENCE to identify the
types of evidence found after the incident indicating that
there was a forcible entry or an attempted forcible entry of
the respondent's dwelling or lodging. Enter all precodes
that apply to the respondent's answer and continue to ask,
"Anything else?" until you get a "No" response.
The answer categories for Item EVIDENCE are separated
into three groups--Window, Door, and Other. Precodes
(11) through (14) relate to the types of damage to a
window. Precodes (15) through (18) relate to the types of
damage to a door. Precode (19) relates to all other means
of force used to gain entry or to try to gain entry into the
respondent's dwelling or lodging.
Since physical, visible evidence of force is evidence that
can be seen, keep in mind that the following types of
evidence are NOT considered signs of forcible entry or
attempted forcible entry:
W An open or unlocked window
W An open or unlocked door.
Precode (11)
Enter Precode (11) if the glass in the window was broken,
cracked, or removed, or if there was evidence on the
window frame that force was used to gain access or to try to
Incident Report Items
B4-43
Part B, Chapter 4
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
gain access into the building, such as pry marks on the
window frame.
Precode (12)
Enter Precode (12) if the window screen was cut, ripped, or
removed by the offender to gain access or to try to gain
access.
Precode (13)
Enter Precode (13) if the window lock was damaged,
removed, or showed visible signs that the offender
tampered with it to gain access or to try to gain access.
Precode (14)
Enter Precode (14) if the respondent mentions some type of
window damage not covered by Precodes (11) through (13).
When the “Specify” screen, EVIDENCE_SPEC14,
appears after entering Precode (14), enter a note describing
how the offender gained access or attempted to gain access
through a window. Avoid entering Precode (14) if the
respondent's answer really fits one of the answer categories
for Precodes (11) through (13).
Precode (15)
Enter Precode (15) if there were marks on the door or door
frame, such as scratches, holes, or damaged glass in the
door, or if the offender removed or knocked down the door
to gain access or to try to gain access.
Precode (16)
Enter Precode (16) if the offender damaged or removed a
screen door.
Precode (17)
Enter Precode (17) if a door lock or handle was damaged,
tampered with, or removed.
Precode (18)
Enter Precode (18) if the respondent mentions some type of
door damage not covered by Precodes (15) through (17).
When the “Specify” screen, EVIDENCE_SPEC18,
appears after entering Precode (18), enter a note describing
how the offender gained access or attempted to gain access
through a door. Avoid entering Precode (18) if the
respondent's answer really fits one of the answer categories
for Precodes (15) through (17).
Incident Report Items
B4-44
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Precode (19)
Part B, Chapter 4
Enter Precode (19) if the offender forcibly gained access or
tried to gain access other than through a door or window,
such as by cutting a hole in a wall. After entering
Precode (19), always note what type of evidence there was
of forcible entry or attempted forcible entry when the
“Specify” screen, EVIDENCE_SPEC19, appears. After
completing the EVIDENCE screen, continue with Item
FARFROMHOME.
How did the offender get in?
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
Let in
Offender pushed his/her way in after door opened
Through OPEN DOOR or other opening
Through UNLOCKED door or window
Through LOCKED door or window - Had key
Through LOCKED door or window - Picked lock, used credit card, etc., other than key
Through LOCKED door or window - Don't know how
Don't know
Other - specify
OFFENDERGETIN
OFFENDERGETIN
After entering Precode (2) in Item FORCEDENTRY, you
will continue with Item OFFENDERGETIN to determine
how the offender got inside or tried to get inside the
respondent's dwelling or lodging when there was no
evidence of a forcible entry or attempted forcible entry.
After asking the question, enter the first precode that
applies and probe when the respondent's answer is unclear
or too general. For example, if a respondent says that the
offender got in through the front door, you need to probe to
determine whether the offender was let in, came through an
unlocked door, and so on.
After entering the appropriate precode for Item
OFFENDERGETIN, continue with Item
FARFROMHOME.
Precode (11)
Enter Precode (11) if the offender was let into the dwelling
or lodging by someone who was not authorized to permit
Incident Report Items
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Part B, Chapter 4
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
entry. For example, a child lets in an offender even though
the child's parents had told the offender never to come to
their home.
Also enter Precode (11) if the offender entered the dwelling
or lodging without permission or entered fraudulently when
someone answered the door. For example, an offender
falsely claims to be a police officer or a maid to gain
access.
Precode (12)
Enter Precode (12) if the offender pushed his/her way in
after someone opened the door.
Precode (13)
Enter Precode (13) if the offender got in or tried to get in
through a door or other opening that was already open at
the time of the incident. Do not enter Precode (13) if the
offender had to open an unlocked door, window, and so on
to enter the respondent's dwelling or lodging.
The phrase "Other openings" includes open windows, open
garage doors, the open side of a three-sided shed, an
opening left by a missing door or window, a hole in the
wall, and so on.
Precode (14)
Enter Precode (14) if the offender opened or tried to open
an unlocked door or window to gain access.
Precode (15)
Enter Precode (15) if the offender used a key to enter the
respondent's dwelling or lodging through a locked door
or window. A key includes one cut to fit the lock, a
skeleton key, or any other key.
Precode (16)
Enter Precode (16) if the offender used "another means,"
other than a key, to gain access through a locked door or
window AND the respondent knows or has a pretty good
idea how the offender entered or attempted to enter the
dwelling or lodging. The phrase "another means" includes
picking the lock, using a credit card, and so on.
Incident Report Items
B4-46
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Part B, Chapter 4
It is possible that you could discover that the method used
to gain access or to try to gain access left physical, visible
evidence of force. If this happens, correct the answer in
Item FORCEDENTRY by changing Precode (2) to
Precode (1). When you go back to a previous screen to
change an answer, the instrument will bring up the correct
screens automatically.
Precode (17)
Enter Precode (17) if the respondent thinks or knows that
the offender entered or tried to enter his/her dwelling or
lodging through a locked door or window, but does not
know how.
Precode (18)
Enter Precode (18) if the respondent does not know how
the offender gained access or tried to gain access to his/her
dwelling or lodging. For example, a respondent returns
home and discovers that the television and stereo system
are gone, but there is no indication at all of how the
offender got into the home.
Precode (19)
Enter Precode (19) if the offender entered or tried to enter
the respondent's dwelling or lodging by some means not
described by Precodes (11) through (18). After entering
Precode (19), always describe the method used on the
"Specify" screen, OFFENDERGETIN_SPEC.
Here is an example for entering Precode (19): The offender
held a gun to the respondent's head and forced the
respondent to open the door.
W as it your school?
" 1. Yes
" 2. No
RESPONDENTSSCHOOL
RESPONDENTSSCHOOL
After entering Precode (31), "Inside school building," in
Item LOCATION_SCHOOL, you will continue with Item
RESPONDENTSSCHOOL, which is used to determine
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whether or not the incident happened at the school the
respondent attends.
Precode (1)
If you get a "Yes" answer, enter Precode (1) and then you
will continue with Item PARTSCHOOLBLDG so you can
determine in what part of the school building the incident
happened.
Precode (2)
If you get a "No" answer, enter Precode (2) and then you
will continue with Item RESTRICTEDAREA so you can
determine whether or not the incident happened in an area
that is restricted to certain people.
In what part of the school building did it happen?
"
"
"
"
1.
2.
3.
4.
Classroom
Hallway/Stairwell
Bathroom/Locker room
Other (library, gym, auditorium, cafeteria)
PARTSCHOOLBLDG
PARTSCHOOLBLDG
Item PARTSCHOOLBLDG is asked to determine in what
part of the school building the incident happened. Only
ONE precode is allowed to identify the most accurate
description of where the incident took place within the
respondent's school building.
Precode (1)
Enter Precode (1) if the respondent tells you that the
incident occurred in a classroom.
Precode (2)
Enter Precode (2) if the respondent tells you that the
incident occurred in a school hallway or stairway/stairwell.
Precode (3)
Enter Precode (3) if the respondent tells you that the
incident occurred in a school bathroom, shower room, or
locker room.
Precode (4)
Enter Precode (4) if the respondent tells you that the
incident occurred in another location within the school
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building other than the locations mentioned for
Precodes (1), (2), or (3), such as in the school library, gym,
auditorium, cafeteria, and so on.
! Ask or verify:
Did the incident happen in an area restricted to certain people or
was it open to the public at the time?
" 1. Open to the public
" 2. Restricted to certain people (or nobody had a right to be there)
" 3. Don't know
" 4. Other - specify
RESTRICTEDAREA
RESTRICTEDAREA
Item RESTRICTEDAREA is asked to determine whether
at the time of the incident the location (where the incident
occurred) was restricted to certain people or was open to
the public.
Notice that Item RESTRICTEDAREA has the instruction
"ASK OR VERIFY." When you see this instruction, you
can verify a known answer with the respondent without
asking the question. Only verify a known answer when you
see this instruction and do not enter the precode without at
least verifying the answer first with the respondent.
Precode (1)
Enter Precode (1) when the incident happened in an area
that was open to the general public at the time of the
incident. Places that are usually open to the public include
stores, public sidewalks, public buildings, restaurants,
parking lots, apartment yards, parks, and so on.
Precode (2)
Enter Precode (2) when the incident happened in an area
that was restricted to certain people at the time of the
incident, such as an employee's lounge in a store, a
school classroom, or a private country club. Restricted
places normally consider persons who do not belong on the
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premises as trespassers. Also enter Precode (2) if the
incident happened at a business during non-business hours
when the place is restricted and is not open to the general
public.
Precode (3)
Enter Precode (3) when the respondent does not know if the
place where the incident happened was open to the general
public at the time of the incident. For example, a
respondent left his rain coat at a restaurant and, when he
returned the next day, the rain coat was not found. In this
situation, you would enter Precode (3) since the respondent
does not know whether the incident happened during
business or non-business hours AND the restaurant is NOT
open to the general public during non-business hours.
Precode (4)
Enter Precode (4) if the respondent's answer does not fit the
answer categories for Precodes (1) through (3). After
entering Precode (4), make sure to explain the situation on
the "Specify" screen, RESTRICTEDAREA_SPEC.
Avoid entering Precode (4) if the respondent's answer really
fits Precode (1), (2), or (3).
! Ask or verify:
Did it happen indoors, outdoors, or both?
" 1. Indoors (inside a building or enclosed space)
" 2. Outdoors
" 3. Both
INSIDEOROUT
INSIDEOROUT
Item INSIDEOROUT is asked to determine if the incident
happened indoors, outdoors, or both indoors and outdoors.
Item INSIDEOROUT includes the "ASK OR VERIFY"
instruction, which allows you to verify a known answer
with the respondent without asking the question. Only
verify a known answer when you see this instruction and do
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not enter the answer without at least verifying it first with
the respondent.
Precode (1)
Enter Precode (1) if the incident happened inside a building
or enclosed space that has a roof, such as a three-sided
shed, screened porch, screened gazebo, patio room, and so
on.
Precode (2)
Enter Precode (2) if the incident happened outdoors in an
open space, such as in a backyard (fenced or unfenced),
baseball field, carport, parking lot, open porch or patio, and
so on. For the NCVS, all modes of transportation are
considered outdoors. This includes cars, trucks, vans, sport
utility vehicles, buses, taxicabs, airplanes, trains, and so on.
Precode (3)
Enter Precode (3) if the incident happened both indoors and
outdoors. For example, a respondent was attacked inside a
bar. As the respondent fled the bar, the offender followed
him and continued to attack him in the parking lot.
Another example would be an incident in which a
respondent's property was stolen from inside the home and
from the unenclosed patio.
! Ask or verify:
How far away from home did this happen?
! Probe: W as it within a mile, 5 miles, 50 miles or more?
! Enter the code for the first answer category that the respondent is sure of
" 1 At, in, or near the building containing the
respondent's home or next door
" 2 A mile or less
" 3 Five miles or less
" 4 Fifty miles or less
" 5 More than 50 miles
" 6 Don't know how far
FARFROMHOM E
FARFROMHOME
Item FARFROMHOME is asked to determine the
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distance between where the incident happened and where
the respondent was residing at the time of the incident.
Notice that Item FARFROMHOME has the instruction
"ASK OR VERIFY." When you see this instruction, you
can verify a known answer with the respondent without
asking the question. Only verify a known answer when you
see this instruction and do not enter the answer without at
least verifying it first with the respondent. Enter the first
precode about which the respondent feels sure of the
answer.
Item FARFROMHOME also includes a probe question
that you only need to ask if the respondent seems uncertain
about how to answer the question.
Precode (1)
Enter Precode (1) when the incident took place in the
respondent's home or on the respondent's property. If the
respondent was living in a single family home or a mobile
home at the time of the incident, Precode (1) refers to the
home, yard, driveway, carport, sidewalk, or street adjacent
to the home. Also enter Precode (1) if the incident
happened at the respondent's next door neighbor's home.
If the respondent was living in an apartment, dormitory
room, and so on, at the time of the incident, Precode (1)
refers to:
Precodes (2) Through (6)
C
Inside the respondent's unit,
C
Inside the building where the unit is located (for
example, an apartment hallway or laundry room),
C
Inside another resident's unit in the same building,
C
The yard, sidewalk, or street adjacent to the
respondent's building.
Enter the first precode from Precodes (2) through (6) that
best describes the distance between where the incident
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happened and where the respondent was residing at the
time of the incident. For example, enter Precode (3) when
the respondent is unsure if the distance is less than 5 miles,
but is positive that the distance is at least two miles.
? [F1]
! Ask or verify:
W ere you or any other member of this household present when this incident occurred?
! You may need to probe to obtain more details to determine if respondent was present.
" 1. Yes
" 2. No
HHMEMBERPRESENT
HHMEMBERPRESENT
Ask or verify Item HHMEMBERPRESENT to determine
whether any household members were present when the
incident occurred. Note the question mark at the top left of
the screen. It indicates that there is a help screen for this
item. In this question the help screen includes a definition
of what “present” means, should you need to review the
concept during an interview. It is extremely important that
you enter the correct precode for this item, because an
incorrect answer will either:
T Cause you to skip over items needed to fully describe
the incident and could cause the incident to classify
incorrectly when you enter Precode (2), "No," by
mistake,
OR
T Cause you to ask questions that do not relate to what
happened during the incident when you enter
Precode (1), "Yes," by mistake.
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It is very important that you understand the NCVS concept
of "presence" during an incident. If you suspect that a
respondent's answer to Item HHMEMBERPRESENT is
not correct based on the information provided earlier in the
interview, make sure to probe for an accurate answer. If
you probe and it is still unclear which precode to enter for
Item HHMEMBERPRESENT, it is better to enter
Precode (1), "Yes," than to enter Precode (2), "No."
Here are three examples when the respondent answered
"No," but, by NCVS standards, each respondent is
considered present during the incident:
C
A respondent answers "No" to Item
HHMEMBERPRESENT because she was sleeping in
her bedroom on the second floor while the offender
forcibly entered through her kitchen door on the first
floor and stole electronic equipment.
C
A respondent answers "No" to Item
HHMEMBERPRESENT because he is watching
television in his family room while the offender stole
three bicycles from his attached garage.
C
A respondent answers "No" to Item
HHMEMBERPRESENT because she is in the kitchen
cooking dinner while the offender who is a guest was
stealing jewelry and money from her bedroom dresser.
In all of these examples, Precode (1), "Yes," should be
entered because the respondent in each case is considered
present during the incident. This may not always be clear
to a respondent.
For the NCVS, a household member is considered
present when he/she is at the immediate scene of the
crime incident and there is an opportunity for the
offender to attack or threaten to physically harm a
household member or to take something directly from a
household member.
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If a current household member was not at the immediate
scene of the incident, but was personally attacked or
threatened with physical harm or an attempt was made to
harm the household member, consider the person present
during the incident and complete the incident report items
for each eligible household member who was personally
victimized. This includes:
C
Being shot at through a window by someone outside of
the house,
C
Being threatened with physical harm by a neighbor in
the adjoining yard or by an ex-boyfriend standing
outside the respondent's closed door while the
respondent is inside the house and on the other side of
the closed door. This does NOT include threats that are
NOT made in person directly from the offender to the
respondent, such as a threat by telephone, Internet,
FAX, mail, or through another person.
(Also see Part C, Chapter 3, Topic 6, for more detailed
information about presence during an incident.)
Notice that Item HHMEMBERPRESENT has the
instruction "ASK OR VERIFY." When you see this
instruction, you can verify a known answer with the
respondent without asking the question. Only verify a
known answer when you see this instruction and do not
enter the answer without at least verifying it first with the
respondent.
(Note: If you are taking a proxy interview, the instrument
replaces the word “you” with the proxy person’s name.)
Precode (1), "Yes"
Enter Precode (1), "Yes," if the respondent or any other
person, who is a household member at the time of the
interview, was present during the incident according to the
NCVS definition of presence. After entering Precode (1),
you will continue with Item WHICHMEMBER.
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Here are some examples for when Precode (1) should be
entered in Item HHMEMBERPRESENT:
T
A woman looked out her kitchen window and saw a
strange boy entering her garage. When she entered the
garage, she saw that the boy was attempting to steal
her bicycle. The boy got scared and ran away. In this
situation, the woman was PRESENT because she
reached the immediate crime scene while the
attempted crime was still in progress and she could
have been harmed by the offender.
T
A man falls asleep on the beach and when he wakes up
his CD player and keys are gone. In this situation, the
man was PRESENT even though he was sleeping
while the incident took place. He was at the
immediate scene of the crime and could have been
harmed by the offender.
T A woman was resting in her family room when a
stranger tried to break in through the locked door.
When she turned on the porch light, he ran away. In
this situation, the woman was PRESENT because she
was at the immediate scene of the attempted break in
and, if the break in had been successful, she could have
been harmed by the offender.
Precode (2), "No"
Enter Precode (2), "No," if the respondent AND any other
person, who is a household member at the time of
interview, were NOT present during the incident according
to the NCVS definition of presence.
After entering Precode (2), you will continue with Item
KNOWLEARNOFFENDERS.
Here are some examples to demonstrate when Precode (2)
should be entered in Item HHMEMBERPRESENT:
T A woman's leather coat was stolen from the coat room
in the restaurant lobby while she was eating dinner at
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the restaurant. After finishing her meal, she returned to
the coat room to get her leather coat and it was gone. In
this situation, the woman was NOT PRESENT,
because she was not at the immediate scene of the crime
during the incident and the offender did not have an
opportunity to harm the woman during the theft.
T A man was sleeping inside his house while someone
stole his new Mercedes from his driveway. In this
situation, the man was NOT PRESENT, because he
was not at the immediate scene of the crime during the
incident and the offender did not have an opportunity to
harm him during the theft.
T A woman looked out her living room window and saw
someone loading her riding lawn mower from her front
yard onto a truck. By the time she got outside, they had
driven away with her lawn mower. In this situation, the
woman was NOT PRESENT because she was not at
the immediate scene of the crime and there was no
chance that she could have been harmed during the
incident.
! Ask or verify:
W hich household members were present?
" 1.Respondent only
" 2.Respondent and other household member(s)
" 3.Only other household member(s), not respondent
W HICHMEMBER
WHICHMEMBER
After entering Precode (1), "Yes," in Item
HHMEMBERPRESENT, continue with Item
WHICHMEMBER so you can determine which
household members were present during the incident.
Notice that Item WHICHMEMBER has the instruction
"ASK OR VERIFY." When you see this instruction, you
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can verify a known answer with the respondent without
asking the question. Only verify a known answer when you
see this instruction and do not enter the answer without at
least verifying it first with the respondent.
Item WHICHMEMBER is another critical item and you
need to ensure that you enter the correct precode.
Otherwise, important information may be missed (for
example, information about weapons, attack or threat
methods, injuries, medical expenses, and so on) or
inappropriate questions may be asked (for example,
questions about weapons, attacks, and threats).
(Note: For proxy interviews, the word “respondent” is
replaced with the proxy person’s name.)
Precode (1)
Enter Precode (1) when the respondent for a self-response
interview (or the proxy person for a proxy interview) is the
ONLY household member who was present during the
incident. After entering Precode (1), continue with Item
SEEOFFENDER.
Precode (2)
Enter Precode (2) when both the respondent for a selfresponse interview (or the proxy person for a proxy
interview) AND other household members were present
during the incident. After entering Precode (2), continue
with Item SEEOFFENDER.
Precode (3)
Enter Precode (3) when the respondent for a self-response
interview (or the proxy person for a proxy interview) was
NOT present during the incident, but other household
members were present. Before entering Precode (3), make
sure that the respondent (or proxy person [not the proxy
respondent]) was NOT present during the incident. After
entering Precode (3), continue with Item HAPPEN.
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! Ask or verify:
Did you personally see an offender?
" 1 Yes
" 2 No
SEEOFFENDER
SEEOFFENDER
Proxy Interviews
Item SEEOFFENDER is asked to determine if the
respondent personally saw an offender.
If you are conducting a proxy interview, the proxy
respondent may not know for sure whether the proxy
person saw the offender during the incident. Probe by
asking if the proxy respondent thinks the proxy person saw
the offender and then enter the appropriate precode based
on the proxy respondent's answer. Precode (3), “Don’t
know,” appears in the answer list for proxy interviews only.
Did the offender have a weapon such as a gun or knife, or
something to use as a weapon, such as a bottle or wrench?
" 1. Yes
" 2. No
" 3. Don't know
W EAPONPRESENT
WEAPONPRESENT
Whenever a respondent was present during the incident,
you will ask the question in Item WEAPONPRESENT to
determine whether the offender had a weapon or used an
object as a weapon.
Guns and Knives
With the exception of BB and tear gas guns, all guns, rifles,
and knives are considered weapons. BB and tear gas guns
are only considered weapons when they are used as clubs.
Objects Used as
Weapons
Objects other than guns, rifles, and knives must have been
used as weapons to be considered weapons. For example,
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if the offender used a screwdriver only to break into the
respondent's home, the screwdriver is NOT a weapon for
the incident. However, if the offender attacked or
threatened to attack the respondent with the screwdriver,
then the screwdriver is a weapon for the incident.
When a respondent mentions an object that may or may not
be a weapon depending on how the offender used it,
probe to verify that the object was used to either attack the
respondent or threaten to attack the respondent. Make sure
to explain in the summary report exactly how the object
was used as a weapon during the incident.
Motor Vehicles
In the following situations, a motor vehicle (for example, a
car, truck, van, SUV, motorcycle, and so on) can be
considered a weapon:
C
The respondent knows the offender and the offender
deliberately used a motor vehicle to try to run into the
respondent's vehicle or a vehicle in which the
respondent was riding.
C
The respondent believes that the offender deliberately
struck or tried to hit him/her with a motor vehicle while
the respondent was on foot, a bicycle, in a motor
vehicle, and so on. The respondent's belief could be
based on words spoken by the offender or facts known
about the offender.
However, the offender's vehicle is NOT a weapon if the
respondent does not know the offender and there was NO
verbal threat of physical harm to the respondent when:
W The offender cut in front of a vehicle driven by the
respondent.
W The offender cut in front of a vehicle in which the
respondent was a passenger.
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W The offender and the respondent were involved in some
type of traffic accident or incidence of road rage.
Thrown Objects
Objects that are thrown at the respondent are ONLY
considered weapons if they hit the respondent. If the object
did NOT hit the respondent, consider the incident
as a threat (entering Precode (1) in Item THREATEN) and
identify the type of threat by entering Precode (21) in Item
HOWTHREATEN. Do not enter Precode (1) in Item
WEAPONPRESENT if the respondent mentions only the
thrown object that did not hit him/her as a weapon.
Objects That Are Never
Weapons
The following objects are NEVER considered weapons for
the NCVS:
W
W
W
W
W
W
W
W
W
Precode (1)
Animals
Parts of the body (for example, hands, feet, and so on)
Food
Small empty cans
Mace or pepper spray
Tear gas
Chloroform
Rings
Casts
Enter Precode (1), "Yes," if the offender had a weapon,
such as a gun or knife, or used an object, such as a bottle or
baseball bat, as a weapon. After entering Precode (1),
"Yes," you will continue with Item WEAPON.
Whenever you enter Precode (1), "Yes," indicating that the
offender had a weapon during the incident, you must enter
Precode (1), "Yes," in either Item ATTACK,
TRYATTACK, or THREATEN to indicate that the
offender attacked, tried to attack, or threatened the
respondent during the incident.
Precode (2)
Enter Precode (2), "No," if the respondent says that the
offender did not have a weapon. After entering
Precode (2), you will continue with Item ATTACK.
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Precode (3)
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Enter Precode (3), "Don't know," if the respondent says that
he/she does not know whether the offender had a weapon.
After entering Precode (3), you will continue with Item
ATTACK.
W hat was the weapon?
Probe: Anything else?
Enter all that apply, separate with commas.
"
"
"
"
"
"
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Hand gun (pistol, revolver, etc.)
Other gun (rifle, shotgun, etc.)
Knife
Other sharp object (scissors, ice pick, axe, etc.)
Blunt object (rock, club, blackjack, etc.)
Other - specify
W EAPON
WEAPON
Item WEAPON is asked to identify the type of weapon(s)
the offender had during the incident. This is a multiple
response question; you may enter more than one response.
Ask the question as worded in Item WEAPON and
continue asking, "Anything else?" until the respondent
says, "No."
Precode (1)
Enter Precode (1) when the respondent mentions any type
of hand gun, other than a BB gun, tear gas gun, or stun gun.
If a respondent mentions a stun gun, enter Precode (6),
“Other,” and enter "stun gun" on the "Specify" screen.
Precode (2)
Enter Precode (2) when the respondent mentions a rifle,
shotgun, or any gun that is NOT a hand gun, other than a
BB or tear gas gun.
Precode (3)
Enter Precode (3) when the respondent mentions any type
of knife.
Precode (4)
Enter Precode (4) when the respondent mentions an object
with a thin sharp edge or a fine point (other than a knife)
that is intended for cutting or piercing (for example,
scissors, ice pick, axe, and so on). When you enter Precode
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(4) in Item WEAPON, make sure to explain in the
summary report whether the sharp object was used as a
weapon. If the sharp object was used as a weapon, also
explain how it was used as a weapon, such as whether the
object was thrown at and hit the respondent, used to stab
the respondent, or used to threaten the respondent.
Precode (5)
Enter Precode (5) when the respondent mentions a bluntedged object without sharp edges or points, such as a club,
rock, blackjack, and so on. Also enter Precode (5) when
the offender used a BB gun or tear gas gun as a club. When
you enter Precode (5) in Item WEAPON, make sure to
explain in the summary report if the blunt object was used
as a weapon. If the blunt object was used as a weapon, also
explain how it was used as a weapon, such as whether the
object was thrown at and hit the respondent, used to beat
the respondent, or used to threaten the respondent.
Precode (6)
Enter Precode (6), “Other,” and enter a complete
description of the weapon on the "Specify" screen,
WEAPON_SPEC such as "stun gun." Precode (6) is
intended for weapons that you are unsure how to classify or
for weapons or objects that the respondent believes the
offender had and could use as a weapon, even if the
respondent does not know what the weapon or object was.
If possible, try to obtain a description and enter it on the
"Specify" screen. Avoid entering Precode (6) if the weapon
fits one of the other answer categories.
When you enter Precode (6) in Item WEAPON, make sure
to explain in the summary report if the object was used as a
weapon. If the object was used as a weapon, also explain
how it was used as a weapon and whether the object was
thrown at the respondent, used to beat the respondent, or
used to threaten the respondent.
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Did the offender hit you, knock you down, or actually attack you in any way?
" 1. Yes
" 2. No
ATTACK
ATTACK
Precode (1)
Ask the question in Item ATTACK to determine if the
respondent was actually attacked during the incident. In
other words, there was some type of physical contact
between the offender and the respondent.
Enter Precode (1), "Yes," when there was some type of
physical contact between the offender and the respondent
(for example, the offender hit, knocked down, or assaulted
the respondent in some way).
Do NOT enter Precode (1) if the offender:
Y Threw something at the respondent and the object did
NOT hit the respondent
OR
Y Shot at the respondent and the bullet MISSED the
respondent.
After entering Precode (1), "Yes," continue with Item
HOWATTACK.
Precode (2)
Enter Precode (2), "No," when the offender did NOT touch
or have physical contact with the respondent during the
incident. Also enter Precode (2) if the offender:
T Threw something at the respondent and the object did
NOT hit the respondent
OR
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T Shot at the respondent and the bullet MISSED the
respondent.
After entering Precode (2), "No," continue with Item
TRYATTACK.
Did the offender TRY to attack you?
" 1. Yes
" 2. No
TRYATTACK
TRYATTACK
Ask the question in Item TRYATTACK to determine if
the offender tried to attack the respondent during the
incident, but did NOT have any physical contact with the
respondent. If there is any question in your mind as to
whether or not the offender tried to attack the respondent,
go with the respondent's perception.
Precode (1)
Enter Precode (1), "Yes," when both the offender and the
respondent were present during the incident and the
offender:
T Made an attempt to attack the respondent (for example,
the offender tried to punch, hit, shoot, or stab the
respondent and missed)
OR
T The respondent perceives that the offender could have
caused physical injury to him/her (for example, the
offender was chasing the respondent with a gun in
his/her hand, but was stopped before reaching the
respondent).
After entering Precode (1), "Yes," continue with Item
HOWTRYATTACK.
Precode (2)
Enter Precode (2), "No," when the offender did not attempt
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to attack the respondent during the incident. Also enter
Precode (2) if the respondent was threatened with physical
harm, but the offender did not attempt to attack him/her.
After entering Precode (2), "No," continue with Item
THREATEN.
Did the offender THREATEN you with harm in any way?
" 1. Yes
" 2. No
THREATEN
THREATEN
Ask the question in Item THREATEN to determine
whether the offender made a face-to-face verbal threat to
physically harm the respondent during the incident. Both
the respondent and the offender must be present and the
threat must be voiced by the offender directly to the
respondent.
Do NOT include threats made by:
Y Telephone,
Y Letter,
Y Electronic mail,
Y FAX machine, or
Y Threats delivered by someone other than the offender.
Precode (1)
Enter Precode (1), "Yes," when the offender verbally
threatened to physically harm the respondent. After
entering Precode (1), "Yes," you will continue with
Item HOWTHREATEN.
Precode (2)
Enter Precode (2), "No," when:
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T Someone other than the offender delivered the threat to
the respondent.
T The respondent felt threatened, but the offender did not
verbally threaten to physically harm the respondent.
T The threat was made by telephone, letter, electronic
mail, or FAX machine.
After entering Precode (2), "No," you will continue with
Item WHATHAPPEN.
W hat actually happened?
!Probe: Anything else?
! Enter all that apply, separate with commas
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
Something taken without permission
Attempted or threatened to take something
Harassed, argument, abusive language
Unwanted sexual contact with force (grabbing, fondling, etc.)
Unwanted sexual contact without force (grabbing, fondling, etc.)
Forcible entry or attempted forcible entry of house/apartment
Forcible entry or attempted forcible entry of car
Damaged or destroyed property
Attempted or threatened to damage or destroy property
Other - specify
W HATHAPPEN
WHATHAPPEN
Ask the question in Item WHATHAPPEN to identify what
happened during the incident when the respondent answers
"No" to each of the questions in Items ATTACK,
TRYATTACK, and THREATEN indicating that the
offender did NOT attack, try to attack, or threaten him/her
with physical harm. This item allows you to enter multiple
precodes, so continue asking, "Anything else?" until you
get a "No" response. Once you have completed Item
WHATHAPPEN, the instrument continues with Item
IMPACT_JOB if Precode (15) was selected in Item
WHATHAPPEN. If Precode (14) was selected in Item
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WHATHAPPEN, the instrument continues with Item
SEXCONFORCEPROBE_1. Otherwise, the instrument
goes to Item PREGATTIMEOFINC if you are speaking
with a female respondent ages 18 to 49, otherwise it
continues with Item PROTECTSELF.
After asking the question in Item WHATHAPPEN, you
may discover that the offender did attack, tried to attack, or
verbally threatened to physically harm the respondent. If
so, do not enter any precodes in Item WHATHAPPEN and
correct the answers entered in Items ATTACK,
TRYATTACK, or THREATEN, as necessary. (You may
correct previous answers by pressing the “Up” arrow key
and backing up to the appropriate screen to change
responses.)
Unwanted Sexual
Contact
Precodes (14) and (15) include a broad range of unwanted
sexual acts and are included in Item WHATHAPPEN for
respondents who do not consider the unwanted sexual
contact as an assault. We want to ensure that all sexual
assaults committed during an incident are reported.
Categories for unwanted sexual contact are also included in
Items HOWTRYATTACK and HOWTHREATEN to
ensure that we do not miss any sexual assaults when a
respondent says that the offender tried to attack or
threatened to physically harm him/her.
It may not always be clear whether you should enter
Precode (14), (with force), or Precode (15), (without force),
based on what the respondent tells you. Generally, if the
sexual contact involved grabbing, pushing, restraining, or
other acts of force, enter Precode (14) and then ask the
structured probe at Item SEXCONFORCEPROBE_1. If
the sexual contact did not involve any force (for example,
only unwanted touching and/or fondling), enter Precode
(15) in Item WHATHAPPEN. If unsure, go with the
respondent's perception of whether or not force was used.
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Precode (11)
Enter Precode (11), "Something taken without permission,"
if the offender stole something belonging to the respondent
or another household member.
Precode (12)
Enter Precode (12), "Attempted or threatened to take
something" if the offender:
C
Tried to take something that belonged to the respondent
or another household member
OR
C
Threatened to take something belonging to the
respondent or another household member. A threatened
theft can be verbal (For example, "I'm taking your
motorcycle.") or nonverbal (For example, the offender
reaches for the respondent's purse, but doesn't get it.)
Precode (13)
Enter Precode (13), "Harassed, argument, abusive
language," if the offender verbally bothered the respondent
without threatening him/her (for example, yelling, teasing,
insulting, arguing, using obscenities, and so on).
Precode (14)
Enter Precode (14), "Unwanted sexual contact with force
(grabbing, fondling, etc.)," if the offender used any type of
force during the unwanted sexual contact (for example,
grabbing, pushing, or restraining). After entering
Precode (14), continue with Item
SEXCONFORCEPROBE_1.
Precode (15)
Enter Precode (15), "Unwanted sexual contact without
force (grabbing, fondling, etc.)," if the offender did not use
any force during the unwanted sexual contact (for example,
sexually touching, embracing, and/or fondling the
respondent without grabbing, pushing, or restraining).
Precode (16)
Enter Precode (16), "Forcible entry or attempted forcible
entry of house/apartment," if the offender used force to
either break into or attempt to break into the respondent's
house or apartment during the incident. When NO FORCE
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was used to enter or attempt to enter, enter Precode (20),
"Other," and explain the break in or attempted break in
when the "Specify" screen, WHATHAPPEN_SPEC,
appears.
Precode (17)
Enter Precode (17), "Forcible entry or attempted forcible
entry of car," if the offender used force during the incident
to break into or attempt to break into a car or any other type
of motor vehicle owned by the respondent or another
household member. If force was NOT used, enter
Precode (20), "Other." When the "Specify" screen appears,
explain how the offender entered or attempted to enter the
household member's motor vehicle WITHOUT FORCE
(For example, the offender entered the motor vehicle
through an unlocked door).
Precode (18)
Enter Precode (18), "Damaged or destroyed property," if the
offender damaged or destroyed property during the incident
that belongs to the respondent or another household
member.
Precode (19)
Enter Precode (19), "Attempted or threatened to damage or
destroy property," if the offender tried or threatened to
damage or destroy property during the incident that
belongs to the respondent or another household member.
Precode (20)
Enter Precode (20), "Other," when the incident does not fit
one of the preceding categories for Item WHATHAPPEN
and enter a brief and concise explanation of what happened
during the incident on the "Specify" screen,
WHATHAPPEN_SPEC, which appears after entering
Precode (20). Some examples of acceptable entries for
Precode (20) are:
T
Illegal entry of the respondent's house or car without
the use of force
T
Obscene gestures
T
Trespassing on the respondent's property
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T
A "Peeping Tom."
You mentioned some type of unwanted sexual contact
with force. Do you mean forced or coerced sexual
intercourse including attempts?
" 1. Yes
" 2. No
SEXCONFORCEPROBE_1
SEXCONFORCE
PROBE_1
This probe question appears if Item WHATHAPPEN is
answered with Precode (14), “Unwanted sexual contact
with force,” and is asked to ensure that the incident did not
include forced or coerced sexual intercourse, including
attempted forced or coerced sexual intercourse.
If you enter Precode (1) at Item
SEXCONFORCEPROBE_1, continue with Item
HOWATTACK, to code the incident as an attack. If you
enter Precode (2), continue with Item IMPACT_JOB.
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How did the offender TRY to attack you?
! Probe: Any other way?
! Enter all codes that apply, separate with commas
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
21.
22.
23.
24.
Verbal threat of rape
Verbal threat to kill
Verbal threat of attack other than to kill or rape
Verbal threat of sexual assault other than rape
Unwanted sexual contact with force (grabbing, fondling, etc.)
Unwanted sexual contact without force (grabbing, fondling, etc.)
W eapon present or threatened with weapon
Shot at (but missed)
Attempted attack with knife/sharp weapon
Attempted attack with weapon other than gun/knife/sharp weapon
Object thrown at person
Followed or surrounded
Tried to hit, slap, knock down, grab, hold, trip, jump, push, etc.
Other - specify
HOW TRYATTACK
How were you threatened?
! Probe: Any other way?
! Enter all codes that apply, separate with commas
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
21.
22.
23.
24.
Verbal threat of rape
Verbal threat to kill
Verbal threat of attack other than to kill or rape
Verbal threat of sexual assault other than rape
Unwanted sexual contact with force (grabbing, fondling, etc.)
Unwanted sexual contact without force (grabbing, fondling, etc.)
W eapon present or threatened with weapon
Shot at (but missed)
Attempted attack with knife/sharp weapon
Attempted attack with weapon other than gun/knife/sharp weapon
Object thrown at person
Followed or surrounded
Tried to hit, slap, knock down, grab, hold, trip, jump, push, etc.
Other - specify
HOW THREATEN
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HOWTRYATTACK and
HOWTHREATEN
Part B, Chapter 4
Item HOWTRYATTACK is asked to identify how the
offender tried to attack the respondent when Precode (1),
"Yes," is entered in Item TRYATTACK. Item
HOWTHREATEN is asked to identify how the offender
threatened to harm the respondent when Precode (1), "Yes,"
is entered in Item THREATEN.
The answer categories for Items HOWTRYATTACK and
HOWTHREATEN are the same and both items allow for
multiple entries, so continue asking "Any other way?"
until you get a "No" response. After completing Item
HOWTRYATTACK or Item HOWTHREATEN, you
will continue with Item PREGATTIMEOFINC if you are
speaking to a female respondent ages 18 to 49, otherwise
you will continue with Item PROTECTSELF.
If you determine that none of the respondent's answers for
Item HOWTRYATTACK or HOWTHREATEN indicate
that there was an attempted attack or a threat of physical
harm, do NOT enter any precodes for Items
HOWTRYATTACK and HOWTHREATEN, and
correct the answer for Item TRYATTACK or
THREATEN, as necessary. (Correct answers for these
items by using the “Up” arrow key to back up to the item
and change responses.) After making the correction, the
instrument brings up the appropriate screens automatically.
Unwanted Sexual
Contact
Precodes (15) and (16) include a broad range of unwanted
sexual acts for respondents who do not consider an
unwanted sexual contact as an attack or assault. We want
to ensure that all sexual assaults committed during an
incident are reported correctly. Precode (15), "Unwanted
sexual contact with force (grabbing, fondling, etc.)," and
Precode (16), "Unwanted sexual contact without force
(grabbing, fondling, etc.)," can be entered as answers for
Items HOWTRYATTACK or HOWTHREATEN.
Based on what the respondent tells you, it may not always
be clear whether you should enter Precode (15), (with
force), or Precode (16), (without force). Generally, if the
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sexual contact involved grabbing, pushing, restraining, or
other acts of force, enter Precode (15) and then ask the
structured probe question for Item
SEXCONFORCEPROBE_2. If the respondent tells you
that he/she was forced or coerced into having sexual
intercourse or a forced attempt was made to have sexual
intercourse, continue with Item HOWATTACK. If the
sexual contact did not involve any force (for example, only
unwanted touching, embracing, and/or fondling), enter
Precode (16) in Item HOWTRYATTACK or
HOWTHREATEN. If unsure, go with the respondent's
perception of whether or not force was used.
Precode (11)
Enter Precode (11), Verbal threat of rape, if the offender
was face-to-face with the respondent and verbally
threatened to rape the respondent. For the NCVS, rape
means forced sexual intercourse including both
psychological coercion, as well as physical force. Forced
sexual intercourse means vaginal, anal, or oral penetration
by the offender(s). The penetration also can be from a
foreign object, such as a bottle.
Precode (12)
Enter Precode (12), Verbal threat to kill, if the offender
was face-to-face with the respondent and verbally
threatened to kill the respondent.
Precode (13)
Enter Precode (13), Verbal threat of attack other than to
kill or rape, if the offender was face-to-face with the
respondent and verbally threatened to attack the respondent
in some way other than by raping or killing him/her.
Precode (14)
Enter Precode (14), Verbal threat of sexual assault other
than rape, if the offender was face-to-face with the
respondent and verbally threatened to sexually assault the
respondent, but did not threaten to rape him/her.
Precode (15)
Enter Precode (15), Unwanted sexual contact with force
(grabbing, fondling, etc.), if the offender used some type
of force such as grabbing, restraining, or pushing during the
unwanted sexual contact. After entering Precode (15), you
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will always ask the structured probe question in
Item SEXCONFORCEPROBE_2.
Precode (16)
Enter Precode (16), Unwanted sexual contact without
force (grabbing, fondling, etc.), if the offender made some
type of unwanted sexual contact without the use of force.
For example, during the incident, the offender may have
embraced, fondled, or touched the respondent against
his/her will, but did not grab, push, or restrain the
respondent in any way.
Precode (17)
Enter Precode (17), Weapon present or threatened with
weapon, if the offender had a weapon or an object that
he/she intended to use as a weapon and the respondent
believed the offender would use the weapon to harm
him/her. Do NOT enter Precode (17) if the offender
attempted to use the weapon or actually shot at the
respondent.
Precode (18)
Enter Precode (18), Shot at (but missed), if the offender
discharged a gun or rifle in the direction of the respondent
intending to hit the respondent, but the bullet did NOT hit
the respondent.
Do NOT enter Precode (18) if:
Y The offender was not aiming to hit the respondent
OR
Y The bullet actually hit the respondent. If the respondent
was hit by a bullet, change the answer in Item
ATTACK to "Yes" (use the “Up” arrow key to back up
to the item and change the answer) and the instrument
continues with Item HOWATTACK.
Precode (19)
Enter Precode (19), Attempted attack with knife/sharp
weapon, if the offender tried unsuccessfully to strike or
stab the respondent with a knife or other sharp weapon,
such as an ice pick or scissors.
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Precode (20)
Enter Precode (20), Attempted attack with weapon other
than gun/knife/sharp weapon, if the offender tried
unsuccessfully to attack the respondent with a weapon other
than a gun, knife, or other sharp weapon. This could
include weapons such as clubs, blackjacks, rocks, and so
on.
Precode (21)
Enter Precode (21), Object thrown at person, if the
offender threw an object at the respondent, but did not hit
him/her.
Precode (22)
Enter Precode (22), Followed or surrounded, if the
offender was following the respondent or blocking his/her
way, and the offender's close proximity to the respondent
caused the respondent to fear for his/her safety.
Precode (23)
Enter Precode (23), Tried to hit, slap, knock down, grab,
hold, trip, jump, push, etc., if the offender tried
unsuccessfully to hit, slap, knock down, grab, hold, trip,
jump, or push the respondent.
Precode (24)
Enter Precode (24), Other, if the offender tried to attack or
threatened to physically harm the respondent in a way that
does not fit one of the preceding categories. Avoid using
this category if at all possible since most threats or
attempted attacks can be identified in the categories for
Precodes (11) through (23). If you do need to enter
Precode (24), make sure to enter how the offender tried to
attack or threatened to physically harm the respondent in
the "Specify" screen, HOWTRYATTACK_SPEC, that
appears after entering Precode (24).
You mentioned some type of unwanted sexual contact with force.
Do you mean forced or coerced sexual intercourse including attempts?
" 1. Yes
" 2. No
SEXCONFORCEPROBE_2
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SEXCONFORCE
PROBE_2
Part B, Chapter 4
This probe question appears when Item
HOWTRYATTACK or Item HOWTHREATEN is
answered with Precode 15, “Unwanted sexual contact with
force ,” and is asked to ensure that the incident did not
include forced or coerced sexual intercourse, including
attempted forced or coerced sexual intercourse.
If the respondent tells you that he/she was forced or coerced
into having sexual intercourse or a forced attempt was
made to have sexual intercourse, enter Precode (1) and
continue with Item HOWATTACK. Otherwise, continue
with Item IMPACT_JOB.
How were you attacked?
! Probe: Any other way?
! Enter all codes that apply, separate with commas
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
21.
22.
23.
24.
Raped
Tried to rape
Sexual assault other than rape or attempted rape
Shot
Shot at (but missed)
Hit with gun held in hand
Stabbed/cut with knife/sharp weapon
Attempted attack with knife/sharp weapon
Hit by object (other than gun) held in hand
Hit by thrown object
Attempted attack with weapon other than gun/knife/sharp weapon
Hit, slapped, knocked down
Grabbed, held, tripped, jumped, pushed, etc.
Other - specify
HOW ATTACK
HOWATTACK
After a respondent tells you in Item ATTACK that he/she
was attacked during the incident, continue with Item
HOWATTACK to determine how the respondent was
attacked during the incident. Item HOWATTACK allows
you to enter multiple precodes, so continue asking "Any
other way?" until you get a "No" response.
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If you discover that the respondent was NOT physically
attacked during the incident, leave Item HOWATTACK
unanswered, back up and change the answer in Item
ATTACK to "No," and continue with Item
TRYATTACK.
Precode (11)
Enter Precode (11), “Raped,” if the respondent says that
he/she was raped during the incident. After entering
Precode (11), an “Active Signal” box appears as shown
below:
Active Signal
You mentioned rape. Do you mean forced or coerced sexual
intercourse?
If “No,” then ask: W hat do you mean?
Questions Involved
Value
howAttack: How attacked
Raped
____________________________________________________
Suppress
Close
Goto
This screen is included to ensure that the respondent's
definition of rape matches the NCVS definition. For the
NCVS, rape means forced sexual intercourse including
both psychological coercion, as well as physical force.
Forced sexual intercourse means vaginal, anal, or oral
penetration by the offender(s). The penetration also can be
from a foreign object, such as a bottle.
If the respondent’s answer to the probe question in the
“Active Signal” box is “Yes,” click on the “Suppress”
button to move to the next question.
If the respondent's answer to the probe question is "No,"
you must ask the second probe question, "What do you
mean?" The purpose of this question is to distinguish
between rape and other forms of sexual assault. Do not
probe beyond this question.
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If the respondent’s answer to the second probe question
does not satisfy the NCVS definition for rape, click on the
“Close” or “Goto” button, then delete Precode (11) in Item
HOWATTACK. Include as much detail as possible about
the incident as you write the summary report later in the
interview. If the attack involved another type of sexual
assault other than rape, enter Precode (13) in Item
HOWATTACK.
Precode (12)
Enter Precode (12), “Tried to rape,” if the respondent says
that the offender tried to rape him/her during the incident.
After entering Precode (12), an “Active Signal” box
appears as shown below:
Active Signal
You mentioned attempted rape. Do you mean attempted forced
or coerced sexual intercourse?
If “No,” then ask: W hat do you mean?
Questions Involved
howAttack: How attacked
Value
Tried to rape
______________________________________________
Suppress
Close
Goto
This screen is included to ensure that the respondent's
definition of attempted rape matches the NCVS definition.
For the NCVS, rape means forced sexual intercourse
including both psychological coercion, as well as physical
force. Forced sexual intercourse means vaginal, anal, or
oral penetration by the offender(s). The penetration also
can be from a foreign object, such as a bottle.
If the respondent’s answer to the probe question in the
“Active Signal” box is “Yes,” click on the “Suppress”
button to move to the next question.
If the respondent's answer to the probe question in the
“Active Signal” box is "No," you must ask the second
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probe question, "What do you mean?" The purpose of this
question is to distinguish between attempted rape and other
forms of sexual assault. After asking, “What do you
mean?” do not ask any additional probe questions.
If the respondent’s answer to the second probe question
does not satisfy the NCVS definition for attempted rape,
click on the “Close” or “Goto” button, then delete Precode
(12) in Item HOWATTACK. Include as much detail as
possible about the incident as you write the summary report
later in the interview. If the attack involved another type of
sexual assault, enter Precode (13) in Item HOWATTACK.
Precode (13)
Enter Precode (13) when the respondent was sexually
assaulted in some way other than rape or attempted rape;
that is, the sexual assault did not involve forced or coerced
sexual intercourse or attempted sexual intercourse (for
example, fondling the respondent's breasts against her
will).
Precode (14)
Enter Precode (14) when the offender shot a gun or rifle at
the respondent and the respondent was actually hit by the
bullet.
Precode (15)
Enter Precode (15) when the offender shot a gun or rifle
intending to hit the respondent, but the respondent did not
get hit by the bullet. During an incident, it is possible to
have both an attempted attack and an actual attack.
However, if you enter Precode (15) AND you do not enter
another precode in Item HOWATTACK to indicate that
some physical attack or contact happened during the
incident, then you should:
•
Leave Item HOWATTACK blank,
•
Back up and change the "Yes" answer in Item
ATTACK to "No," and
•
Ask the question about attempted attacks in Item
TRYATTACK next.
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Precode (16)
Enter Precode (16) when the offender used a gun or rifle to
strike the respondent (for example, using it to inflict blunt
force injury, rather than shooting at the respondent).
Precode (17)
Enter Precode (17) when the offender used a knife or other
sharp object to cut the respondent causing a puncture
wound.
Precode (18)
Enter Precode (18) when the offender tried to cut or stab
the respondent with a knife or other sharp object, but was
not successful in causing a puncture wound. During an
incident, it is possible to have both an attempted attack and
an actual attack. However, if you enter Precode (18) AND
do not enter another precode in Item HOWATTACK to
indicate that some physical attack or contact happened
during the incident, then you should:
•
Leave Item HOWATTACK blank,
•
Back up and change the "Yes" answer in Item
ATTACK to "No," and
•
Ask the question about attempted attacks in Item
TRYATTACK next.
Precode (19)
Enter Precode (19) when the offender was holding an
object, other than a gun, in his/her hand and hit the
respondent with the object.
Precode (20)
Enter Precode (20) when the offender threw something at
the respondent AND the thrown object hit the respondent.
Precode (21)
Enter Precode (21) when the offender tried to attack the
respondent with a weapon, other than a gun, knife, or sharp
weapon, but the weapon did not make contact
with the respondent. During an incident, it is possible to
have both an attempted attack and an actual attack.
However, if you enter Precode (21) AND do not enter
another precode in Item HOWATTACK to indicate that
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some physical attack or contact happened during the
incident, then you should:
•
Leave Item HOWATTACK blank,
•
Back up and change the "Yes" answer in Item
ATTACK to "No," and
•
Ask the question about attempted attacks in Item
TRYATTACK next.
Precode (22)
Enter Precode (22) when the offender used his/her hands or
fists to hit, slap, or knock down the respondent.
Precode (23)
Enter Precode (23) when the offender physically interfered
with the respondent's movement by grabbing, holding,
tripping, jumping, or pushing him/her.
Precode (24)
Enter Precode (24) when the offender physically attacked
the respondent in a way not covered in Precodes (11)
through (23). After entering Precode (24), make sure to
explain how the respondent was attacked on the "Specify"
screen, HOWATTACK_SPEC. Before entering Precode
(24), make sure that the method of attack does not fit one of
the previous answer categories in Item HOWATTACK.
Did the offender THREATEN to hurt you before you were actually attacked?
"1. Yes
"2. No
"3. Other - specify
PRETHREATEN
PRETHREATEN
After identifying in Item HOWATTACK how the
respondent was physically attacked, you will ask the
question in Item PRETHREATEN to determine if the
offender verbally threatened to hurt the respondent prior to
the actual attack. The verbal threat could be to take any of
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the actions specified in Item HOWATTACK, such as
threatening to rape the respondent.
The offender could have voiced the threat anytime from the
start of the incident until the moment of the physical attack.
In most cases, you will enter Precode (1), "Yes," or
Precode (2), "No," based on the respondent's answer. Only
enter Precode (3), "Other," if you need to describe the
situation with more than just a "Yes" or "No" answer.
Make sure to explain the respondent's answer on the
"Specify" screen, PRETHREATEN_SPEC, that appears
after entering Precode (3).
W hat were the injuries you suffered, if any?
PROBE: Anything else?
Enter all that apply, separate with commas.
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
21.
None
Raped
Attempted rape
Sexual assault other than rape or attempted rape
Knife or stab wounds
Gun shot, bullet wounds
Broken bones or teeth knocked out
Internal injuries
Knocked unconscious
Bruises, black eye, cuts, scratches, swelling, chipped teeth
Other (specify)
INJURY
INJURY
After completing Item PRETHREATEN, you will ask
Item INJURY to determine if the respondent experienced
any personal injuries during the attack and, if so, to identify
what type of bodily injuries were suffered from the
incident. Do not include mental or emotional suffering as
an injury.
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Since the respondent may have suffered various types of
injuries during the incident, continue asking, "Anything
else?" until you get a "No" response.
Precode (11)
Enter Precode (11), "None," when the respondent tells you
that he/she did not experience any physical injuries from
the attack. However, do not enter Precode (11) if:
Y
You enter another precode in Item INJURY
OR
Y
You entered Precode (11), "Raped," or Precode (12),
"Tried to rape," in Item HOWATTACK.
After entering precode (11), continue with Item
IMPACT_JOB.
Precode (12)
Enter Precode (12), "Raped," when you have entered
Precode (11), "Raped," in Item HOWATTACK, regardless
of whether the respondent mentions "Raped" as an injury.
If this happens, hit the “Suppress” button in the Active
Signal box (which appears as a pop-up), without asking the
probe question a second time. However, when the
respondent did not mention "Raped" in Item
HOWATTACK and then reports "Raped" as an injury in
Item INJURY, you must ask the probe question in the
Active Signal box that appears.
Active Signal
You mentioned rape. Do you mean forced or coerced sexual
intercourse?
If “No,” then ask: W hat do you mean?
Questions Involved
Value
How attacked
Raped
Injury: Injuries
____________________________________________________
Suppress
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Goto
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Part B, Chapter 4
If the respondent’s answer to the probe question in the
“Active Signal” box is “Yes,” click on the “Suppress”
button to move to the next question. However, if the
respondent answers, "No," in the Active Signal box, ask the
additional probe, "What do you mean?" This additional
probe question is needed to distinguish between rape,
attempted rape, and other types of sexual assaults.
After asking, "What do you mean?" do not ask any
additional probe questions. Make sure to include any
additional details about the incident later in the interview at
the SUMMARY screen.
Precode (13)
Only enter Precode (13), "Attempted rape," when the
respondent specifically says that his/her injury was an
attempted rape. Do not automatically enter Precode (13),
"Attempted Rape," when Precode (12), "Tried to rape," is
entered in Item HOWATTACK. If an offender tried to
rape the respondent and the respondent does not report any
physical injuries in Item INJURY, enter Precode (11),
"None," in Item INJURY.
If the respondent reports an "Attempted rape" injury in
Item INJURY, but did not report "Tried to rape" in Item
HOWATTACK, an “Active signal” box appears:
Active Signal
You mentioned attempted rape. Do you mean attempted forced
or coerced sexual intercourse?
If “No,” then ask: W hat do you mean?
Questions Involved
Value
Injury: Injuries
Attempted rape
____________________________________________________
Suppress
Close
Goto
If you get a "Yes" answer, click on the “Suppress” button to
continue to the next screen.
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If the respondent says that he/she did not mean attempted
forced or coerced sexual intercourse or is unsure of the
answer, ask the additional probe question, "What do you
mean?" in the “Active Signal” box. The second probe
question is needed to distinguish between rape, attempted
rape, and other types of sexual assaults. Make sure to
include any additional details about the incident in the
summary report later in the interview.
Precode (14)
Only enter Precode (14), "Sexual assault other than rape or
attempted rape," when the respondent specifically says that
this was one of his/her injuries. Make sure to also ask if the
respondent suffered any other injuries and, if so, enter the
appropriate precodes in Item INJURY. Do not
automatically enter Precode (14) when Precode (13),
"Sexual assault other than rape or attempted rape," is
entered in Item HOWATTACK. If the respondent reports
a sexual assault other than rape or attempted rape in Item
HOWATTACK and does not report any physical injuries
in Item INJURY, enter Precode (11), "None," in Item
INJURY.
Precode (15)
Enter Precode (15), "Knife or stab wounds," when the
respondent reports an injury caused by a knife or any other
sharp or pointed object.
Precode (16)
Enter Precode (16), "Gun shot, bullet wounds," when the
respondent reports an injury caused by the bullet or shot
from a hand gun, rifle, shotgun, and so on. Do not enter
Precode (16) if the injury was caused by being shot with a
BB gun, tear gas gun, or a stun gun.
Precode (17)
Enter Precode (17), "Broken bones or teeth knocked out,"
when the respondent reports that he/she suffered broken,
chipped, or cracked bones from the attack. Also enter
Precode (17) when a respondent says that one or more of
his/her teeth were knocked out.
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However, do not enter Precode (17) for injuries involving
broken, chipped, or cracked teeth; instead, enter Precode
(20) for this type of injury.
Precode (18)
Enter Precode (18), "Internal injuries," when the respondent
reports that he/she suffered any type of internal injuries
during the attack.
Precode (19)
Enter Precode (19), "Knocked unconscious," when the
respondent reports that he/she was knocked unconscious,
blacked out, passed out, went into a coma, and so on,
resulting directly from the attack.
Do not enter Precode (19) if the respondent became
unconscious or fainted due to fear or medical treatment,
which cannot be attributed directly to the attack.
Precode (20)
Enter Precode (20), "Bruises, black eye, cuts, scratches,
swelling, chipped teeth," when the respondent reports any
minor injuries that are not covered specifically in
Precodes (12) through (19). Examples of injuries to
include for Precode (20) are minor burns, bruises, black
eyes, cuts, scratches, swellings, and chipped teeth suffered
during the attack.
Precode (21)
Enter Precode (21), "Other," when the respondent mentions
an injury that does not seem to fit into any of the injuries
for Precodes (12) through (20). Always enter a description
of the injury on the "Specify" screen, INJURY_SPEC after
entering Precode (21) (for example, eye damage from
gasoline thrown in eyes or severe burns from acid dropped
on arms). Avoid entering Precode (21) if the injury fits into
one of the injury descriptions for Precodes (12) through
(20).
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! Ask or verify:
W ere any of the injuries caused by a weapon other than a gun or knife?
" 1. Yes
" 2. No
INJURYNOTGUN
INJURYNOTGUN
Item INJURYNOTGUN is used to determine if any
injuries reported in Item INJURY were caused by a
weapon OTHER THAN a gun or a knife. If you feel sure
of the answer, you can verify the answer with the
respondent, instead of asking the question. Otherwise, ask
the question in Item INJURYNOTGUN. If you get a
"Yes" answer, enter Precode (1) and continue with Item
FIRSTINJURY. If you get a "No" answer, enter Precode
(2) and continue with Item MEDICALCARE.
W hich injuries marked in the field INJURIES were caused by a weapon OTHER than a gun or knife?
! Enter all that apply, separate with commas
" 17. Broken bones or teeth knocked out
" 19. Knocked unconscious
FIRSTINJURY
FIRSTINJURY
Item FIRSTINJURY is used to identify which injuries
reported in Item INJURY were caused by a weapon
OTHER THAN a gun or knife. With the exception of
Precodes (15), knife or stab wounds, and (16), gunshot or
bullet wounds, the injuries reported at Item INJURY will
be shown at Item FIRSTINJURY.
Since we are interested in injuries that were caused by a
weapon other than a gun or knife, Precodes (15) and (16)
will not appear in Item FIRSTINJURY, even if they were
entered in Item INJURY. Enter the appropriate precodes
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for the injuries listed at Item FIRSTINJURY that were
caused by a weapon other than a gun or knife.
W ere you injured to the extent that you received any medical care, including self treatment?
" 1. Yes
" 2. No
MEDICALCARE
MEDICALCARE
Item MEDICALCARE is used to find out if the
respondent received any medical care for the injuries
reported in Item INJURY. This medical care includes any
care or treatment provided for the respondent's physical
injuries, including self treatment. Treatment can range
from bandages and ice packs to setting broken bones and
major surgery.
Precode (1)
Enter Precode (1), "Yes," when the respondent received any
type of medical treatment for the reported injuries,
regardless of where the medical care was provided or who
provided the treatment. After entering Precode (1), you
will continue with Item RECEIVECAREWHERE.
Precode (2)
Enter Precode (2), "No," when the respondent did not
receive any medical treatment for his/her injuries. After
entering Precode (2), continue with Item IMPACT_JOB.
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W here did you receive this care?
! PROBE: Anywhere else?
! Enter all that apply, separate with commas
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
At the scene
At home/neighbor's/friend's
Health unit at work/school, first aid station at a stadium/park, etc.
Doctor's office/health clinic
Emergency room at hospital/emergency clinic
Hospital (other than emergency room)
Other - specify
RECEIVECAREW HERE
RECEIVECAREWHERE
Item RECEIVECAREWHERE is used to determine
where the respondent received medical treatment for his/her
injuries. Continue asking, "Anywhere else?" until you get
a "No" response, since the respondent may have been cared
for at more than one location (for example, at the crime
scene, then at an emergency room, and later at a doctor's
office).
Precode (11)
Enter Precode (11), "At the scene," if the respondent
received any type of medical treatment at the scene of the
attack (for example, in the alley where he was mugged or in
the shopping mall where she was stabbed).
Precode (12)
Enter Precode (12), "At home/neighbor's/friends," if the
respondent received any type of medical treatment at
his/her home or at the home of the respondent's neighbor,
friend, or relative.
Precode (13)
Enter Precode (13), "Health unit at work/school, first aid
station at a stadium/park, etc.," if the respondent received
any type of medical treatment at a health unit or first aid
station at work or school, at a sports arena or stadium,
airport, at a train or subway station, a museum or some
other type of emergency facility other than those covered in
Precodes (14), (15), or (16).
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Precode (14)
Enter Precode (14), "Doctor's office/health clinic," if the
respondent received any type of medical treatment at any
type of doctor's or dentist's office, or in some kind of
medical or health clinic that serves patients on either a
routine or an emergency basis.
Precode (15)
Enter Precode (15), "Emergency room at hospital/
emergency clinic," if the respondent received any type of
medical treatment at a hospital emergency room or at an
emergency clinic. Emergency clinics differ from other
medical clinics in that they only deal with emergency
cases and do not provide services on a routine basis.
Precode (16)
Enter Precode (16), "Hospital (other than emergency
room)," if the respondent received any type of medical
treatment after being admitted to a hospital or being
referred to an outpatient treatment center or therapy area. If
the respondent was treated first at a hospital emergency
room and was later admitted to the hospital, enter
Precodes (15) AND (16).
Precode (17)
Enter Precode (17), "Other," if the respondent received any
type of medical treatment at a location other than the places
identified in Precodes (11) through (16). Avoid entering
Precode (17) if the location fits into one of the other
precodes in Item RECEIVECAREWHERE. If you do
enter Precode (17), always enter a description of the place
on the "Specify" screen,
RECEIVECAREWHERE_SPEC (for example, in
ambulance on way to hospital or on a street, shoulder of a
highway, parking lot, and so on, but NOT at the crime
scene).
Did you stay overnight in the hospital?
" 1. Yes
" 2. No
CAREOVERNIGHT
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CAREOVERNIGHT
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
When a respondent received medical care in a hospital
(Precode (16) entered in Item RECEIVECAREWHERE),
Item CAREOVERNIGHT is asked to find out if the
respondent stayed in a hospital overnight to receive
medical care for his/her injuries suffered during the attack.
After entering Precode (1) for a "Yes" answer, you will
continue with Item CAREDAYHOSPIT. If you enter
Precode (2) for a "No" answer, you will continue with Item
MEDICALINSURANCE.
How many days did you stay in the hospital?
! If over 200 days, enter 200
CAREDAYHOSPIT
CAREDAYHOSPIT
Item CAREDAYHOSPIT is used to identify how many
days the respondent spent in the hospital for this treatment.
When determining the number of days spent in the hospital:
•
Count each night spent in the hospital as one day and
only enter whole days (for example, enter 3 days, not
3 1/2 days).
•
Count all days spent in the hospital up to the night prior
to the interview.
•
If a respondent cannot recall the exact number of days,
enter the respondent's best estimate.
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At the time of the incident, were you covered by any medical insurance, or were you eligible for benefits
from any other type of health benefits program, such as Medicaid, Veterans Administration, or Public
W elfare?
" 1. Yes
" 2. No
" 3. Don't know
MEDICALINSURANCE
MEDICALINSURANCE
Item MEDICALINSURANCE is used to determine if the
respondent was eligible to receive health benefits from a
medical insurance plan or policy. Normally, the benefits
will cover all or part of the hospital expenses and the
charges for a doctor or surgeon's services, medication, and
so on. The respondent needs to understand that you are
asking about health benefits from a formal plan or policy
with defined membership and benefits which he/she was
eligible to receive at the time of the incident.
In addition to health insurance coverage from a private
company, we are also interested in knowing whether the
respondent was eligible for benefits from any publicly
organized system that provides health benefits, such as
medicaid, Veterans Administration, or Public Welfare.
If a respondent tells you that a friend or family member
offered to pay for his/her medical expenses, probe to find
out whether the respondent was covered by some type of
health insurance plan, even if the respondent did not submit
a claim or the plan did not pay any benefits.
Enter Precode (1) for a "Yes" answer, Precode (2) for a
"No" answer, and Precode (3) for "Don't know." After
completing Item MEDICALINSURANCE, you will
continue with Item MEDICALEXPENSES.
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W hat was the total amount of your medical expenses
resulting from this incident (INCLUDING anything paid by insurance)?
Include hospital and doctor bills, medicine, therapy,
braces, and any other injury-related expenses.
Obtain an estimate if necessary
Round to the nearest dollar
Enter a number between 1-999,996
MEDICALEXPENSES
MEDICALEXPENSES
Item MEDICALEXPENSES is used to identify the
TOTAL dollar amount of the respondent's medical
expenses resulting directly from injuries suffered during the
incident. (Note that the parenthetical phrase “INCLUDING
anything paid by insurance only appears if item
MEDICALINSURANCE was answered with Precode (1),
“Yes.”) Include in this figure any doctor and hospital bills,
surgeon's fees, emergency room expenses, ambulance
services, services provided by a physical therapist, dentist,
and so on. Also include expenses for medicine and any
kind of special devices or aids required as a result of the
respondent's injuries, such as braces, crutches, dentures,
eyeglasses, a wheelchair, or artificial limbs.
Enter the respondent's answer in whole dollars in the “Total
amount” space. If the respondent is not sure of the exact
amount, enter his/her best estimate of the cost for medical
expenses.
If the respondent is still undergoing medical treatment for
injuries related to the incident, ask for the respondent's best
estimate of the projected total cost for his/her medical
expenses and enter the projected estimate in the "Total
amount" space.
Enter 0 (zero), to indicate “No Cost,” if the respondent did
not incur any medical expenses for his/her injuries as a
result of the incident.
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After completing Item MEDICALEXPENSES, the
instrument goes to Item IMPACT_JOB.
Emotional Toll Questions:
Items IMPACT_JOB
through
KIND_HELP_ PHYPROBS
The Emotional Toll questions (added in July 2008) are only
asked of persons who reported a violent crime, such as an
attack, threat of attack, attempted attack, or unwanted
sexual contact (with or without force).
Being a victim of crime affects people in different ways. Next I would like to ask you some questions about
how being a crime victim may have affected you.
Did being a victim of this crime lead you to have significant problems with your job or schoolwork, or
trouble with your boss, coworkers, or peers?
" 1. Yes
" 2. No
IMPACT_JOB
IMPACT_JOB
Item IMPACT_JOB informs the respondent that we are
changing the focus of the next set of questions to talk about
how being a victim of a crime has affected them. This
question specifically asks the respondent whether being a
victim of this crime has led the respondent to have
significant problems with their job or schooling, or trouble
with their boss, coworkers, or peers.
Select Precode (1), “No,” when the respondent reports that
they have experienced significant problems with their job
or schoolwork, or people they frequently interact with in
their daily lives.
Select Precode (2), “Yes,” when the respondent reports that
they have not experienced any significant problems with
their job or schoolwork, or people they frequently interact
with in their daily lives.
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Did being a victim of this crime lead you to have significant problems with family members or friends,
including getting into more arguments or fights than you did before, not feeling you could trust them as much,
or not feeling as close to them as you did before?
" 1. Yes
" 2. No
IMPACT_FAMILY
IMPACT_FAMILY
Item IMPACT_FAMILY is asked to find out whether
being the victim of a crime caused the respondent to have
significant problems with his/her family and/or friends.
Select Precode (1), “Yes,” when the respondent reports that
being a victim of this crime led to significant problems with
family members or friends.
Select Precode (2), “No,” when the respondent reports that
being a victim of this crime did not lead to any significant
problems with family members of friends.
How distressing was being a victim of this crime to you? W as it not at all distressing, mildly distressing,
moderately distressing, or severely distressing?
"
"
"
"
1.
2.
3.
4.
Not at all distressing
Mildly distressing
Moderately distressing
Severely distressing
HOW _DISTRESSING
HOW_DISTRESSING
Item HOW_DISTRESSING is asked to find out what
level or magnitude of distress the respondent felt after
having been the victim of a crime.
Precode (1)
Select Precode (1) when the respondent states that being a
victim of this crime was not at all distressing to them.
Precode (2)
Select Precode (2) when the respondent states that being a
victim of this crime was mildly distressing to them.
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If Precodes (1) or (2) are selected and either of the Items
IMPACT_JOB and IMPACT_FAMILY are marked
“Yes,” then the instrument proceeds to the
FEEL_WORRIED screen. However, if both Items
IMPACT_JOB and IMPACT_FAMILY are marked
“No” and Precode (1) or (2) is marked in Item
HOW_DISTRESSING, the instrument skips to one of the
following screens:
•
Item PREGATTIMEOFINC, if the respondent is
a female between the ages of 18 and 49 years old.
•
Item PROTECTSELF when the respondent is
NOT a female between the ages of 18 and 49 years
old.
Precode (3)
Select Precode (3) when the respondent states that being a
victim of this crime was moderately distressing to them. If
Precode (3) is selected the instrument goes to Item
FEEL_WORRIED.
Precode (4)
Select Precode (4) when the respondent states that being a
victim of this crime was severely distressing to them. If
Precode (4) is selected the instrument goes to Item
FEEL_WORRIED.
Still thinking about your distress associated with being a victim of this crime did you feel any of the
following ways for A MONTH OR MORE? Did you feel....
W orried or anxious?
" 1. Yes
" 2. No
FEEL_W ORRIED
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Angry?
" 1. Yes
" 2. No
FEEL_ANGRY
Sad or depressed?
" 1. Yes
" 2. No
FEEL_SAD
Vulnerable?
" 1. Yes
" 2. No
FEEL_VULNERABLE
Violated?
" 1. Yes
" 2. No
FEEL_VIOLATED
Like (you/he/she) couldn't trust people?
" 1. Yes
" 2. No
FEEL_MISTRUST
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Unsafe?
" 1. Yes
" 2. No
FEEL_UNSAFE
Some other way?
" 1. Yes
" 2. No
FEEL_OTHER_W AY
W hat other way did being a victim of this crime make (you/name) feel?
FEEL_OTHER_W AY_SP
FEEL_WORRIED through
FEEL_OTHER_WAY_SP
Items FEEL_WORRIED through
FEEL_OTHER_WAY_SP ask about the feelings and
perceptions of distress the respondent may have had after
experiencing a crime incident.
This series of eight questions is asked when the respondent
reports that they were moderately or severely distressed or
they have experienced significant problems at work or
school or with family members or friends as a result of
being a victim of this crime. These questions are asked
independently of one another, but share the same question
stem.
On the FEEL_WORRIED screen the question stem
appears in bold face text and reads, “Still thinking about
your distress associated with being a victim of this crime
did you feel any of the following ways for A MONTH OR
MORE? Did you feel ...” followed by “worried or
anxious?”
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In items FEEL_ANGRY through FEEL_OTHER_WAY
the question stem is in gray text to signify that reading the
question stem is optional, however, the specific question
text appears in bold face text and must be read to the
respondent. Repeat the question stem whenever appropriate
or if asked by the respondent. If the responses to all eight of
these questions is “No,” signifying that the respondent has
not experienced any of these types of feelings for a month
or more, the instrument goes to Item
HAVE_HEADACHES. Otherwise, it goes to Item
SEEK_PRO_HELP.
Precode (1)
Select Precode (1), “Yes,” in each of these eight questions
if the respondent reports that they experienced those
specific types of feelings for a month or more as a result of
being a victim of this crime. A “Yes” response in Item
FEEL_OTH_WAY causes the instrument to go to Item
FEEL_OTH_WAY_SP to collect any other feelings that
do not fit the first seven categories presented. Remember
the respondent must have experienced these feelings for a
month or more and attribute these feelings directly to being
a victim of this crime. Be brief but descriptive when
entering this information in Item
FEEL_OTHER_WAY_SP.
Precode (2)
Select Precode (2), “No,” in each of these eight questions if
the respondent reports that they did not experience that
specific type of feeling for a month or more as a result of
being a victim of this crime.
Did you seek any kind of professional help for the feelings you experienced as a result of being a victim of
this crime?
" 1. Yes
" 2. No
SEEK_PRO_HELP
SEEK_PRO_HELP
Item SEEK_PRO_HELP is asked to find out whether the
respondent sought any kind of professional help dealing
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with their feelings after experiencing a crime incident. It
appears when the respondent reported having at least one of
the feelings in Items FEEL_WORRIED through
FEEL_OTHER_WAY because they were a crime victim.
Precode (1)
Select Precode (1), “Yes,” if the respondent reports that
they sought some form of professional help for the
prolonged feelings they experienced. The instrument goes
to the PRO_HELP_SOUGHT screen.
Precode (2)
Select Precode (2), “No,” if the respondent reports that they
did not seek any professional help for the feelings they
experienced. The instrument goes to Item
HAVE_HEADACHES.
W hat kind of professional help did you seek?
!Mark all that apply separated by commas
"
"
"
"
"
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Counseling/therapy
Medication
Visited doctor or nurse
Visited ER/hospital/clinic
Other - Specify
PRO_HELP_SOUGHT
W hat other kind of professional help did you seek?
HELP_SOUGHT_SP
PRO_HELP_SOUGHT and
HELP_SOUGHT_SP
Items PRO_HELP_SOUGHT and HELP_SOUGHT_SP
are asked to find out what kind of professional help the
respondent sought. Mark as many responses as apply in
Item PRO_HELP_SOUGHT.
Item HELP_SOUGHT_SP only appears if Precode (5),
“Other,” is marked in PRO_HELP_SOUGHT. Use Item
HELP_SOUGHT_SP to list any type of professional help
that does not appear in the answer categories in Item
Incident Report Items
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Part B, Chapter 4
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
PRO_HELP_SOUGHT. Item HELP_SOUGHT_SP
allows 100 characters for a response.
Precode (1)
Select Precode (1) if the respondent reports that they sought
professional counseling/therapy as a result of being a victim
of this crime.
Precode (2)
Select Precode (2) if the respondent reports that they sought
medication as a result of being a victim of this crime.
Precode (3)
Select Precode (3) if the respondent reports that they visited
a doctor or nurse as a result of being a victim of this crime.
Precode (4)
Select Precode (4) if the respondent reports that they visited
the emergency room, hospital, or clinic, as a result of being
a victim of this crime.
Precode (5)
Select Precode (5) if the respondent reports that they sought
some other form of professional help not listed in
categories 1 through 4. If Precode (5) is selected, the
instrument goes to HELP_SOUGHT_SP to collect the
“other” kind of professional help the respondent sought. Be
brief, but descriptive, when entering the other kind of
professional help in the “Other - Specify” field.
Did you experience any of the following physical problems associated with being a victim of this crime for A
MONTH OR MORE? Did you experience....
Headaches?
" 1.
" 2.
Yes
No
HAVE_HEADACHES
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Part B, Chapter 4
Trouble sleeping?
" 1.
" 2.
Yes
No
TRBL_SLEEPING
Changes in (your/his/her) eating or drinking habits?
" 1.
" 2.
Yes
No
EATING_PROBS
Upset stomach?
" 1.
" 2.
Yes
No
UPSET_STOMACH
Fatigue?
" 1.
" 2.
Yes
No
FATIGUE
High blood pressure?
" 1.
" 2.
Yes
No
HIGH_BLOOD_PRESS
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Muscle tension or back pain?
" 1.
" 2.
Yes
No
MUSCLE_TENSION
Some other physical problem?
" 1.
" 2.
Yes
No
OTHER_PHYSICAL
W hat other physical problem did you experience for A MONTH OR MORE?
OTH_PHY_SP
HAVE_HEADACHES
through
OTH_PHY_SP
Items HAVE_HEADACHES through OTH_PHY_SP ask
about physical problems the respondent may have had in
response to the crime incident they experienced.
Remember the respondent must have experienced the
physical problems for a month or more and attribute these
problems directly to the crime incident.
This series of eight questions is asked to determine if the
respondent experienced any type of physical problem for a
month or more that they attribute to being a victim of this
crime. These questions are asked independently of one
another but share the same question stem.
In Item HAVE_HEADACHES the question stem appears
in bold face text and will read, “Did you experience any of
the following physical problems associated with being a
victim of this crime for A MONTH OR MORE? Did you
experience...” followed by “headaches?”
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Part B, Chapter 4
Items TRBL_SLEEPING through OTHER_PHYSICAL
the question stem appears in gray text to signify that
reading the question stem is optional, however, the specific
question text appears in bold face text and must be read to
the respondent. Repeat the question stem whenever
appropriate or if asked by the respondent. If you select the
“Yes” response to Item OTHER_PHYSICAL the
instrument goes to Item OTH_PHY_SP. Enter the
verbatim response provided by the respondent for the other
physical problem that they experienced for a month or more
as a result of being the victim of this crime.
Precode (1)
Select Precode (1) in each of these eight questions if the
respondent reports that they experienced that specific type
of physical problem for a month or more as a result of
being a victim of this crime. If the respondent reports that
they experienced at least one prolonged physical problem
for a month or more by answering “Yes” to at least one of
Items HAVE_HEADACHES through
OTHER_PHYSICAL, the instrument goes to Item
SEEK_HELP_PHYPROBS.
Precode (2)
Select Precode (2) in each of these eight questions if the
respondent reports that they did not experience that specific
type of physical problem for a month or more as a result of
being a victim of crime. If the response to all eight of these
questions is “No,” signifying that the respondent has not
experienced any of these types of physical problems for a
month or more the instrument skips to one of the following
screens:
•
Item PREGATTIMEOFINC, if the
respondent IS a female between the ages of
18 and 49 years old.
•
Item PROTECTSELF when the respondent
is NOT a female between the ages of 18 and
49 years old.
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Part B, Chapter 4
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Other than any medical care you received for the (injury/injuries) did you seek any kind of professional
or medical help for the physical problems you experienced as a result of being a victim of this crime?
" 1. Yes
" 2. No
SEEK_HELP_PHYPROBS
SEEK_HELP_PHYPROBS
Item SEEK_HELP_PHYPROBS asks the respondent if
they sought any kind of professional or medical help for the
prolonged physical problems they reported as a result of
being a victim of this crime. The phrase “Other than any
medical care you received for the injury(ies) you
suffered,” is only displayed and read to the respondent
when the respondent reported an injury. If no injuries were
reported you read, “Did you seek any kind of professional
or medical help for the physical problems you
experienced as a result of being a victim of this crime?”
Precode (1)
Select Precode (1), “Yes,” if the respondent reports that
they sought some form of professional or medical help for
the prolonged physical problems they experienced. The
instrument goes to Item KIND_HELP_PHYPROBS.
Precode (2)
Select Precode (2) if the respondent reports that they did
not seek any professional or medical help for the physical
problems they experienced. The instrument will skip to one
of the following screens;
•
Item PREGATTIMEOFINC, if the
respondent IS a female between the ages of
18 and 49 years old.
•
Item PROTECTSELF when the respondent
is NOT a female between the ages of 18 and
49 years old.
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Part B, Chapter 4
W hat kind of professional or medical help did you seek?
!Mark all that apply separated by commas
"
"
"
"
1.
2.
3.
4.
Counseling/therapy
Medication
Visited doctor or nurse
Visited ER/hospital/clinic
" 5. Other - Specify
KIND_HELP_PHYPROBS
W hat other kind of professional help did you seek?
KIND_HELP_PHYOTH_SP
KIND_HELP_
PHYPROBS,
KIND_HELP_PHYPROBS
_SP
Item KIND_HELP_PHYPROBS asks the respondent
what kind of professional or medical help they sought for
the prolonged physical problems they experienced. This
question is only asked when the respondent reports that
they sought professional help for the physical problems
they reported. Select all precodes that apply.
Precode (1)
Select Precode (1) if the respondent reports that they sought
professional counseling/therapy for the physical problems
they experienced.
Precode (2)
Select Precode (2) if the respondent reports that they sought
medication to alleviate the physical problems they
experienced.
Precode (3)
Select Precode (3) if the respondent reports that they visited
a doctor or nurse to treat or diagnose the physical problems
they experienced.
Precode (4)
Select Precode (4) if the respondent reports that they visited
the emergency room, hospital, or clinic, to treat the physical
problems they experienced.
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Part B, Chapter 4
Precode (5)
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Select Precode (5) if the respondent reports that they sought
some other form of professional help not listed in answer
categories 1 through 4 to address the prolonged physical
problems they experienced. If Precode (5) is selected, the
instrument will proceed to the
KIND_HELP_PHYOTH_SP screen to collect the “other”
kind of professional help the respondent sought for their
prolonged physical problems.
After completing the new Emotional Toll section the
instrument goes to the PREGATTIMEOFINC screen if
the respondent is a female between the ages of 18 and 49
years old. Otherwise the instrument goes to Item
PROTECTSELF.
Research shows that pregnant women may be at a higher risk of being the victim of a violent crime.
W ere you pregnant at the time of this incident?
" 1. Yes
" 2. No
______________________________________________________________________________
PREGATTIMEOFINC
PREGATTIMEOFINC
Item PREGATTIMEOFINC is asked to determine the
pregnancy status of all female respondents ages 18 to 49
during any incidents in which they were present.
Some women may be sensitive to this question or find it
intrusive in nature. If you encounter such reactions, remind
the respondent of the confidentiality and importance of the
data.
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Part B, Chapter 4
Did you do anything with the idea of protecting YOURSELF or your PROPERTY
while the incident was going on?
" 1. Yes
" 2. No/took no action/kept still
PROTECTSELF
PROTECTSELF
Item PROTECTSELF is used to determine if the
respondent did anything in an attempt to protect
himself/herself or his/her property during the incident.
After entering Precode (1) for a "Yes" answer, continue
with Item ACTIONSDURINGINC. Enter Precode (2)
when the respondent answers "No" or says that he/she took
no action or just kept still during the incident. After
entering Precode (2), continue with Item
DURINGINCIDENT.
W as there anything you did or tried to do about the incident while it was going on?
" 1.
" 2.
Yes
No/took no action/kept still
DURINGINCIDENT
DURINGINCIDENT
Item DURINGINCIDENT is used to find out if the
respondent did ANYTHING while the incident was taking
place, even if the respondent's actions were not intended to
protect himself/herself or his/her property.
Enter Precode (1) for a "Yes" answer and you will continue
with Item ACTIONSDURINGINC. Enter Precode (2) if
the respondent answers "No" or says that he/she took no
action or just kept still during the incident. After entering
Precode (2), continue with Item ANYONEPRESENT.
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NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
W hat did you do?
! Probe: Anything else?
! Enter all that apply, separate with commas
!
"
"
"
"
"
"
Used physical force toward offender:
11. Attacked offender with gun; fired gun
12. Attacked with other weapon
13. Attacked without weapon ( hit, kicked, etc.)
14. Threatened offender with gun
15. Threatened offender with other weapon
16. Threatened to injure, no weapon
! Resisted or captured offender:
" 17. Defended self or property (struggled, ducked, blocked blows,
held onto property)
" 18. Chased, tried to catch or hold offender
! Scared or warned off offender:
" 19. Yelled at offender, turned on lights, threatened to call police, etc.
! Persuaded or appeased offender:
" 20. Cooperated, or pretended to (stalled, did what they asked)
" 21. Argued, reasoned, pleaded, bargained, etc.
! Escaped or got away:
" 22. Ran or drove away, or tried; hid, locked door
! Got help or gave alarm:
" 23. Called police or guard
" 24. Tried to attract attention or help, warn others
(cried out for help, called children inside.)
! Reacted from pain or emotion:
" 25. Screamed from pain or fear
! Other:
" 26. Other - specify
___________________________________________________________________________________
ACTIONSDURINGINC
ACTIONSDURINGINC
Item ACTIONSDURINGINC is used to identify the types
of actions taken by the respondent during the incident.
Since the respondent may have taken more than one action,
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Part B, Chapter 4
continue asking, "Anything else?" until you get a "No"
response. Based on the respondent's answer, enter ALL
precodes that apply.
The types of actions listed in Item
ACTIONSDURINGINC are divided into eight groups and
each group has a heading which is in large blue type. Scan
these titles to speed up your search for the correct precodes
to enter for a respondent's answer.
Precodes (11) through
(16)
Precodes (11) through (16) fall under the heading, “USED
PHYSICAL FORCE TOWARD OFFENDER,” and
cover any aggressive actions taken by the respondent
against the offender, such as attacking the offender either
with or without a weapon or threatening to physically harm
the offender with or without a weapon.
Precodes (17) and (18)
Precodes (17) and (18) fall under the heading,
“RESISTED OR CAPTURED OFFENDER,” and cover
a respondent's actions taken in an attempt to catch the
offender or resist the offender (for example, the respondent
struggled, ducked, blocked blows, held onto property)
without actually attacking or threatening to physically harm
the offender.
Precode (19)
Precode (19) falls under the heading, “SCARED OR
WARNED OFF OFFENDERS,” and covers a
respondent's actions taken in an attempt to scare or warn off
the offender by yelling, turning lights on, threatening to call
the police, and so on.
Precodes (20) and (21)
Precodes (20) and (21) fall under the heading,
“PERSUADED OR APPEASED OFFENDER,” and
cover a respondent's actions taken in an attempt to coax the
offender not to take specific actions or to calm the offender
down to avoid injury. This could include pretending to
cooperate with the offender, stalling for time to escape,
pleading with the offender, and so on.
Precode (22)
Precode (22) falls under the heading, “ESCAPED OR
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GOT AWAY,” and covers a respondent's attempts to get
away from the offender and leave the crime scene.
Precodes (23) and (24)
Precodes (23) and (24) fall under the heading, “GOT
HELP OR GAVE ALARM,” and cover the respondent
calling the police or a guard or the respondent trying to
attract attention (for example, crying out for help or
sounding a car horn).
Precode (25)
Precode (25) falls under the heading, “REACTED TO
PAIN OR EMOTION,” and covers the respondent
screaming or making noise in reaction to pain or fear.
Precode (26)
Precode (26) falls under the heading, “OTHER,” and
covers any action(s) taken by the respondent that do not fit
into one of the previous categories for Item
ACTIONSDURINGINC. Before entering Precode (26),
make sure that the answer does not fit Precodes (11)
through (25). However, if you do enter Precode (26),
always enter a description of the respondent's action(s) on
the "Specify" screen, ACTIONSDURINGINC_SPEC.
Continue with Item INJACTION if the respondent was
injured in the incident (Precode (12) - (21) entered in Item
INJURY). Otherwise, continue with Item
INJACTIONHELP.
Did you take these actions before, after,
or at the same time that you were injured?
! Enter all that apply, separate with commas
" 1.
" 2.
" 3.
Actions taken before injury
Actions taken after injury
Actions taken at same time as injury
INJACTION
INJACTION
Item INJACTION is used to determine whether the
respondent took the actions identified in Item
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NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Part B, Chapter 4
ACTIONSDURINGINC BEFORE, AFTER, OR AT THE
SAME TIME THAT THE OFFENDER INJURED THE
RESPONDENT. Based on the respondent's answer, enter
all precodes that apply in Item INJACTION. Be sure all
precodes are separated with commas.
After completing Item INJACTION, you will continue
with Item INJACTIONHELP.
Did your action help the situation in any way?
! Probe:
" 1.
" 2.
" 3.
Did your action help you avoid injury,
protect your property, escape from the
offender - or were they helpful in some other way?
Yes
No
Don't know
INJACTIONHELP
INJACTIONHELP
Item INJACTIONHELP is used to find out whether the
respondent feels that any of his/her actions identified in
Item ACTIONSDURINGINC improved the situation or
helped minimize the damage done during the incident. If
the respondent seems unsure of how to answer this
question, also ask the additional probe question shown for
Item INJACTIONHELP.
After entering Precode (1) for a "Yes" answer, you will
continue with Item HELP. After entering Precode (2) for a
"No" answer or Precode (3) for a "Don't know" answer, you
continue with Item ACTIONWORSE.
Incident Report Items
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How were they helpful?
! Probe: Any other way?
! Enter all that apply, separate with commas
"
"
"
"
"
"
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Helped avoid injury or greater injury to respondent
Scared or chased offender off
Helped respondent get away from offender
Protected property
Protected other people
Other - specify
HELP
HELP
Item HELP is used to identify how the respondent’s
actions improved the situation or minimized the damage
done during the incident. You will only ask this question if
the respondent answers "Yes" to the question in Item
INJACTIONHELP. Based on the respondent’s answer,
enter all precodes that apply and continue asking, "Any
other way?" until you get a "No" response.
If the respondent mentions a way that his/her actions helped
improve the situation and the answer does not fit the
descriptions in Precodes (1) through (5), enter Precode (6),
"Other," and enter the description on the "Specify" screen,
HELP_SPEC. Avoid entering Precode (6), if the answer
matches one of the other descriptions in Precodes (1)
through (5).
After completing Item HELP, continue with Item
ACTIONWORSE.
Incident Report Items
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Part B, Chapter 4
Did your action make the situation worse in any way?
! Probe:
Did your action lead to injury, greater injury,
loss of property, make the offender angrier,
or make the situation worse in some other way?
" 1. Yes
" 2. No
" 3. Don't know
ACTIONW ORSE
Item ACTIONWORSE is used to find out whether the
respondent feels that any of his/her actions identified in
Item ACTIONSDURINGINC caused the situation to
deteriorate or the damage done to escalate during the
incident. If the respondent seems unsure of how to answer
this question, also ask the additional probe question shown
for Item ACTIONWORSE.
ACTIONWORSE
After entering Precode (1) for a "Yes" answer, you
continue with Item WORSE. After entering Precode (2)
for a "No" answer or Precode (3) for a "Don't know"
answer, continue with Item ANYONEPRESENT.
How did they make the situation worse?
!Probe: Any other way?
! Enter all that apply, separate with commas
"
"
"
"
"
"
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Led to injury or greater injury to respondent
Caused greater loss of property or damage to property
Other people got hurt (worse)
Offender got away
Made offender angrier, more aggressive, etc.
Other - specify
W ORSE
WORSE
Item WORSE is used to identify how the respondent's
actions made the situation worse or caused the damage
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Part B, Chapter 4
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
done to escalate during the incident. You will only ask this
question if the respondent answers "Yes" to the question in
Item ACTIONWORSE. Based on the respondent's
answer, enter all the precodes that apply and continue
asking, "Any other way?" until you get a "No" response.
If the respondent mentions a way that his/her actions made
the situation worse and the answer does not fit the
descriptions in Precodes (1) through (5), enter Precode (6),
"Other," and enter the description on the "Specify" screen,
WORSE_SPEC. Avoid entering Precode (6), if the
answer matches one of the other descriptions in Precodes
(1) through (5).
After completing Item WORSE, continue with Item
ANYONEPRESENT.
W as anyone present during the incident besides you
and the offender? (Other than children under age 12.)
" 1. Yes
" 2. No
" 3. Don't know
ANYONEPRESENT
ANYONEPRESENT
Item ANYONEPRESENT is used to find out if anyone,
other than the offender and the respondent, was present
during the incident, EXCLUDING children under 12 years
of age. Other persons present could include other crime
victims, bystanders, or other household members.
When deciding whether a person is "present" during an
incident, follow the instructions in this chapter for
completing Item HHMEMBERPRESENT, as well as the
detailed information about presence during an incident in
Part C, Chapter 3, Topic 6.
After entering Precode (1) for a "Yes" answer, you will
continue with Item OTHERSACTIONS. After entering
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Part B, Chapter 4
Precode (2) for a "No" answer or Precode (3) for a "Don't
know" answer, you will continue with either:
•
Item FIRSTTOUSEFORCE when the respondent used
or threatened to use physical force against the offender
(Precodes (11) through (16) entered in Item
ACTIONSDURINGINC)
OR
•
Item ONEORMOREOFFENDERS when the
respondent did NOT use or threaten to use physical
force against the offender.
Did the actions of (this person/any of these people)
help the situation in any way?
" 1. Yes
" 2. No
" 3. Don't know
OTHERSACTIONS
OTHERSACTIONS
When persons, other than the respondent, the offender, and
children under the age of 12 were present during the
incident (Precode (1), "Yes," entered in Item
ANYONEPRESENT), you will continue with Item
OTHERSACTIONS so you can determine whether the
actions taken by any of these persons may have helped the
situation in any way.
As you read the question in Item OTHERSACTIONS,
only use the phrase "this person" if the respondent
happens to mention that there was only one other person
present. Otherwise, read the question using the phrase
"any of these people."
After entering Precode (1) for a "Yes" answer, you will
continue with Item HOWOTHERSHELP. Enter Precode
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(2) for a "No" answer or for instances when the other
persons present did nothing or took no actions during the
incident. Enter Precode (3) for a "Don't know" answer.
After entering either Precode (2) or (3), you will continue
with Item OTHERSACTIONSWORSE.
How did they help the situation?
! Probe: Any other way?
! Enter all that apply, separate with commas
"
"
"
"
"
"
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Helped avoid injury or greater injury to respondent
Scared or chased offender off
Helped respondent get away from offender
Protected property
Protected other people
Other - specify
HOW OTHERSHELP
HOWOTHERSHELP
Item HOWOTHERSHELP is used to identify how the
actions of other persons present during the incident helped
the situation. Based on the respondent's answer, enter all
precodes that apply and continue asking, "Any other way?"
until you get a "No" response.
If the respondent mentions a way that the other person's
actions helped the situation and the answer does not fit the
descriptions in Precodes (1) through (5), enter Precode (6),
"Other," and enter the description on the "Specify" screen,
HOWOTHERSHELP_SPEC. Avoid entering Precode
(6), if the answer matches one of the other descriptions in
Precodes (1) through (5).
After completing Item HOWOTHERSHELP, press
“Enter” to continue with Item
OTHERSACTIONSWORSE.
Incident Report Items
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Part B, Chapter 4
Did the actions of (this person/any of these people)
make the situation worse in any way?
" 1.
" 2.
" 3.
Yes
No
Don't know
OTHERSACTIONSW ORSE
OTHERSACTIONS
WORSE
Item OTHERSACTIONSWORSE is used to find out
whether the respondent feels that any actions taken by other
persons present during the incident caused the situation to
deteriorate or the damage done to escalate.
As you read the question in Item
OTHERSACTIONSWORSE, only use the phrase "this
person" if the respondent happens to mention that there
was only one other person present. Otherwise, read the
question using the phrase "any of these people."
After entering Precode (1) for a "Yes" answer, continue
with Item OTHWORSE. After entering Precode (2) for a
"No" answer or Precode (3) for a "Don't know" answer,
continue with Item PERSONSHARMED.
How did they make the situation worse?
! Probe: Any other way?
! Enter all that apply, separate with commas
"
"
"
"
"
"
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Led to injury or greater injury to respondent
Caused greater loss of property or damage to property
Other people got hurt (worse)
Offender got away
Made offender angrier, more aggressive, etc.
Other - specify
OTHW ORSE
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Part B, Chapter 4
OTHWORSE
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Item OTHWORSE is used to identify how the actions of
other persons made the situation worse or caused the
damage done to escalate during the incident. Based on the
respondent's answer, enter all precodes that apply and
continue asking "Any other way?" until you get a "No"
response.
If the respondent mentions a way that the actions of other
persons made the situation worse and the answer does not
fit the descriptions in Precodes (1) through (5), enter
Precode (6), "Other," and enter the description on the
"Specify" screen, OTHWORSE_SPEC. Avoid entering
Precode (6) if the answer matches one of the other
descriptions in Precodes (1) through (5).
After completing Item OTHWORSE, press “Enter” to
continue with Item PERSONSHARMED.
Not counting yourself, were any of the persons
present during the incident harmed (PAUSE),
threatened with harm (PAUSE), or robbed
by force or threat of harm?
(Do not include yourself, the offender, or children under
12 years of age.)
" 1. Yes
" 2. No
" 3. Don't know
PERSONSHARMED
PERSONSHARMED
Item PERSONSHARMED is used to determine whether
or not other persons who were present during the incident
were physically harmed, threatened with physical harm, or
robbed by force or threat of harm. As you ask the question
for Item PERSONSHARMED, make sure to pause where
indicated and make sure that the respondent understands
NOT to include:
W Himself/herself,
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W The offender(s), and
W Any children who were younger than 12 years of age at
the time of the incident.
After entering Precode (1) for a "Yes" answer, you will
continue with Item PERSONSHARMEDNUM. Enter
Precode (2) for a "No" answer or when the respondent
indicates that:
•
The respondent was the only person harmed or
threatened with harm.
•
The only other person who was harmed or threatened
with harm was someone under 12 years of age.
•
The other person(s) did NOT experience any physical
harm or threat of physical harm (for example, they had
their pockets picked or property was stolen from their
cars while they were in a bank).
Enter Precode (3) for a "Don't know" answer.
After entering Precode (2) or (3), continue with either:
•
Item FIRSTTOUSEFORCE when the respondent used
or threatened to use physical force against the offender
(Precodes (11) through (16) entered in Item
ACTIONSDURINGINC)
OR
•
Item ONEORMOREOFFENDERS when the
respondent did NOT use or threaten to use physical
force against the offender.
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How many?
(Do not include yourself, the offender, or children under 12 years of age.)
PERSONSHARMEDNUM
PERSONSHARMEDNUM
Item PERSONSHARMEDNUM is used to identify the
total number of persons over the age of 12 who were
harmed, threatened with harm, or robbed by force or threat
of harm during the incident, EXCLUDING the respondent
and the offender(s). Enter the number of persons provided
by the respondent in the space for "How many harmed."
If the respondent's answer is not a total number (for
example, the respondent says "several," "just a few,"
"many," and so on), probe to get at least an estimate of the
number of other persons who were present and personally
victimized during the incident.
After completing Item PERSONSHARMEDNUM,
continue with Item HHMEMHARMED.
How many of these persons are members of your household now?
(Do not include yourself, the offender, or children
under 12 years of age.)
Number of hhld members 12 years and older: 3
Number of persons present: 3
HHM EMHARMED
HHMEMHARMED
Item HHMEMHARMED is used to:
C
Determine whether any of the persons included in the
count in Item PERSONSHARMEDNUM are
household members at the time of interview.
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C
Identify the number of persons included in the count in
Item PERSONSHARMEDNUM who are household
members at the time of interview.
If you enter a number of persons at this screen, continue
with Item HHMEMHARMED_NAMES shown on the
next page.
If not sure, ask:
W ho are these household members? (Do not include yourself, the
offender, or children under 12 years of age.)
_________________________________________________
9 2. Jane Doe
9 3. Jeffrey Doe
HHMEM HARM ED_NAM ES
At Item HHMEMHARMED_NAMES, identify by line
number, each of the household members other than the
respondent, the offender(s), or children under 12 years of
age, who were harmed, threatened with harm, or robbed by
force or the threat of harm during the incident.
Each of the household members identified at this screen
should report this incident during his/her interview.
However, do NOT ask about the victimization reported by
another household member if the current respondent does
not mention it himself/herself. You may discover that a
household member was NOT personally victimized during
the incident or you have already interviewed one of these
household members and the person did not report this
incident. If this happens, make sure to enter this fact in an
“F7" note at this screen, as well as at the Control + F7 case
level notes.
For proxy interviews, if the proxy respondent was one of
the persons who was personally victimized during the
incident reported for the proxy person, make sure that you
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enter the proxy respondent's line number in Item
HHMEMHARMED_NAMES, NOT the line number for
the person for whom the interview is being taken (proxy
person).
W ho was the first to use or threaten to use physical force - you, the offender, or someone else?
" 1. Respondent
" 2. Offender(s)
" 3. Someone else
FIRSTTOUSEFORCE
FIRSTTOUSEFORCE
Item FIRSTTOUSEFORCE is asked when any precode of
11 through 16 is entered in Item ACTIONSDURINGINC.
This item is used to identify the first person to use or
threaten to use physical force during the incident.
If the first person to use or threaten to use force during the
incident was:
T The respondent (not proxy respondent) - Enter Precode
(1)
T One or more of the offenders - Enter Precode (2)
T Someone other than the respondent or an offender Enter Precode (3)
If the respondent does not know who used or threatened to
use force first - use Ctrl + D for “Don’t know.”
After entering the appropriate precode in Item
FIRSTTOUSEFORCE, continue with Item
ONEORMOREOFFENDERS.
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Do you know or have you learned anything about the offender(s) - for instance, whether there
was one or more than one offender involved, whether it was someone young or old, or male or female?
" 1. Yes
" 2. No
KNOW LEARNOFFENDERS
KNOWLEARN
OFFENDERS
The question in Item KNOWLEARNOFFENDERS is
ONLY asked when NO household members were present
during the incident (Precode (2), "No," entered in Item
HHMEMBERPRESENT). If you discover that any
household members WERE present during the incident, do
not ask the question in Item
KNOWLEARNOFFENDERS. Using the “Up” arrow,
return to Item HHMEMBERPRESENT and correct the
answer to show that the respondent or other household
members were present.
Item KNOWLEARNOFFENDERS is used to find out if
the respondent knows anything or has learned anything
about the offender(s), such as whether there were one or
more offenders, whether the offender was young or old, or
male or female. It does not matter from which source the
respondent received this information; for instance, it may
have come from the police, neighbors, or other
circumstances of the incident.
After entering Precode (1) for a "Yes" answer, you will
continue with Item SUREOFINFO. After entering
Precode (2) for a "No" answer, continue with Item THEFT.
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How sure are you of this information?
Do you have a suspicion, are you fairly sure or are you certain?
" 1. Suspicion
" 2. Fairly sure
" 3. Certain
SUREOFINFO
SUREOFINFO
Item SUREOFINFO is used to discover how sure the
respondent is about the accuracy of what he/she knows or
has learned about the offender(s).
Enter Precode (1) if the respondent only suspects what
he/she knows about the offender(s) is true. Enter
Precode (2) if the respondent is fairly sure what he/she
knows about the offender(s) is true. Enter Precode (3) if
the respondent is certain what he/she knows about the
offender(s) is true.
How did you learn about the offender(s)?
Probe: Any other way?
Enter all that apply, separate with commas.
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
" 19.
" 20.
Respondent saw or heard offender
From other member of household who was eyewitness
From other eyewitness(es) other than household member(s)
From police
Other person (not eyewitness)
Offender(s) admitted it
Offender(s) had threatened to do it
Stolen property found on offender's property or in
offender's possession
Figured it out by who had motive, opportunity or had done
it before
Other - specify
LEARNOFFENDERS
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LEARNOFFENDERS
Part B, Chapter 4
Item LEARNOFFENDERS is used to determine how the
respondent found out any information about the offender(s).
Since there may have been more than one source, enter all
precodes that apply and continue asking "Any other way?"
until you get a "No" response. Once you complete Item
LEARNOFFENDERS, continue with Item THEFT.
Precode (11)
Enter Precode (11) if the respondent saw or heard the
offender, but was not present during the incident. For more
information about presence during an incident, refer to
Item HHMEMBERPRESENT in this chapter and Part C,
Chapter 3, Topic 6.
Precode (12)
Enter Precode (12) if the respondent found out about the
offender from another household member who saw the
offender, but was not present during the incident.
Precode (13)
Enter Precode (13) if the respondent found out about the
offender from someone who is not a household member,
such as a neighbor who actually saw the offender commit
the crime.
Precode (14)
Enter Precode (14) if the respondent found out about the
offender from the police department.
Precode (15)
Enter Precode (15) if the respondent found out about the
offender from someone who is not a household member,
but this person did not see the offender commit the crime.
Precode (16)
Enter Precode (16) if the offender(s) admitted his/her
offense to the respondent, another household member, or to
someone who is not a household member AFTER the
incident happened.
Precode (17)
Enter Precode (17) if the offender(s) threatened to commit
this type of crime against the respondent or someone else
PRIOR to the incident.
Precode (18)
Enter Precode (18) if the respondent or someone else found
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property that was stolen during the incident on the
offender's property or in the offender's possession.
Precode (19)
Enter Precode (19) if the respondent suspects a particular
person to be the offender because that person had a motive
or opportunity to commit the crime or because the person
had committed similar crimes in the past.
Precode (20)
Enter Precode (20) if the respondent's answer really does
not fit the descriptions in Precodes (11) through (19). After
entering Precode (20), explain how the respondent found
out information about the offender(s) on the "Specify"
screen, LEARNOFFENDERS_SPEC.
W hat actually happened?
! Probe: Anything else?
! Enter all that apply, separate with commas
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
Something taken without permission
Attempted or threatened to take something
Harassed, argument, abusive language
Forcible entry or attempted forcible entry of house/apartment
Forcible entry or attempted forcible entry of car
Damaged or destroyed property
Attempted or threatened to damage or destroy property
Other - specify
HAPPEN
HAPPEN
Item HAPPEN is used to determine what actually
happened during the incident when only other household
members were present, but NOT the respondent (Precode
(3) entered in Item WHICHMEMBER). Since the
offender(s) may have taken more than one action during the
incident, continue asking "Anything else?" until you get a
"No" response and enter all precodes that apply.
If you discover that a household member other than the
respondent was personally victimized during the incident,
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complete the incident report items for the incident for other
household members who report that they were victimized
when you conduct their interviews. If you already
interviewed the other household members and they did not
report the incident, note this fact in an “F7" note at this
screen, as well as at the case level notes (Ctrl + F7).
Precode (11)
Enter Precode (11) if the offender stole something that
belongs to the respondent or another household member.
Precode (12)
Enter Precode (12) if the offender:
T Tried to steal something that belongs to the respondent
or another household member
OR
T Threatened either verbally or nonverbally to take
something that belongs to the respondent or another
household member. An example of a verbal threat to
take something is the offender saying: "Give me your
jacket or I'll rip it off your back." An example of a
nonverbal threat to take something is an offender
lunging towards the household member reaching for her
necklace.
Precode (13)
Enter Precode (13) if the offender bothered a household
member verbally without threatening the household
member. This could include yelling, teasing, insulting,
arguing, using obscenities, and so on.
Precode (14)
Enter Precode (14) if the offender forced his/her way into
or attempted to force his/her way into the respondent's
home and physical evidence of force is visible on the
house/apartment after the incident happened. Do not enter
Precode (14) if there was no force involved or if the only
force involved was used against a household member and
not against the house/apartment. In this case, enter Precode
(18), "Other," and explain the situation on the
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"HAPPEN_SPEC" screen that appears, which prompts,
“Please specify what actually happened.”
Precode (15)
Enter Precode (15) if the offender forcibly entered or tried
to enter a car or other motor vehicle owned by the
respondent or another household member. However, if no
physical force was used to enter or to try to enter the
vehicle (for example, offender opened an unlocked door to
enter the vehicle), enter Precode (18), "Other," and explain
the situation on the "HAPPEN_SPEC" screen that appears.
Precode (16)
Enter Precode (16) if the offender damaged or destroyed
property during the incident that belongs to the respondent
or another household member.
Precode (17)
Enter Precode (17) if the offender tried or threatened to
damage or destroy property belonging to the respondent or
another household member while the crime was being
committed.
Precode (18)
Enter Precode (18) if the respondent's answer does not fit
any of the descriptions in Precodes (11) through (17) and
then explain what actually happened during the incident on
the "HAPPEN_SPEC" screen that appears.
Here are some examples of acceptable explanations after
entering Precode (18), "Other":
T Illegal entry into house/apartment, no force used
T Peeping tom
T Offender opened hood of car
T Obscene gestures.
After entering all appropriate precodes, press “Enter” and
proceed to the next item.
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Topic 2. Screen Layout and Instructions for
Items ONEORMOREOFFENDERS Through ANYTHINGFURTHER
! Ask or verify:
W as the crime committed by only one or by more than one offender?
" 1. Only one
" 2. More than one
" 3. Don't know
ONEORMOREOFFENDERS
ONEORMORE
OFFENDERS
Item ONEORMOREOFFENDERS is used to find out if
the crime was committed by one offender or multiple
offenders. If the respondent has already told you how many
offenders were involved in the incident, you can verify this
information with the respondent, instead of asking the
question in Item ONEORMOREOFFENDERS.
Precode (1)
Enter Precode (1) when only one offender was involved in
the incident and then you will continue with Item
SINGOFFENDERGENDER, so you can begin gathering
information about the offender's personal characteristics.
Precode (2)
Enter Precode (2) when there were two or more offenders
involved in the incident and then you will continue with
Item HOWMANYOFFENDERS, so you can begin
gathering information about the personal characteristics of
all the offenders.
Precode (3)
Enter Precode (3) if the respondent does not know whether
there was just one offender or more than one offender
involved in the incident. After entering Precode (3), you
will continue with Item KNOWOFFENDERS.
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Do you know anything about one of
the offenders?
" 1. Yes
" 2. No
KNOW OFFENDERS
KNOWOFFENDERS
Item KNOWOFFENDERS is used to determine whether
the respondent knows anything about the offender(s). You
will only ask this question when the respondent does not
know whether there was one or more than one offender
(“Don’t know” entered in Item
ONEORMOREOFFENDERS).
After entering Precode (1) for a "Yes" answer, you will
continue with Item SINGOFFENDERGENDER so you
can collect whatever information the respondent is able to
provide about the offender(s). After entering Precode (2)
for a “No” answer, you will continue with Item THEFT.
W as the offender male or female?
" 1. Male
" 2. Female
" 3. Don't Know
SINGOFFENDERGENDER
SINGOFFENDER
GENDER
Item SINGOFFENDERGENDER is used to identify
whether the offender is male or female. Based on the
respondent's perception, enter Precode (1) for "Male,"
Precode (2) for "Female," or Precode (3) if the respondent
does not know the offender's gender.
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How old would you say the offender was?
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Under 12
12-14
15-17
18-20
21-29
30 or older
Don't know
SINGOFFENDERAGE
SINGOFFENDERAGE
Item SINGOFFENDERAGE is used to identify the
approximate age of the offender based on the respondent's
perception. If the respondent seems unsure, ask the
respondent to give you his/her best estimate.
Each precode identifies a range of years, such as "Under
12" for Precode (1), "12-14" for Precode (2), and so on.
Enter the appropriate precode based on the respondent's
answer. If the respondent is unable to give you even an
estimated age for the offender, enter Precode (7) for "Don't
know."
W as the offender a member of a street gang, or don't
you know?
" 1. Yes (a member of a street gang)
" 2. No (not a member of a street gang)
" 3. Don't know (if a member of a street gang)
SINGOFFENDERGANG
SINGOFFENDERGANG
Item SINGOFFENDERGANG is used to determine
whether or not the offender is a member of a street gang
based on the respondent's perception. Consider a street
gang as a group of people who associate regularly with one
another, generally have a leader or group of leaders who
issue orders and reap the rewards of the gang's activities,
and often engage in anti-social or deviant behavior.
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Some ways to identify gang members are their "colors,"
clothing, tattoos, brands, or imprints of the gang's name,
logo, or other identifying marks on their bodies.
Enter the appropriate precode based on the respondent's
answer–Precode (1) for "Yes," Precode (2) for "No," or
Precode (3) for "Don't know."
W as the offender drinking or on drugs, or don't
you know?
" 1. Yes (drinking or on drugs)
" 2. No (not drinking/not on drugs)
" 3. Don't know (if drinking or on drugs)
SINGOFFENDERDRINKDRUG
SINGOFFENDER
DRINKDRUG
Item SINGOFFENDERDRINKDRUG is used to find out
if the offender was drinking alcoholic beverages or under
the influence of drugs during the incident. Enter the
appropriate precode based on what the respondent believes
or knows.
Precode (1)
Enter Precode (1), "Yes," if the offender was actively
drinking or under the influence of drugs or alcohol at the
time of the incident. After entering Precode (1), you will
continue with Item SINGOFFENDERDRINKORDRUG.
Precode (2)
Enter Precode (2), "No," if the offender was not drinking or
under the influence of drugs or alcohol. After entering
Precode (2), you will continue with Item
SINGOFFENDERKNEW.
Precode (3)
Enter Precode (3), "Don't know," if the respondent could
not tell if the offender was under the influence of drugs or
alcohol. After entering Precode (3), you will continue with
Item SINGOFFENDERKNEW.
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W hich was it? (Drinking or on drugs)?
"
"
"
"
1.
2.
3.
4.
Drinking
On drugs
Both (drinking and on drugs)
Drinking or on drugs - could not tell which
SINGOFFENDERDRINKORDRUG
SINGOFFENDERDRINK
ORDRUG
Item SINGOFFENDERDRINKORDRUG is used to
distinguish between whether the offender was just drinking,
just on drugs, under the influence of BOTH alcohol and
drugs, or perhaps the respondent cannot distinguish
between the two. After completing Item
SINGOFFENDERDRINKORDRUG, you will continue
with Item SINGOFFENDERKNEW.
Precode (1)
Enter Precode (1), "Drinking," if the respondent thinks or
knows that the offender was under the influence of only
alcohol during the incident.
Precode (2)
Enter Precode (2), "On drugs," if the respondent thinks or
knows that the offender was under the influence of only
drugs during the incident.
Precode (3)
Enter Precode (3), "Both," if the respondent thinks or
knows that the offender was under the influence of BOTH
drugs and alcohol during the incident.
Precode (4)
Enter Precode (4), "Drinking or on drugs," if the respondent
thinks or knows that the offender is under the influence of
drugs or alcohol, but cannot tell which one.
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W as the offender someone you knew
or a stranger you had never seen before?
" 1. Knew or had seen before
" 2. Stranger
" 3. Don’t know
SINGOFFENDERKNEW
SINGOFFENDERKNEW
Item SINGOFFENDERKNEW is used to determine
whether the respondent either knew the offender or had
seen the offender in the past.
Precode (1)
Enter Precode (1) if the offender knew or had seen the
offender at some time prior to the incident. After entering
Precode (1), continue with Item
SINGOFFENDERHOWWELL.
Precode (2)
Enter Precode (2) if the offender is a stranger to the
respondent. After entering Precode (2), continue with Item
SINGOFFENDERRECOG.
Precode (3)
Enter Precode (3) if the respondent does not know for sure
whether or not the offender is someone he/she knows or is a
stranger.
W ould you be able to recognize the offender
if you saw him/her?
" 1. Yes
" 2. Not sure (possibly or probably)
" 3. No
SINGOFFENDERRECOG
SINGOFFENDERRECOG
Precode (1)
Item SINGOFFENDERRECOG is used to find out how
certain the respondent is that he/she could identify the
offender if the respondent saw the offender again.
Enter Precode (1) when the respondent is fairly sure that
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he/she would recognize the offender if the respondent saw
the offender again. After entering Precode (1), continue
with Item SINGOFFENDERSIGHT.
Precode (2)
Enter Precode (2) when the respondent thinks he/she might
recognize the offender if the respondent saw the person
again, but is not really certain. After entering Precode (2),
continue with Item SINGOFFENDERSIGHT.
Precode (3)
Enter Precode (3) when the respondent knows that he/she
could not recognize the offender if the respondent saw the
offender again. After entering Precode (3), continue with
Item SINGOFFENDERRACE.
How well did you know the offender - by sight only,
casual acquaintance, or well known?
" 1. Sight only
" 2. Casual acquaintance
" 3. W ell known
SINGOFFENDERHOW W ELL
SINGOFFENDERHOW
WELL
After a respondent has indicated in Item
SINGOFFENDERKNEW that he/she knew or had seen
the offender before the incident, then you will ask the
question in Item SINGOFFENDERHOWWELL to find
out just how well the respondent knew the offender. If the
respondent does not answer with one of the suggested
choices, probe by repeating the options again.
Precode (1)
Enter Precode (1) if the respondent only remembers seeing
the offender previously. After entering Precode (1), you
will continue with Item SINGOFFENDERSIGHT.
Precode (2)
Enter Precode (2) if the respondent knew the offender
somewhat and felt comfortable saying "Hello," but did not
necessarily know his/her name. After entering Precode (2),
you continue with Item SINGOFFENDERRELATION.
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Precode (3)
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Enter Precode (3) if the respondent feels that he/she knew
the offender very well. Let the respondent make this
decision. After entering Precode (3), continue with Item
SINGOFFENDERRELATION.
W ould you have been able to tell the police how
they might find the offender, for instance, where he/she lived,
worked, went to school, or spent time?
" 1. Yes
" 2. No
" 3. Other - Specify
SINGOFFENDERSIGHT
SINGOFFENDERSIGHT
Item SINGOFFENDERSIGHT is used to determine
whether the respondent has any information which may
help the police find the offender. The respondent's answer
should be based on what he/she knows about the offender,
and NOT necessarily on what the respondent actually told
the police.
Enter Precode (1) for a "Yes" answer, Precode (2) for a
"No" answer, and Precode (3), "Other," when you need to
record more than just a "Yes" or "No" answer. After
entering Precode (3), make sure to enter a description of the
respondent's answer on the
SINGOFFENDERSIGHT_SPEC screen, which then
appears. Once you have completed Item
SINGOFFENDERSIGHT, continue with Item
SINGOFFENDERRACE.
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How well did you know the offender?
For example, was the offender a friend, cousin, etc.?
RELATIVE:
"
"
"
"
"
"
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
Spouse at time of incident
Ex-spouse at time of incident
Parent or step-parent
Own child or step-child
Brother/sister
Other relative - specify
NONRELATIVE:
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
17.
18.
19.
20.
21.
22.
23.
24.
25.
26.
27.
28.
Boyfriend or girlfriend, ex-boyfriend or ex-girlfriend
Friend or ex-friend
Roommate, boarder
Schoolmate
Neighbor
Customer/client
Patient
Supervisor (current or former)
Employee (current or former)
Co-worker (current or former)
Teacher/school staff
Other nonrelative - Specify
SINGOFFENDERRELATION
SINGOFFENDER
RELATION
Item SINGOFFENDERRELATION is used to identify
the relationship between the respondent and the offender,
when the respondent indicates in Item
SINGOFFENDERHOWWELL that he/she was a casual
acquaintance of the offender or knew the offender very well
(Precode (2) or (3) entered in Item
SINGOFFENDERHOWWELL). Always ask BOTH
questions in Item SINGOFFENDERRELATION to
ensure that the respondent identifies all types of
relationships, not just relatives.
Enter only the first precode that applies to the respondent’s
answer. Notice that the answer categories are divided into
two groups: Precodes (11) through (16) cover relatives of
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the respondent and Precodes (17) through (28) cover
nonrelatives of the respondent.
Precode (11)
Enter Precode (11) if the offender was the spouse of the
respondent (husband/wife) at the time of the incident,
regardless of whether they are currently married to each
other.
Precode (12)
Enter Precode (12) if the offender was a former spouse
(husband/wife) of the respondent at the time of the incident.
Accept the respondent's answer and do not probe when the
respondent says "Ex-spouse" or "Former wife/husband."
Precode (13)
Enter Precode (13) if the offender is the mother, father,
step-mother, or step-father of the respondent. Precode (13)
is not intended for parents through marriage, which should
be included in Precode (16), "Other relative." After
entering Precode (16), indicate the type of other relative on
the "Specify" screen, such as "father-in-law" or "mother-inlaw."
Precode (14)
Enter Precode (14) if the offender is a child of the
respondent by birth, adoption, or marriage, such as a son,
daughter, step-son, or step-daughter. Precode (14) is not
intended for foster children, instead enter Precode (28),
"Other nonrelative," and enter the relationship on the
"Specify" screen.
Precode (15)
Enter Precode (15) if the offender is a brother or sister of
the respondent or the child of a respondent's step-parent.
Precode (15) is not intended for "brother-in-laws" or
"sister-in-laws," instead enter Precode (16), “Other,” and
enter the relationship on the "Specify" screen.
Precode (16)
Enter Precode (16) if the offender was the respondent's
aunt, uncle, cousin, grandparent, father-in-law, mother-inlaw, sister-in-law, brother-in-law, or any offender who is
related to the respondent by blood or marriage and is not
described in Precodes (11) through (15). After entering
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Part B, Chapter 4
Precode (16), always enter the relationship on the "Specify"
screen, SINGOFFENDERRELATION_SPEC_16.
Precode (17)
Enter Precode (17) if the offender is a nonrelative who has
or has had romantic connections to the respondent. For
example, the offender and the respondent were dating at the
time of the incident or used to date prior to the incident.
Precode (18)
Enter Precode (18) if the offender is a male or female friend
or past friend of the respondent AND there is no romantic
connection between the two persons.
Precode (19)
Enter Precode (19) if the offender is a person who is NOT
related to the respondent, but was living with the
respondent at the time of the incident, such as a boarder or
roommate. Precode (19) is not intended for "live-in"
boyfriends/girlfriends; instead, enter Precode (17) for these
situations.
Precode (20)
Enter Precode (20) if the offender attended the same school
as the respondent at the time of the incident AND is not
related to the respondent.
Precode (21)
Enter Precode (21) if the offender lives close enough to the
respondent to be considered a neighbor AND is not related
to the respondent.
Precodes (22), (23), (24),
(25), or (26)
Enter the most appropriate precode from Precodes (22),
(23), (24), (25), and (26) if the offender is a nonrelative, but
is known by the respondent as a business client, patient, or
a supervisor, employee, or co-worker, including former
supervisors, employees, and co-workers.
Precode (27)
Enter Precode (27) if the offender is a teacher or a school
staff member at the respondent’s school. If the respondent
works at the school, use the appropriate precode (24), (25),
or (26).
Precode (28)
Enter Precode (28) if the respondent's answer does not fit
any of the other nonrelative relationships, but the offender
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NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
is either well known or a casual acquaintance. Enter the
offender's relationship to the respondent on the "Specify"
screen, SINGOFFENDERRELATION_SPEC_28, such
as the respondent's barber or financial planner.
Once you have completed Item
SINGOFFENDERRELATION, continue with Item
SINGOFFENDERRACE.
W as the offender W hite, Black, or some other race?
"
"
"
"
1.
2.
3.
4.
W hite
Black
Other - Specify
Don’t know
SINGOFFENDERRACE
SINGOFFENDERRACE
Item SINGOFFENDERRACE is used to record the
offender’s race as perceived by the respondent. Only three
racial designations are used for Item
SINGOFFENDERRACE--White, Black, and Other.
Enter Precode (1) for "White" and Precode (2) for "Black or
African American." If the respondent mentions a race other
than White or Black/African American, enter Precode (3),
"Other," and enter the offender's race on the "Specify"
screen, SINGOFFENDERRACE_SPEC, such as
American Indian, Alaska Native, Asian, Native Hawaiian,
and so on.
The terms “Spanish, Hispanic, or Latino” refer to a person's
ethnic origin or ancestry, not to his/her race. If the
respondent's answer is "Spanish, Hispanic, or Latino” or
another ethnic origin, such as French or German, enter
Precode (1) “White,” NOT Precode (3) “Other.” Enter
Precode (4) “Don’t know,” if the respondent cannot identify
the offender’s race.
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NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Part B, Chapter 4
After completing Item SINGOFFENDERRACE, continue
with Item SINGOFFENDERONLYTIME.
W as this the only time this offender committed a crime or made threats against you or your household?
" 1. Yes (only time)
" 2. No (there were other times)
" 3. Don't know
SINGOFFENDERONLYTIM E
SINGOFFENDERONLY
TIME
Item SINGOFFENDERONLYTIME is used to determine
whether the offender has ever committed any type of crime
or threatened to physically harm the respondent or another
household member, other than the current incident. For this
question, do not limit the respondent to crimes committed
only during the 6-month reference period.
Precode (1)
Enter Precode (1), "Yes (only time)," if the respondent tells
you that the current incident is the only crime this offender
has committed against his/her household. Make sure that
the respondent understands we are interested in crimes
committed by this offender at ANY time prior to this
incident.
Precode (2)
Enter Precode (2), "No (there were other times)," if the
respondent says that this offender did commit other crimes
against the respondent or other household members at ANY
time prior to this incident.
Precode (3)
Enter Precode (3) if the respondent does not really know
whether or not the offender has committed other crimes
against the household prior to this incident.
Once you have completed Item
SINGOFFENDERONLYTIME, continue with Item
THEFT.
HOWMANYOFFENDERS
through
Items HOWMANYOFFENDERS through
MULTOFFENDERONLYTIME are asked to collect the
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Part B, Chapter 4
MULTOFFENDERONLY
TIME
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
same type of information for multiple offenders as Items
ONEORMOREOFFENDERS through
SINGOFFENDERONLYTIME collect for a single
offender. Notice that the age items for multiple offenders
are handled differently. For multiple offenders, the ages of
the youngest and oldest offenders are asked.
? [F1]
! Ask or verify:
W as something stolen or taken without permission that belonged to you or others in the household?
Include anything stolen from the business operated from the respondent’s home.
! Include anything stolen from an unrecognizable business
! Do not include anything stolen from a recognizable business in respondent's home or another business,
such as merchandise or cash from a register
" 1. Yes
" 2. No
" 3. Don't know
THEFT
THEFT
Item THEFT is used to determine whether the offender(s)
stole or took anything without permission, regardless of its
value, that was owned by the respondent or another
household member. This could include the personal
property of one household member or property that belongs
to the entire household. It could also include property
stolen during the 6-month reference period from a former
residence, IF the property was stolen from someone who is
a household member at the time of the interview.
If the respondent or other household members own an
unrecognizable business and items were stolen from that
business, those items need to be included when answering
this question. However, do NOT include items stolen or
taken without permission from a recognizable business,
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NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Part B, Chapter 4
unless they are personal items belonging to the respondent
or other household members.
(Refer to Part C, Chapter 2, Topic 5, for more
information about recognizable and unrecognizable
businesses.)
You can verify the answer to this question without asking
the question if the respondent has indicated the answer
earlier in the interview. Otherwise, ask the question in
Item THEFT exactly as it is worded.
Precode (1)
Enter Precode (1), "Yes," when:
T Items were taken that belonged to any household
member, regardless of age, during a burglary or
household theft.
T During any other crime of theft, items were taken that
belonged to a household member who is 12 years of age
or older.
T Items were taken that belong to an unrecognizable
business owned by the respondent or another household
member.
T Items that belong to a household member were stolen
while in the possession of a friend, neighbor, coworker, and so on, who had borrowed them from the
household member. However, you would enter
Precode (2), "No," if the borrowed items were just
never returned to the household member, even if the
household member asked that the items be returned.
After entering Precode (1), you continue with Item
WHATWASTAKEN.
Precode (2)
Enter Precode (2), "No," when:
Incident Report Items
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Part B, Chapter 4
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
T The items taken belong to a recognizable business
owned by the respondent or another household member,
regardless of whether or not the business is located at
the sample address. However, enter Precode (1),
"Yes," when the items stolen from a recognizable
business are personal ones belonging to the respondent
or other household members, such as a purse, watch,
and so on.
T The items taken belong to the owner of the sample
address. However, the owner does not reside at the
sample address, because he/she rents the home to the
respondent. In this case, the items do not belong to the
sample household, even though the items were stolen
from the sample address.
T The items taken belong to a nonhousehold member,
regardless of whether or not the person was at the
sample address.
T The items taken really belong to a nonhousehold
member because he/she lent the items to a household
member. This is true even if the household member
compensated the nonhousehold member for the
borrowed item(s).
T Items loaned to a friend, neighbor, co-worker, and so
on, and never returned. Do not consider these items as
stolen.
T Items taken belong to a household member who is
younger than 12 years old for any crime that did NOT
happen in the sample unit or on the property belonging
to the sample unit.
After entering Precode (2), "No," continue with Item
ATTEMPTTHEFT.
Precode (3)
Enter Precode (3) if the respondent does not know whether
any items were stolen or taken without permission that
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Part B, Chapter 4
belong to him/her or another household member. After
entering Precode (3), "Don't know," continue with Item
ATTEMPTTHEFT.
Items THEFT and ATTEMPTTHEFT both use the same
Help screen. Press the F1 key to access this Help screen,
which provides rules about what to include or exclude in
THEFT and ATTEMPTTHEFT.
? [F1]
! Ask or verify:
Did the offender(s) ATTEM PT to take something that belonged to you or others in the household?
Include anything stolen from the business operated from the respondent’s home.
! Do not include anything the offender tried to steal from a recognizable business in respondent's home or
another business, such as merchandise or cash from a register
" 1. Yes
" 2. No
" 3. Don't know
ATTEM PTTHEFT
ATTEMPTTHEFT
Item ATTEMPTTHEFT is used to determine whether the
offender(s) tried to take something that belonged to the
respondent or another household member. You will only
ask this question when Precode (2), “No,” or Precode (3),
“Don’t know,” is entered in Item THEFT.
You can verify the answer to this question without asking
the question if the respondent has indicated the answer
earlier in the interview. Otherwise, ask the question in
Item ATTEMPTTHEFT exactly as it is worded. Read the
instruction shown below the question to yourself so you
remember what types of items to exclude.
After entering Precode (1) for a "Yes" answer, you will
continue with Item ATTEMPTTHEFTWHAT. However,
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B4-147
Part B, Chapter 4
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
if you enter Precode (2) for "No" or Precode (3) for "Don't
know," you will continue with Item DAMAGED.
W hat did the offender try to take?
! Probe: Anything else?
! Enter all that apply, separate with commas.
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
21.
22.
23.
24.
25.
26.
27.
Cash
Purse
W allet
Credit cards, checks, bank cards
Car
Other motor vehicle
Part of a motor vehicle (tire, hubcap, attached car stereo or satellite radio, attached CB radio, etc.)
Gasoline or oil
Bicycle or parts
TV, DVD player, VCR, stereo, other household appliances
Silver, china, art objects
Other household furnishings (furniture, rugs, etc.)
Personal effects (clothing, jewelry, toys, etc.)
Handgun (pistol, revolver)
Other firearm (rifle, shotgun)
Other - specify
Don't know
ATTEMPTTHEFTW HAT
ATTEMPTTHEFTWHAT
Precode (11)
Item ATTEMPTTHEFTWHAT is used to identify the
type of item(s) that the respondent thinks the offender(s)
attempted to steal or take without permission. After asking
the initial question in Item ATTEMPTTHEFTWHAT,
continue asking, "Anything else?" until you get a "No"
response. Enter all appropriate precodes based on the
respondent’s answer. After recording all of the
respondent’s answers, press “Enter” to move to the next
item. Some of the answer categories are self-explanatory,
but the following categories require additional clarification.
Enter Precode (11), "Cash," if the respondent thinks that the
offender(s) tried to take paper money and/or coins, such as
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NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Part B, Chapter 4
$10, $20, or $50 dollar bills and/or nickels, dimes, or
quarters. Do not enter Precode (11) for checks or credit
cards, instead enter Precode (14). Also, do not enter
Precode (11) for coin collections, instead enter Precode
(23).
Precode (14)
Enter Precode (14), "Credit cards, checks, bank cards," if
the respondent thinks that the offender(s) tried to take items
that are of little or no value unless someone tries to use
them fraudulently. For example, an offender tried to steal
the respondent's gasoline credit card so he could
fraudulently purchase gasoline for his vehicle. Also enter
Precode (14) if the offender(s) tried to take Savings Bonds,
bank books, money orders, debit cards, traveler's checks,
and phone cards.
Precode (16)
Enter Precode (16), "Other motor vehicle," if the
offender(s) tried to take without permission any type of
truck, van, sport utility vehicle (SUV), motorcycle, moped,
motorized bicycle, or any motor vehicle OTHER THAN a
car that belonged to the respondent, another household
member, or an unrecognizable business owned or operated
by a household member. If the "Other motor vehicle" was
owned or operated by a recognizable business, only enter
Precode (16) if the "Other motor vehicle" was also intended
for personal use by a household member.
DO NOT enter Precode (16) for the attempted theft of
boats, jet skis, airplanes, minibikes, or snowmobiles,
instead enter Precode (26) and identify the item(s) on the
"Specify" screen.
Precode (17)
Enter Precode (17), "Part of motor vehicle," if the
offender(s) tried to take without permission anything that is
ATTACHED to a car, truck, van, SUV, or other motor
vehicle owned by the respondent or another household
member. Here are some examples of motor vehicle parts to
include: Tires, hubcaps or wheels, CD players, scanners,
CB radios, car telephones, antenna, license plates, motor
parts, mirrors, steering wheel, door handles, and so on.
Incident Report Items
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Part B, Chapter 4
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
DO NOT enter Precode (17) if the items were stored in the
glove compartment, left on a seat, or kept in the trunk of a
car or the bed of a truck, since we do not consider these
items as attached to the motor vehicle.
Precode (19)
Enter Precode (19), "Bicycle or parts," if the offender(s)
tried to take, without permission, NON-MOTORIZED
bicycles or bicycle parts owned by the respondent or
another household member.
Precode (20)
Enter Precode (20), "TV, stereo, DVD player, VCR, or
other household appliances," if the offender(s) tried to take
without permission items intended for the use of all or most
of the household members, such as a gas grill, kitchen
stove, freezer, VCR, CD player, personal computer, and so
on.
Precode (21)
Enter Precode (21), "Silver, china, art objects," if the
offender(s) tried to take without permission any type of
silver, china, or art object, regardless of its value.
Precode (22)
Enter Precode (22), "Other household furnishings," if the
offender(s) tried to take without permission household
furnishings, such as furniture, rugs, lamps, mirrors, and so
on, that are intended for use by all or most of the household
members. Consider items such as a daughter's bedroom
furniture to be household furnishings, even though the
furniture is used primarily by one household member.
Precode (23)
Enter Precode (23), "Personal effects," if the offender(s)
tried to take without permission items that are intended for
the sole use of one household member, rather than by all or
most household members and are considered easily
movable or portable. For example, a household member's
watch, jewelry, cellular telephone, clothing, camera,
luggage, briefcase, sports or recreation equipment, toys,
makeup, hair dryers, keys, personal collections (Hummels,
coins, bears, dolls, stamps, and so on). Since the value of
"Personal effects" is not needed, do not probe to determine
their dollar value.
Incident Report Items
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NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Precode (24)
Part B, Chapter 4
Enter Precode (24), "Handgun," if the offender(s) tried to
take without permission any type of hand-held gun that is
intended to shoot bullets, regardless of its condition or
usage. For example, the handgun could be a mint condition
collector's item from World War II that is never shot by its
owner or a new handgun kept by the respondent for
protection.
Do NOT enter Precode (24) for guns that shoot pellets,
BB's, air, flares, or tear gas. Instead, enter Precode (26),
"Other," and identify the type of gun on the "Specify"
screen.
Precode (25)
Enter Precode (25), "Other firearm," if the offender(s) tried
to take without permission any type of rifles or shotguns
that shoot bullets or shot, regardless of whether the rifle or
shotgun works or is used by the respondent. Do not enter
Precode (25) for handguns, instead enter Precode (24).
Also, do NOT enter Precode (25) for guns that shoot
pellets, BB's, air, flares, or tear gas. Instead, enter
Precode (26), "Other," and identify the type of gun on the
"Specify" screen.
Precode (26)
Enter Precode (26), "Other," AND describe the item(s) on
the "Specify" screen, ATTEMPTTHEFTWHAT_SPEC,
if the offender(s) tried to take any of the following types of
items without permission: food, drugs, food stamps,
animals, plants, guns that fire BB's or pellets, flares, tear
gas, and other items that do not fit the categories for
Precodes (11) through (25). Also enter Precode (26) for
boats, airplanes, minibikes, snowmobiles, and so on.
Precode (27)
Enter Precode (27), "Don't know" if the respondent does
not know or is unsure about what the offender(s) tried to
take without permission.
After completing Item ATTEMPTTHEFTWHAT, you
will continue with Item ATTEMPTTHEFTOWNER.
Incident Report Items
B4-151
Part B, Chapter 4
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Did the (property/money) the offender tried to take belong to you personally, to someone else in the
household, or to both you and other household members?
"
"
"
"
"
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Respondent only
Respondent and other household member(s)
Other household member(s) only
Nonhousehold member(s) only
Other - specify
ATTEM PTTHEFTOW NER
ATTEMPTTHEFT
OWNER
Item ATTEMPTTHEFTOWNER is used to identify the
owner(s) of the property/money that the offender(s)
attempted to steal during the incident. When we refer to
"household member(s)" in Precodes (2) and (3), we mean
household members at the time of the interview, NOT just
at the time of the incident.
Precode (1)
Enter Precode (1) if the offender(s) attempted to steal
property/money that belongs SOLELY to the respondent.
After entering Precode (1), you will continue with Item
ATTEMPTTHEFTITEMSINMV.
Precode (2)
Enter Precode (2) if the offender(s) attempted to steal
property/money that belongs to the respondent and other
household member(s) either jointly (for example, a car that
is jointly owned by the reference person and his/her
spouse) or partially (for example, a collection of music CDs
of which 20 belong to the respondent and the remaining
30 CDs belong to the respondent's son).
After entering Precode (2), Item ATTEMPTTHEFTLNS
appears. Use this item to identify by line number each
household member who owned some of the property/money
that the offender tried to steal.
Incident Report Items
B4-152
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Part B, Chapter 4
! If not sure, ask:
Besides the respondent, which household member(s) owned the
property the offender tried to take?
! Enter appropriate line number(s).
" 1. Megan Moe
" 40. Household property
ATTEM PTTHEFTLNS
Enter Precode (40), “Household Property,” in Item
ATTEMPTTHEFTLNS if the property/money belongs to
the entire household jointly or if more than three household
members own the property/money jointly with the
respondent. It is acceptable to enter one or more line
numbers and also enter Precode (40), since the offender(s)
may have tried to take both personal and household
property. After completing Item ATTEMPTTHEFTLNS,
continue with Item ATTEMPTTHEFTITEMSINMV.
Precode (3)
Enter Precode (3) if the offender(s) attempted to steal
property/money that belongs ONLY to other household
member(s) and NONE of the property/money belongs to the
respondent. After entering Precode (3), Item
ATTEMPTTHEFTLNS appears, so you can identify by
line number each household member who owned some of
the property/money that the offender tried to steal.
Precode (4)
Enter Precode (4) if the offender(s) attempted to steal
property/money that belongs ONLY to person(s) who are
NOT household members at the time of the interview.
After entering Precode (4), continue with Item
ATTEMPTTHEFTITEMSINMV.
Precode (5)
Enter Precode (5) if the offender(s) attempted to steal
property/money that belongs to two or more persons NOT
covered by Precodes (1) through (4). For example, the
property/money belongs jointly to another household
Incident Report Items
B4-153
Part B, Chapter 4
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
member and a nonhousehold member. Using the "Specify"
screen ATTEMPTHEFTOWNER_SPEC, make sure to
indicate who owns the property/money (for example, L3
and a nonhousehold member). After entering Precode (5)
and identifying the owners on the "Specify" screen, you
continue with Item ATTEMPTTHEFTITEMSINMV.
! Ask or verify:
W as the article IN or ATTACHED to a motor vehicle when the attempt was made to take it?
" 1. Yes
" 2. No
ATTEMPTTHEFTITEM SINM V
ATTEMPTTHEFT
ITEMSINMV
Item ATTEMPTTHEFTITEMSINMV is used to identify
whether the offender(s) tried to steal property/money that
was either:
T
Inside a motor vehicle or
T
Attached to a motor vehicle.
If you entered Precodes (15) or (16) in
ATTEMPTTHEFTWHAT, the instrument skips
ATTEMPTTHEFTITEMSINMV.
For Item ATTEMPTTHEFTITEMSINMV, you can
verify the answer without asking the question if the
respondent previously indicated where the articles were
when the offender(s) tried to steal them.
Otherwise, ask the question and enter Precode (1), "Yes," if
ANY of the articles were in or attached to a motor vehicle.
Only enter Precode (2), "No," if NONE of the articles were
in or attached to a motor vehicle.
After completing Item ATTEMPTTHEFTITEMSINMV,
continue with either:
Incident Report Items
B4-154
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Part B, Chapter 4
•
Item ATTEMPTTHEFTONPERSON if the offender
tried to take cash, a purse, or a wallet (Precodes (11),
(12), or (13) are entered in Item
ATTEMPTTHEFTWHAT).
OR
•
Item ATTEMPTTHEFTITEMONPERSON if the
offender tried to take anything other than cash, a purse,
or a wallet.
! Ask or verify:
W as the cash on your person, for instance, in a pocket or being held?
" 1. Yes
" 2. No
ATTEMPTTHEFTONPERSON
ATTEMPTTHEFTON
PERSON
Item ATTEMPTTHEFTONPERSON is used to
determine whether the offender(s) tried to steal cash, a
purse, or a wallet directly from the respondent's hands,
shoulder, pocket, backpack, and so on. For the NCVS, it
makes a difference whether the offender(s) attempted to
steal cash, a purse, or a wallet directly from the respondent,
rather than from a counter, car seat, floor of a subway car,
or other places where the respondent may have left cash, a
purse, or a wallet.
If the answer is obvious from information provided
previously by the respondent, verify the answer without
asking the question. Otherwise, ask the question and enter
Precode (1) for a "Yes" answer or Precode (2) for a "No"
answer. After completing Item
ATTEMPTTHEFTONPERSON, you will continue with
Item ATTEMPTTHEFTITEMONPERSON.
Incident Report Items
B4-155
Part B, Chapter 4
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
! Ask or verify:
W as there anything else the offenders tried to take directly from you, for instance, from your pocket or hands,
or something that you were wearing?
! Exclude property not belonging to respondent or other household member.
" 1. Yes
" 2. No
ATTEMPTTHEFTITEMONPERSON
ATTEMPTTHEFTITEM
ONPERSON
Item ATTEMPTTHEFTITEMONPERSON is used to
determine whether the offender(s) tried to take anything
OTHER THAN cash, a purse, or a wallet (such as a watch
they were wearing) directly from the respondent or another
current household member. Exclude attempted thefts of
items belonging to nonhousehold members.
It is acceptable to verify the answer for this question
without asking the question. The instrument automatically
either inserts or omits the word "else" in the question based
on what was entered in Item
ATTEMPTTHEFTONPERSON. If you entered Precode
(2), “No, at Item ATTEMPTTHEFTONPERSON, the
word “else” is omitted from the question.
Enter Precode (1) for a "Yes" answer and continue with
Item ATTEMPTTHEFTITEMS. Enter Precode (2) for a
"No" answer and continue with Item DAMAGED.
Check Item
OTHATTEMPTON
PERS_CK
If you enter Precode (1), “Yes,” at
ATTEMPTTHEFTITEMONPERSON, but did not mark
any precodes (14) - (26) in Item
ATTEMPTTHEFTWHAT, edit check
OTHATTEMPTON PERS_CK appears:
Incident Report Items
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NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Part B, Chapter 4
The offender only tried to take cash/purse/wallet in
ATTEMPTTHEFTW HAT. If the offender tried to take something
else from victim, it must first be reported in
ATTEMPTTHEFTW HAT. If the offender only tried to take
cash/purse/wallet from victim, go to
ATTEM PTTHEFTITEM ONPERSON and enter "No".
_________________________________________________
CLose
Goto
OTHATTEM PTONPERS_CK
This is a hard edit. Click on “Close” or “Goto” to return to
ATTEMPTTHEFTWHAT and entering one or more
Precodes (14) - (26) or return to
ATTEMPTTHEFTITEMONPERSON and change the
answer to Precode (2), “No.”
W hich items did the offenders try to take directly from you?
! Exclude property not belonging to respondent or other household member.
"
"
"
"
15.
24.
26. Other - specify
40.
Car
Handgun (pistol, revolver)
All of the above
ATTEM PTTHEFTITEM S
ATTEMPTTHEFTITEMS
Item ATTEMPTTHEFTITEMS lists the property items
reported in Item ATTEMPTTHEFTWHAT, OTHER
THAN cash/purse/wallet, that the offender(s) tried to take
directly from the respondent or another household member.
Enter the appropriate precodes from those listed in Item
ATTEMPTTHEFTITEMS to identify the items that the
offender(s) tried to take directly from the respondent or
another household member.
If the offender(s) tried to take everything directly from the
respondent, enter Precode (40), “All of the above,” and
continue with item DAMAGED.
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W hat was taken that belonged to you or others in the household?
! Probe: Anything else?
! Enter all that apply, separate with commas.
CASH/PURSE/W ALLET/CREDIT CARDS:
" 11. Cash
" 12. Purse
" 13. W allet
" 14. Credit cards, checks, bank cards
VEHICLE OR PARTS:
" 15. Car
" 16. Other motor vehicle
" 17. Part of a motor vehicle (tire, hubcap, attached car stereo or satellite radio, attached CB radio, etc.)
" 18. Unattached motor vehicle accessories or equipment (unattached CD player or satellite radio, etc.)
" 19. Gasoline or oil
" 20. Bicycle or parts
HOUSEHOLD FURNISHINGS:
" 21. TV, DVD player, VCR, stereo, other household appliances
" 22. Silver, china, art objects
" 23. Other household furnishings (furniture, rugs, etc.)
PERSONAL EFFECTS:
" 24.
"
"
"
"
"
25.
26.
27.
28.
29.
Portable electronic and photographic gear (Personal stereo, TV, cellphone,
camera, etc.)
Clothing, furs, luggage, briefcase
Jewelry, watch, keys
Collection of stamps, coins, etc.
Toys, sports and recreational equipment (not listed above)
Other personal and portable objects
FIREARM S:
" 30.
" 31.
Handgun (pistol, revolver)
Other firearm (rifle, shotgun)
MISCELLANEOUS:
" 32.
" 33.
" 34.
" 35.
" 36.
" 37.
Tools, machines, office equipment
Farm or garden produce, plants, fruits, logs
Animals - pet or livestock
Food or liquor
Other - specify
Don’t know
W HATW ASTAKEN
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WHATWASTAKEN
Part B, Chapter 4
Item WHATWASTAKEN is used to identify the types of
property/money that the offender(s) took without
permission. Continue asking, "Anything else?" until you
get a "No" response and enter all appropriate precodes, then
press “Enter” to go to the next screen.
Only include property/money that belonged to the
respondent or other household members. If the respondent
mentions that the stolen property was leased or rented by
the respondent or another household member for one
month or longer, consider the household member(s) as the
owner(s) of the stolen property for this item. If necessary,
ask the respondent how long the stolen property has been
leased or rented.
Notice that Item WHATWASTAKEN has several more
answer categories than Item ATTEMPTTHEFTWHAT.
These categories are grouped together under six separate
headings:
T Cash/purse/wallet/credit cards
T Vehicle or Parts
T Household Furnishings
T Personal Effects
T Firearms
T Miscellaneous
Those categories, which are NOT self-explanatory, are
covered below.
Precode (11)
Enter Precode (11), "Cash," when the offender(s) stole
money (bills or coins). After entering Precode (11), Item
AMOUNTCASHTAKEN appears when you press “Enter”
to leave Item WHATWASTAKEN.
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If the respondent mentions that a credit card, bank card,
checks, or a coin collection were stolen, do NOT enter
Precode (11). Instead, enter Precode (14) for credit cards,
bank cards, and checks, and enter Precode (27) for coin
collections.
Entering Precodes (12)
and (13)
Enter Precode (12) when the offender(s) stole a purse from
the respondent or another household member and enter
Precode (13) when the offender(s) stole a wallet from the
respondent or another household member. After entering
Precode (12) and/or (13), the instrument goes to Item
PRSWLT_CONTAINMONEY, where you ask the
respondent if the purse and/or wallet contained any money
when it was stolen. If you get a "Yes" answer, the
instrument stores Precode (11) in Item
WHATWASTAKEN so you can access Item
AMOUNTCASHTAKEN and enter the amount of cash
taken in whole dollars. Round up or down as necessary (as
instructed above for Precode (11)).
Precode (14)
Enter Precode (14) when the offender(s) stole a credit card,
bank card, checks, and so on, which are of little value
unless used fraudulently to obtain money and/or property.
Also enter Precode (14) for stolen Savings Bonds, bank
books, money orders, travelers checks, and phone cards.
Precode (16)
Enter Precode (16) when the offender(s) stole a truck, van,
sport utility vehicle (SUV), motorcycle, moped, motorized
bicycle, or any motor vehicle OTHER THAN a car. If the
motor vehicle is owned by a recognizable business and is
never used for a household member's personal use, DO
NOT enter Precode (16).
Also, DO NOT enter Precode (16) for boats, jet skis,
airplanes, minibikes, or snowmobiles, instead enter
Precode (36), "Other," and identify the property on the
"Specify" screen, WHATWASTAKEN_SPEC.
Precode (17)
Enter Precode (17) when the offender(s) stole anything that
is ATTACHED to a car, truck, van, SUV, or other motor
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Part B, Chapter 4
vehicle owned by the respondent or another household
member. Some examples of items to include for Precode
(17) are tires, hubcaps or wheels, CD players, scanners, CB
radios, car telephones, antenna, license plates, motor parts,
mirrors, steering wheel, door handles, and so on.
DO NOT enter Precode (17) if the items were stored in the
glove compartment, left on a seat, or kept in the trunk of a
car or the bed of a truck, since we do not consider these
items as attached to the motor vehicle.
Precode (18)
Enter Precode (18) when the offender(s) stole motor vehicle
accessories or equipment that was NOT ATTACHED to
the motor vehicle, such as a spare tire, a detachable antenna
on the back seat, a removable CD player or changer in the
trunk, and so on.
Precode (20)
Enter Precode (20) when the offender(s) stole any type of
bicycle or bicycle parts that do not have a motor. Include
motorized bicycles in Precode (16).
Precode (21)
Enter Precode (21) when the offender(s) stole any type of
electrical or gas appliances, such as kitchen stoves,
freezers, dishwashers, CD players, VCRs, computers, FAX
machines, and so on.
Precode (22)
Enter Precode (22) when the offender(s) stole any type of
silver, china, or art object, regardless of its value.
Precode (23)
Enter Precode (23) when the offender(s) stole any type of
household furnishings that are intended for the use of all or
most of the household members, even if the furnishings
belong to one or more household members. For example,
bedroom furniture, rugs, patio furniture, and so on.
If you are unsure whether the stolen items are household
furnishings or personal effects, base you decision on
whether the stolen items are considered portable or
movable. If the stolen items are not easily movable or
portable, consider them household furnishings. Otherwise,
Incident Report Items
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enter the appropriate "Personal Effects" precodes from
Precodes (24) through (29) to identify a stolen item that is
intended for the use of a specific household member, rather
than all or most household members.
Precode (24)
Enter Precode (24) when the offender(s) stole any type of
portable electronic or photographic gear intended for the
use of a specific household member, such as Walkman
radios, handheld computer games, video or audio cassettes,
cell phones, cameras, and so on.
Precode (25)
Enter Precode (25) when the offender(s) stole the following
types of personal items that belong to a specific household
member: hats, gloves, coats, shoes, jackets, briefcases,
luggage, and so on.
Precode (26)
Enter Precode (26) when the offender(s) stole any of the
following types of personal items, regardless of their value:
rings, necklaces, bracelets, money clips, cuff links, tie
tacks, watches, and so on.
Precode (27)
Enter Precode (27) when the offender(s) stole any type of
personal collection, regardless of its value, such as coins,
ceramic bears, dolls, stamps, books, baseball cards, and so
on.
Precode (28)
Enter Precode (28) when the offender(s) stole any type of
toy, sports, or recreation equipment that belongs to a
specific household member and is not covered in
Precodes (24) through (27). Examples of such items are
bowling balls, tennis rackets, BB guns, baby dolls, and so
on.
Precode (29)
Enter Precode (29) when the offender(s) stole any personal
objects that are easily movable, but do not fit the
descriptions in Precodes (24) through (28). For example,
these objects could include house or car keys, makeup, hair
dryer, curling iron, flare guns, books, and so on.
Precode (30)
Enter Precode (30) when the offender(s) stole any type of
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Part B, Chapter 4
hand-held guns (for example, pistols, revolvers, and so on),
regardless of their condition or intended use (for example,
hunting, display, target practice, and so on). Precode (30)
is not intended for pellet guns, BB guns, air pistols, flare
guns, or tear gas guns. Instead, enter Precode (28) for pellet
guns, BB guns, and air pistols, and enter Precode (29) for
flare and tear gas guns.
Precode (31)
Enter Precode (31) when the offender(s) stole any type of
firearm OTHER THAN a handgun, regardless of its
condition or intended use. For example, you should enter
Precode (31) for stolen machine guns, rifles, shotguns, and
so on.
Precode (31) is NOT intended for pellet guns, BB guns, air
pistols, flare guns, or tear gas guns. Instead, enter
Precode (28) for pellet guns, BB guns, and air pistols, and
enter Precode (29) for flare and tear gas guns.
Precode (32)
Enter Precode (32) when the offender(s) stole power or
hand tools, yard equipment (for example, lawn mowers, leaf
blowers, and so on) and any type of office equipment stolen
from an unrecognizable business (for example, file
cabinets, personal computers, printers, FAX machines,
scanners, and so on). However, if the stolen office
equipment is electronic (for example, computers, printers,
FAX machines, scanners, and so on) AND the electronic
equipment is used primarily for the personal use of a
household member, enter Precode (24).
Precode (33)
Enter Precode (33) when the offender(s) stole any produce,
fruit, firewood, straw, hay, or plants (flower or vegetable)
intended for sale and NOT for the personal use or
consumption of the household members. Enter
Precode (35) for any farm or garden produce intended for
the household's personal consumption.
Precode (34)
Enter Precode (34) when the offender(s) stole any type of
animals owned by the respondent or another household
member, regardless of whether or not the animal was a pet.
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This category includes cats, dogs, parakeets, hamsters, pigs,
cows, horses, and so on.
Precode (35)
Enter Precode (35) when the offender(s) stole any type of
edible food, nonalcoholic beverage, or liquor, unless the
stolen food is produce or fruit intended for sale. If stolen
produce or fruit was intended for sale by the household,
enter Precode (33).
Precode (36)
Enter Precode (36) when the offender(s) stole any items
that do not fit the descriptions for any of the previous
categories. After entering Precode (36), make sure to
identify the item on the "Specify" screen,
WHATWASTAKEN_SPEC. Examples of entries could
include: cases of soda belonging to an unrecognizable
business or an airplane owned by the respondent and
intended for personal use only.
Precode (37)
Enter Precode (37) when the respondent does not know or
is unsure what the offender(s) took without permission. It
is acceptable to enter this precode for some stolen items
and still enter other precodes in Item WHATWASTAKEN
for items the respondent knows or feels sure were stolen
during the incident.
After completing Item WHATWASTAKEN, continue
with Item PRSWLT_CONTAINMONEY if Precodes (12)
or (13) were entered, otherwise continue with Item
WHOOWNEDSTOLENPROPERTY.
Did the stolen (purse/wallet) contain any money?
" 1. Yes
" 2. No
_______________________________________________________________________________
PRSW LT_CONTAINMONEY
PRSWLT_CONTAIN
MONEY
Item PRSWLT_CONTAINMONEY appears when
Precodes (12) or (13) are marked in WHATWASTAKEN.
If you enter Precode (1), the instrument goes to Item
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Part B, Chapter 4
AMOUNTCASHTAKEN. Otherwise, it goes to
WHOOWNEDSTOLENPROPERTY.
If not sure, ask:
How much cash was taken?
Round to the nearest dollar
Enter a number between 1-999,996
_________________________________________________________________________________
AMOUNTCASHTAKEN
AMOUNTCASHTAKEN
Item AMOUNTCASHTAKEN appears when Precode
(11) was marked in Item WHATWASTAKEN or Precode
(1) was marked in PRSWLT_CONTAINMONEY.
After determining the amount of cash taken, enter the
whole dollar amount. Round up or down as necessary. For
example, if the amount given is $150.50, round up to $151
and, if the amount given is $150.49, round down to $150.
If the respondent gives an amount that is less than $1, round
up to $1. When the respondent is unable to give an exact
dollar amount, ask for his/her best estimate. Only enter
“Ctrl” + “D” for “Don’t know” if the respondent truly has
no idea of the amount of cash taken.
Did the stolen property belong to you personally, to someone else in the household, or to both
you and other household members?
"
"
"
"
"
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Respondent only
Respondent and other household member(s)
Other household member(s) only
Nonhousehold member(s) only
Other - specify
W HOOW NEDSTOLENPROPERTY
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Part B, Chapter 4
WHOOWNEDSTOLEN
PROPERTY
Precode (1)
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Item WHOOWNEDSTOLENPROPERTY is used to
identify the owner(s) of the property/money that the
offender(s) stole during the incident. Enter only ONE
precode for this item. Also, when we refer to "household
member(s)" in Precodes (2) and (3), we mean household
members at the time of the interview, NOT just at the time
of the incident. Keep in mind that the property owner could
be a current household member whose property was stolen
from a former residence during the 6-month reference
period.
Enter Precode (1) if the offender(s) stole property/money
that belongs SOLELY to the respondent. After entering
Precode (1), either:
•
Continue with Item PERMISSIONGIVEN if a car or
other motor vehicle was taken during the incident
(Precode (15) or (16) is entered in Item
WHATWASTAKEN).
OR
•
Continue with Item ARTICLEINCAR if the stolen
property was not a car or other motor vehicle.
Precode (2)
Enter Precode (2) if the offender(s) stole property/money
that belongs to the respondent and other household
member(s) either jointly (for example, a video camera that
is jointly owned by the reference person and his/her
spouse) or partially (for example, a collection of music CDs
of which 20 belong to the respondent and the remaining
30 CDs belong to the respondent's son). After entering
Precode (2), OTHERSOWNEDSTOLENPROPERTY
appears. Use OTHERSOWNEDSTOLENPROPERTY
to identify by line number each household member who
owned some of the property/money that the offender stole.
Precode (3)
Enter Precode (3) in item
WHOOWNEDSTOLENPROPERTY if the offender(s)
stole property/money that belongs ONLY to other
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household member(s) and NONE of the property/money
belongs to the respondent. After entering Precode (3), you
will see Item OTHERSOWNEDSTOLENPROPERTY
so you can identify, by line number, each household
member who owns any portion of the property/money that
the offender stole.
Precode (4)
Enter Precode (4) if the offender(s) stole property/money
that belongs ONLY to person(s) who are NOT household
members at the time of the interview. After entering
Precode (4), either:
•
Continue with Item PERMISSIONGIVEN if a car or
other motor vehicle was taken during the incident
(Precode (15) or (16) is entered in Item
WHATWASTAKEN).
OR
•
Precode (5)
Continue with Item ARTICLEINCAR if the stolen
property was not a car or other motor vehicle.
Enter Precode (5) if the offender(s) stole property/money
that belongs to two or more persons NOT described in
Precodes (1) through (4). For example, the property/money
belongs jointly to another household member and a
nonhousehold member. After entering Precode (5), use the
"Specify" screen,
WHOOWNEDSTOLENPROPERTY_SPEC to indicate
who owns the property/money (for example, L3 and a
nonhousehold member). Continue to complete the incident
report items, regardless of what you enter on the "Specify"
screen.
Once you are done identifying the property/money owners,
either:
•
Continue with Item PERMISSIONGIVEN if a car or
other motor vehicle was taken during the incident
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(Precode (15) or (16) is entered in Item
WHATWASTAKEN).
OR
•
Continue with Item ARTICLEINCAR if the stolen
property was not a car or other motor vehicle.
! If not sure, ask:
Besides the respondent, which household member(s) owned the stolen money and property?
" 2. Ted Moe
" 3. Megan Moe
" 40. Household property
! Enter appropriate line number(s).
OTHERSOW NEDSTOLENPROPERTY
OTHERSOWNED
STOLENPROPERTY
Item OTHERSOWNEDSTOLENPROPERTY is used to
identify, by line number, each household member who
owned any part of the property/money that the offender
took without permission. Enter Precode (40), “Household
property,” if the property/money belongs to the entire
household jointly or if more than three household members
own the property/money jointly with the respondent. It is
acceptable to enter Precode (40) and also enter one or more
line numbers, since the offender(s) may have tried to take
both personal and household property.
Had permission to use the car
ever been given to the offender(s)?
" 1. Yes
" 2. No
" 3. Don't know
PERMISSIONGIVEN
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PERMISSIONGIVEN
Part B, Chapter 4
Item PERMISSIONGIVEN is used to determine whether
the owner of the stolen car or other motor vehicle EVER
gave the offender permission to use the vehicle.
Precode (1)
Enter Precode (1), "Yes," if the respondent has EVER given
the offender permission to use the vehicle. Also enter
Precode (1) if permission can be assumed, such as in a
family situation. After entering Precode (1), continue with
Item RETURNCAR.
Precode (2)
Enter Precode (2) "No," if the respondent NEVER gave the
offender prior permission to use the car or other motor
vehicle. After entering Precode (2):
Precode (3)
•
Continue with Item NUMBERHANDGUNS if you
entered Precode (30), “Handguns,” in Item WHAT
WASTAKEN.
•
Continue with Item NUMBERFIREARMS if you
entered Precode (31), “Other firearm” in Item
WHATWASTAKEN.
•
Continue with Item CASHONPERSON when cash, a
purse, or a wallet were taken (Precodes (11), (12), or
(13) are entered in Item WHATWASTAKEN).
•
Continue with Item OTHERONPERSON when cash,
a purse, or a wallet was NOT taken.
Enter Precode (3), "Don't know," if the respondent has no
idea whether the offender had permission to use the stolen
vehicle. This could occur when the offender has not been
identified. After entering Precode (3), either:
•
Continue with Item NUMBERHANDGUNS if you
entered Precode (30), “Handguns,” in Item WHAT
WASTAKEN.
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•
Continue with Item NUMBERFIREARMS if you
entered Precode (31), “Other firearm,” in Item WHAT
WASTAKEN.
•
Continue with Item CASHONPERSON when cash, a
purse, or a wallet were taken (Precodes (11), (12), or
(13) are entered in Item WHATWASTAKEN).
•
Continue with Item OTHERONPERSON when cash,
a purse, or a wallet was NOT taken.
Did the offender return the car (motor vehicle) this time?
" 1. Yes
" 2. No
RETURNCAR
RETURNCAR
Item RETURNCAR is used to find out if the offender
personally returned the motor vehicle that was taken during
the incident of his/her own free will.
Precode (1)
Enter Precode (1), "Yes," if the offender did return the
motor vehicle in person of his/her own free will.
Precode (2)
Enter Precode (2), "No," if:
T The police returned the motor vehicle.
T The motor vehicle was recovered in a way OTHER
THAN by the offender or the police.
T The motor vehicle was never returned or recovered.
After completing Item RETURNCAR, either:
•
Continue with Item NUMBERHANDGUNS if you
entered Precode (30), “Handguns,” in Item
WHATWASTAKEN.
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•
Continue with Item NUMBERFIREARMS if you
entered Precode (31), “Other firearm” in Item
WHATWASTAKEN.
•
Continue with Item CASHONPERSON when cash, a
purse, or a wallet were taken (Precodes (11), (12), or
(13) were entered in Item WHATWASTAKEN).
•
Continue with Item OTHERONPERSON when cash,
a purse, or a wallet was NOT taken.
! Ask or verify:
W as the article IN or ATTACHED to a motor vehicle when it was taken?
" 1. Yes
" 2. No
ARTICLEINCAR
ARTICLEINCAR
Item ARTICLEINCAR is used to find out if any articles
that the offender stole were either in or attached to a motor
vehicle during the incident. You can verify the answer to
this question without asking it if the respondent mentioned
earlier in the interview the location of the articles when
they were stolen.
Precode (1)
Enter Precode (1), "Yes," if ANY articles stolen during the
incident were in or attached to a motor vehicle. Otherwise,
enter Precode (2).
Precode (2)
Enter Precode (2), "No," if NONE of the articles stolen
during the incident were in or attached to a motor vehicle.
After completing Item ARTICLEINCAR, you will:
•
Continue with Item NUMBERHANDGUNS if you
entered Precode (30), “Handguns,” in Item
WHATWASTAKEN.
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•
Continue with Item NUMBERFIREARMS if you
entered Precode (31), “Other firearm” in Item
WHATWASTAKEN.
•
Continue with Item CASHONPERSON when cash, a
purse, or a wallet were taken (Precodes (11), (12), or
(13) were entered in Item WHATWASTAKEN).
•
Continue with Item OTHERONPERSON when cash,
a purse, or a wallet was NOT taken.
How many handguns were taken?
NUMBERHANDGUNS
NUMBERHANDGUNS
If a respondent indicated in Item WHATWASTAKEN of
the incident report section that one or more handguns were
stolen during the incident (Precode 30), then you will see
Item NUMBERHANDGUNS. Item
NUMBERHANDGUNS is asked to determine the number
of handguns stolen during the incident.
Enter either the total number of handguns stolen or Ctrl + D
to indicate that the respondent does not know the number of
handguns stolen during the incident. Before entering Ctrl +
D, attempt to get the respondent’s best estimate of the
number of handguns stolen.
Include any type of hand-held gun, such as a pistol or
revolver, regardless of the handguns condition or intended
use, such as for hunting, display, target practice, and so on.
Exclude pellet guns, BB guns, air pistols, flare guns, or tear
gas guns. If you discover at this point that Item
WHATWASTAKEN was answered incorrectly, return to
that screen and correct the entry(ies).
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How many other types of firearms were taken?
! Enter 97 for Don’t know
NUMBERFIREARM S
NUMBERFIREARMS
If a respondent indicated in Item WHATWASTAKEN of
the incident report section that one or more “other types of
firearms” were stolen during the incident (Precode 31),
then you will see Item NUMBERFIREARMS. Item
NUMBERFIREARMS is asked to determine the number
of firearms (other than handguns) stolen during the
incident.
Include machine guns, rifles, shotguns, and so on,
regardless of their condition or intended use. You will
enter either the total number of firearms (other than
handguns) stolen or Ctrl + D to indicate that the respondent
does not know the number of other firearms stolen during
the incident. Before entering Ctrl + D, attempt to get the
respondent’s best estimate of the number of other types of
firearms stolen.
Exclude pellet guns, BB guns, air pistols, flare guns, or tear
gas guns. If you discover at this point that Item
WHATWASTAKEN was answered incorrectly, return to
that screen and correct the entry(ies).
! Ask or verify:
W as the cash or purse on your person, for instance, in a pocket or being held?
" 1. Yes
" 2. No
CASHONPERSON
CASHONPERSON
Item CASHONPERSON is used to determine whether the
cash, purse, or wallet was taken directly from the
respondent, such as from his/her hands, shoulder, pockets,
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backpack, etc. The answer to this question is important in
classifying the crime accurately. For example, we are
interested in whether the cash was stolen directly from the
respondent (on their person) or whether it was stolen from a
counter, car seat, or other places where the respondent may
have left it.
If the respondent has already indicated the answer to this
question, you can verify the answer without asking the
question. Otherwise, ask the question as worded on the
screen.
After completing Item CASHONPERSON, continue with
Item OTHERONPERSON.
! Ask or verify:
W as there anything else the offender took directly from you, for instance, from your pocket or hands,
or something that you were wearing?
! Exclude property not belonging to respondent or other household member.
" 1. Yes
" 2. No
OTHERONPERSON
OTHERONPERSON
Item OTHERONPERSON is used to determine whether
anything OTHER THAN cash, a purse, or a wallet were
taken directly from the respondent, such as a bracelet from
the respondent's wrist, a hat from the respondent's head, or
a computer game from the respondent's pocket. Only
include property stolen directly from the respondent or
another household member.
If the answer is obvious from the information already
provided, verify the answer without asking the question.
Otherwise, ask the question as worded on the screen.
After entering Precode (1) for a "Yes" answer, you will
continue with Item ITEMSTAKEN. After entering
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Precode (2) for a "No" answer in Item
OTHERONPERSON, continue with either:
•
ALLPARTRECOVERED when ONLY Precodes
(11) and/or (14) are entered in Item
WHATWASTAKEN.
OR
•
Check Item OTHERON
PERSON_CK
Item PROPERTYVALUE when precodes OTHER
THAN Precodes (11) and (14) are entered in Item
WHATWASTAKEN.
Edit check OTHERONPERSON_CK appears when the
respondent reports that something other than cash, purse,
or wallet was stolen from their person, but only cash,
purse, or wallet was reported stolen in
WHATWASTAKEN.
Only cash/purse/wallet reported as stolen in
W HATW ASTAKEN. If something else was taken from victim, it
must first be reported in W HATW ASTAKEN. If only
cash/purse/wallet was taken from victim, go to
OTHERONPERSON and enter "no".
_________________________________________
Close
Goto
OTHERONPERSON_CK
This is a hard edit, so click on “Close” or “Goto” to go
back and correct your entry in either
WHATWASTAKEN or OTHERONPERSON.
Incident Report Items
B4-175
Part B, Chapter 4
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
W hich items did the offender(s) take directly from you?
! Exclude property not belonging to (respondent/victim) or other household member
ITEMS TAKEN:
" 20.
" 30.
" 40. All of the above
Bicycle or parts
Hand gun
ITEM STAKEN
ITEMSTAKEN
Item ITEMSTAKEN is used to identify the property
reported in Item WHATWASTAKEN, OTHER THAN a
cash/purse/wallet, that the offender(s) took directly from
the respondent or household member. Enter the appropriate
precodes from those listed for Item ITEMSTAKEN.
If the offender(s) took everything directly from the
respondent, enter Precode (40), “All of the above,” and
continue with Item PROPERTYVALUE.
W hat was the value of the PROPERTY that was taken? Include
recovered property. (Exclude any stolen cash, checks, credit cards.
If jointly owned with a nonhousehold member(s), include only share owned
by household members.)
! Enter total dollar value for all items taken.
! Round to the nearest dollar
! Enter a number between 1-999,996
! If respondent is unsure, ask for an estimate
PROPERTYVALUE
PROPERTYVALUE
Item PROPERTYVALUE is used to identify the dollar
amount for the value of property stolen during the incident,
regardless of whether or not it was recovered. If only cash,
checks, or credit cards were stolen, you will not see Items
PROPERTYVALUE or DECIDEDVALUE.
Incident Report Items
B4-176
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Part B, Chapter 4
Let the respondent arrive at this figure and, when necessary,
enter the respondent's best estimate of the value of stolen
property. Only include the dollar amount for stolen
property owned by the respondent or another current
household member.
To assist the respondent in deciding the value of the stolen
property, you may remind the respondent of the articles
stolen. If the respondent gives you separate amounts for
each item, just total the amounts and enter the sum in the
space provided.
After entering a dollar amount, you will continue with
Item DECIDEDVALUE. However, if you enter Control +
D for “Don’t know” or Control + R for “Refused” in
PROPERTYVALUE, you continue with Item
ALLPARTRECOVERED. Although these two precodes
do not appear on the screen, they are valid precodes for
Item PROPERTYVALUE.
How did you decide the value of the property that was taken?
! Probe: Any other way?
! Enter all that apply, separate with commas.
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
Original cost
Replacement cost
Personal estimate of current value
Insurance report estimate
Police estimate
Don't know
Other - specify
DECIDEDVALUE
DECIDEDVALUE
Item DECIDEDVALUE is used to identify how the
respondent arrived at the dollar amount reported in Item
PROPERTYVALUE. Ask the question as worded and
continue asking, "Any other way?" until you get a "No"
answer. Enter precodes for all methods that the respondent
mentions.
Incident Report Items
B4-177
Part B, Chapter 4
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Precode (11)
Enter Precode (11) when one of the methods used to arrive
at the amount entered in Item PROPERTYVALUE was
the price originally paid for the item when it was purchased.
Precode (12)
Enter Precode (12) when one of the methods used to arrive
at the amount entered in Item PROPERTYVALUE was
the price to replace the item, regardless of the original
purchase price.
Precode (13)
Enter Precode (13) when one of the methods used to arrive
at the amount entered in Item PROPERTYVALUE was
the respondent's personal estimate of the stolen item's worth
or current value, which is not necessarily the same as the
item's replacement cost.
Precode (14)
Enter Precode (14) when one of the methods used to arrive
at the amount entered in Item PROPERTYVALUE was
the insurance company’s statement of the stolen property's
worth.
Precode (15)
Enter Precode (15) when one of the methods used to arrive
at the amount entered in Item PROPERTYVALUE was
the police department's statement of the stolen property's
worth.
Precode (16)
Enter Precode (16), "Don't know," only after you have tried
to identify the method used by asking probing questions
and your probing was unsuccessful.
Precode (17)
Enter Precode (17), "Other," if the respondent mentions a
method that does not fit the descriptions in Precodes (11)
through (15). After entering Precode (17), enter the method
used on the "Specify" screen DECIDEDVALUE_SPEC,
such as “a friend's estimate.” Also enter Precode (17) for
stolen food stamps and then enter the "face value" of the
food stamps on the "Specify" screen.
Incident Report Items
B4-178
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Part B, Chapter 4
W as all or part of the stolen property and money recovered, not counting anything received from insurance?
" 1. All
" 2. Part
" 3. None
ALLPARTRECOVERED
ALLPARTRECOVERED
Item ALLPARTRECOVERED is used to find out
whether any or all of the stolen money and/or property was
recovered.
For stolen money, only include money returned by the
offender. Also include the actual stolen money that
someone other than the offender found or discovered and
returned to the owner. Do NOT include the reimbursement
of money from an insurance company, a relative, friend, or
anyone OTHER THAN the offender.
For stolen property, only include the return of the original
property that was stolen, NOT any replacement property
from any source (for example, an insurance company or the
offender). Also include recovered stolen property that is
being held as evidence in a court case, even though the
property has not yet been returned to the owner.
Precode (1)
Enter Precode (1) when ALL the money and ALL the
property stolen during the incident was recovered. In other
words, everything that was stolen during the incident was
or will be returned to the owner. After entering Precode
(1), either:
•
Continue with Item RECOVEREDCASHVALUE
when property other than cash, checks, or credit cards
was recovered.
OR
Incident Report Items
B4-179
Part B, Chapter 4
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
•
Continue with Item RECOVEREDINSURANCE
when the only property recovered was cash, checks, or
credit cards.
Precode (2)
Enter Precode (2) when only a portion of the stolen money
and/or property was recovered and was or will be returned
to the owner. After entering Precode (2), you will continue
with Item WHATRECOVERED.
Precode (3)
Enter Precode (3) when NONE of the stolen money and/or
property was recovered. After entering Precode (3), you
will continue with Item RECOVEREDINSURANCE.
Incident Report Items
B4-180
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Part B, Chapter 4
W hat was recovered?
! Probe: Anything else?
! Enter all that apply, separate with commas
"
"
"
"
"
"
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Cash
Purse
W allet
Credit cards, checks, bank cards
Car or other motor vehicle
Property other than the above
W HATRECOVERED
WHATRECOVERED
Item WHATRECOVERED is used to identify what PART
of the stolen money and/or property was recovered after the
incident. After asking the initial question, continue asking,
"Anything else?" until you get a "No" response and enter
all appropriate precodes.
For stolen money, only include money returned by the
offender or the actual stolen money that someone other than
the offender found or discovered and returned to the owner.
Do NOT include the reimbursement of money from an
insurance company, a relative, friend, or anyone OTHER
THAN the offender.
For stolen property, only include the return of the original
property that was stolen, NOT any replacement property
from any source (for example, an insurance company or the
offender). Also include recovered property that is being
held as evidence in a court case, even though the property
has not yet been returned to the owner.
Precode (1)
Enter Precode (1) if stolen cash was recovered. After
entering Precode (1), continue with Item
CASHRECOVERED.
Precode (2)
Enter Precode (2) if the owner's stolen purse was recovered.
After entering Precode (2), continue with Item
Incident Report Items
B4-181
Part B, Chapter 4
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
CONTAINMONEY, which asks, "Did the recovered purse
contain any money?"
Precode (3)
Enter Precode (3) if the owner's stolen wallet was
recovered. After entering Precode (3), continue with item
CONTAINMONEY.
Precode (4)
Enter Precode (4) if the owner's stolen credit cards, checks,
bank cards, Savings Bonds, bank books, money orders, or
travelers checks were recovered.
Precode (5)
Enter Precode (5) if the owner's stolen car or other motor
vehicle was recovered.
Precode (6)
Enter Precode (6) if some part of the owner's stolen
property was recovered and the recovered property does not
fit any of the descriptions in Precodes (2) through (5). This
could include recovered stolen property identified in
Precodes (17) through (36) in Item WHATWASTAKEN.
Check Item WHAT_
RECOVERED_CK
If something is marked as “recovered” in Item
WHATRECOVERED that was not reported as “stolen” in
Item WHATWASTAKEN, check item
WHAT_RECOVERED_CK appears as a pop-up:
Invalid entry. You reported something was recovered that was not
reported as stolen.
____________________________________________________
Close
Goto
W HAT_RECOVERED_CK
This is a hard edit check. Click on “Close” or “Goto” to
return to either WHATWASTAKEN or
WHATRECOVERED to correct the entry.
Incident Report Items
B4-182
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Part B, Chapter 4
! If necessary: How much cash was recovered?
CASH REPORTED TAKEN: $124.00
! Round to the nearest dollar
! Enter a number between 1-999,996
CASHRECOVERED
CASHRECOVERED
Check Item
CASH_CK
Use Item CASHRECOVERED to record the total amount
of stolen cash that was recovered in whole dollars. Round
up or down as necessary. For example, if the amount given
is $150.50, round up to $151 and, if the amount given is
$150.49, round down to $150. If the respondent gives an
amount that is less than $1, round up to $1. When the
respondent is unable to give an exact dollar amount, ask for
his/her best estimate.
If the amount of cash reported as recovered is greater than
the amount of cash reported stolen, check item CASH_CK
appears:
The amount of cash reported stolen, (amount) is less than the amount
of cash reported recovered, (amount).
____________________________________________________
Close
Goto
CASH_CK
Click on “Close” or “Goto” to return to either
AMOUNTOFCASHTAKEN or CASHRECOVERED to
correct the entry.
Incident Report Items
B4-183
Part B, Chapter 4
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Did the recovered purse/wallet contain any money?
" 1. Yes
" 2. No
_________________________________________________________________________________
CONTAINM ONEY
CONTAINMONEY
If the recovered purse or wallet did contain money, enter
Precode (1) in Item CONTAINMONEY so you can record
the amount of stolen cash recovered at Item
CASHRECOVERED as shown above. Enter the whole
dollar amount and round up or down to the nearest dollar
amount, as necessary.
Considering any damage, what was the value of the property after it was recovered?
Do not include recovered cash.
! If value of recovered property is the same as value of property taken then enter the amount below
VALUE OF PROPERTY TAKEN: $550.00
! Round to the nearest dollar
! Enter a number between 1-999,996
RECOVEREDCASHVALUE
RECOVERED
CASHVALUE
Item RECOVEREDCASHVALUE is used to identify the
dollar value of stolen property that was recovered after
allowing for any damage done to the property since it was
stolen. This includes the value of all stolen property that
was recovered, regardless of whether or not it was damaged
since it was stolen.
Remind the respondent to exclude the following recovered
stolen property when determining the dollar value: cash,
credit cards, bank cards, Savings Bonds, bank books,
money orders, or travelers checks.
Also let the respondent use any means to arrive at this
value. To assist the respondent in deciding the value of the
Incident Report Items
B4-184
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Part B, Chapter 4
recovered property, you may remind the respondent of the
articles individually. If the respondent gives you separate
amounts for each item, just total the amounts and enter the
sum in the answer space.
Enter the amount in whole dollars. Round up or down as
necessary. For example, if the amount given is $150.50,
round up to $151 and, if the amount given is $150.49,
round down to $150. If the respondent gives an amount
that is less than $1, round up to $1. When the respondent is
unable to give an exact dollar amount, ask for his/her best
estimate.
Check Item
PROPERTYVALUE_CK
If the value of the item(s) recovered is a higher dollar value
than the value of the item(s) stolen, a soft edit pop-up,
PROPERTYVALUE_CK appears:
The value of the property that was recovered, (amount), is greater
than the value of the property that was taken,(amount).
Suppress Close Goto
________________________________________________
PROPERTYVALUE_CK
If you select “Goto,” return to Item
RECOVEREDCASHVALUE or PROPERTYVALUE
and correct your entries so that the recovered value is less
than or equal to the original property value. If the value of
the recovered property truly is greater than its original value
(for example some art and jewelry, etc., which can
appreciate over time), then select “Suppress” and proceed
to RECOVEREDINSURANCE.
Incident Report Items
B4-185
Part B, Chapter 4
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
W as the theft reported to an insurance company?
"
"
"
"
1.
2.
3.
4.
Yes
No
Don’t know
Don’t have insurance
RECOVEREDINSURANCE
RECOVERED
INSURANCE
Item RECOVEREDINSURANCE is used to find out if
anyone reported the theft to an insurance company,
regardless of whether the insurance company made any
payment for the claim.
Precode (1)
Enter Precode (1) if the respondent, another household
member, or someone outside of the household reported the
theft to an insurance company.
Precode (2)
Enter Precode (2) if the theft was not reported by anyone to
an insurance company.
Precode (3)
Enter Precode (3) if the respondent either does not know or
cannot remember whether anyone reported the theft to an
insurance company. Before entering Precode (3), ask a
probing question to help the respondent remember, such as
"Do you remember speaking to a claims adjuster or
reading any correspondence from your insurance
company about the theft?"
Precode (4)
Enter Precode (4) if the household was not covered by
insurance at the time of the incident.
Incident Report Items
B4-186
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Part B, Chapter 4
?[F1]
W as anything that belonged to you or other members of the household damaged in this incident?
! Probe:
For example, was (a lock or window broken/clothing damaged/
damage done to a car), or something else?
" 1. Yes
" 2. No
DAMAGED
DAMAGED
Item DAMAGED is used to find out if any other item was
damaged during the incident, excluding any stolen property.
This could be property owned by the respondent or any
other household member. If property was reported as
stolen, the instrument inserts the phrase, “Other than stolen
property” at the beginning of the question.
If the respondent seems unsure of how to answer this
question, also ask the probe question shown below the
initial question in Item DAMAGED. As you ask the probe
question, make sure to select the appropriate examples
shown in parentheses based on the circumstances of the
theft.
Precode (1)
Enter Precode (1), "Yes," if:
T Items were damaged during the incident, but they were
not stolen.
T These damaged items belonged to a household member
at the time of the incident or to an unrecognizable
business operated from the sample address.
T Any items damaged, but not stolen, during an act of
vandalism which occurred during the same incident as
the theft.
After entering Precode (1), continue with Item
DAMAGEDREPAIRED.
Incident Report Items
B4-187
Part B, Chapter 4
Precode (2)
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Enter Precode (2), "No," if:
T The only items damaged during the incident were the
stolen items.
T The damaged items belonged to someone who was not
a household member at the time of the incident.
T The damaged items belonged to a recognizable business
operated from the sample address.
T The damaged items are commercial property, such as a
damaged apartment door to an apartment rented by the
respondent, even if the respondent paid for the repair or
replacement cost. In this example, the apartment door
does not belong to the respondent.
After entering Precode (2), you will continue with Item
POLICEINFORMED.
W as/W ere the damaged item(s) repaired or replaced?
" 1. Yes, all
" 2. Yes, part
" 3. No, none
DAMAGEDREPAIRED
DAMAGEDREPAIRED
Item DAMAGEDREPAIRED is used to determine
whether any or all of the items damaged during the incident
were repaired or replaced, even if there was no cost
involved. Also, the person who repaired or replaced the
damaged items could be anyone, such as a household
member, a friend, the landlord, or anyone else. Only
include damaged items that were NOT stolen.
Enter the appropriate precode based on the respondent's
answer. After entering Precode (1) for “Yes, all,” or
Precode (2) for "Yes, part," continue with Item
ACTCOSTREPAIRREPLACE. If you enter Precode (3)
Incident Report Items
B4-188
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Part B, Chapter 4
for "No, none," continue with Item
ESTCOSTREPAIRREPLACE.
How much would it cost to repair or replace the damaged item(s)?
! Enter 0 for no cost
! Round to the nearest dollar
! Enter a number between 1-999,996
ESTCOSTREPAIRREPLACE
ESTCOSTREPAIR
REPLACE
Item ESTCOSTREPAIRREPLACE is used to identify
what the cost would be to repair and/or replace any items
damaged, but not stolen, during the incident, if the
respondent decided to get the item(s) repaired or replaced.
If the respondent has difficulty giving you an exact amount,
ask for his/her best estimate.
Enter the amount in whole dollars in the dollar answer
space. Round up or down as necessary. For example, if the
amount given is $150.50, round up to $151 and, if the
amount given is $150.49, round down to $150. If the
respondent gives an amount that is less than $1, round up
to $1.
Enter (0), (zero), if there would be no cost to repair and/or
replace the damaged items. If the respondent does not
know what the cost would be to repair and/or replace the
damaged items, enter Control + D to indicate “Don’t
know.” Avoid “Don’t know” answers if at all possible.
After entering a response (other than 0), continue with Item
PAIDREPAIRS. After entering (0), continue with Item
POLICEINFORMED.
Incident Report Items
B4-189
Part B, Chapter 4
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
How much was the repair or replacement cost?
! Enter 0 for no cost
! Round to the nearest dollar
! Enter a number between 1-999,996
ACTCOSTREPAIRREPLACE
ACTCOSTREPAIR
REPLACE
Item ACTCOSTREPAIRREPLACE is used to identify
what the cost was to repair and/or replace any items
damaged, but not stolen, during the incident. If the
respondent has difficulty giving you an exact amount, ask
for his/her best estimate.
Enter the amount in whole dollars in the dollar answer
space. Round up or down as necessary. For example, if the
amount given is $150.50, round up to $151 and, if the
amount given is $150.49, round down to $150. If the
respondent gives an amount that is less than $1, round up
to $1.
Enter (0), (zero), if there was no cost to repair and/or
replace the damaged items. If the respondent does not
know what the cost would be to repair and/or replace the
damaged items, enter Control + D to indicate “Don’t
know.” Avoid “Don’t know” answers if at all possible.
After entering a response (other than 0), continue with Item
PAIDREPAIRS. After entering (0), continue with Item
POLICEINFORMED.
Incident Report Items
B4-190
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Part B, Chapter 4
W ho (paid/will pay) for the repairs or replacement?
! Probe: Anyone else?
! Enter all that apply, separate with commas
"
"
"
"
"
"
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Items will not be repaired or replaced
Household member
Landlord or landlord's insurance
Victim's (or household's) insurance
Offender
Other - specify
PAIDREPAIRS
PAIDREPAIRS
Item PAIDREPAIRS is used to identify who paid or will
pay to repair and/or replace items that were damaged, but
not stolen, during the incident. If you enter Precode (1) or
(2) in Item DAMAGEDREPAIRED, then ask the question
in Item PAIDREPAIRS using the word "paid." Ask the
question in Item PAIDREPAIRS using the words "will
pay" if you entered Precode (3) in Item
DAMAGEDREPAIRED or the respondent has told you
that the items have been repaired and/or replaced, but the
repair and/or replacement bill has not yet been paid.
Since more than one person or company may have paid for
the repairs and/or replacements, continue asking, "Anyone
else?" until you get a "No" response and then enter all
appropriate precodes.
Only enter Precode (1) if the respondent tells you that
NONE of the damaged items will be repaired or replaced.
However, do NOT enter Precode (1) if a person or company
provided or will provide money to repair and/or replace
damaged item(s), but the respondent does not intend to use
the money for this purpose. Instead, enter the appropriate
precode to indicate who provided or will provide the
money.
Also, if a household member or someone else originally
paid for the repair and/or replacement costs and the total
Incident Report Items
B4-191
Part B, Chapter 4
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
amount has been or will be reimbursed by insurance, only
enter Precode (3) or (4) to indicate whose insurance is
reimbursing the cost and do not enter the precode for who
originally paid the bill. However, if the insurance only paid
a portion of the costs and someone else paid the remainder
of the costs, then enter both precodes. For example, enter
Precode (2) for a household member and Precode (4) for
the household member's insurance.
If the respondent identifies a person, company, or
government agency that is not described in Precodes (2)
through (5), enter Precode (6), "Other," and enter the
respondent's answer on the "Specify" screen,
PAIDREPAIRS_SPEC (for example, relatives or friends
of the household, a government agency, a church, or a
community organization).
W ere the police informed or did they find out about this incident in any way?
" 1. Yes
" 2. No
" 3. Don't know
____________________________________________________________________
POLICEINFORMED
POLICEINFORMED
Who Are Considered the
Police?
Item POLICEINFORMED is used to determine whether
the police are aware that this incident took place, regardless
of how they found out about it.
For the NCVS, consider the police to be all regular police
officers at the city, county, State, or Federal government
level, as well as officers who work for sheriff's
departments. Also include officers working for specialized
police forces who are authorized to make arrests in a
special area or jurisdiction (for example, campus police,
park police, transit police, harbor police, and airport
police).
Incident Report Items
B4-192
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Part B, Chapter 4
Exclude as Police
Officers
For the NCVS, exclude as police officers any security
forces, building guards, prison guards, fish and game
wardens, fire marshals, and all others who do not have the
authority to make police arrests.
Victim Is a Police Officer
When the victim/respondent is a police officer and answers
"Yes" to the question in Item POLICEINFORMED, probe
to find out if the respondent or another person filed an
official report or officially notified a police department
about the incident. Do not assume that an incident was
reported to the police just because the victim/respondent is
a police officer. For example, if the respondent who is a
police officer was threatened with physical harm by a crime
suspect and he/she only mentioned it to his/her partner at
the station, but never filed a report or officially notified the
department, you would enter Precode (2), "No."
Offender Is a Police
Officer
When the victim/respondent answers "Yes" to the question
in Item POLICEINFORMED and the offender is a police
officer, probe to find out if anyone filed an official report
or officially notified a police department about the
incident. Again, do not assume because a police officer
was involved in the incident that the police were officially
notified. Enter Precode (2), "No," if no one actually
notified the police.
Precode (1)
Enter Precode (1), "Yes," if the incident was reported to the
police and you will continue with Item
POLICEFINDOUT.
Precode (2)
Enter Precode (2), "No," if the incident was NOT reported
to the police and you will continue with Item
NOTREPORTEDPOLICE.
Precode (3)
Enter Precode (3), "Don't know," if the respondent does not
know or cannot say for sure whether anyone reported the
incident to the police and you will continue with Item
AGENCYHELP. (Also see Part C, Chapter 3, Topic 21,
for more information about incidents involving police
officers.)
Incident Report Items
B4-193
Part B, Chapter 4
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
How did the police find out about it?
! Enter first precode that applies
" 11. Respondent
" 12. Other household member
" 13. Someone official called police (guard, apt. manager,
school official, etc.)
" 14. Someone else
" 15. Police were at scene
" 16. Offender was a police officer
" 17. Some other way - specify
POLICEFINDOUT
Special Instructions for
Proxy Interviews - Items
POLICEFINDOUT
through
ANYTHINGFURTHER
Starting with Item POLICEFINDOUT and ending with
Item ANYTHINGFURTHER, do NOT follow the general
rule for asking questions during a proxy interview.
Normally, you ask the NCVS questions of the proxy
respondent (who is usually another household member) for
the proxy person (the household member who is unable to
answer for himself/herself). For example, when asking the
question for Item DAMAGED during a proxy interview,
ask the question this way:
"Other than any stolen property was anything that
belonged to Jeffrey Doe (the proxy person) or other
members of the household damaged in this incident?"
Since the questions for Items POLICEFINDOUT through
ANYTHINGFURTHER can apply to anyone in the
sample household who may have had contact with the
police, ask each of these questions of the proxy respondent,
rather than the proxy person.
For example, when you ask the proxy respondent in
Item POLICEFINDOUT, "How did the police find out
about it?" the proxy respondent says, "I told them." In
this case, enter Precode (11), "Respondent." However, if
the proxy respondent says that, "Jeffrey Doe (the proxy
person) called the police," enter Precode (12), "Other
household member." When you are conducting a proxy
Incident Report Items
B4-194
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Part B, Chapter 4
interview, the instrument displays an interviewer
instruction at this screen to remind you of this change.
POLICEFINDOUT
Item POLICEFINDOUT is used to identify how the police
found out about the incident. Enter the first precode that
applies. For example, if the respondent tells you that he/she
called the police and a security guard also called the police,
enter Precode (11), "Respondent."
Precode (11)
Enter Precode (11) if the police found out about the
incident from the respondent. If you are taking a proxy
interview, enter Precode (11) if the proxy respondent
informed the police. After entering Precode (11), continue
with Item REASONREPORT.
Precode (12)
Enter Precode (12) if the police found out about the
incident from a household member OTHER THAN the
respondent. If you are taking a proxy interview, enter
Precode (12) if the proxy person informed the police. After
entering Precode (12), continue with Item
POLICEARRIVE.
Precode (13)
Enter Precode (13) if the police found out about the
incident from some type of official, such as a security
guard, an apartment manager, a school principal, a store
manager, and so on. After entering Precode (13), you will
continue with Item POLICEARRIVE.
Precode (14)
Enter Precode (14) if the police found out about the
incident from a person OTHER THAN a household
member or someone acting in an official capacity. For
example, you would enter Precode (14) if a neighbor called
the police or a relative who is not a household member
called the police (such as an uncle, aunt, brother-in-law,
and so on) . After entering Precode (14), you will continue
with Item POLICEARRIVE.
Precode (15)
Enter Precode (15) if the police found out about the
incident because they happened to be on the scene at the
time of the incident or came by while the incident was
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taking place. After entering Precode (15), continue with
Item POLICEACTION.
Precode (16)
Enter Precode (16) if the police found out about the
incident because the offender was a police officer and
he/she notified the police. After entering Precode (16),
continue with Item POLICECONTACT.
Precode (17)
Enter Precode (17) if the police found out about the
incident in a way other than those described in Precodes
(11) through (16). After entering Precode (17), explain
how the police were informed on the "Specify" screen,
POLICEFINDOUT_SPEC, and then continue with Item
POLICECONTACT.
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? [F1]
W hat was the reason it was not reported to the police?
! Probe: Can you tell me a little more? Any other reason?
! Enter all that apply, separate with commas.
DEALT W ITH ANOTHER W AY:
" 11. Reported to another official (guard, apt. manager, school official, etc.)
" 12. Private or personal matter or took care of it myself or informally; told offender’s parent
NOT IMPORTANT ENOUGH TO RESPONDENT:
" 13. Minor or unsuccessful crime, small or no loss, recovered property
" 14. Child offender(s), "kid stuff"
" 15. Not clear that it was a crime or that harm was intended
INSURANCE W OULDN'T COVER:
" 16. No insurance, loss less than deductible, etc.
POLICE COULDN'T DO ANYTHING:
" 17. Didn't find out until too late
" 18. Could not recover or identify property
" 19. Could not find or identify offender, lack of proof
POLICE W OULDN'T HELP
" 20. Police wouldn't think it was important enough, wouldn’t want to be bothered or get involved
" 21. Police would be inefficient, ineffective (they’d arrive late or not at all, wouldn’t do a good job, etc.)
" 22. Police would be biased, would harass/insult respondent, cause respondent trouble, etc.)
" 23. Offender was a police officer
OTHER REASON:
" 24. Did not want to get offender in trouble with the law
" 25. W as advised not to report to police
" 26. Afraid of reprisal by offender or others
" 27. Did not want to or could not take time–too inconvenient
" 28. Other - Specify
" 29. Respondent not present or doesn't know why it wasn't reported
NOTREPORTEDPOLICE
NOTREPORTEDPOLICE
Item NOTREPORTEDPOLICE is used to find out why
no one reported the incident to the police. This item
consists of 19 separate categories which are grouped
together under six major headings to help you locate the
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correct precode to enter for the respondent's answer. Since
you need to enter all appropriate precodes for a respondent's
answer, continue asking, "Any other reason?" until you get
a "No" response.
Probing for Item
NOTREPORTED
POLICE
In some cases, a respondent's answer may seem to fit under
one of the major headings, but you are not sure which
precode to enter. In this situation, you need to ask a general
probe question. For example, a respondent answers that
she did not think the police would help her. You see the
major heading, "POLICE WOULDN'T HELP," but you
are not sure which precode to enter. You could ask, "Can
you tell me a little more?" If that probe question does not
work, then you could ask, "Why do you think that the
police would not help you?"
Since this item involves a respondent's feelings and
motivations, you must be extremely careful when asking
probe questions so you do not bias the respondent's answer.
Keep your initial probe questions general and neutral. Then
if the initial probe question does not work, ask a more
specific probe question.
Only ask the structured probe question (which can be
accessed using the F1 key) for Item
NOTREPORTEDPOLICE when:
T You have asked general probe questions and the
respondent's answer still does not fit under one of the
major headings.
T The respondent's answer is so vague and obscure that it
would not be appropriate to ask a general probe
question.
Verifying Answers
To ensure that all appropriate precodes are entered in
Item NOTREPORTEDPOLICE, verify the answer
categories for which you entered precodes with the
respondent BEFORE pressing “Enter” to get to the next
question. Here is an example of how to verify the answers
you entered with the respondent: "I have entered (read
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descriptions for the entered precodes). Do these reasons
cover why no one reported the incident to the police?"
Answer Categories for
Item NOTREPORTED
POLICE
Since most of the answer categories in Item
NOTREPORTEDPOLICE are self-explanatory,
descriptions are provided below only for the categories that
require special attention.
Precode (12)
Enter Precode (12), "Private or personal matter or took care
of it myself or informally; told offender's parent," when the
respondent tells you that: "It was a family matter," "He/she
wanted to catch the thief," "He/she called the person who
did it," "He/she thought it was his/her wife/husband," "The
person was a friend," and so on.
Precode (28)
Enter Precode (28), "Other," if you have tried asking both
general probe questions and the structured probe question
AND the respondent's reason still does not fit into one of
the reasons in Precodes (11) through (27). After entering
Precode (28), enter the reason on the "Specify" screen,
NOTREPORTEDPOLICE_SPEC.
Precode (29)
Enter Precode (29), "Respondent not present or doesn't
know why it wasn't reported," if the respondent really does
not know why the incident was not reported to the police.
(For example, the respondent was not present during a
burglary incident.)
Noting Distinctions
Pay close attention when a respondent tells you that the
incident is not important enough to report to the police.
Precodes (13) through (15) cover reasons why the
respondent feels that the incident was not important enough
to report to the police, while Precode (20) covers when the
respondent thinks that the police would not consider the
incident important.
Precode (27) also implies that the respondent did not feel
that the incident was important enough to report to the
police, but the primary motivation for not reporting
the incident was the respondent's lack of time and the level
of inconvenience to him/her.
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After completing Item NOTREPORTEDPOLICE,
continue with either:
•
Item NOTREPORTIMPORTANT when more than
one reason is entered in Item
NOTREPORTEDPOLICE.
OR
•
Item AGENCYHELP when only one reason is entered
in Item NOTREPORTEDPOLICE.
W hich of these would you say was the most important reason
why the incident was not reported to the police?
Reasons not reported:
" 23. Offender was police officer
" 27. Did not want to or could not take time - too inconvenient
" 29. No one reason more important
NOTREPORTIMPORTANT
NOTREPORT
IMPORTANT
Item NOTREPORTIMPORTANT is used to pinpoint
which of the reasons reported in Item
NOTREPORTEDPOLICE the respondent feels is the
most important reason for not reporting the incident to the
police. If necessary, read the reasons listed for Item
NOTREPORT IMPORTANT.
Based on the respondent's answer, enter the appropriate
precode. If the respondent seems to have difficulty making
up his/her mind, you could ask the following probe
question: "If you could only give one reason, which one
would it be?"
In Item NOTREPORTIMPORTANT, Precode (29), “No
one reason more important,” is also displayed. Use this
precode if the respondent tells you that each reason selected
in Item NOTREPORTEDPOLICE was equally important
as to why the incident was not reported to the police.
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After completing Item NOTREPORTIMPORTANT,
continue with Item AGENCYHELP.
? [F1]
Besides the fact that it was a crime, did YOU have any other reason for reporting this incident to the police?
! Probe: Any other reason?
! Enter all that apply, separate with commas.
! TO GET HELP W ITH THIS INCIDENT
" 11. Stop or prevent THIS incident from happening
" 12. Needed help after incident due to injury, etc.
! TO RECOVER LOSS
" 13. To recover property
" 14. To collect insurance
! TO GET OFFENDER
" 15. To prevent further crimes against respondent/respondent's household by
this offender
" 16. To stop this offender from committing other crimes against anyone
" 17. To punish offender
" 18. Catch or find offender - other reason or no reason given
! TO LET POLICE KNOW
" 19. To improve police surveillance of respondent's home, area, etc.
" 20. Duty to let police know about crime
! OTHER
" 21. Other reason - Specify
" 22. No other reason
REASONREPORT
REASONREPORT
Item REASONREPORT is used to identify why the
respondent reported the incident to the police.
There are 12 categories for Item REASONREPORT that
are grouped together under five major headings to help you
locate the correct precode to enter for the respondent's
answer. Since you need to enter all appropriate precodes
for a respondent's answer, continue asking, "Any other
reason?" until you get a "No" response.
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Since we are interested in the respondent's feelings at the
time of the incident (or the proxy respondent's feelings), be
sure to pause after reading the question to allow the
respondent time to recall his/her feelings. Do NOT read the
answer categories to the respondent BEFORE receiving the
respondent's answer.
Probing for Item
REASONREPORT
In some cases, a respondent's answer may seem to fit under
one of the major headings, but you are not sure which
precodes to enter. In this situation, you need to ask a
general probe question. For example, a respondent answers
that he thought the police should be aware of the incident.
You see the major heading, "TO LET POLICE KNOW,"
but you are not sure which precode to enter. You could
ask, "Can you be more specific?" If the probe question
does not work, then you could ask, "Why did you feel that
the police should be notified?"
Since this item involves a respondent's feelings and
motivations, be extremely careful when asking probe
questions so you do not bias the respondent's answer. Keep
your initial probe question general and neutral. If the initial
probe question does not work, ask a more specific probe
question.
Only ask the structured probe question (which can be
accessed with the F1 key) for Item REASONREPORT
when:
T You have asked general probe questions and the
respondent's answer still does not fit under one of the
major headings.
T The respondent's answer is so vague and obscure that it
would not be appropriate to ask a general probe
question.
Verifying Answers
To ensure that all appropriate precodes are entered in
Item REASONREPORT, verify the answer categories that
you entered with the respondent BEFORE pressing “Enter”
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to indicate that all responses have been entered. Here is an
example of how to verify the answers you entered with the
respondent: "I have entered (read descriptions for the
entered precodes). Do these reasons cover why you
reported this incident to the police?"
Any precode entry/entries in Item REASONREPORT
except Precode (22) take(s) you to Item
REPORTIMPORTANT. If only Precode (22) is entered
in Item REASONREPORT, continue with Item
POLICEARRIVE.
Answer Categories in
Item REASONREPORT
Since most of the answer categories in Item
REASONREPORT are self-explanatory, descriptions are
provided below only for the categories that require special
attention.
Precode (11)
Enter Precode (11) ONLY when the respondent tells you
that he/she reported the incident to the police either at the
time of the incident or just prior to the incident in an effort
to keep it from happening. The respondent must have been
present during the incident in order to mark Precode (11).
Precode (12)
Enter Precode (12) when the respondent tells you that
he/she reported the incident to the police in an effort to get
help AFTER the incident, such as medical attention.
Do NOT enter Precode (12) if the incident was reported to:
X Recover property (Enter Precode (13)).
X Collect insurance money (Enter Precode (14)).
X Prevent the incident from happening again (Enter
Precode (15)).
Precode (20)
Enter Precode (20) if the respondent feels that he/she had a
legal or moral obligation to report the incident to the police.
Precode (21)
Enter Precode (21) if you have tried asking both general
probe questions and the structured probe question AND the
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respondent’s reason still does not fit into one of the reasons
in Precodes (11) through (20). After entering Precode (21),
enter the reason on the “Specify” screen, Item
REASONREPORT_SPEC.
Precode (22)
Enter Precode (22) if the respondent's only reason for
reporting the incident to the police was because it was a
crime. If you enter Precode (22) along with other precodes,
Item REASONREPORT_CK appears as a pop-up. This is
a hard edit check:
Invalid entry. You cannot select answer category 22 “No other
reason” along with any other answer category in this item.
___________________________________________________
Questions involved
Value
___________________________________________________
Close
Go to
REASONREPORT_CK
Click on “Close” or “Goto” to return to
REASONREPORT to correct your entries.
W hich of these would you say was the most important
reason why the incident was reported to the police?
"
"
"
"
12.
16.
22.
23.
Needed help due to injury, etc.
To stop off. from committing other crimes against anyone
Because it was a crime was most important
No one reason more important
REPORTIMPORTANT
REPORTIMPORTANT
Item REPORTIMPORTANT is used to identify which
reason from those reported in Item REASONREPORT the
respondent feels is the most important reason for reporting
the incident to the police. If necessary, read the reasons
displayed on the screen for Item REPORTIMPORTANT.
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Based on the respondent's answer, enter the appropriate
precode. If the respondent seems to have difficulty making
up his/her mind, you could ask the following probe
question: "If you could only give one reason, which one
would it be?" The respondent may tell you that:
T His/her main reason for reporting the incident to the
police was that it was a crime. If so, enter Precode (22),
"Because it was a crime was most important."
T Each reason is equally important. If so, enter
Precode (23), "No one reason more important."
After completing Item REPORTIMPORTANT, continue
with Item POLICEARRIVE.
Did the police come when they found out about the incident?
"
"
"
"
1.
2.
3.
4.
Yes
No
Don’t know
Respondent went to police
POLICEARRIVE
POLICEARRIVE
Item POLICEARRIVE is the first of three questions
intended to find out what the police did after they were
notified about the incident. Item POLICEARRIVE is
used to determine whether the police actually came to talk
in person with the victimized person.
Precode (1)
Enter Precode (1), "Yes," if the police came to see and
speak to the victimized person either at the scene of the
incident or somewhere else. If the police only spoke to the
victimized person on the telephone, enter Precode (2),
"No." After entering Precode (1), you will continue with
Item TIMEPOLICEARRIVE.
Precode (2)
Enter Precode (2), "No," if the police were contacted and
never came to speak in person with the victimized person
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and only communicated by telephone, mail, and so on.
After entering Precode (2), continue with Item
POLICECONTACT.
Precode (3)
Enter Precode (3), "Don't know," if the respondent really
does not know whether the police came to speak in person
with the victimized person once they were notified. After
entering Precode (3), you will continue with Item
POLICECONTACT.
Precode (4)
Enter Precode (4), "Respondent went to police," if the
respondent went to notify the police in person about the
incident. After entering Precode (4), you will continue with
Item POLICEACTION.
How soon after the police found out did they respond?
W as it within 5 minutes, within 10 minutes, an hour, a day,
or longer?
! Enter the code for the first answer category that the respondent is sure of.
"
"
"
"
"
"
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
W ithin 5 minutes
W ithin 10 minutes
W ithin an hour
W ithin a day
Longer than a day
Don't know how soon
TIMEPOLICEARRIVE
TIMEPOLICEARRIVE
Item TIMEPOLICEARRIVE is used to identify how
much time elapsed between the police being notified and
the police arriving in person to speak to the victimized
person. Enter the first category from Precodes (1) through
(5) about which the respondent feels sure.
Enter Precode (6) if the respondent really does not know
how soon after being contacted the police arrived to speak
to the victimized person, such as when someone else called
the police or the police went to the crime scene before
coming to speak to the victimized person.
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After completing Item TIMEPOLICEARRIVE, continue
with Item POLICEACTION.
W hat did they do while they were there?
! Probe: Anything else?
! Enter all that apply, separate with commas.
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
Took report
Searched/looked around
Took evidence (fingerprints, inventory, etc.)
Questioned witnesses or suspects
Promised surveillance
Promised to investigate
Made arrest
Other - specify
Don't know
POLICEACTION
POLICEACTION
Item POLICEACTION is used to determine what actions
the police took while they were with the victimized person
during their initial visit. Exclude any police actions taken
after the police left or during any subsequent visits with the
victimized person.
Since you need to enter all precodes that apply to the
respondent's answer, continue asking, "Anything else?"
until you get a "No" answer.
Precode (11)
Enter Precode (11), "Took report," if the police spoke to the
victimized person to find out what happened during the
incident.
Precode (12)
Enter Precode (12), "Searched/looked around," if the police
searched the area of the incident for the offender(s) or for
any of the stolen property.
Precode (13)
Enter Precode (13), "Took evidence," if the police took any
type of evidence that the offender(s) may have left at the
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scene of the crime, such as fingerprints, a weapon, scraps of
clothing, a hair or blood sample, and so on.
Precode (14)
Enter Precode (14), "Questioned witnesses or suspects," if
the police questioned any witnesses and suspects, as well as
potential witnesses and suspects (for example, neighbors,
co-workers, friends, and so on).
Precode (15)
Enter Precode (15), "Promised surveillance," if the police
told the victimized person that they will:
T Patrol the crime scene
OR
T Keep a lookout in the area where the victimized person
lives or works.
Precode (16)
Enter Precode (16), "Promised to investigate," if the police
told the victimized person that they would do any of the
following things: question suspects, witnesses, or others,
pursue the offender(s), try to recover stolen property, and so
on.
Precode (17)
Enter Precode (17), "Made arrest," if the respondent learned
that the police arrested a suspect(s) during the initial visit
from the police.
Precode (18)
Enter Precode (18), "Other," if the police took any actions
during their initial visit with the victimized person which
are not described in Precodes (11) through (17) and then
fully describe the action(s) taken on the "Specify" screen,
POLICEACTION_SPEC.
Precode (19)
Enter Precode (19), "Don't know," if the respondent really
does not know what the police did during their initial visit
with the victimized person. For example, the respondent
may not have been present when the police made their visit.
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After completing Item POLICEACTION, continue with
Item POLICECONTACT.
Did you (or anyone in your household) have any later
contact with the police about the incident?
" 1.
" 2.
" 3.
Yes
No
Don't know
POLICECONTACT
POLICECONTACT
Item POLICECONTACT is the first of four questions
asking about any subsequent contacts with the police about
the incident. Item POLICECONTACT is used to
determine whether the respondent or any other household
member had any later official contacts with the police about
the incident. For example, the police may have called the
victimized person or made another personal visit, or
perhaps a household member mailed a letter to the police
inquiring about the case.
Exclude any unofficial contacts with the police, such as a
casual conversation with a police officer who is a friend or
acquaintance.
Precode (1)
Enter Precode (1), "Yes," when:
T There was any contact between the household and the
police following the initial visit by the police,
regardless of who initiated the contact.
T The police did NOT make a personal visit when they
were originally contacted about the incident, but the
police did call or send a letter to the household after
they were contacted.
T The police did NOT make a personal visit when they
were originally contacted about the incident, but
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someone in the household called or sent a letter to the
police after they initially notified the police.
After entering Precode (1), continue with Item
POLICEINTOUCH.
Precode (2)
Enter Precode (2), "No," when:
T There was no later contact between the household and
the police AFTER the initial visit by the police.
T There was no contact at all between the household and
the police after the police found out about the incident.
After entering Precode (2), continue with Item
SIGNCOMPLAINT.
Precode (3)
Enter Precode (3), "Don't know," when the respondent does
not know whether there was any later contact with the
police about the incident. After entering Precode (3),
continue with Item SIGNCOMPLAINT.
Did the police get in touch with you
or did you get in touch with them?
"
"
"
"
"
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Police contacted respondent or other household member
Respondent or other household member contacted police
Both
Don’t know
Other - Specify
POLICEINTOUCH
POLICEINTOUCH
Precode (3)
Item POLICEINTOUCH is used to determine who
initiated the later contact between the household and the
police about the incident. Enter the appropriate precode
based on the respondent's answer.
Only enter Precode (3), "Both," if there was more than one
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later contact and some were initiated by the police and
others were initiated by someone in the household.
Precode (4)
Enter Precode (4) if the respondent does not know who
initiated the contact.
Precode (5)
If you enter Precode (5), "Other," make sure to identify who
initiated the later contact(s) on the "Specify" screen,
POLICEINTOUCH_SPEC. Avoid entering Precode (5)
if the respondent's answer fits Precode (1), (2), or (3).
After completing Item POLICEINTOUCH, continue with
Item HOWPOLICECONTACT.
W as that in person, by phone, or some other way?
"
"
"
"
1.
2.
3.
4.
In person
Not in person (by phone, mail, etc.)
Both in person and not in person
Don't know
HOW POLICECONTACT
HOWPOLICECONTACT
Item HOWPOLICECONTACT is used to find out
whether or not the later contacts were made in person.
Precode (1)
Enter Precode (1) if ALL later contacts were made in
person, regardless of who initiated the contacts.
Precode (2)
Enter Precode (2) if ALL later contacts were made by some
means OTHER THAN IN PERSON, such as by telephone,
FAX, mail, electronic mail, and so on.
Precode (3)
Enter Precode (3) if there were two or more later contacts
AND at least one later contact was made in person AND at
least one later contact was made by some other means, such
as by phone.
Precode (4)
Enter Precode (4) if, after probing, the respondent does not
know whether the later contacts were made in person or by
some other means.
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After completing Item HOWPOLICECONTACT,
continue with Item POLICEFOLLOWUP.
W hat did the police do in following up this incident?
! PROBE: Anything else?
! Enter all that apply, separate with commas.
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
Took report
Questioned witnesses or suspects
Did or promised surveillance/investigation
Recovered property
Made arrest
Stayed in touch with respondent/household
Other - Specify
Nothing (to the respondent's knowledge)
Don't know
POLICEFOLLOW UP
POLICEFOLLOWUP
Item POLICEFOLLOWUP is used to determine what
actions the police took to follow up on the incident,
EXCLUDING actions that were already identified in Item
POLICEACTION and were only taken during the initial
contact.
Since you need to enter all precodes that apply to the
respondent's answer, continue asking, "Anything else?"
until you get a "No" response.
Precode (11)
Enter Precode (11), "Took report," if the police filled out a
second report or spoke to the victimized person again since
their first contact after the incident.
Precode (12)
Enter Precode (12), "Questioned witnesses or suspects," if,
after the initial contact, the police questioned any witnesses
and suspects, as well as potential witnesses and suspects
(for example, neighbors, co-workers, friends, and so on).
Precode (13)
Enter Precode (13), "Did or promised surveillance/
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investigation," if, after the initial contact, the police
investigated the incident or told the respondent that they
would investigate, such as questioning suspects, witnesses,
or others, pursuing the offender(s), or trying to recover
stolen property.
Precode (14)
Enter Precode (14), "Recovered property," if the police
were able to recover stolen property.
Precode (15)
Enter Precode (15), "Made arrest," if the respondent learned
that the police arrested a suspect(s) after their initial visit to
the household.
Precode (16)
Enter Precode (16), "Stayed in touch with respondent/
household," if the police stayed in contact with someone in
the household by any means, such as by phone, mail, and so
on.
Precode (17)
Enter Precode (17), "Other," if the police took a later action
that does not fit the descriptions for Precodes (11) through
(16). After entering Precode (17), make sure to identify the
action taken on the "Specify" screen,
POLICEFOLLOWUP_SPEC.
Precode (18)
Enter Precode (18), "Nothing," if the respondent thinks that
no actions were taken by the police following the initial
visit by the police.
Precode (19)
Enter Precode (19), "Don't know," if the respondent does
not know what actions were taken since the incident
happened.
After completing Item POLICEFOLLOWUP, continue
with Item SIGNCOMPLAINT.
Incident Report Items
B4-213
Part B, Chapter 4
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Did you or someone in your household sign a complaint against
the offender(s) to the police department or the authorities?
" 1. Yes
" 2. No
SIGNCOMPLAINT
SIGNCOMPLAINT
Item SIGNCOMPLAINT is used to determine whether
anyone in the household signed a complaint against the
offender(s) to the police department or another authority.
The complaint could be any type of official report signed by
a household member in which one or more persons are
NAMED as the offenders in the incident. The official
report could be filed with a police department or some
other legal authority, such as the FBI, immigration officials,
and so on.
After completing Item SIGNCOMPLAINT, continue with
Item ARRESTMADE.
Ask or verify:
As far as you know, was anyone arrested or were
charges brought against anyone in connection with this incident?
" 1.
" 2.
" 3.
Yes
No
Don't know
ARRESTM ADE
ARRESTMADE
Item ARRESTMADE is used to find out if anyone:
T Was arrested in connection with the incident
OR
T Had charges brought against him/her.
Incident Report Items
B4-214
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Part B, Chapter 4
You may already know the answer to this question. If so,
verify the answer without asking the question.
Precode (1)
Enter Precode (1), "Yes," if the respondent knows or has
heard that someone was arrested or had charges brought
against him/her in connection with the incident.
Precode (2)
Enter Precode (2), “No,” if the person was only questioned
about the incident or held in custody and then released
without being charged.
Precode (3)
Enter Precode (3) if the respondent does not know whether
anyone was arrested or charged in connection with the
incident.
After completing Item ARRESTMADE, continue with
Item AGENCYHELP.
Did you or someone in your household receive any help
or advice from any office or agency - other than the police that deals with victims of crime?
" 1.
" 2.
" 3.
Yes
No
Don't know
AGENCYHELP
AGENCYHELP
Precode (1)
Item AGENCYHELP is the first of two items asking about
any help the household may have received from an office or
agency that deals with crime victims, excluding the police
department. Item AGENCYHELP is used to determine
whether or not the household did receive any help or advice
from an office or agency which provides assistance to crime
victims.
Enter Precode (1), "Yes," if anyone in the household
received help or advice as a direct result of the incident and
this help or advice was in the form of financial or legal
advice, counseling, preventing similar crimes in the future,
and so on. The help or advice could have come from any
Incident Report Items
B4-215
Part B, Chapter 4
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
office or agency that deals specifically with crime victims,
with the exception of the police department. After entering
Precode (1), continue with Item TYPEOFAGENCY.
Precode (2)
Enter Precode (2), "No," if no one in the household
received any help or advice from an office or agency set up
to assist crime victims. Also enter Precode (2) if the only
help received by the household came from:
T The police department
OR
T Private individuals or a group that is not trained
specifically to handle crime victims, such as neighbors,
relatives, psychologists, a family doctor, a priest or
minister, and so on.
After entering Precode (2), either:
•
Continue with Item CONTACTAUTHORITIES if the
police were informed about the incident (Precode (1)
entered in Item POLICEINFORMED.)
OR
•
Precode (3)
Continue with Item DOINGATINCIDENTTIME if
the police were NOT informed about the incident
(Precode (2) or (3) entered in Item
POLICEINFORMED.)
Enter Precode (3), "Don't know," if the respondent really
does not know whether anyone in the household received
help or advice from an office or agency set up to assist
crime victims. After entering Precode (3):
•
Continue with Item CONTACTAUTHORITIES if the
police were informed about the incident (Precode (1)
entered in Item POLICEINFORMED.)
OR
Incident Report Items
B4-216
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Part B, Chapter 4
•
Continue with Item DOINGATINCIDENTTIME if
the police were NOT informed about the incident
(Precode (2) or (3) entered in Item
POLICEINFORMED.)
W as that a government or a private agency?
" 1. Government
" 2. Private
" 3. Don't know
TYPEOFAGENCY
TYPEOFAGENCY
Item TYPEOFAGENCY is used to identify whether the
office or agency who assisted the household was a
government or private agency.
Precode (1)
Enter Precode (1) if the office or agency is supported by
Federal, state, or local government taxes.
Precode (2)
Enter Precode (2) if the office or agency is supported by
private funds or charitable contributions.
Precode (3)
Enter Precode (3) if, after probing, the respondent really
does not know who supports the office or agency that
provided assistance to the household.
After completing Item TYPEOFAGENCY, either:
• Continue with Item CONTACTAUTHORITIES if the
police were informed about the incident (Precode (1)
entered in Item POLICEINFORMED.)
OR
•
Continue with Item DOINGATINCIDENTTIME if
the police were NOT informed about the incident
(Precode (2) or (3) entered in Item
POLICEINFORMED.)
Incident Report Items
B4-217
Part B, Chapter 4
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Have you (or someone in your household) had contact with
any other authorities about this incident, (such as a prosecutor,
court, or juvenile officer)?
" 1.
" 2.
" 3.
Yes
No
Don't know
CONTACTAUTHORITIES
CONTACT
AUTHORITIES
Item CONTACTAUTHORITIES is the first of two items
used to determine if anyone in the household has had
contact with an authority about the incident, OTHER
THAN the police or an agency identified in Item
AGENCYHELP. By authority, we mean a prosecutor, a
court or juvenile officer, and so on.
If you enter Precode (1), "Yes," continue with Item
AUTHORITIES. If you enter either Precode (2), "No," or
Precode (3), "Don't know," you continue with Item
ANYTHINGFURTHER.
W hich authorities?
! Probe: Any others?
! Enter all that apply, separate with commas.
"
"
"
"
"
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Prosecutor, district attorney
Magistrate
Court
Juvenile, probation or parole officer
Other - specify
AUTHORITIES
AUTHORITIES
Item AUTHORITIES is used to identify which authorities
a household member has contacted about the incident.
Since more than one authority may have been contacted,
continue asking, "Any others?" until you get a "No" reply.
If you enter Precode (5), "Other," because the authority
Incident Report Items
B4-218
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Part B, Chapter 4
mentioned by the respondent is not described in Precodes
(1) through (4), make sure to identify the authority on the
"Specify" screen, AUTHORITIES_SPEC. After
completing Item AUTHORITIES, continue with Item
ANYTHINGFURTHER.
Do you expect the police, courts, or other authorities
will be doing anything further in connection with this incident?
" 1.
" 2.
" 3.
Yes
No
Don't know
ANYTHINGFURTHER
ANYTHINGFURTHER
Item ANYTHINGFURTHER is used to find out if the
respondent knows or feels that any authority (police, courts,
and so on) will do anything further about the incident. This
could include bringing suspects to trial, questioning
suspects, offering a reward, investigating, or surveillance.
Exclude any counseling that could be provided because of
this incident.
If you enter Precode (1), "Yes," make sure to describe the
actions that the respondent knows or feels will be taken on
the “Specify” screen, ANYTHINGFURTHER_SPEC.
After completing Item ANYTHINGFURTHER, continue
with Item DOINGATINCIDENTTIME.
Incident Report Items
B4-219
Part B, Chapter 4
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Topic 3. Screen Layout and Instructions for
Items DOINGATINCIDENTTIME Through SUMMARY
! Ask or verify:
W hat were you doing when this incident (happened/started)?
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
21.
W orking or on duty
On the way to or from work
On the way to or from school
On the way to or from other place
Shopping, errands
Attending school
Leisure activity away from home
Sleeping
Other activities at home
Other - Specify
Don't know
DOINGATINCIDENTTIM E
DOINGATINCIDENT
TIME
Item DOINGATINCIDENTTIME is used to identify
what the respondent or proxy person was doing when the
incident happened or started. It is not necessary for the
respondent or proxy person to have been at the crime scene
to answer this question. If the respondent or proxy person
was not present during the incident, the instrument displays
the word “happened” when asking this question. Otherwise,
it displays the word “started.”
Proxy Interviews
Starting with Item DOINGATINCIDENTTIME, you
will again ask each question about the proxy person and
not of the proxy respondent. Only Items
POLICEFINDOUT through ANYTHINGFURTHER are
asked directly of the proxy respondent.
Answer Categories in
Item
DOINGATINCIDENT
TIME
Since most of the answer categories in Item
DOINGATINCIDENTTIME are self-explanatory,
descriptions are provided below only for the categories that
require special attention.
Incident Report Items
B4-220
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Precodes (11) and (12)
Part B, Chapter 4
Enter Precode (11) if the respondent or proxy person was
working or on duty for his/her job when the incident began
or happened. Enter Precode (12) if the respondent or proxy
person was commuting to or from work when the incident
began or happened. After entering Precode (11), continue
with Item EMPLOYERTYPE.
After entering Precode (12), either:
•
Continue with Item LOSTWORKTIME if the
respondent was injured in the incident (Precodes (12) (21) entered in Item INJURY.)
OR
•
Continue with Item LOSTOTHERWORKTIME if
the respondent was NOT injured in the incident.
Precode (13)
Enter Precode (13) if the respondent or proxy person was
traveling to or from school when the incident started.
However, if the incident started while the respondent or
proxy person was in class during the school day, enter
Precode (16).
Precode (16)
Enter Precode (16) if the respondent or proxy person was in
class during the school day when the incident started.
However, if the incident started while commuting to or
from school, enter Precode (13).
Precode (19)
Enter Precode (19) when the respondent or proxy person
was involved in an activity at his/her home when the
incident started and the activity is not described in a
previous answer category for Precodes (11) through (18).
Precode (20)
Enter Precode (20) if the respondent or proxy person was
doing something when the incident started that does not fit
any of the previous answer categories in Item
DOINGATINCIDENTTIME. After entering Precode
(20), make sure to describe the activity on the "Specify"
screen, DOINGATINCIDENTTIME_SPEC.
Incident Report Items
B4-221
Part B, Chapter 4
Precode (21)
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Enter Precode (21) if the respondent or proxy person really
does not know what he/she was doing when the incident
started. For instance, the respondent or proxy person could
have been away from home on vacation when his/her house
was broken into and may not know exactly when the
incident took place and what he/she was doing.
! Ask or verify:
Did you have a job at the time of the incident?
" 1.
" 2.
Yes
No
JOBDURINGINCIDENT
JOBDURINGINCIDENT
Item JOBDURINGINCIDENT is used to determine
whether or not the respondent had a job or business at the
time of the incident. If you know the answer by this point
in the interview, just verify the answer without asking the
question.
For the NCVS, consider the respondent as having a job or
business if:
T There is a definite arrangement to work for pay or profit
either full time or part time.
T The respondent was self-employed in his/her own
business/farm or partnership.
T The respondent was working without pay on a family
farm or in a family business.
Precode (1)
Enter Precode (1), "Yes," if any of the conditions
mentioned above existed at the time of the incident, even if
the respondent was temporarily absent from the job due to a
vacation, illness, bad weather, strike, or temporary layoff.
After entering Precode (1), either:
Incident Report Items
B4-222
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Part B, Chapter 4
•
Continue with Item LOSTWORKTIME if the
respondent was injured in the incident (Precodes
(12) - (21) entered in Item INJURY.)
OR
•
Precode (2)
Continue with Item LOSTOTHERWORKTIME
if the respondent was NOT injured in the incident.
Enter Precode (2), "No," if the respondent did not have a
job or business at the time of the incident. After entering
Precode (2), continue with Item MAJORACTIVITY.
W hat was your major activity the week of the incident were you looking for work, keeping house, going to
school, or doing something else?
"
"
"
"
"
"
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Looking for work
Keeping house
Going to school
Unable to work
Retired
Other - Specify
MAJORACTIVITY
MAJORACTIVITY
Precode (1)
Item MAJORACTIVITY is used to find out what the
respondent's major activity was during the week of the
incident, since he/she did not have a job or business. As
you ask this question, make sure to read each of the
examples in the question.
Enter Precode (1) if the respondent was attempting to find a
job or trying to start a business or profession during the
week of the incident. Examples of "looking for work"
include:
T Registration at an employment office.
T FAXing your resume to potential employers.
Incident Report Items
B4-223
Part B, Chapter 4
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
T Meeting and interviewing with prospective employers.
T Placing or answering advertisements in newspapers or
on the Internet.
T Gathering information about starting his/her own
business.
Precode (2)
Enter Precode (2) if the respondent spent most of his/her
time during the week of the incident doing work around
his/her own home. Examples of "keeping house" include:
T Cooking, washing clothes, cleaning house, and so on.
T Caring for his/her own children, step-children, or foster
children, as well as children who are brothers, sisters, or
other relatives of the respondent.
T Overseeing the care of the home, even if the actual
work is done by a paid maid or housekeeper.
T Cutting the lawn, painting the house, working in the
garden (other than on a family farm), and so on.
Precode (3)
Enter Precode (3) if the respondent spent the majority of the
week of the incident attending any kind of public or private
school, including trade or vocational schools. If the
respondent would normally be attending school that week,
but was out sick or on a short vacation, still enter Precode
(3).
Do NOT enter Precode (3) if the incident happened during
the respondent's summer vacation, unless the respondent
was attending summer school during the week of the
incident.
Precode (4)
Enter Precode (4) if the respondent was unable to do ANY
kind of work during the week of the incident because
he/she has a LONG-TERM physical or mental illness or
disability. However, if the respondent is only
Incident Report Items
B4-224
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Part B, Chapter 4
TEMPORARILY ILL or disabled and is expected to be
well enough to work at some kind of gainful employment
within 6 months after the incident, enter Precode (6),
"Other," and explain the situation on the "Specify" screen,
MAJORACTIVITY_SPEC.
Precode (5)
Enter Precode (5) if the respondent says that he/she was
retired during the week of the incident. However, if the
respondent has only cut back on the number of hours
worked or was semi-retired during the week of the incident,
you should enter Precode (1) in Item
JOBDURINGINCIDENT to indicate that the respondent
did have a job at the time of the incident.
Precode (6)
Enter Precode (6) if the respondent mentions a major
activity during the week of the incident that is not covered
in Precodes (1) through (5). After entering Precode (6),
make sure to explain the activity on the "Specify" screen,
MAJORACTIVITY_SPEC, such as caring for a
terminally ill spouse, child, or parent, or on summer
vacation from school.
After completing Item MAJORACTIVITY, continue with
Item HHMEMLOSTWORKTIME to determine if any
other household members lost time from work due to the
incident.
Now I have a few questions about the job at which you worked
during the time of the incident.
W ere you employed by -! Read each category - then enter appropriate code
"
"
"
"
"
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
A private company, business, or individual for wages?
The Federal government?
A State, county, or local government?
Yourself (Self-employed) in your own business, professional practice, or farm?
A private, not-for-profit, tax-exempt, or charitable organization?
EMPLOYERTYPE
Incident Report Items
B4-225
Part B, Chapter 4
EMPLOYERTYPE
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Items EMPLOYERTYPE through ISCURRENTJOB are
asked when Precode (11) is entered in Item
DOINGATINCIDENTTIME. Notice that there is an
introductory statement printed above the question in Item
EMPLOYERTYPE. Make sure that you read this
sentence to the respondent BEFORE asking the question in
Item EMPLOYERTYPE. This statement lets the
respondent know that the following questions relate to the
job at which he/she was working during the time of the
incident.
Each of the answer categories in Item EMPLOYERTYPE
signifies a different “Class of Worker” type. Ask the
respondent about each category as a separate question. For
example: “Were you employed by a private company,
business, or individual for wages?” After asking this
question, wait for the respondent’s answer. If you get a
“Yes” answer, enter Precode (1) and you will continue with
Item INCORPORATED. If you get a “No” answer, ask
the second question, “Were you employed by the Federal
government?” Follow this procedure until you get a “Yes”
answer.
Precode (1)
Enter Precode (1) when a respondent worked for a
PRIVATE employer for wages, salary, commission, tips,
piece-rates, or pay in kind. After entering Precode (1),
continue with Item INCORPORATED.
Precode (2)
Enter Precode (2) when a respondent:
T Worked for any branch of the Federal government.
T Was elected to a paid Federal office.
T Was a member of the Armed Forces.
T Was employed by an international organization (for
example, the United Nations) or a foreign government.
After entering Precode (2), continue with Item
EMPLOYERNAME.
Incident Report Items
B4-226
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Part B, Chapter 4
Precode (3)
Enter Precode (3) when a respondent worked in any branch
of a state, county, or local government. This also includes
respondents who were elected to paid state, county, or local
offices. After entering Precode (3), continue with Item
EMPLOYERNAME.
Precode (4)
Enter Precode (4) when a respondent was self-employed
for profit or fees in his/her OWN business, farm, shop,
office, practice, and so on. After entering Precode (4),
continue with Item INCORPORATED.
Precode (5)
Enter Precode (5) when a respondent was employed for
PAY at the time of the incident by a church, union, or some
other type of private nonprofit organization. After entering
Precode (5), continue with Item INCORPORATED.
Is this business incorporated?
" 1.
" 2.
" 3.
Yes
No
Don't know
INCORPORATED
INCORPORATED
If the respondent was working at the time of the incident
for a private company, his/her own private business, or for
a private, not-for-profit organization, you will continue
with Item INCORPORATED. Item INCORPORATED
is used to determine whether the business or organization is
incorporated.
The respondent should know whether or not his/her
employer is a legal corporation. Enter Precode (1) for a
“Yes” answer or Precode (2) for “No” answer. However, if
the respondent really does not know, enter Precode (3) for
“Don’t know.”
Incident Report Items
B4-227
Part B, Chapter 4
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
W hat is the name of the company/agency/org for which you
worked at the time of the incident?
EMPLOYERNAM E
EMPLOYERNAME
Item EMPLOYERNAME is used to identify the name of
the respondent’s employer at the time of the incident.
Census Bureau coders working in the National Processing
Center need this key piece of information to assign the
correct industry code to the respondent’s employer. For
this reason, pay particular attention to recording this
information accurately.
Even though a respondent may be reluctant to provide the
name of his/her employer, make every effort to collect this
information without badgering the respondent. In some
cases, you may succeed by just reassuring a respondent that
the information he/she provides is held strictly
confidential.
W hat kind of business or industry is this?
! Read if necessary:
W hat do they make or do where you worked at the time of the incident?
TYPEBUSINESS
TYPEBUSINESS
Item TYPEBUSINESS is used to determine the kind of
business or industry that is transacted by the respondent’s
employer at the time of the incident. This is another key
piece of information needed to assign the correct industry
code for a respondent’s employer.
To ensure that our coders can assign an accurate industry
code, you need to enter a clear and specific description of
the kind of business or industry. In other words:
•
What is the purpose of the business?
Incident Report Items
B4-228
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Part B, Chapter 4
OR
•
What type of products are produced by the industry?
Structured Probe
If the respondent hesitates in giving you an answer to your
initial question in Item TYPEBUSINESS, also ask the
structured probe question: “What do they make or do
where you/name worked at the time of the incident?”
This probe question may help the respondent to understand
what type of description we want for this item.
Be Specific
Make sure that you avoid entering descriptions that are too
general, such as:
W
W
W
W
“It’s a mining company.”
“The business provides a repair service.”
“It’s a computer-related business.”
“It’s a retail store.”
Here are some examples of better descriptions:
T
T
T
T
“Mines/transports coal/byproducts”
“Repairs small home appliances”
“Designs/sells computer software”
“Operates two large hardware stores”
Enter descriptions that are specific, but avoid using
unnecessary words that make the descriptions too long.
Keep your descriptions under 50 characters, since this is the
maximum number of characters allotted for keying this
information.
Incident Report Items
B4-229
Part B, Chapter 4
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Is this mainly . . .
! Read answer categories
" 1.
Manufacturing?
" 2.
Retail trade?
" 3.
W holesale trade?
" 4.
Something else?
BUSINESSSECTOR
BUSINESSSECTOR
Item BUSINESSSECTOR is used to identify the major
type of industry in which the respondent was working at the
time of the incident. The four options to choose from are:
•
•
•
•
Manufacturing
Retail trade
Wholesale trade
Something else
Distinguishing between these types of industries is very
important, because type of industry also plays an essential
role in assigning the correct industry code. If this item is
marked incorrectly, the coders will not be able to assign an
accurate industry code for the respondent’s employer.
Start by asking, “Is this mainly manufacturing?” Wait for
the respondent’s answer. If you get a “Yes” answer, enter
Precode (1) and continue with Item
OCCUPATIONDESC. If you get a “No” answer,
continue by asking, “Retail trade?” Follow this procedure
until you get a “Yes” answer.
Precode (1)
Enter Precode (1), “Manufacturing,” if a respondent’s
employer makes and sells its products in large quantities or
lots to other manufacturers, wholesalers, or retailers.
Precode (2)
Enter Precode (2), “Retail trade,” if a respondent’s
Incident Report Items
B4-230
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Part B, Chapter 4
employer sells primarily to individual consumers or users,
but seldom makes products.
Precode (3)
Enter Precode (3), “Wholesale trade,” if a respondent’s
employer buys, rather than makes, products in large
quantities or lots for resale to retailers, industrial users, or
to other wholesalers.
Precode (4)
Enter Precode (4), “Something else,” if a respondent’s
employer does not manufacture or sell products as a
wholesaler or a retailer. Examples of some employers that
fit into the “Something else” category are:
•
•
•
•
•
When To Probe
Car repair shops,
Accounting firms,
Medical centers,
Trucking companies, or
Banks.
Some firms are engaged in more than one type of business
or activity. When you encounter this situation, do some
additional probing to determine the most appropriate
category to enter in Item BUSINESSSECTOR.
If you discover that the respondent’s employer conducts
business at more than one location (for example, making
copy machines at one location and making chemicals used
by the copy machines at another location), collect data for
the location at which the respondent works.
If you discover that the respondent’s employer conducts a
variety of activities at the same location (for example, a
gasoline station that also sells groceries), probe to
determine which activity or product the respondent is most
directly involved with in his/her job. For example, if the
respondent primarily sells groceries at the gasoline station,
enter Precode (2), “Retail trade.” However, if the
respondent primarily works as a mechanic servicing motor
vehicles at the gasoline station, enter Precode (4),
“Something else.”
Incident Report Items
B4-231
Part B, Chapter 4
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
W hat kind of work did you do, that is, what was
your occupation at the time of the incident?
! For example: plumber, typist, farmer
OCCUPATIONDESC
OCCUPATIONDESC
Item OCCUPATIONDESC asks about the kind of work
or occupation the respondent had at the time of the
incident. In addition to assigning an industry code for the
respondent’s employer, the coders also assign an
occupation code for the respondent’s job based on:
•
The kind of work described in Item
OCCUPATIONDESC and
•
The respondent’s most important activities or duties
described in Item USUALJOBDUTIES.
Make sure that you enter complete and accurate
descriptions for both of these items, so that the coders can
assign the correct occupation code.
Job Title vs. Kind of
Work
The “kind of work” descriptions that our coders need must
clearly specify the type of work the respondent does on
his/her job, and this is not necessarily the respondent’s job
title. For some occupations, the common descriptions or
general job titles that a respondent provides will not be
sufficient for the coders to assign the correct occupation
code.
Self-Employed Persons
When a respondent is self-employed, only enter “Manager”
as his/her occupation if the person actually spends most of
the workday managing his/her business. Otherwise, enter
the kind of work the respondent spends the majority of
his/her time doing, such as plumber, hair stylist, dentist,
house painter, and so on. In other words, describe the
respondent’s actual trade or craft, when that is the kind of
work that the respondent spends most of his/her time doing
for the business.
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Avoid Entering
Department or Work
Place Titles
Avoid entering kind of work entries such as “Works in
shipping department” or “Works in the warehouse.” These
entries do not adequately describe the kind of work done by
the respondent. If the respondent inspects outgoing
products for the shipping department, enter “Inspects
outgoing products for shipping dept.” If the respondent is a
clerk who monitors inventory in a warehouse, enter “Clerk
monitoring warehouse inventory.”
Apprentice vs. Trainee
There is a difference between someone who is an
apprentice and someone who is a trainee. An apprentice is
under contract during his/her training period, but a trainee
is not. If a respondent tells you that he/she is in an
apprenticeship or trainee program, make sure to enter both
the person’s occupation or kind of work, along with the
term “apprentice” or “trainee.” For example, you may need
to enter “Apprentice plumber” or “Buyer trainee.”
Machinist vs. Machine
Operator vs. Mechanic
Although all three titles sound similar, there are major
differences in the kind of work done by a machinist, a
machine operator, and a mechanic.
A machinist is a skilled craftsman who constructs metal
parts, tools, and machines through the use of blueprints,
machine and hand tools, and precise measuring
instruments.
A machine operator runs a factory machine, such as a drill
press operator.
A mechanic inspects, services, repairs, or overhauls
machinery.
Secretary vs. “Official
Secretary”
The title secretary applies to someone who does secretarial
work in an office. The title official secretary applies to
someone who is an elected or appointed officer of a
business, union, or other organization.
Probing for Difficult to
Code Occupations
A basic rule for Item OCCUPATIONDESC is to avoid
entering a one-word response, because it will usually be too
general for our coders to assign the correct occupation
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code. For these situations, we provide the following table
along with a suggested probe for each occupation. These
probes are written to encourage the respondent to provide a
more specific description of the kind of work he/she does
on the job. This table is also available as a separate job aid,
“Difficult to Code Occupations.”
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Occupation
Part B, Chapter 4
Suggested Probe
Assembler
W hat do you assem ble? For exam ple, do you assem ble autom obiles,
electric m otors, farm equipm ent, sheet m etal, or som ething else?
Clerk
W hat type of clerk are you? For exam ple, do you handle accounting,
billing, filing, shipping, statistical data, sales, or som ething else?
Engineer
W hat kind of engineer are you? For exam ple, are you a civil,
electrical, m echanical, nuclear, chem ical, train, stationary, building, or
som e other type of engineer?
Inspector
W hat type of things do you inspect? For exam ple, do you inspect
autom obiles, restaurants, houses, buildings, m eats, or som ething
else?
M anager
W hat type of m anager are you? For exam ple, do you m anage a
bakery, garage, hotel, office, property, store, or som ething else?
M achinist
Do you set up AND operate m achines?
M achine operator
How m any m achines do you operate? Also, what type of m achine do
you operate prim arily?
M echanic
W hat type of m echanic are you? For exam ple, do you service and
repair autom obile bodies, engines, appliances, trucks, valves, or
som ething else?
Nurse
W hat type of nurse are you? For exam ple, are you registered,
licensed, practical, vocational, a nursing aide, or som e other type of
nurse?
Researcher
W hat is your field of research?
Sales Worker
W hat do you sell? For exam ple, do you sell advertising, cars, houses,
insurance, shoes, tickets, or som ething else?
Supervisor
W ho or what do you supervise? For exam ple, do you supervise
clerical workers, counselors, laborers, field representatives, or
som eone else?
Teacher
Do you teach at the preschool, elem entary, high school, or college
level? Also, which subjects do you teach?
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W hat were your usual activities or duties at this job?
USUALJOBDUTIES
USUALJOBDUTIES
Item USUALJOBDUTIES is used to describe the usual
activities or duties a respondent performs at his/her job.
This is the second key piece of information that our coders
use to assign an occupation code. What you enter in Item
USUALJOBDUTIES is especially useful when a simple
job title does not provide enough information to code the
occupation.
Here are some examples of entries you may need to enter in
Item USUALJOBDUTIES:
•
•
•
•
Keeping account books
Selling new and used motor vehicles
Laying bricks and stone
Typing and filing letters, reports, memos, etc.
If a respondent tells you that his/her job duties are
classified, do NOT probe. If this happens, enter
“Information is classified.”
W hile working at this job, did you work mostly in -! Read each category - then enter appropriate precode
"
"
"
"
1.
2.
3.
4.
A city?
Suburban area?
Rural area?
Combination of any of these?
JOBM SATYPE
JOBMSATYPE
Item JOBMSATYPE is asked to find out if the respondent
was working in a city, suburban area, rural area, or a
combination of any of these areas at the time of the
incident. This type of information will help the survey’s
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Part B, Chapter 4
sponsor to determine if specific areas are more prone to
crime.
For Item JOBMSATYPE, read each answer category as
part of the question until you get a "Yes" response. Since
most respondents will know how to answer this question,
let the respondent select the type of area. When a
respondent worked for more than one employer, enter the
precode for the area in which he/she worked the greater
number of hours. Avoid entering Precode (4),
"Combination of any of these?" unless a respondent insists
that the area he/she worked MOST of the time was a
combination of city, suburban, and rural.
After completing Item JOBMSATYPE, continue with
Item INCIDENTHAPPENATWORK.
! Ask or verify:
Did this incident happen at your work site?
" 1. Yes
" 2. No
" 3. Don't know
" 4. Other - specify
INCIDENTHAPPENATW ORK
INCIDENTHAPPEN
ATWORK
Precode (1)
Item INCIDENTHAPPENATWORK is used to
determine whether the incident happened at the
respondent's work site for any job held by the respondent at
the time of the incident. If you already know the answer to
this question, you can verify the answer without asking the
question.
Enter Precode (1), "Yes," if the incident happened while the
respondent was at his/her work site, which is considered the
place where his/her USUAL day-to-day activities take
place. Some examples of work sites include in an office,
hospital, taxi cab, convenience store, beauty parlor, and so
on.
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If the respondent happens to work from an office or
workshop in his/her home and the incident occurred in the
office or workshop, also enter Precode (1), "Yes."
However, do NOT enter Precode (1) if the incident
happened somewhere else in the house, garage, or property
OTHER THAN in the office or workshop.
If the respondent has no usual work site, such as a traveling
salesperson, his/her work site is the place where he/she was
working when the incident occurred.
Precode (2)
Enter Precode (2), "No," if the incident happened at a
location OTHER THAN the respondent's work site, such as
at a meeting in another office building during working
hours, out of town on a business trip, and so on.
Precode (3)
Enter Precode (3), "Don't know," if the respondent really
does not know if the incident occurred at his/her work site.
Only enter Precode (3) as a last resort.
Precode (4)
Enter Precode (4) if the respondent's answer requires more
than just a "Yes" or "No" reply and then use the "Specify"
screen, INCIDENTHAPPENATWORK_SPEC, to
answer this question. After completing Item
INCIDENTHAPPENATWORK, continue with Item
WORKDAYNIGHT.
Did you usually work days or nights?
" 1.
" 2.
" 3.
Days
Nights
Both days and nights/rotating shifts
W ORKDAYNIGHT
WORKDAYNIGHT
Item WORKDAYNIGHT is used to find out if the
respondent worked primarily days, nights, or rotating shifts
at the time of the incident. Enter Precode (1) for "Days,"
Precode (2) for "Nights," and Precode (3) for "Both days
and nights/rotating shifts." After completing Item
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WORKDAYNIGHT, continue with Item
ISCURRENTJOB.
Is this your current job?
" 1.
" 2.
Yes
No
ISCURRENTJOB
ISCURRENTJOB
Item ISCURRENTJOB is used to determine whether the
respondent’s job at the time of the incident is also his/her
current job at the time of the interview.
•
Continue with Item LOSTWORKTIME if the
respondent was injured in the incident (Precodes (12) (21) entered in Item INJURY.)
OR
•
Continue with Item LOSTOTHERWORKTIME if
the respondent was NOT injured in the incident.
Did YOU lose time from work because
of injuries you suffered in this incident?
" 1.
" 2.
Yes
No
LOSTW ORKTIM E
LOSTWORKTIME
Item LOSTWORKTIME is used to find out if the
respondent/victim of the incident lost time from work
because of his/her own injuries that were suffered during
the incident. Later in the interview, Items
HHMEMLOSTWORKTIME and
AMOUNTHHMEMTIMELOST are used to identify any
other household members who lost time from work because
of the incident.
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Part B, Chapter 4
Defining Terms
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Work - For this item, work is considered a job or business
rather than housework, school, or other activities.
Time lost from work - For this item, time lost from work
could be time away from his/her job or business due to:
T Injuries suffered in the incident or
T Visits to a doctor or hospital to receive medical care for
injuries suffered during the incident.
Enter Precode (1) for a "Yes" answer and then continue
with Item AMOUNTTIMELOST. Enter Precode (2) for a
"No" answer and then continue with Item
LOSTOTHERWORKTIME.
How much time did you lose because of injuries?
! Enter 0 if time lost was less than one day.
! If over 200 days, enter 200.
AM OUNTTIMELOST
AMOUNTTIMELOST
Item AMOUNTTIMELOST is used to identify how much
time the respondent lost from work due to the injuries
he/she suffered from the incident. Include time lost from
work up to the day of the interview.
If the respondent lost one or more days from work, enter
the number of whole days in the answer space. If the
respondent answers in hours, always determine whether the
hours were missed all in one day or more than one day. For
example, if the respondent lost a few hours on one day for
physical therapy and a few hours on another day to visit the
doctor, enter "2" for the number of days, even though the
respondent was at work a portion of each day. After
entering the number of days missed from work, continue
with Item LOSTPAYNOMEDINS.
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Part B, Chapter 4
Don’t know
If the respondent is unable to give an answer, always ask
for his/her best estimate. If the respondent is still unable to
give an estimate, use “Ctrl + D” to indicate a “Don’t know”
response. Only enter “Ctrl + D” as a last resort. The
instrument proceeds to Item LOSTPAYNOMEDINS.
Precode (0)
Enter Precode (0) (zero) if the respondent lost less than one
workday due to his/her injuries from the incident. After
entering Precode (0), continue with Item
LOSTOTHERWORKTIME.
During these days, did you lose any pay that
was not covered by unemployment insurance, sick leave,
or some other source?
" 1.
" 2.
Yes
No
LOSTPAYNOMEDINS
LOSTPAYNOMEDINS
Defining Terms
Item LOSTPAYNOMEDINS is used to discover whether
the respondent lost any pay because the time lost from work
was not covered by unemployment insurance, sick leave, or
some other source.
Unemployment insurance - Includes any money received
from State unemployment insurance funds or railroad
unemployment benefits.
Sick leave - Includes continued payment of wages by the
respondent's employer while the respondent is unable to
work due to illness or injury.
Some other source - Includes any money received from
private insurance plans, worker's compensation, and so on.
Worker's compensation is periodic money payments made
to workers who are injured on the job and in some states to
workers with non-occupational temporary disability or
illness. Compensation checks could come from the state,
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private insurance companies, or from private businesses
that insure their own workers.
Precode (1)
Enter Precode (1), "Yes," if the respondent lost pay and was
NOT compensated monetarily for the time away from
his/her job due to injuries from the incident. Also enter
Precode (1) for a self-employed respondent who was paid
for the time lost from work, but was obligated to hire
someone to take his/her place. After entering Precode (1),
continue with Item AMOUNTLOSTPAYNOMED.
Precode (2)
Enter Precode (2), "No," if the respondent was
compensated monetarily for the time lost from work due to
his/her injuries from the incident. After entering Precode
(2), continue with Item LOSTOTHERWORKTIME.
About how much pay did you lose?
! Round to the nearest dollar
! Enter a number between 1-999,996
AMOUNTLOSTPAYNOMED
AMOUNTLOSTPAY
NOMED
Item AMOUNTLOSTPAYNOMED is used to determine
how much pay the respondent lost because he/she was
unable to work due to injuries from the incident. Also, if a
self-employed respondent was compensated monetarily for
his/her pay, but was required to hire someone to take
his/her place, record the amount paid to the replacement as
lost pay.
Enter the amount of lost pay in whole dollars in the answer
space provided in Item AMOUNTLOSTPAYNOMED.
Round the amount up or down as necessary. For example,
if the amount given was $670.50, enter "671," and, if the
amount given was $670.49, enter "670." If the amount was
less than $1, enter "1."
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If the respondent has difficulty giving you a dollar amount,
ask for his/her best estimate. Only enter “Ctrl + D” for
“Don’t know” as a last resort.
After completing Item AMOUNTLOSTPAYNOMED,
continue with Item LOSTOTHERWORKTIME.
Did YOU lose any (other) time from work because
of this incident for such things as cooperating with a police
investigation, testifying in court, or repairing or replacing
damaged or stolen property?
! Probe: Any other reason?
! Enter all that apply, separated by commas
"
"
"
"
"
"
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Police related activities
Court related activities
Repairing damaged property
Replacing stolen items
Other - specify
None (did not lose time from work for any of these reasons)
LOSTOTHERW ORKTIME
LOSTOTHERWORK
TIME
Item LOSTOTHERWORKTIME is used to find out if
the respondent lost time from work for purposes OTHER
THAN those related to his/her injuries suffered during the
incident.
If the respondent lost time from work due to their injuries
the instrument displays the word “other” in the first line of
the question as shown above; otherwise, “other” is not
shown.
As you ask the question, pause after each example included
in the question to allow the respondent time to answer.
Enter all precodes that relate to the respondent’s answer,
separating them with commas. Continue asking “Any other
reason?” until you get a “No” response, then press “Enter”
when you are done.
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Item LOSTOTHERWORKTIME relates specifically to
time lost from work by the respondent only; that is, the
person who was victimized during the incident. Items
HHMEMLOSTWORKTIME and
AMOUNTHHMEMTIMELOST collect similar
information for other household members.
Precode (1)
Enter Precode (1) if the respondent lost time from work due
to police-related activities, such as cooperating with an
investigation by identifying suspects in a lineup, helping to
construct a composite drawing of the offender, identifying
stolen items, and so on.
Precode (2)
Enter Precode (2) if the respondent lost time from work due
to court-related activities, such as testifying in court,
attending a trial or hearing, talking to an attorney (either the
prosecutor, the defense attorney, or the respondent's own
lawyer), and so on.
Precode (3)
Enter Precode (3) if the respondent lost time from work to
repair property damaged during the incident, drop off and
pick up a damaged motor vehicle at a repair shop, visit an
optician to repair damaged eyeglasses, wait for a locksmith,
and so on.
Precode (4)
Enter Precode (4) if the respondent lost time from work to
replace stolen items, such as waiting for delivery persons,
getting a replacement driver's license, Social Security card,
credit card, checkbook, and so on.
Precode (5)
Enter Precode (5) if the respondent lost time from work for
a reason that is not covered in the descriptions for
Precodes (1) through (4). After entering Precode (5), make
sure to explain the reason on the "Specify" screen,
LOSTOTHERWORKTIME_SPEC.
If you enter any of the Precodes (1) through (5), you will
continue with Item DAYSLOSTWORK.
Precode (6)
Enter Precode (6) if the respondent did not lose any time
from work due to this incident, excluding any time lost due
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Part B, Chapter 4
to injuries from the incident. If you enter Precode (6), do
not enter any other precodes in Item
LOSTOTHERWORKTIME. After entering Precode (6),
continue with Item HHMEMLOSTWORKTIME when
there are other household members listed on the household
roster. Otherwise, continue with:
•
Item TYPETRANSPORTATION when Precode (12)
(13) or (14) was entered at Item INCIDENTTIME
•
Item SERIESNUMTIMES if the incident is part of a
series of crimes
OR
•
Item INCIDENTHATECRIME if the incident is NOT
part of a series of crimes.
How much time did you lose altogether because of...
-- police related activities
! Enter 0 if time lost was less than one day
! If over 200 days, enter 200
DAYSLOSTW ORK
DAYSLOSTWORK
Item DAYSLOSTWORK is used to identify how much
time the respondent lost from work to take care of ALL of
the tasks identified in Item LOSTOTHERWORKTIME.
As you ask the question in Item DAYSLOSTWORK, read
the reason(s) that are listed on the screen, which are the
precodes selected in Item LOSTOTHERWORKTIME.
Include time lost up to the day of the interview. If the
respondent lost one or more days from work, enter the
number of whole days in Item DAYSLOSTWORK. If the
respondent answers in hours, always determine whether the
hours were missed all in one day or more than one day.
Incident Report Items
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Part B, Chapter 4
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
When calculating the number of days missed from work, it
is not necessary for the respondent to have missed an entire
workday. For example, the respondent may have lost 4
hours one workday to identify stolen property at the police
station and on another workday the respondent may have
lost 3 hours to wait for a replacement television to be
delivered. In this example, enter "2" for the number of days
missed from work due to the incident. If a respondent has
missed more than 200 days from work, enter “200.” If a
respondent is unsure of the number of days of work missed,
ask for his/her best estimate.
After entering the number of days missed from work
(between 1 and 200 days) in Item DAYSLOSTWORK,
continue with Item LOSTPAYNOEMPINS.
Enter (0), (zero), if the respondent missed less than one full
workday due to the reason(s) shown in Item
DAYSLOSTWORK.
After entering (0), continue with Item
HHMEMLOSTWORKTIME.
Don’t know
Before accepting a “Don’t know” answer, ask the
respondent to give you his/her best estimate. Only enter
“Control + D” for “Don’t know” as a last resort.
During these days, did you lose any pay that
was not covered by unemployment insurance, paid leave,
or some other source?
" 1. Yes
" 2. No
LOSTPAYNOEMPINS
LOSTPAYNOEMPINS
Item LOSTPAYNOEMPINS is used to determine whether
the respondent lost any pay because the time lost from work
was not covered by unemployment insurance, paid leave, or
some other source.
Incident Report Items
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NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Defining Terms
Part B, Chapter 4
Unemployment insurance - Includes any money received
from state unemployment insurance funds or railroad
unemployment benefits.
Paid leave - Includes continued payment of wages by the
respondent's employer while the respondent is not at work,
such as "personal" or "annual" leave.
Some other source - Includes any money received from
private insurance plans, worker's compensation, and so on.
Compensation checks could come from the state, private
insurance companies, or from private businesses that insure
their own workers.
Precode (1)
Enter Precode (1), "Yes," if the respondent lost pay and was
NOT compensated monetarily for the time away from
his/her job due to the incident. Also enter Precode (1) if a
self-employed respondent was paid for the time lost from
work, but he/she was obligated to hire someone to take
his/her place. After entering Precode (1), continue with
Item AMOUNTLOSTPAYNOEMP.
Precode (2)
Enter Precode (2), "No," if the respondent was
compensated monetarily for the time lost from work due to
the incident. After entering Precode (2), continue with Item
HHMEMLOSTWORKTIME.
About how much pay did you lose?
! Round to the nearest dollar
! Enter a number between 1-999,996
AMOUNTLOSTPAYNOEM P
AMOUNTLOSTPAY
NOEMP
Item AMOUNTLOSTPAYNOEMP is used to determine
how much pay the respondent lost because he/she lost time
from work due to the reasons identified in Item
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NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
LOSTOTHERWORKTIME. Also, if a self-employed
respondent was compensated monetarily for his/her lost
pay, but was required to hire someone to take his/her place,
record the amount paid to the replacement as the
respondent’s lost pay.
Enter the amount of lost pay in whole dollars in Item
AMOUNTLOSTPAYNOEMP. Round the amount up or
down as necessary. For example, if the amount given was
$670.50, enter "671," and, if the amount given was
$670.49, enter "670." If the amount was less than $1, enter
"1." If the respondent has difficulty giving a dollar amount,
ask for his/her best estimate.
After completing Item AMOUNTLOSTPAYNOEMP,
continue with Item HHMEMLOSTWORKTIME.
W ere there any (other) household members 16 years or older
who lost time from work because of this incident?
" 1.
" 2.
Yes
No
HHMEMLOSTW ORKTIM E
HHMEMLOSTWORK
TIME
Item HHMEMLOSTWORKTIME is used to find out
whether there were other household members who were at
least 16 years of age and lost time from work due to the
incident. If the respondent lost time from work due to the
incident, the word "other" is displayed by the instrument as
you ask the question in Item
HHMEMLOSTWORKTIME. Otherwise, ask the
question in Item HHMEMLOSTWORKTIME without
the word "other."
Let the respondent decide how to answer this question. The
time lost from work could be due to injuries suffered by
these household members or for any of the reasons
identified in Item LOSTOTHERWORKTIME.
Precode (1)
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Precode (2)
Part B, Chapter 4
If you enter Precode (1), "Yes," continue with Item
AMOUNTHHMEMTIMELOST.
If you enter Precode (2), "No," AND the respondent was on
the way to or from work, school, or some other place when
the incident either happened or started, you will continue
with Item TYPETRANSPORTATION. In other words,
no household members who were 16 years of age or older
lost time from work AND Precode (12), (13), or (14) was
entered in Item DOINGATINCIDENTTIME.
If you enter Precode (2), “No,” AND the respondent was
NOT on the way to or from work, school, or some other
place when the incident either happened or started, either:
•
Continue with Item SERIESNUMTIMES if the
incident is part of a series of crimes
OR
•
Continue with Item INCIDENTHATECRIME if the
incident is NOT part of a series of crimes.
How much time did they lose altogether?
! Enter 0 if time lost was less than one day
! If over 200 days, enter 200
AM OUNTHHMEM TIMELOST
AMOUNTHHMEM
TIMELOST
Item AMOUNTHHMEMTIMELOST is used to identify
how much time household members OTHER THAN the
respondent lost from work because of the incident.
Include time lost up to the day of the interview. If the
household member(s) lost one or more days from work,
enter the number of whole days in the answer space
provided in Item AMOUNTHHMEMTIMELOST. If the
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time lost was in hours, always determine whether the hours
were missed all in one day or more than one day.
When calculating the number of days missed from work, it
is not necessary for the household member(s) to have
missed an entire workday. For example, one household
member may have lost 4 hours one workday to visit a
doctor and on another workday another household member
may have lost 3 hours to wait for a replacement television
to be delivered. In this example, you would enter "2" for
the number of days missed from work due to the incident.
Enter (0), (zero), if the household member(s) missed less
than one full workday due to the incident.
Don’t know
Before accepting a “Don’t know” answer, ask the
respondent to give you his/her best estimate. Only enter
“Control + D” for “Don’t know” as a last resort.
After completing Item AMOUNTHHMEMTIMELOST,
continue with Item TYPETRANSPORTATION if the
respondent was on the way to or from work, school, or
some other place when the incident either happened or
started (Precode (12), (13), or (14) was entered in Item
DOINGATINCIDENTTIME).
Otherwise, either:
•
Continue with Item SERIESNUMTIMES if the
incident is part of a series of crimes.
OR
•
Continue with Item INCIDENTHATECRIME if the
incident is NOT part of a series of crimes.
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Part B, Chapter 4
Ask or verify:
You told me earlier you were on the way
to/from work when the incident happened.
W hat means of transportation were you using?
"
"
"
"
"
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
"
"
"
"
"
Car, truck, or van
Motorcycle
Bicycle
On foot
School bus (private or public)
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
Bus or trolley
Subway or rapid transit
Train
Taxi
Other - specify
TYPETRANSPORTATION
TYPE
TRANSPORTATION
Item TYPETRANSPORTATION is used to determine
which means of transportation the respondent was using
when the incident started or took place.
If you know the answer to this question, you can verify the
answer with the respondent without asking the question.
The instrument automatically displays the words “Work,”
“School,” or “Some place” based on the entry in Item
DOINGATINCIDENTTIME.
If the respondent mentions a mode of transportation not
listed in Precodes (11) through (19), enter Precode (20),
"Other," and then enter the type of transportation on the
"Specify" screen, TYPETRANSPORTATION_SPEC.
After completing Item TYPETRANSPORTATION,
either:
•
Continue with Item SERIESNUMTIMES if the
incident is part of a series of crimes.
OR
•
Continue with Item INCIDENTHATECRIME if the
incident is NOT part of a series of crimes.
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You have told me about the most recent incident. How many times did this kind of thing happen to you
during the last 6 months?
! Enter a number between 6-996.
SERIESNUM TIMES
SERIESNUMTIMES
Item SERIESNUMTIMES is used to verify how many
incidents are included in the series for the 6-month
reference period. Do NOT include an incident in the series
that happened before the first day of the reference period or
on the day of the interview. It is possible that a respondent
may give you a different number of incidents now that
he/she has provided details for the most recent incident.
Number of Incidents
Differs from Item
INCIDENTNUMBER
OFTIMES
If the respondent gives you a number that is different than
the number of incidents provided in Item
INCIDENTNUMBEROFTIMES, enter the new number
in Item SERIESNUMTIMES. If the number of incidents
is less than six, the incidents do not qualify as a series. If
the number of incidents is six or more, the incidents still
qualify as a series. If the number given in Item
SERIESNUMTIMES is six or more incidents, do NOT
change the number of incidents entered in Item
INCIDENTNUMBER OFTIMES, even if they do not
match.
Less Than Six Incidents
In most cases, this will not happen. However, if you
determine that there are less than six incidents, then this
incident is NOT part of a series of crimes and you must
correct the "Number of incidents" in Item
INCIDENTNUMBEROFTIMES, and:
T Complete a separate set of incident report items for
each incident that happened during the reference period.
Don't Know
If the respondent cannot give you the number of incidents
in the series of crimes, enter “Ctrl + D” for “Don’t know.”
This brings up Item SERIESDK.
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Part B, Chapter 4
After completing Item SERIESNUMTIMES, continue
with Item SERIESWHICHMONTHQ1 when conducting
interviews between January and September. Otherwise,
continue with Item SERIESWHICHMONTHQ2.
SERIESDK
Is that because there is no way of knowing, or because it
happened too many times, or is there some other reason?
" 1. No way of knowing
" 2. Happened too many times
" 3. Some other reason - specify
SERIESDK
Ask SERIESDK to find out why the respondent is unable
to give you the number of incidents. Based on the
respondent's answer:
T
Enter Precode (1) when the respondent has no way of
knowing the number of incidents.
T
Enter Precode (2) when the crime happened too many
times for the respondent to give you a number.
T
Enter Precode (3) when the respondent gives you a
reason OTHER THAN those mentioned in
Precodes (1) or (2) and then explain the reason on the
"Specify" screen, SERIESDKSPEC.
After coding Item SERIESDK continue with:
!
Item SERIESWHICHMONTHQ1 when you are
conducting an interview between January and
September;
!
Otherwise, continue with Item
SERIESWHICHMONTHQ2.
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In what month or months did these incidents take place?
! Probe: How many in (name months)?
! TOTAL NUMBER OF TIM ES: 7
! Enter 0 for none
2007:
AUG
SEP
SERIESW HICHMONTHQ3
SERIESWHICHMONTH
Q1-Q4
Items SERIESWHICHMONTHQ1-Q4 are used to
identify in which quarter(s) of the calendar year the
incidents in the series happened. Ask the initial question to
identify the month(s) in which these incidents occurred.
These four screens are asked based on the interview month:
!
Item SERIESWHICHMONTHQ1 is asked when
you are conducting interviews from January through
September.
!
Item SERIESWHICHMONTHQ2 is asked when you
are conducting interviews from April through
December.
!
Item SERIESWHICHMONTHQ3 is asked when you
are conducting interviews from January through March
and July through December.
!
Item SERIESWHICHMONTHQ4 is asked when you
are conducting interviews from January through June
and October through December.
These screens also display information that can help you in
coding this item. In the third line, the display shows “Total
number of time.” This shows the number of times that
were reported in the screener question. At the bottom of
the information pane the instrument displays the year and
the names of up to three months that are within that quarter,
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as well as the respondent’s reference period. In the screen
as shown above, August and September are part of the
respondent’s reference period within the third quarter of the
year.
Respondent Has
Difficulty Answering
If the respondent has difficulty remembering how many
incidents took place by month or quarter:
T Do not rush the respondent; allow sufficient time for
him/her to recall these incidents.
T Use neutral probe questions to help the respondent
remember, such as "Did this type of incident happen
about an equal number of times in July as it did in
August and September or did it happen more in
August and September than it did in July?"
T If your probing questions fail, ask the respondent to
give you his/her best estimate. For example, "You told
me this type of incident happened (number entered in
Item SERIESNUMTIMES). Please give me your best
estimate of how many times the incident happened in
July and how many times in August and September."
Recording Numbers in
Item
SERIESWHICHMONT
HQ1-Q4
Once you determine how many incidents from the series
happened in each quarter within the reference period, enter
the exact number in the appropriate answer spaces for the
quarter. You may need to add together incidents by month
to arrive at the total to enter for a quarter. If no incidents in
the series happened during a particular quarter, enter
Precode (0) in the answer space for that quarter.
Only include incidents that happened after the first day of
the reference period and up to, but not including, the day of
interview. Probe as necessary to get a precise number and
do not enter a range of numbers. Only enter “Don’t know”
(Ctrl + D) when you have asked probing questions and the
respondent still cannot provide an answer.
The number of incidents in Items
INCIDENTNUMBEROFTIMES, SERIESNUMTIMES,
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and SERIESWHICHMONTHQ1-Q4 should be
independent. Do not attempt to reconcile any differences
for a series of incidents, as long as the total number in each
of these items is at least six incidents. Also, do not change
the date entered in Item INCIDENTDATE or the answers
to Items INCIDENTSSIMILAR or RECALLDETAILS.
After completing Items SERIESWHICHMONTHQ1-Q4,
continue with Item SERIESLOCATION.
Did all, some, or none of these incidents
occur in the same place?
" 1. All in the same place
" 2. Some in the same place
" 3. None in the same place
SERIESLOCATION
SERIESLOCATION
Item SERIESLOCATION is used to find out if the
incidents in the series all happened in the same place, or if
only some happened in the same place, or if none of them
happened in the same place or location. Enter Precode (1)
for "All in the same place," Precode (2) for "Some in the
same place," and Precode (3) for "None in the same place."
Only enter one precode in Item SERIESLOCATION.
After completing this item, you continue with Item
SERIESOFFENDER.
W ere all, some, or none of these incidents
done by the same person(s)?
"
"
"
"
1.
2.
3.
4.
All by same person
Some by same person
None by same person
Don't know
SERIESOFFENDER
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SERIESOFFENDER
Part B, Chapter 4
Item SERIESOFFENDER is asked to find out if the
offender(s) in all, some, or none of the incidents in the
series were the same person(s). Enter Precode (1) if the
offender(s) in ALL of the incidents were the same
person(s). Enter Precode (2) if the offender(s) in SOME of
the incidents were the same person(s). Enter Precode (3) if
the offender in each of the incidents was a different person.
Only enter one precode in Item SERIESOFFENDER.
After entering Precode (1), (2), or (3), continue with Item
SERIESOFFENDERRELATION.
If the respondent is unable to answer this question, enter
Precode (4) and continue with Item
SAMETHINGEACHTIME.
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W hat (was/were) the relationship(s) of the offender(s) to you?
For example, friend, spouse, schoolmate, etc.?
! Probe: Anything else?
RELATIVE:
"
"
"
"
"
"
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
Spouse at time of incident
Ex-spouse at time of incident
Parent or step-parent
Own child or step-child
Brother/sister
Other relative - Specify
NONRELATIVE:
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
17
18.
19.
20.
21.
22.
23.
24.
25.
26.
27.
28.
Boyfriend or girlfriend, ex-boyfriend or ex-girlfriend
Friend or ex-friend
Roommate, boarder
Schoolmate
Neighbor
Customer/client
Patient
Supervisor (current or former)
Employee (current or former)
Co-worker (current or former)
Teacher/school staff
Other nonrelative - Specify
SERIESOFFENDERRELATION
SERIESOFFENDER
RELATION
Item SERIESOFFENDERRELATION is used to identify
the relationship of each offender involved in the series of
crimes to the respondent at the time of the incident. If
there was more than one offender, enter all appropriate
precodes. Continue asking “Anything else?” until you get
a “No” reply. Make sure the respondent understands that
we are interested only in the relationship of each offender
to the respondent, and NOT any relationships between one
offender and another offender.
The relationships are separated into two groups–
Precodes (11) through (16) are grouped under the heading
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"Relative" and Precodes (17) through (28) are grouped
under the heading "Nonrelative."
Precode (11)
Enter Precode (11) if the offender was either the husband or
wife of the respondent at the time of the incident, regardless
of whether or not they are still married at the time of the
interview.
Precode (12)
Enter Precode (12) if the offender was an ex-spouse (exhusband or ex-wife) of the respondent at the time of the
incident. Accept the respondent's answer without probing
to determine whether they are divorced or separated.
Precode (13)
Enter Precode (13) if the offender was a father, mother,
stepfather, or stepmother to the respondent. Do not enter
Precode (13) if the offender was a mother-in-law or fatherin-law, instead enter Precode (16), “Other relative,” and
then enter the relationship to the respondent at the time of
the incident on the “Specify” screen,
SERIESOFFENDERRELATION14SPEC.
Precode (14)
Enter Precode (14) if the offender is a child of the
respondent by birth, adoption, or marriage, such as a son,
daughter, step-son, or step-daughter. Precode (14) is not
intended for foster children; instead enter Precode (28),
"Other nonrelative," and enter the relationship on the
"Specify" screen,
SERIESOFFENDERRELATION26SPEC.
Precode (15)
Enter Precode (15) if the offender is a brother or sister of
the respondent or the child of a respondent's step-parent.
Precode (15) is not intended for "brother-in-laws" or
"sister-in-laws;" instead enter Precode (16), “Other,” and
enter the relationship on the "Specify" screen,
SERIESOFFENDERRELATION14SPEC.
Precode (16)
Enter Precode (16) if the offender is a relative of the
respondent OTHER THAN the relationships described in
Precodes (11) through (14). Enter Precode (16) if the
offender is a child, brother, sister, aunt, uncle, cousin,
grandparent, in-law, or other relative of the respondent by
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blood or marriage that is not covered in Precodes (11)
through (15).
After entering Precode (16), always enter the relationship
on the "Specify" screen,
SERIESOFFENDERRELATION14SPEC.
Precode (17)
Enter Precode (17) if the offender is a nonrelative who has
or has had romantic connections to the respondent. For
example, the offender and the respondent were dating at the
time of the incident or used to date prior to the incident.
Precode (18)
Enter Precode (18) if the offender is a male or female friend
or past friend of the respondent AND there is no romantic
connection between the two persons.
Precode (19)
Enter Precode (19) if the offender was not related to the
respondent by blood or marriage and lived with the
respondent as a roommate or boarder at the time of the
incident. Precode (19) is not intended for “live-in”
boyfriends/girlfriends; instead, enter Precode (17) for those
situations.
Precode (20)
Enter Precode (20) if the offender was not related to the
respondent by blood or marriage and attended the same
school as the respondent at the time of the incident.
Precode (21)
Enter Precode (21) if the offender was not related to the
respondent by blood or marriage and was living close
enough to the respondent at the time of the incident to be
considered a neighbor.
Precodes (22), (23), (24),
(25), or (26)
Enter the most appropriate precode(s) from Precodes (22),
(23), (24), (25), and (26) if the offenders are nonrelatives,
but are known by the respondent as business clients,
patients, or supervisors, employees, or co-workers,
including former supervisors, employees, or co-workers.
Precode (27)
Enter Precode (27) if the offender is teacher or a school
staff member at the respondent’s school. If the respondent
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works at the school, use the appropriate precode (24), (25),
or (26).
Precode (28)
Enter Precode (28) if the offender was not related to the
respondent by blood or marriage and the nonrelative
offender does not fit any of the descriptions in Precodes
(17) through (27). After entering Precode (28), always
enter the relationship to the respondent on the "Specify"
screen, SERIESOFFENDERRELATION26SPEC, such
as the respondent's barber, electrician, and so on. After
completing Item SERIESOFFENDERRELATION,
continue with Item SAMETHINGEACHTIME.
Did the same thing happen each time?
" 1.
" 2.
Yes
No
SAMETHINGEACHTIM E
SAMETHINGEACHTIME
Item SAMETHINGEACHTIME is used to identify how
the incidents in the series may be different from one
another. If the respondent answers "Yes" to this question,
enter Precode (1), then continue with
TROUBLEONGOING. However, if the respondent
answers "No," enter Precode (2) and then ask Item
HOWINCIDENTSDIFFER (“How did the incidents
differ?”) to determine how they were different.
For example, the offender may have vandalized the shed in
one of the incidents or perhaps the offender used a weapon
in two of the incidents. Make sure to explain clearly what
made the incidents different on the “Specify” screen that
will appear after entering Precode (2). After completing
Item SAMETHINGEACHTIME and
HOWINCIDENTSDIFFER, continue with Item
TROUBLEONGOING.
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Is the trouble still going on?
" 1.
" 2.
Yes
No
TROUBLEONGOING
TROUBLEONGOING
Item TROUBLEONGOING is used to find out whether
the type of problem that was recurring in the series of
crimes is still continuing or has ended. Enter Precode (1),
"Yes," if the incidents are still happening and continue with
SERIESCONTACTORNOT. If the respondent answers
"No," the instrument continues to WHATENDEDIT
(which asks, “What ended it?) to determine what
terminated these incidents.
If the problem or incidents in the series of crimes has
stopped, ask the question in WHATENDEDIT and enter a
description in the “Specify” space. For example, the
offender may have been arrested, the respondent may have
moved to another house, the respondent may have changed
schools, and so on. Make sure to explain clearly what
brought these incidents to an end in the answer space.
After completing Item WHATENDEDIT, continue with
Item SERIESCONTACTORNOT.
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! Do not read to respondent
! Enter precode that best describes this series of crimes. If more than one category describes this series,
enter the appropriate precode with the lowest number
! Contact crimes:
" 11. Completed or threatened violence in the course of the victim's job
(police officer, security guard, psychiatric social worker, etc.)
" 12. Completed or threatened violence between spouses, other relatives,
friends, neighbors, etc.
" 13. Completed or threatened violence at school or on school property
" 14. Other contact crimes (other violence, pocket picking,
purse snatching, - Specify
! Non-contact crimes:
" 15. Theft or attempted theft of motor vehicles
" 16. Theft or attempted theft of motor vehicle parts (tire, hubcap,
battery, attached car stereo, etc.)
" 17. Theft or attempted theft of contents of motor vehicle,
including unattached parts
" 18. Theft or attempted theft at school or on school property
" 19. Illegal entry of, or attempt to enter, victim's home,
other building on property, second home, hotel, motel
" 20. Theft or attempted theft from victim's home or vicinity by person(s)
KNOW N to victim (roommate, babysitter, etc.)
" 21. Theft or attempted theft from victim's home or vicinity by person(s)
UNKNOW N to victim
" 22. Other theft or attempted theft (at work, while shopping, etc.) - Specify
SERIESCONTACTORNOT
SERIESCONTACT
ORNOT
Items SERIESCONTACTORNOT is used to help classify
the series of crimes as ONE type of crime. It is very
important that you enter the most accurate precode to
identify this series of crimes.
Based on the facts gathered to this point in the interview,
select and enter the first or lowest numbered precode that
best describes what happened during this series of crimes.
Since a contact crime is always more serious than a noncontact crime, always enter the lowest precode when more
than one category describes this series of crimes.
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Precodes (11) through (14) are grouped together under the
heading “Contact crimes.” Contact crimes involve an
actual or threatened face-to-face physical confrontation
between the offender and the respondent. Precodes (15)
through (22) are grouped together under the heading “Noncontact crimes.” Non-contact crimes do NOT involve an
actual or threatened physical confrontation between the
offender and the respondent.
Precode (11)
Enter Precode (11) when all incidents in the series involve
the offender physically attacking or threatening to
physically attack the respondent in the course of the
respondent's job. Only enter Precode (11) if the incidents
relate somehow to the respondent's job. For example, a
prison guard reports eight incidents in which prisoners
threatened to physically harm her or an attendant at a
parking garage reports seven incidents in which he was
physically attacked and robbed while on the job.
Precode (12)
Enter Precode (12) when all incidents in the series involve
completed or attempted violence between spouses, other
relatives, friends, neighbors, and so on. For example, a
respondent's nephew has threatened to kill her on several
occasions if she does not give him money or a respondent's
ex-spouse physically attacked her on several occasions
because she would not take him back.
Precode (13)
Enter Precode (13) when all incidents in the series involve
completed or threatened violence at school or on school
property. For example, a student threatened to attack the
respondent on several occasions in the school parking lot.
Precode (14)
Enter Precode (14) when all incidents in the series involve
some type of physical violence or threat of physical
violence between the offender and the respondent OTHER
THAN those types described in Precodes (11) through (13).
After entering Precode (14), make sure to explain clearly
the type of violent contact or threat of violent contact on the
"Specify" screen, SERIESCONTACTORNOT14SPEC.
For example, someone grabbed respondent's purse from her
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shoulder, knocked her down on the ground, and ran with
the purse on multiple occasions.
Precode (15)
Enter Precode (15) if the series of incidents involves the
theft or attempted theft of motor vehicles AND there was
no contact between the offender and the respondent.
Precode (16)
Enter Precode (16) if the series of incidents involves the
theft or attempted theft of parts ATTACHED to a motor
vehicle, such as hubcaps, wheels, CD players, batteries,
gasoline, attached car stereos, and so on AND there was no
contact between the offender and the respondent.
Precode (17)
Enter Precode (17) if the series of incidents involves the
theft or attempted theft of items left inside a motor vehicle
that are NOT ATTACHED to the motor vehicle, such as a
bowling ball, cellular phone, golf clubs, wallet, tools,
clothes, and so on AND there was no contact between the
offender and the respondent.
Precode (18)
Enter Precode (18) if the series of incidents involves the
theft or attempted theft of items belonging to the
respondent at school or on school property AND there was
no contact between the offender and the respondent.
Precode (19)
Enter Precode (19) if the series of incidents involves the
illegal entry or attempted illegal entry into the respondent's
home, other building on his/her property, a second home, or
a motel or hotel room where he/she is staying AND there
was no contact between the offender and the respondent.
Precode (20)
Enter Precode (20) if the series of incidents involves the
theft or attempted theft from the respondent's home or the
property surrounding the home by someone the respondent
knows, such as a roommate, babysitter, or some other
person known to the respondent and this person did NOT
illegally enter the home or property. Do not enter
Precode (20) if there was any contact between the offender
and the respondent, instead enter the appropriate precode
from the contact crimes in Precodes (11) through (14).
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Precode (21)
Enter Precode (21) if the series of incidents involves the
theft or attempted theft from the respondent's home or the
property surrounding the home by someone the respondent
does NOT know, such as an appliance repair person or
traveling sales person and this person did NOT illegally
enter the home or property. Do not enter Precode (21) if
there was any contact between the offender and the
respondent, instead enter the appropriate precode from the
contact crimes, Precodes (11) through (14).
Precode (22)
Enter Precode (22) if the series of incidents involves a theft
or attempted theft and the circumstances do not fit the
descriptions in Precodes (15) through (21). After entering
Precode (22), make sure to clearly explain the type of theft
or attempted theft on the "Specify" screen,
SERIESCONTACTORNOT22SPEC. Do not enter
Precode (22) if there was any contact between the offender
and the respondent, instead enter the appropriate precode
from the contact crimes, Precodes (11) through (14).
After completing Item SERIESCONTACTORNOT,
continue with Item INCIDENTHATECRIME.
Hate crimes or crimes of prejudice or bigotry occur when
(an offender/offenders) target(s) people because of one or
more of their characteristics or religious beliefs.
Do you have any reason to suspect the incident
just discussed was a hate crime or crime of prejudice or bigotry?
" 1. Yes
" 2. No
INCIDENTHATECRIM E
INCIDENTHATECRIME
Item INCIDENTHATECRIME is used to determine
whether the respondent has any reason to suspect that the
incident was a hate crime or crime of prejudice or bigotry.
Since Item INCIDENTHATECRIME is the first in a
series of "hate crime" questions that continue through Item
TELLPOLICEHATECRIME, make sure to read the
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lead-in statement and then continue by asking the question
in Item INCIDENTHATECRIME. As you read the leadin statement, choose the correct wording based on whether
there was one offender or multiple offenders.
It is very important to read the lead-in statement and ask the
question exactly as it is worded on the screen. This
wording has been tested and analyzed thoroughly and
changing the wording during an interview could jeopardize
the results.
Explaining "Hate
Crimes or Crimes of
Prejudice or Bigotry"
If a respondent should ask you what you mean by the
phrase "hate crimes or crimes of prejudice or bigotry," you
can tell the respondent that it is a crime in which an
offender targets one or more persons out of hatred towards
certain characteristics associated with a group. For
example, because an offender hates all persons of the
Jewish faith, he spray painted a swastika on the garage door
of each household on Main Street whose name on the
mailbox sounded Jewish to the offender.
However, if a respondent claims that a classmate keeps
picking fights with her because she is jealous of the
respondent, this type of incident is NOT considered a "hate
crime" or a "crime of prejudice or bigotry."
After entering Precode (1) for a "Yes" answer, continue
with Item
INCIDENTHATETARGETREASONS_RACE. After
entering Precode (2) for a "No" answer, continue with:
! Item DISABILITY_INTRO if this is the first incident
report for the respondent;
! Item VICTIMDUETODISABLE if this is not the first
incident report and the respondent previously reported
having a disability; or
! Item SUMMARY when the respondent did not report a
disability and this is not the first incident report for the
respondent.
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An offender/Offenders can target people for a variety of reasons, but
we are only going to ask you about a few today. Do you
suspect the offender(s) targeted you because of...
Your race?
" 1. Yes
" 2. No
" 3. Don’t know
INCIDENTHATETARGETREASONS _RACE
INCIDENTHATE
TARGETREASONS:
_RACE, _RELIGION,
_ETHNICITY,
_DISABILITY, _GENDER,
_SEXUAL
The INCIDENTHATETARGETREASONS items are
used to identify the type of prejudice that the respondent
suspects motivated the offender to commit the crime.
Notice that the INCIDENTHATETARGETREASONS
items start with a lead-in statement and then continues with
six separate questions on race, religion, ethnic
background/national origin, disability, gender, and
sexuality.
Always read the lead-in statement and then ask the first
question:
"Do you suspect the offender(s) targeted you because of
your race?"
After asking this question, pause to let the respondent
answer. Enter Precode (1) for a "Yes" answer, and Precode
(2) for a "No" answer, and (3) for “Don’t know.” Unless
you get interrupted, you do not need to ask the entire
question for the remaining questions. For example, just ask
"Your religion?"
Understanding "Race"
When we use the term "race," we mean whether the person
is White, Black/African American, American Indian or
Alaska Native, Asian, Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific
Islander. Keep in mind that "Spanish, Hispanic or Latino"
relates to a person's ethnic background or national origin,
NOT to his/her race.
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Reading Examples
Items INCIDENTHATETARGETREASONS
_ETHNICITY and INCIDENTHATETARGET
REASONS_DISABILITY have examples in parentheses
as part of the question. These examples are included to
help avoid any misinterpretation of what we mean by
"ethnic background or national origin" and "disabilities."
Make sure to always include these examples as you ask the
question.
Understanding
“Sexual Orientation”
If you get a "Yes" answer to Item
INCIDENTHATETARGETREASONS_SEXUAL, a
soft edit pop-up box appears:
By this we mean homosexual, bisexual, or heterosexual.
If yes, press "Suppress", otherwise press "Goto" to change the
answer in INCIDENTHATETARGETREASONS_SEXUAL to
"No."
Suppress
Close
Goto
After reading this statement, a respondent may tell you that
he/she meant something different. If this happens, correct
your entry for question INCIDENTHATE
TARGETREASONS_SEXUAL.
Understanding
"Gender"
Most respondents will probably understand what we mean
by "gender," but, if someone seems unsure, you can add
"by this we mean male or female."
After completing the INCIDENTHATETARGET
REASONS items, continue with Item
INCIDENTHATETARGETWHOYOUKNOW.
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Some offenders target people because they associate with certain people
or the (offender perceives/offenders perceive) them as having certain
characteristics or religious beliefs.
Do you suspect you were targeted because of...
Your association with people who have certain characteristics
or religious beliefs (for example, a multiracial couple)?
" 1. Yes
" 2. No
" 3. Don’t know
INCIDENTHATETARGETW HOYOUKNOW
INCIDENTHATE
TARGETWHO
YOUKNOW
After completing Item
INCIDENTHATETARGETREASONS, read the lead-in
statement first in Item
INCIDENTHATETARGETWHOYOUKNOW and then
ask the question to determine if the respondent feels that
the offender targeted him/her due to the respondent's
association with persons who have specific
characteristics, such as being Asian, Catholic, Hispanic,
physically disabled, male or female, homosexual, and so
on. Here is an example: An offender is prejudiced against
homosexuals and believes that the respondent is
homosexual because she lives with a woman who is known
to be homosexual.
After entering Precode (1) for “Yes,” use the “Specify”
screen to enter a brief description of WHY the respondent
suspects that he/she was targeted due to his/her association
with people who have certain characteristics or religious
beliefs. Enter Precode (2) for a “No” response. After
completing Item
INCIDENTHATETARGETWHOYOUKNOW,
continue with Item
INCIDENTHATETARGETRELIGION.
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Do you suspect you were targeted because of...
The offender(s)'s perception of your characteristics or
religious beliefs (for example, the offender(s) thought you
were Jewish because you went into a synagogue)?
" 1. Yes
" 2. No
" 3. Don’t know
INCIDENTHATETARGETRELIGION
INCIDENTHATE
TARGETRELIGION
Item INCIDENTHATETARGETRELIGION is asked to
determine if the respondent feels that the offender targeted
him/her due to the offender's perception of the
respondent's characteristics or religious beliefs. Here is
an example: An offender is prejudiced against persons of
Italian ancestry. This offender believes that Tina Martino is
Italian because of her personal characteristics and her name.
After entering Precode (1) for “Yes,” use the “Specify”
screen, INCIDENTHATETARGETRELIGION_SPEC
to enter a brief description of WHY the respondent suspects
that he/she was targeted due to the offender(s) perception of
his/her characteristics or religious beliefs. Enter Precode
(2) for a “No” response. After completing Item
INCIDENTHATETARGETRELIGION, continue with
either:
•
Item INCIDENTHAVEEVIDENCEHATE if you
entered at least ONE Precode (1), “Yes,” in any of the
six INCIDENTHATETARGETREASONS items,
INCIDENTHATETARGETWHOYOU KNOW, or
INCIDENTHATETARGETRELIGION.
OR
•
Item DISABILITY_INTRO if you entered all “No” or
“Don’t know” answers (Precode (2) or Precode (3)) in
the INCIDENTHATETARGETREASONS items,
INCIDENTHATETARGETWHOYOUKNOW, or
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INCIDENTHATETARGETRELIGION, and this is
the first incident report for the respondent.
•
Item VICTIMDUETODISABLE if you entered all
Precode (2), “No” or Precode (3), “Don’t know”
answers in the six
INCIDENTHATETARGETREASONS items,
INCIDENTHATETARGETWHOYOUKNOW, or
INCIDENTHATETARGETRELIGION and this is
not the first incident report for the respondent and the
respondent previously reported having a disability.
•
Item SUMMARY if you entered all Precode (2), “No”
or Precode (3), “Don’t know” answers in the six
INCIDENTHATETARGETREASONS items,
INCIDENTHATETARGETWHOYOUKNOW, or
INCIDENTHATETARGETRELIGION and this is
not the first incident report for the respondent and the
respondent did not report having a disability.
Do you have any evidence that this incident was a hate crime or crime of prejudice or bigotry?
" 1. Yes
" 2. No
" 3. Don’t know
INCIDENTHAVEEVIDENCEHATE
INCIDENTHAVE
EVIDENCEHATE
Item INCIDENTHAVEEVIDENCEHATE is designed to
find out if the respondent has any evidence that the reported
incident was a hate crime or a crime of prejudice or bigotry.
After entering Precode (1) for a "Yes" answer, continue
with Item INCIDENTEVIDENCEHATE_MAKEFUN to
determine what type of evidence the respondent has.
After entering Precode (2) for a "No" answer or Precode (3)
for a "Don't know" answer, continue with
INCIDENTHAVEEVIDENCEHATE_SUGGEST.
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Did the offender(s) say something, write anything, or leave anything behind at the crime scene that would
suggest you were targeted because of your characteristics or religious beliefs?
__________________________________________________________________________________
INCIDENTHAVEEVIDENCEHATE_SUGGEST
INCIDENTHAVE
EVIDENCEHATE
_SUGGEST
INCIDENTHAVEEVIDENCEHATE_SUGGEST is
designed to help ensure that we get an accurate answer
concerning evidence of a hate crime.
If the probe question results in a "Yes" answer, enter
Precode (1) and continue with Item
INCIDENTEVIDENCEHATE_MAKEFUN. If the
probe question results in a “No” answer, enter Precode (2)
and continue with Item DISABILITY_INTRO,
VICTIMDUETODISABLE, or SUMMARY, based on
the criteria discussed on the previous page.
INCIDENTEVIDENCE
HATE_MAKEFUN,
_SYMBOLS,
_POLICETARGET,
_OFFENDERDIDSAME,
_NEARHOLIDAY,
_OTHERLIKECRIMES
Items INCIDENTEVIDENCE HATE_MAKEFUN
through
INCIDENTEVIDENCEHATE_OTHERLIKECRIMES
ask about specific evidence that a crime was a hate crime:
The next questions ask about the evidence you have that makes you suspect this incident was a hate crime or a
crime of prejudice or bigotry. As I read the following questions, please tell me if any of the following happened:
Did the offender(s) make fun of you, make negative comments, use slang, hurtful words, or abusive language?
" 1. Yes
" 2. No
" 3. Don’t know
___________________________________________________
INCIDENTEVIDENCEHATE_MAKEFUN
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W ere any hate symbols present at the crime scene to indicate the offender(s) targeted you for a particular reason
(for example, a swastika, graffiti on the walls of a temple, a burning cross, or written words)?
" 1. Yes
" 2. No
" 3. Don’t know
___________________________________________________
INCIDENTEVIDENCEHATE_SYMBOLS
Did a police investigation confirm the offender(s) targeted you (for example, did the offender(s) confess a motive,
or did the police find books, journals, or pictures that indicated the offender(s) (was/were) prejudiced against
people with certain characteristics or religious beliefs)?
" 1. Yes
" 2. No
" 3. Don’t know
___________________________________________________
INCIDENTEVIDENCEHATE_POLICETARGET
Do you know if the offender(s) (has/have) committed similar hate crimes or crimes of prejudice or bigotry in the
past?
" 1. Yes
" 2. No
" 3. Don’t know
_____________________________________________________
INCIDENTEVIDENCEHATE_OFFENDERDIDSAM E
Did the incident occur on or hear a holiday, event, location, gathering place, or building commonly associated
with a specific group (for example, at the Gay Pride March or at a synagogue, Korean church, or gay bar)?
" 1. Yes
" 2. No
" 3. Don’t know
_____________________________________________________
INCIDENTEVIDENCEHATE_NEARHOLIDAY
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Have other hate crimes or crimes of prejudice or bigotry happened to you or in your area/neighborhood where
people have been targeted?
" 1. Yes
" 2. No
" 3. Don’t know
_____________________________________________________
INCIDENTEVIDENCEHATE_OTHERLIKECRIMES
The next questions ask about the evidence you have that makes you suspect this incident was a hate crime or
a crime of prejudice or bigotry. As I read the following questions, please tell me if any of the following
happened:
Do your feelings, instincts, or perception lead you to suspect this incident was a hate crime or crime of
prejudice or bigotry, but you do not have enough evidence to know for sure?
" 1. Yes
" 2. No
" 3. Don’t know
INCIDENTHATE_FELT_BELIEVED
INCIDENTHATE_FELT_
BELIEVED
Item INCIDENTHATE_FELT_BELIEVED is designed
to pinpoint the type of evidence that leads the respondent to
suspect that the reported incident was a hate crime or a
crime of prejudice or bigotry.
After completing Item
INCIDENTHATE_FELT_BELIEVED, continue with
Item TELLPOLICEHATECRIME.
At any time, did you tell the police that you
believed the incident was a hate crime or crime of prejudice or
bigotry?
" 1. Yes
" 2. No
TELLPOLICEHATECRIM E
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CRIME
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Item TELLPOLICEHATECRIME is the last "hate
crime" question in the incident report items and is used to
determine if the respondent told the police that he/she
believed the incident was motivated by the offender's
hatred, prejudice, or bigotry.
After entering Precode (1) for "Yes" or Precode (2) for
"No" continue either with the disability questions or the
summary for the incident, depending on whether this is the
first incident report or whether the respondent previously
reported having a disability.
Disability Questions
When you complete the first incident report for a household
member, you ask all of the disability questions in Items
HEARING through LEAVING_HOME. If the
respondent indicates that he/she has a health condition or
disability in any of Items HEARING through
LEAVING_HOME, the instrument continues with Item
VICTIMDUETODISABLE. You only ask the
WHICHDISABILITYTARGET items if you enter
Precode (1), “Yes” in Item VICTIMDUETODISABLE.
However, if you have already completed an incident report
for a household member who reported a health condition or
disability, subsequent incident reports for the household
member skip over the introduction and Items HEARING
through LEAVING_HOME and start with Item
VICTIMDUETODISABLE. If you get a “Yes” answer in
Item VICTIMDUETODISABLE, the instrument also asks
the WHICH DISABILITYTARGET items, which are the
last disability questions. If you have already completed an
incident report for a household member who did NOT
report a health condition or disability, the instrument skips
over all of the disability questions when completing any
subsequent incident reports for the household member and
continues with the summary report for the incident.
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Research has shown that people with disabilities may be more vulnerable to crime
victimization. The next questions ask about any health conditions, impairments, or
disabilities you may have.
" Enter 1 to continue
DISABILITY_INTRO
DISABILITY_INTRO
Before asking the first disability question in Item
HEARING, always read the introduction to the respondent
to prepare him/her for the type of questions you are about to
ask and to explain why we are asking about possible health
conditions, impairments, or disabilities. Many believe that
people with disabilities are more likely to be targeted for
victimization because offenders see them as being more
vulnerable. New legislation requires the NCVS to collect
data relating to the nature of crime against people with
disabilities. The data will be used by policy makers in
developing programs that address the safety and justice
needs of people with disabilities.
Items HEARING through LEAVING_HOME were
revised in January 2008.
Are you deaf or do you have serious difficulty hearing?
" 1. Yes
" 2. No
_______________________________________________________________________________________
HEARING
HEARING
Item HEARING is asked to determine whether the
respondent currently has a hearing condition that makes it
very difficult to hear what is said in a conversation with
another person or very difficult to hear what is said in a
television or radio broadcast. Unless a respondent asks, no
further explanation is necessary. However, if a respondent
asks what we consider a hearing condition to be, you can
answer that we are looking for conditions that significantly
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impact the respondent’s life and are readily apparent to a
potential offender.
Are you blind or do you have serious difficulty seeing even when wearing glasses?
" 1. Yes
" 2. No
VISION
Item VISION is asked to determine whether the respondent
currently has a vision condition that makes it very difficult
to do things that other people of the same age do, such as
reading a newspaper or book, watching television, or
driving a car. Unless a respondent asks, no further
explanation is necessary. However, if a respondent asks
what we consider a vision condition to be, you can answer
that we are looking for conditions that significantly impact
the respondent’s life and are readily apparent to a potential
offender.
VISION
Because of a physical, mental, or emotional condition, do you have serious difficulty:
Concentrating, remembering or making decisions?
" 1.
" 2.
Yes
No
LEARN_CONCENTRATE
LEARN_CONCENTRATE
Item LEARN_CONCENTRATE is asked to find out if
the respondent has any condition that caused the respondent
difficulty concentrating, remembering, or making decisions;
for example, when it is sometimes or always very difficult
or impossible to remember or concentrate. Also enter
Precode (1) when the respondent reports Alzheimer’s
disease, dementia, or a serious learning disability.
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Because of a physical, mental, or emotional condition, do you have serious difficulty:
W alking or climbing stairs?
" 1. Yes
" 2. No
PHYSICAL_LIM IT
PHYSICAL_LIMIT
Item PHYSICAL_LIMIT is asked to determine whether
the respondent currently has any condition that limits basic
physical activities. For example, enter Precode (1) when it
is sometimes or always very difficult or impossible for the
respondent to walk three city blocks or climb a flight of
stairs.
Because of a physical, mental, or emotional condition, do you have serious difficulty:
Dressing or bathing?
" 1.
" 2.
Yes
No
DRESS_BATH
DRESS_BATH
Item DRESS_BATH is asked to find out whether the
respondent has trouble dressing, bathing, or getting around
inside the home because of a physical, mental, or emotional
condition. For example, if a respondent mentions that it is
sometimes or always very difficult to get dressed or bathe
or that they usually need help from another person to dress
or bathe, enter Precode (1).
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Because of a physical, mental, or emotional condition, do you have difficulty doing errands alone such as
visiting a doctor's office or shopping?
" 1.
" 2.
Yes
No
LEAVING_HOM E
LEAVING_HOME
Item LEAVING_HOME is asked to find out whether the
respondent has any difficulty going outside the home alone
because of a physical, mental, or emotional condition that
has lasted six months or more. Enter Precode (1) in Item
LEAVING_HOME if the respondent has any difficulty
doing errands by him/herself.
If a respondent answered “Yes” to any of the items from
HEARING through LEAVING_HOME, the instrument
proceeds to Item VICTIMDUETODISABLE. Otherwise,
it continues to Item SUMMARY.
During the incident you just told me about, do you have reason to suspect
you were victimized because of your health condition(s), impairment(s), or
disability(ies)?
" 1.
" 2.
" 3.
Yes
No
Don’t know
VICTIMDUETODISABLE
VICTIMDUE
TODISABLE
Item VICTIMDUETODISABLE is asked when the
respondent has reported having some type of disability in
Items HEARING through LEAVING_HOME. It is asked
to determine whether the respondent has any reason to
suspect that he/she was victimized during the current
incident because of his/her health condition(s),
impairment(s), or disability(ies). If you get a “Yes” answer,
enter Precode (1) and the instrument continues with Item
WHICHDISABILITYTARGET_1. If you enter Precode
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(2) or (3) for a “No” or “Don’t know” answer, the
instrument continues with Item SUMMARY.
W hat health conditions, impairments, or disabilities do you
believe caused you to be targeted for this incident?
! Please specify the first type of health condition, impairment, or disability
! If multiple health conditions, impairments, or disabilities mentioned enter only the first one mentioned
here.
W HICHDISABILITYTARGET_1
WHICH
DISABILITY
TARGET
The three WHICHDISABILITYTARGET items are
asked to identify which health conditions, impairments, or
disabilities reported in Items HEARING through
LEAVING_HOME the respondent feels may have caused
the offender to target him/her during the incident.
Any other conditions, impairments, or disabilities?
W HICHDISABILITYTARGETELSE_1
WHICH
DISABILITYTARGET
ELSE
After entering one disability, the instrument takes you to
one of the three WHICHDISABILITYTARGETELSE
screens which prompt: “Any other conditions,
impairments, or disabilities?” (An answer of Precode (2),
“No,” or (3),“Don’t know,” ends the disability questions
and takes you to Item SUMMARY.) You can record one
condition in each WHICHDISABILITYTARGET
question, up to three different conditions, in the order
provided by the respondent. Since we are trying to find
out how respondents interpret the disability questions,
enter whatever the respondent reports.
After completing Items WHICHDISABILITYTARGET,
the instrument takes you to Item SUMMARY to write a
summary report of the incident.
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PERSON: JOHN DOE
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
SOURCE: SQTHEFT
MONTH: October
NOTES: L1's bike stolen from carport
W HERE: Own yard/sidewalk/driveway/carport/unenclosed porch.
Respondent and other household member(s) were not present.
W EAPON: No weapon present
Not attacked and Not threatened
STOLE: Bicycle
Summarize this incident. Also include any details about the incident that were not asked about in the incident
report that might help clarify the incident.
SUMMARY
SUMMARY
The SUMMARY screen is designed for you to summarize
all of the pertinent facts surrounding a reported crime
incident. Write each summary report so that anyone
reading it can get a clear, well-defined picture of how the
respondent was victimized.
Include in the summary report any details that you feel are
not evident from the answers in the incident report items.
This is very important, because before sending a case for
processing, editors often need more specific details than
they can get from other entries for the incident report
items. When this happens, they must rely on what is
written in your summary report.
As you write your summary report, be careful not to use
misleading words, phrases, or vague terms that may raise
more questions about the incident, instead of clarifying
what really happened.
For example:
When you ask if the offender threatened the respondent
with harm in any way, the respondent answers "No." Also,
the respondent tells you in Item WHATHAPPEN that her
husband was harassing her and using abusive language.
However, in the summary report, you use the phrase
"verbally threatened her." Be careful that the words and
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phrases you use in summary reports help explain the
situation, instead of adding confusion.
Key Points to Cover
Use these key words to jog your memory when writing a
summary report--who, what, where, when, and how.
Who - Using the person's line number (L1, L2, and so on)
from the household roster, identify all household members
who were involved in the incident, even if the member
was a noninterview. Also include any nonhousehold
members who were involved in the incident. In the
summary report, identify that they are nonhousehold
members and use specific descriptions, such as "friend,"
"neighbor," or "co-worker" to show their relationship to
the respondent. Avoid using pronouns to describe persons
involved in an incident.
Reminder:
If other current household members who are at least
12 years old were also victims of a personal crime with
contact, you need to complete a separate set of incident
report items for each of these persons who you are able to
interview.
What - Explain the type of crime and any pertinent details
related to the crime incident--purse stolen & offender
threatened to stab L1 while she was washing her hands.
Where - Explain where the crime took place--in a
restaurant restroom.
When - Explain when the incident took place–At 8:30
p.m. on December 21.
How - Explain how the crime was executed--offender
yanked purse from L1's shoulder & ran/no injury to
L1/reported to police/property not recovered.
Weapons Used
Item WEAPONPRESENT - Did the offender have a
weapon such as a gun or knife, or something to use as a
weapon, such as a bottle or wrench?
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Item WEAPON - What was the weapon? Anything
else?
If a respondent tells you at Items WEAPONPRESENT
and WEAPON that an offender had a weapon other than
any type of gun, rifle, shotgun, or knife, your summary
report needs to explain if and how this object was used as
a weapon OR if the offender threatened to use this object
as a weapon. Since guns, rifles, shotguns, and knives are
obviously weapons, it is not necessary to explain if and
how any of these weapons were used as a weapon in the
summary report.
For example:
L1 was arguing with neighbor/neighbor picked up
rock/threw it at L1 & hit L1 in head/L1 treated at hospital
emergency room & got 4 stitches for the cut.
Keep in mind that thrown objects are only considered
weapons if they hit and seriously injure the respondent.
BB guns and tear gas guns are only considered weapons if
they are used as clubs.
The following objects are NEVER considered weapons:
W
W
W
W
W
W
W
W
W
Sex-Related Crimes
Animals
Parts of the body (for example: hands, feet, and so on)
Food
Small empty cans
Mace or pepper spray
Tear gas
Chloroform
Rings
Casts
Since sex-related crimes are rare compared to other types
of crimes, include as many details as the respondent is
willing to provide. This is important so that we can
classify any sex-related crimes into the correct category-rape, attempted rape, sexual assault, or unwanted sexual
contact.
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Avoid using phrases like "made sexually explicit
comments," "unwanted sexual contact," or "unwanted
sexual advances." These phrases do not provide us with
enough information to determine what actually happened.
We need to know what was actually said, what parts of the
body were touched, whether or not force was used, and so
on.
Even though we want all the pertinent facts, do not probe
beyond the structured probes that are provided for
Items WHATHAPPEN, HOWTRYATTACK,
HOWTHREATEN, HOWATTACK, and INJURY. For
example, here is the structured probe question for Item
WHATHAPPEN, which appears in Item
SEXCONFORCEPROBE_1: "You mentioned some
type of unwanted sexual contact with force. Do you
mean forced or coerced sexual intercourse including
attempts?"
Stolen Property
Item ATTEMPTTHEFTOWNER - "Did the
(property/money) the offender tried to take belong to you
personally, to someone else in the household, or to both
you and other household members?"
Item WHOOWNEDSTOLENPROPERTY - "Did the
stolen (property/money) belong to you personally, to
someone else in the household, or to both you and other
household members?"
Items ATTEMPTTHEFTOWNER and
WHOOWNEDSTOLENPROPERTY relate to
ownership of property and/or money that an offender tried
to steal or stole. If property and/or money involved in the
incident belongs to the respondent AND other household
members OR just to other household members, make sure
to specifically identify these persons by their line numbers
(L1, L2, and so on).
If property and/or money involved in the incident belongs
to nonhousehold members, mention that they are
nonhousehold members, along with a specific description
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of their relationship to the respondent, such as co-worker,
friend, cousin, and so on.
Also, if multiple items that were jointly owned by
household and nonhousehold members were stolen or
attempted to be stolen, record which items belonged to
nonhousehold members.
Item PROPERTYVALUE - "What was the value of the
PROPERTY that was taken? Include recovered
property. (Exclude any stolen cash, checks, or credit
cards. If jointly owned with a nonhousehold member(s),
include only the share owned by household members.)"
When completing Item PROPERTYVALUE, please note:
If stolen property is jointly owned by one or more
household members together with one or more
nonhousehold members, only include the dollar amount
for the portion that was owned by the household members.
When identifying the value of stolen property that was
owned jointly by a household member and a nonhousehold
member, show a separate dollar amount in your summary
report to differentiate between the share owned by the
household member and the share owned by the
nonhousehold member. Do not use names in your
summary report; instead, use line numbers for household
members and relationships to the respondent for
nonhousehold members.
Offender is a Police
Officer
Whenever an offender is a police officer, there are specific
facts that we need to have in your summary report.
Include as many of these facts as you can gather. Be
diplomatic and ask for the following facts in a way that
does not aggravate the respondent:
T
Get a complete description of both the officer's and
the victim's actions.
T
Find out if the officer used or attempted to use
his/her gun or billy club.
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Commercial
Establishment
Part B, Chapter 4
T
Determine if the victim signed a complaint and, if so,
include any additional details (for example, victim
was arrested).
T
Ascertain whether any property was confiscated by
the police. If so, find out what was done with the
confiscated property--was it returned, kept as
evidence, and so on.
If a crime incident occurred at a business or commercial
establishment, include in your summary report as many
facts as possible to provide a complete picture of what
took place. Also, make sure to mention whether the
business is recognizable or unrecognizable.
For example:
L2 was shot in arm during clothing store robbery
(recognizable business)/Off. shot L2 with small handgun
as L2 reached under register to set off burglar alarm/L2
treated @ emergency room/Store clothing & displays
damaged/store closed for 2 days/Est. $50k in stolen
money, damages & lost sales to store/Off. arrested.
Although the NCVS is not interested in the theft of
property or cash belonging to a recognizable business, we
do want this information in the summary report when it
helps in describing a situation in which:
T Personal property was also stolen from a household
member.
T A household member received a face-to-face threat of
physical harm, was attacked, or an attempt was made
to attack the household member.
T Someone illegally entered, broke into, or attempted to
break into the sample housing unit.
Series of Crimes
When writing a summary report for series of crimes, start
by providing a GENERAL description of the entire series
of incidents. For the last or most recent incident in the
Incident Report Items
B4-287
Part B, Chapter 4
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
series, provide a DETAILED description of the incident
following the who, what, where, when, and how format.
Verifying Summary
Reports
Once you have completed the summary report, ALWAYS
read it back to the respondent. This gives the respondent a
final opportunity to either change or add any facts that may
provide a clearer picture of the crime incident.
Lengthy Summary
Reports
The SUMMARY screen allows for a summary description
of up to 300 characters. If you need more space, you may
add information about an incident in the Case Level Notes.
The Case Level Notes can be accessed at the SUMMARY
screen, as well as throughout the instrument by pressing
the “Ctrl” + “F7” keys.
Things to Avoid
When writing summary reports for crime incidents, avoid
the following bad habits:
W Using very general or vague statements or any
unnecessary words or phrases. Write the facts in short,
concise sentences.
W Using the exact wording from the answer categories in
the instrument.
W Using pronouns (she, he, him, her, they, their, and so
on), instead of line numbers.
W Using abbreviations that most editors would not
understand. Instead, if you have to abbreviate, access
and use the abbreviations list in the NCVS instrument
by entering Shift + F11 at the SUMMARY screen.
Lists of standard abbreviations can also be found in the
NCVS-554 “Field Representative Information Card
Booklet,” as well as in Part B, Chapter 5 of this
manual.
W Omitting pertinent facts that could help clarify details
of an incident.
Incident Report Items
B4-288
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Examples of Good
Summary Reports
Part B, Chapter 4
Here are some examples of good summary reports:
( At 10 p.m. on Aug. 4, L1's drunken ex-spouse
(nonhousehold member) was arguing & using abusive
language while in L1's home/ex-spouse refused to
leave & threatened to burn down the house if L1 didn't
take him back/police arrested ex-spouse/no injury to
L1/lamp broken valued @ $40.
( At 12:30 p.m. on Oct. 10, L1 (school teacher) had $10
stolen from desk drawer in classroom while eating
lunch in school cafeteria/police not notified/off. never
caught/$10 not returned.
( At 4 p.m. on Feb. 3, L2 (apt. mgr.) was shot in the arm
by angry evicted tenant in L2's office/small hand gun
used/police notified & off. arrested/L2 hospitalized
overnight.
( At 2 a.m. on Dec. 12, off. attempted to break into L1's
home/no one present/security alarm scared off. & off.
ran away/damage to door & lock valued @ $50/police
notified/off. not found.
( At 11 a.m. on May 5, L2's antique shop robbed at
gunpoint by two off./$1,500 taken from shop
register/$50 taken from L2/gold necklace & purse
taken from customer/no injuries or store damage/police
notified/off. caught & prosecuted.
( At 9 p.m. on July 10, off. threatened to rape L2 at
gunpoint/siren from passing police car scared off./L2
got free & ran to drug store for help/L2 bruised/police
notified/off. never found.
( At 5 p.m. on Aug. 4, off. forcibly grabbed L2/kissed
L2 against L2's will/ran his hands up & down L2's
buttocks/L2 kneed off. in his groin & got away/no
police report/no injuries to L2.
Incident Report Items
B4-289
Part B, Chapter 4
Examples of Bad
Summary Reports
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
The following are examples of bad summary reports:
; There was unwanted sexual contact between off. and
L2 with no injuries.
; Sam was threatened by his co-worker in an office
building. There were no injuries.
;
Rsp. sd she was shot at while walking down the
street/offenders were arrested.
; Rsp. was involved in a car jacking/threatened to
shoot/not far from home/police notified.
; Was on way to school/music compact discs
stolen/$75/no police.
; Garage broken into/HH sleeping at time/bike stolen/
no police/no injuries.
; Same as before.
Incident Report Items
B4-290
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Part B, Chapter 5
Chapter 5
Middle Section of the NCVS Instrument:
Additional Incidents, Unduplication, and Help Screens
Table of Topics
Topic
1
2
3
Page
Screen Layout and Instructions for the
Additional Incident Items
B5-2
Screen Layout and Instructions for the
Unduplication Items
B5-7
Help Screens and Abbreviations
B5-11
Additional Incidents, Unduplication, and Help Screens
B5-1
Part B, Chapter 5
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Topic 1. Screen Layout and Instructions for the
Additional Incidents Items
Importance of Completing
Incident Report Items
The incident report items are designed to gather detailed
information about each time an incident or victimization
occurred during the reference period.
It is your responsibility to:
T
Collect accurate information as you screen
respondents making sure to enter the "number of
times" count correctly for reported incidents, and
T
Complete a separate set of incident report items for
each "time" that an incident or victimization happened
during the reference period, regardless of how minor
the incident may seem.
Ideally, once all interviews are completed for a sample
household, the case should show the identical number of:
No Incident is Too Minor
•
Incidents reported in the screening section of the
instrument and
•
Sets of incident report items for the household.
Your main task is to gather as much information as possible
about each crime incident that occurred during the
reference period by asking all appropriate questions from
the NCVS instrument. It is not your responsibility to
determine whether or not a reported incident is important
enough to require completion of the Incident Report
questions. Leave that responsibility to the survey’s data
processing staff. They take all of the detailed information
you collect and use it to determine which reported incidents
classify as crimes.
Additional Incidents, Unduplication, and Help Screens
B5-2
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Part B, Chapter 5
Cutting corners to save time or appease a reluctant
respondent can jeopardize the value of the data that you
collect. Do not delete crime incidents for the wrong
reasons.
Here are a few examples of what NOT to do:
Example 1:
When an interviewer asked a respondent the question for
Item SQATTACKWHERE (attacks, threats, and stolen
items), the respondent replied that some of his money was
stolen from his bowling bag on two different nights while
he was bowling with his bowling league. Since the two
reported incidents sounded basically the same, the
interviewer only completed one set of incident report items.
WRONG!
Even though the circumstances seem to be the same, the
respondent reported two distinct incidents and the
interviewer must complete two separate sets of incident
report items.
Example 2:
After an interviewer asked the question at Item
SQSEXUAL (forced or unwanted sexual acts), the young
female respondent answered "Yes." However, she told the
interviewer that she really did not want to discuss any
details about what happened to her. The interviewer
entered a "No" reply to this screen question, because the
interviewer didn't think he could persuade the respondent to
complete the incident report items. WRONG!
The interviewer must record the "Yes" answer given by the
respondent, and make every effort to persuade the
respondent to answer the incident report questions. If he
can't persuade the respondent to complete the incident
report items for an incident, then the interviewer must
classify the respondent as a refusal and the respondent's
interview is considered incomplete.
Additional Incidents, Unduplication, and Help Screens
B5-3
Part B, Chapter 5
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Did the respondent mention additional incidents for the household or himself not already covered
that were within the last 6 months, that is between:
July 01, 2005 AND January 01, 2006
" 1. Yes: another incident needed for this person
" 2. No: NONE to add
____________________________________________________________________________________
INCIDENTTOADD
INCIDENTTOADD
The INCIDENTTOADD screen always appears following
the SUMMARY screen after ALL incidents reported in the
screener section have been completed. You can use the
INCIDENTTOADD screen to:
•
Add an incident for a household member.
•
Record that there are no additional incidents for the
household member.
When Precode (1), “Yes: another incident needed for this
person” is selected the instrument goes to Item
INCIDENTNUMTOADD. Otherwise, the instrument
goes to the CRIME_END screen.
INCIDENTNUM
TOADD
How many incidents do you want to add?
Enter a number between 1-25
_________________________________________
INCIDENTNUMTOADD
Use this screen to enter the number of additional incidents
you have discovered for this respondent. After recording
the number of incidents that you need to add, continue with
item INCIDENTTOADDWHY.
Additional Incidents, Unduplication, and Help Screens
B5-4
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
INCIDENTTOADD
WHY
Part B, Chapter 5
Explain why incidents were added (i.e. what happened ).
INCIDENTTOADDW HY
Use the INCIDENTTOADDWHY screen to describe the
additional incident(s), similar to the descriptions entered in
the screener section of the instrument, such as in item
SQTHEFTSPEC. After entering your explanation,
continue to complete the incident report items for the first
incident that you added. Complete a separate incident
report for each incident that you added, starting at the
INCIDENT_INTRO screen.
If you enter Precode (2), “No,” at the INCIDENTTOADD
screen, continue with the CRIME_END screen.
All incident reports completed for: James Bond
NO
NAME
SOURCE
STATUS
___________________________________________________________________________________
1
James Bond
SQTHEFT
One REGULAR incident
___________________________________________________________________________________
CRIME_END
CRIME_END
The CRIME_END screen marks the end of the incident
report section and lets you know that you have completed
all reported incidents for the household member.
If there were multiple incidents reported by the respondent
or multiple incidents for the household (that is, other
respondents also reported incidents) the instrument
continues to the INTRO_UNDUP screen in the
unduplication section. The instrument also continues with
the unduplication section when there were incidents
recorded during the last enumeration, even if there was only
one incident reported for the household during this
enumeration.
Additional Incidents, Unduplication, and Help Screens
B5-5
Part B, Chapter 5
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
If there is only one incident report and no incidents were
reported in the last enumeration, the instrument continues
with one of these screens.
First, if the current respondent is at least 16 years old, the
instrument goes to item JOBLASTWEEK to find out if
the respondent was employed during the reference period.
However, if the respondent is between the ages of 12 and
15 and there are other respondents to interview, the
instrument continues with item NEXTPERSON to select
the next person to interview. Otherwise, the instrument
continues to the THANK_YOU screen because the case is
now complete.
Additional Incidents, Unduplication, and Help Screens
B5-6
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Part B, Chapter 5
Topic 2. Screen Layout and Instructions for the
Unduplication Items
Now it will just take me a minute to review the crime incidents I have
recorded from you during this interview at your household.
"
Enter 1 to continue
____________________________________________________
INTRO_UNDUP
INTRO_UNDUP
The unduplication process starts with the INTRO_UNDUP
screen. Unduplicating or bounding interviews is an NCVS
process to ensure that each reported incident is not a
duplicate of another incident already reported for the
respondent or the sample household in the current and
previous enumerations periods. (If an incident is
identified as a duplicate, it is then omitted from any further
duplicate checking.)
The unduplication process is designed to avoid listing
duplicate incidents. This could occur when:
C
The incident actually happened and was reported in a
previous enumeration period and did not occur again
during the current enumeration period, but was
reported again during the current enumeration period.
C
The incident was reported already by another
household member during the current enumeration
period, such as a household break-in and robbery in
which no household members were threatened,
attacked, or personally victimized during the incident.
However, if any household members were personally
victimized during a crime incident, complete a
separate incident report for each household member
who was personally victimized during the incident.
Additional Incidents, Unduplication, and Help Screens
B5-7
Part B, Chapter 5
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
This quality assurance measure is designed so that we can
provide a more accurate measure of criminal victimization
in the United States.
Read the statement on the INTRO_UNDUP screen to let
the respondent know what you are doing for the next few
minutes of the interview. After reading this statement to
the respondent, enter Precode (1) to move to the next screen
and begin the unduplication process. When there are
multiple incidents reported by the respondent and/or other
respondents in the household the instrument goes to item
UNDUP_CURINC. However, if there is only one incident
reported by the current respondent and no other incidents
reported by other respondents the instrument continues with
item UNDUP_OLD.
During the unduplication process, DO NOT discuss with
the respondent the incidents you are comparing, even to
verify that they are the same or different incidents.
Additional Incidents, Unduplication, and Help Screens
B5-8
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
UNDUP_CURINC
Part B, Chapter 5
The UNDUP_CURINC screen, shown above, provides you
with pertinent facts about the current incident that you will
use to compare this incident against other reported
incidents, both from the same respondent and from other
respondents in the same household. The UNDUP_
CURINC screen provides you with the following types of
information about the current incident: the enumeration
period in which the incident was reported, respondent's line
number, month incident occurred, where incident occurred,
who was present, weapon information, information on
threats and attacks, stolen items, and summary report
information.
The UNDUP_CURINC screen directs you to compare the
two incidents shown and determine whether the incident on
the left is a duplicate of the incident shown on the right.
Additional Incidents, Unduplication, and Help Screens
B5-9
Part B, Chapter 5
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
“Duplicate” does not mean “similar.” Determine if the
incident on the left is the same incident that is displayed on
the right side of the screen. If it is a duplicate, enter
precode (1) for “Yes.” If it is not a duplicate, enter precode
(2) for “No.”
This process continues as all potential duplicate incidents
are shown for your review. When all incidents have been
reviewed, the instrument takes you to UNDUP_OLDINC
if there are incidents from previous interviews to review for
unduplication. If there are no incidents from previous
interviews to unduplicate, the instrument takes you to
UNDUP_DONE.
UNDUP_OLDINC
UNDUP_DONE
The UNDUP_OLDINC screen looks similar to the
UNDUP_CURINC screen, but is used for comparing and
unduplicating current reported incidents against up to four
incidents reported in past interviews. This screen instructs
you to compare the two incidents shown and determine
whether the incident on the left of the screen (currently
reported incident) is a duplicate of the incident shown on
the right (previously reported incident). If it is a duplicate,
enter precode (1) for “Yes.” If it is not a duplicate, enter
precode (2) for “No.” When all old incidents have been
compared to current incidents, the instrument takes you to
UNDUP_DONE.
THIS PERSON DOES NOT HAVE ANY MORE INCIDENTS
TO REVIEW , CONTINUE W ITH THE INTERVIEW .
" Enter 1 to Continue
____________________________________________________
UNDUP_DONE
When incident review and unduplication is complete, the
UNDUP_DONE screen appears as shown above. Enter
Precode (1) to continue with the interview.
Additional Incidents, Unduplication, and Help Screens
B5-10
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Part B, Chapter 5
Topic 3. Help Screens and Abbreviations
As part of the NCVS instrument, several screens link to
“Help” screens which provide concept definitions and other
information relevant to the specific screen. If a “Help”
screen is available for a particular screen, a question mark
icon appears in the upper left corner of the info pane.
Introduction
The NCVS instrument also has an abbreviation pop-up help
screen, which you can access at any time by pressing Shift
+ F11. In an effort to promote uniformity, you may use
these abbreviations to help save time and space and make it
easier for you to fit the summary report and any notes about
the case in the allotted space. However, avoid using
abbrevations unless it is necessary.
Listed below are the “Help” screens available to you for specific NCVS items within the
instrument:
SCREEN NAME–
SCREEN TEXT--
H_ABBREV
Help screen with a list of abbreviations interviewers can
use to shorten the SUMMARY and various notes.
H_CATCHALL
Help screen for coding the catchall questions in the
editing/coding instrument
H_STATE
Lists the two-letter abbreviation for each state and can be
accessed from Items NEWADDSTATE, NEWMAIL
STATE, NEWADDSTATE_CP, NEWMAILSTATE
_CP, and INCIDENTSTATE.
H_HISPORIGIN
Help for SP_ORIGIN item.
Spanish, Hispanic, or Latino includes people of the
following origins:
Mexican
Mexican-American
Chicano
Puerto Rican
Cuban
Additional Incidents, Unduplication, and Help Screens
B5-11
Part B, Chapter 5
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Cuban-American
Central or South American (Spanish Countries)
Other Spanish origin
H_PRESENCE
TO BE CONSIDERED PRESENT, one must be at the
immediate scene of the crime during the incident. The
opportunity for the person to be attacked or threatened or
have something taken directly from them must exist.
H_DAMAGED
Include only items that were damaged but not stolen.
Include damaged items that belonged to an unrecognizable
business but exclude damaged items belonging to a
recognizable business.
H_NOTREPORTED
Structured Probe: Was the reason because you dealt with
it another way, it wasn't important enough to you, insurance
wouldn't cover it, police couldn't do anything, police
wouldn't help, or was there some other reason?
(This help screen is also available in Spanish.)
H_WHYREPORTED
Structured Probe: Did you report it to get help with this
incident, to recover your loss, to stop or punish the
offender, to let the police know about it, or was there some
other reason?
(This help screen is also available in Spanish.)
H_DISABILITY
(1) WHY DOES THE NCVS ASK ABOUT
DISABILITY?
Many believe that people with disabilities are more
likely to be targeted for victimization because
offenders see them as being more vulnerable. New
legislation requires the NCVS to collect data relating
to the nature of crime against people with disabilities.
These data will be used by policy makers in
developing programs that address the safety and justice
needs of people with disabilities.
Additional Incidents, Unduplication, and Help Screens
B5-12
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Part B, Chapter 5
(2) NON COMPREHENSIVE LIST OF SERIOUS
DISABLING CONDITIONS:
ALS or Lou Gehrig's disease
Multiple Sclerosis
Muscular Dystrophy
Huntington's Disease
(This help screen is also available in Spanish.)
H_OMB
Help screen for OMB notice
<>Read the NOTICE statement to the respondent only if
they have a serious grievance and would like to make a
complaint regarding the survey.
<>Allow the respondent time to copy the agency title and
address provided in the NOTICE statement.
OMB No. 1121-0111: Approval Expires: 07/31/2006
NATIONAL CRIME VICTIMIZATION SURVEY
NOTICE - We are conducting this survey under the
authority of Title 13, United States Code, Section 8.
Section 9 of this law requires us to keep all information
about you and your household strictly confidential. We
may use this information only for statistical purposes.
Also, Title 42, Section 3732, United States Code,
authorizes the Bureau of Justice Statistics, Department of
Justice, to collect information using this survey. Title 42,
Sections 3789g and 3735, United States Code, also requires
us to keep all information about you and your household
strictly confidential. According to the Paperwork
Reduction Act of 1995, no persons are required to respond
to a collection of information unless such collection
displays a valid OMB number. Comments about this
survey or recommendations for reducing its length may be
sent to the Chief, Victimization Statistics Branch, Bureau
of Justice Statistics, Washington, D.C. 20531.
Additional Incidents, Unduplication, and Help Screens
B5-13
Part B, Chapter 5
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
H_RACEOTHER
Help screen for RACE_OTHER
H_THEFT
Help screen for what to include/exclude as theft/attempted
theft.
H_NONINT
Type A/B/C noninterview reasons:
Type A Noninterviews
Duplicate (2000 cases only)
Language problems
No one home
Temporarily absent - Specify
Refused
Other occupied -Specify
Type B Noninterviews
Vacant - regular
Vacant - storage of household furniture
Temporarily occupied by persons with URE
Unfit or to be demolished
Under construction, not ready
Converted to temporary business or storage
Unoccupied site for mobile home, trailer, or tent
Permit granted, construction not started
Other - Specify
Type C Noninterviews
Unused line of listing sheet
Demolished
House or trailer moved
Outside segment
Converted to permanent business or storage
Merged
Condemned
Built after April 1, 1990/2000
Removed during subsampling
Unit already had a chance of selection
Permit abandoned or Other-Specify
Additional Incidents, Unduplication, and Help Screens
B5-14
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Part B, Chapter 5
Listed below are the abbreviations found on the pop-up help screen that can be accessed by
pressing Shift + F11. In addition to using these abbreviations when preparing your summary
report for an incident, you can also use them when entering any other written entries or notes in
the NCVS instrument.
#
X, 2X, 3X, etc.
ADL
ADR
AG
AGN
AM
AMML
AMNML
ANS
APPT
APT
ASSN
ASSR
ASST
AVL
AVE
BCK
BLDG
BLK
BLVD
BRKN
BTRY
BSY
C
CB
CDNT
CDROM
CDT
CIR
CLD
CLSD
CMP INT
CNT
CNT
Number
Times, two times, three times, etc.
Additional
Address
Agendum (Status code used by TFU)
Again
Answering Machine or Morning
Answering Machine Message Left
Answering Machine NO Message Left
Answer
Appointment
Apartment
Association
Assessor
Assistant, Assist
Available
Avenue
Back
Building
Block
Boulevard
Broken
Battery
Busy
Complete
Callback
Could not
CD-ROM Phone Disc
Central Daylight Time
Circle
Called
Closed
Complete Interview
Count
Contact
Additional Incidents, Unduplication, and Help Screens
B5-15
Part B, Chapter 5
CNTY
CO
CONT
COOP
CP
CST
CT
CTY
DA
DAU
DISC
DR
DSC AD
DUP
DWN
E
EDT
EM
EST
F
FU
FAX
FND
FR
FRI
FRM
FRNT
FT
FWD
GCB
GRP
HCB
HH
HHM
HGUP
HST
HU
HWY
HIST
ID
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
County
Company
Continue
Cooperate
Contact Person
Central Standard Time
Court
City
Directory Assistance
Daughter
Disconnected
Drive
Descriptive Address
Duplicate
Down
East
Eastern Daylight Time
Exact Match
Eastern Standard Time
Female
Follow-Up
Fax Machine
Find/Found
Field Representative
Friday
From
Front
Foot/Feet (Distance)
Forward
Guess Callback (No contact made)
Group, Group Home
Hard Call Back
Household
Household Member
Hang Up
Hawaiian Standard Time
Housing Unit
Highway
History
Identification
Additional Incidents, Unduplication, and Help Screens
B5-16
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
IMMD
INCL
INCM
INFO
INSD
INT
JIC
LN
LP
LRG
LS
LT
LTR
LV
M
MBR
MDT
MGR
MHP
MI
ML
MO
MON
MSD APPT
MSG
MST
MU
MV(D)
N
NA
NE
NIS
NOH
NRBY
NW
NX
ORG
OSP
OTH
OTSD
Immediate
Include
Income
Information
Inside
Interview/Interviewer
Just In Case
Line Number/Lane
Language Problem
Large
Listing Sheet
Left
Letter
Leave
Male
Member (household)
Mountain Daylight Time
Manager
Mobile Home Park
Mile(s)
Message Left
Month
Monday
Missed Appointment
Message
Mountain Standard Time
Multiple Units
Move/Moved
North
Not available/Not applicable
Northeast
Not in Service
No One Home
Nearby
Northwest
Next
Organization
Original Sample Person
Other
Outside
Additional Incidents, Unduplication, and Help Screens
B5-17
Part B, Chapter 5
Part B, Chapter 5
PER
PRT INT
PDT
PH
PK
PKY
PL
PM
PMGR
PO BX
POB
POE
POS
PREV
PROP
PRVD
PST
PUB LIB
PV
PXY
QST
QSTNR
RD
RECD
REF
REF PER
REQ
RESP
RH
RLCT
RM
RNA
RR
RRD
RT
RTE
S
SAT
SCB
SCRN
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Person
Partial Interview
Pacific Daylight Time
Phone, Phone number
Park
Parkway
Place
Afternoon/Evening
Property Manager
Post Office Box
Place of Business
Place of Employment
Possible
Previous
Property
Provide
Pacific Standard Time
Public Library
Personal Visit
Proxy
Question
Questionnaire
Road/Rural Delivery
Received
Refusal
Reference Person
Request
Respondent
Rooming House
Reluctant
Roommate
Ring No Answer
Rural Route
Rural Route Delivery
Right
Route
South
Saturday
Soft callback
Screen (Computer)
Additional Incidents, Unduplication, and Help Screens
B5-18
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
SD
SE
SFR
SGNL
S_L_
SM
SP
SP/W
SS
ST
STAT
SUN
SUP
SW
TA
TX AS
TER
THUR
TLK(D)
TOMO
TR
TRLR
TRLR PRK
TPK
TRSFR
TUE
UTL
VAC
VST(D)
W
WED
W/IN
WK
W/OUT
WRG
WWW
XTR
YR(S)
Said
Southeast
Senior Field Representative
Signal
Sheet #, Line #
Small
Sample Person
Spoke with
Spanish Speaking
Street
Status
Sunday
Supervisor
Southwest
Temporarily Absent
Tax Assessor
Terrace
Thursday
Talk(ed)
Tomorrow
Trail
Trailer
Trailer Park
Turnpike
Transfer
Tuesday
Unable to Locate
Vacant
Visit(ed)
West
Wednesday
Within
Week
Without
Wrong
World Wide Web/Internet
Extra
Year(s)
Additional Incidents, Unduplication, and Help Screens
B5-19
Part B, Chapter 5
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Part B, Chapter 6
Chapter 6
Back Section of the NCVS Instrument
Table of Topics
Topic
Page
1
Introduction
B6-2
2
Screen Layout and Instructions
B6-3
Back Section of the NCVS Instrument
B6-1
Part B, Chapter 6
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Topic 1. Introduction
Wrapping Up the NCVS
Interview
The Back Section of the NCVS instrument includes screens
that you use to:
•
Make appointments to call back a sample household;
•
Thank each sample household member for his/her time
and participation in the NCVS;
•
Code any language issues encountered while trying to
interview the household; and
•
Verify and/or update the telephone numbers that have
been collected, or add up to three additional telephone
numbers for the household.
Back Section of the NCVS Instrument
B6-2
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Part B, Chapter 6
Topic 2. Screen Layout and Instructions
! Did this interview end because of a refusal, a callback was needed, a breakoff occurred, or some other
problem?
" 1 Refusal
" 2 Callback
" 3 Breakoff
" 4 Language or other problem (refer to supervisor)
__________________________________________________________________________
REFCBBREAK_CP
REFCBBREAK_CP
REFCBBREAK_CP records the incomplete status of a
household respondent or individual respondent’s interview
in CAPI. Precodes (1) and (3) take you to Item VERIFY;
Precode (2) takes you to Item APPT when you are
interviewing the household respondent and to item
PERSAPP for individual respondents, and Precode (4)
takes you to Item LANGUAGEPROBLEM_CP.
• Enter a time to recontact the household.
I would like to schedule a date and time to complete the interview.
W hat date and time would be best?
Today is 1/15/2006
APPT
APPT
The APPT screen is the first screen that you access to set a
future telephone contact with a household respondent who
still needs to be interviewed. This item is a text field, so
you can enter a date, for example “9/1/07,” or a day and
time, for example, “Monday at 7 PM.” The entry at this
item will appear in the appointment box in laptop case
management. Also enter the household respondent
appointment information in the case level notes.
Back Section of the NCVS Instrument
B6-3
Part B, Chapter 6
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
W hat is the telephone number of the phone where you would like to be called?
• Record new number
• Enter 0 for no telephone number
______________________________________________________________________________
TELEPH
Item TELEPH is used to record the telephone number.
Enter the telephone number, or enter “0”(zero) if there is no
telephone number.
TELEPH
W hat type of phone is this (for example, a home, office, or cell phone)?
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
Home
W ork/office
Cell/digital
Beeper/page/answering service
Pay phone
Toll free
Other
Fax
___________________________________________________________________
TELEPHTYPE
TELEPHTYPE
Item TELEPHTYPE is used to record the telephone type
(Home, work/office, cellular or digital,
beeper/pager/answering service, public pay phone, toll free,
or other).
Back Section of the NCVS Instrument
B6-4
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Part B, Chapter 6
Thank you for your help.
I will call back at the time suggested.
CALLBACK: Friday October 19, 2:00 PM
_____________________________________________________________________
THANKCB_CP
THANKCB_CP
The THANKCB_CP screen is the thank-you screen to
thank the respondent and tell him/her that we will call back
at the suggested time. Notice that the scheduled callback
date and time are shown on this screen. After reading this
statement to the respondent, press (1) to continue to Item
VERIFY.
Press Control+F7 to enter appointment information for this person in Case Level Notes.
____________________________________________________________________
PERSAPPT
PERSAPPT
Because laptop case management is not set up to store
callback information for individual respondents,
PERSAPPT prompts you to enter any respondent callback
information in the Case Level Notes, which may be
accessed here by pressing “Ctrl” and “F7” simultaneously.
After entering callback information, press “1” to continue
to THANKYOU_INDIV.
Thank you. I'll call back at the time suggested.
_____________________________________________________________________
THANKYOU_INDIV
THANKYOU_INDIV
THANKYOU_INDIV is the thank-you screen for
individual respondents after recording callback information
in Case Level Notes. Pressing “1” to continue takes you to
Item VERIFY.
Back Section of the NCVS Instrument
B6-5
Part B, Chapter 6
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Record the language spoken by the respondent or enter 28 if respondent is hard of hearing.
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
Spanish
Arabic
Chinese
French
German
Greek
Italian
Japanese
Korean
Polish
21.
22.
23.
24.
25.
26.
27.
28.
Portuguese
Russian
Tagalog
Urdu
Vietnamese
Other - Specify
Unknown language
Other problem - hard of hearing
__________________________________________________________________
LANGUAGEPROBLEM_CP
LANGUAGEPROBLEM_CP allows you to record the
fact that a language problem (or other related problem; for
example, a person who is hard of hearing) exists for a
respondent. An entry of 26 takes you to LANGUAGE
PROBLEM_SPEC_CP. Otherwise, the instrument goes
to Item VERIFY.
LANGUAGE
PROBLEM_CP
Record the language spoken by the respondent.
______________________________________________________________________
LANGUAGEPROBLEM_SPEC_CP
LANGUAGE
PROBLEM_SPEC_CP
Use the LANGUAGEPROBLEM_SPEC_CP screen to
record the specific language spoken by the repondent. This
question is asked only of the household respondent.After
entering this information, the instrument proceeds to Item
VERIFY.
Back Section of the NCVS Instrument
B6-6
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Part B, Chapter 6
Read if necessary
Thank you for your time.
_______________________________________________________________________
THANKYOU_CP
THANKYOU_CP
THANKYOU_CP is the thank-you screen used after the
household is completed. The instrument fills in the screen
text to be read to the respondent based on the situation.
For noninterview households you are prompted to thank
the contact person, when appropriate, as shown above.
For completed interviews, the question text is based on the
time in sample (TIS) of the case.
! For TIS 1-6, item THANKYOU_CP reads: "Six
months from now we will be contacting you again.
Thank you for your time. You've been very helpful."
! For TIS 7 cases, item THANKYOU_CP reads:
"This is the last regularly scheduled interview for this
household, for the National Crime Victimization
Survey. Thank you for your participation in this
survey."
Verifying Telephone
Information
The next set of screens are for the purpose of verifying and
updating previously collected telephone information.
These include:
Back Section of the NCVS Instrument
B6-7
Part B, Chapter 6
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Review information listed below
Do you need to make any changes?
Press “Control T” to review/update interview time preference
TELEPHONEOK: Yes
Telephone (1) - Extn. Type:
Telephone (2) - Extn. Type:
Telephone (3) - Extn. Type:
__________________________________________________________________________
VERIFY
VERIFY displays the telephone information that has been
collected to date. If no changes to this information are
needed, enter Precode (2), “No,” to exit the instrument and
proceed to the Case Level Notes. If changes are necessary,
enter Precode (1), “Yes,” and the instrument takes you to
VER_TELEPHONEACCEPTABLE.
VERIFY
Is a telephone interview acceptable?
Previous answer: Yes
" 1. Yes
" 2. No
_______________________________________________________________________________________
VER_TELEPHONEACCEPTABLE
VER_TELEPHONE
ACCEPTABLE
Item VER_TELEPHONEACCEPTABLE allows you to
update whether or not a telephone interview is acceptable
for the household. Entering Precode (1), “Yes,” takes you
to VER_PHONE. Entering Precode (2), “No,” takes you
out of the instrument and into the Case Level Notes.
Back Section of the NCVS Instrument
B6-8
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Part B, Chapter 6
W hat is the telephone number of the phone where you would like to be called?
_________________________________________________________________________
VER_PHONE1, 2, 3
Items VER_PHONE1, 2, 3 allow you to enter or update
phone numbers for the first, second, and third household
contacts. If no update needs to be made to the first phone
number, press “Enter” to continue to VER_PHONETYPE,
which will keep the previous phone number. If you do not
need to update any other information from VER_PHONE
through VER_PHONETYPE, then enter “0” (zero) which
takes you out of the instrument and to the Case Level
Notes.
VER_PHONE1, 2, 3
However, if you do not need to change the first number but
do need to change or update the second or third phone
number, do not enter “0,” as that will take you out of the
instrument. Instead, press “Enter” until you reach the
screen that needs to be updated. Note that if there is not a
number in VER_PHONE, you cannot press “Enter” to go
to the second phone number. You must collect the first
number in order to collect the second, and so on.
W hat type of phone is this (for example, a home, office, or cell phone)?
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
Home
W ork/office
Cell/digital
Beeper/page/answering service
Pay phone
Toll free
Other
Fax
____________________________________________________________________
VER_PHONETYPE1, 2, 3
VER_PHONETYPE
1, 2, 3
Item VER_PHONETYPE1, 2, 3 allows you to enter or
update the type of phone for the first, second, and third
household contact numbers.
Back Section of the NCVS Instrument
B6-9
Part B, Chapter 6
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
After completing the VERIFY section the instrument
proceeds to the Case Level Notes.
CASE NOTE EDITOR
The CASE NOTE EDITOR (see illustration above) popup screen appears after you exit the case, to enter any final
notes about the case which may be helpful for future
contacts with the household. You may also access the
CASE NOTE EDITOR by pressing Control + F7 at any
time during the interview.
Note: The CASE NOTE EDITOR is where you record
any callbacks necessary for individual respondents.
The instrument automatically fills in a CAPI indicator,
time, date, and your FR code. If any notes were recorded
from a previous CAPI interview, the window also displays
the previous notes. You may add to the notes or only view
them.
Back Section of the NCVS Instrument
B6-10
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Part B, Chapter 6
Here are some examples of things that should be entered in
the CASE NOTE EDITOR:
•
Explaining why you are unable to interview an eligible
household member.
•
Explaining any difficulties interviewing because of a
speech or hearing disability, a particularly difficult
respondent, language difficulties, and so on.
•
Instructions about a disabled person who requires extra
time to answer his/her telephone.
•
For partial interviews, noting where the interview left
off.
When you are done entering your notes or if no notes are
necessary, press F10 to exit the NOTES pop-up. If you
added a new note, the instrument prompts you to save the
new entry.
Back Section of the NCVS Instrument
B6-11
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Part C, Chapter 1
Chapter 1
Basic National Crime Victimization Survey Concepts
Table of Topics
Topic
Page
1 Overview of Chapter 1
C1-2
2 Reference Period
C1-3
3 Household Membership
C1-5
4 Reference Person
C1-12
5 Household and Individual
Respondents
C1-15
6 Proxy Interview
C1-19
7 Unduplicating/Bounding
Interviews
C1-26
8 Out-of-Scope Incident
C1-30
Basic National Crime Victimization Survey Concepts
C1-1
Part C, Chapter 1
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Topic 1. Overview of Chapter 1
Purpose
The primary purpose of the National Crime Victimization
Survey (NCVS) is to obtain, from respondents who are 12
years of age and older, an accurate and up-to-date measure
of the amount and kinds of crime committed during a
specific 6-month reference period. When you are assigned
an NCVS case for the first interview, you are given a sample
address to visit and interview, but are not provided with any
respondent names.
Your responsibilities
During your initial contact with a sample address, your
responsibility as a CAPI interviewer is to identify:
• The household members who usually reside at the sample
address (household membership);
• The relationship of each household member to a reference
person;
• A household respondent who will provide specific
information about the household; and
• All household members who are eligible as individual
respondents for an NCVS interview.
Each eligible respondent is expected to respond for himself
or herself. However, under specific circumstances, another
household member can respond for an eligible respondent
and give a proxy interview.
To avoid duplicate incidents, you will go through an
unduplicating/bounding process to ensure that duplicate
incidents are not processed. When a reported incident falls
outside of the NCVS survey limits, you delete the incident
because it is considered an out-of-scope incident.
Chapter 1 defines all of these highlighted concepts in more
detail.
Basic National Crime Victimization Survey Concepts
C1-2
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Part C, Chapter 1
Topic 2. Reference Period
A reference period is a time interval for which we want to
collect information from a respondent. The NCVS
reference period covers the 6 months prior to the interview
date. When conducting interviews, we are interested only
in crime incidents that happened during a household
member's specific 6-month reference period.
Definition
The type of reference period that we use for the NCVS is
often referred to as a floating reference period or periodto-period recounting. By using this type of a reference
period, we can compile a continuous record of a
household's experiences throughout the entire 3 years that
the household is in the NCVS sample.
First Enumeration Period
Interviews
Although the reference period is calculated automatically
by the NCVS CAPI instrument, it is still important for you
to understand the reference period for each NCVS
interview. For the first enumeration period, each
household member's reference period starts on the first day
of the month, 6 months prior to the interview month, and
ends on the day prior to the interview date.
Example for a household respondent:
If a household respondent's first enumeration
period interview is conducted on July 2, 2006,
then the current reference period for the
household respondent would be January 1,
2006 to July 1, 2006.
Example for an individual respondent:
If the remaining household members were
interviewed for the first enumeration period on
July 3, 2006, then the current reference period
for each of these household members would be
January 1, 2006 to July 2, 2006.
Basic National Crime Victimization Survey Concepts
C1-3
Part C, Chapter 1
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
For a first enumeration period household, all household
members have the same start date, but each household
member's end date may vary based on the member's
current interview date.
Second Through Seventh
Enumeration Period
Interviews
After the first enumeration period, reference periods for all
remaining enumeration periods start on the date of the
household member's last interview and end on the day
prior to the household member's interview date. Unlike
the first enumeration period, each household member
could have a different reference period start date for the
second through seventh enumeration periods based on the
member's last interview date.
Incidents Outside of the
Reference Period
While interviewing, it is important to keep reminding the
respondent of the starting and ending dates for his/her
reference period. If a respondent seems to be having
difficulty keeping track of the reference period dates, try
adding the actual dates after reading "in the last 6 months."
This will help the respondent to stay focused on the correct
time frame for the interview.
Remember to only complete the incident report section of
the instrument for incidents that happened during the
reference period for the respondent's current interview. (If
the incident happened on the day of the interview, collect
the information as usual. These incidents will be reviewed
during post-collection data processing and either
categorized as “in scope” or “out of scope.” These
incidents will be used for comparison purposes during
unduplication in the next interview period.) If you
discover that the incident is outside of the respondent's
reference period (at Item INCIDENTDATE), the
instrument will not prompt you to collect information for
that incident. (See Topic 8 of this chapter for out-ofscope incidents.)
Basic National Crime Victimization Survey Concepts
C1-4
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Part C, Chapter 1
Topic 3. Household Membership
Definition
For a person to be considered a member of a sample
household, he/she must be:
T
Using the sample address as his/her usual place of
residence at the time of the current interview, even if
he/she is temporarily absent at the time of interview,
OR
T
Staying temporarily at the sample address at the time
of the current interview AND does not have a
USUAL PLACE OF RESIDENCE ELSEWHERE.
This category could include recent immigrants,
persons trying to find permanent living quarters, and
persons who have no other home of their own. This
category could also include entire households with
no usual place of residence elsewhere, because they
are renting or lending their usual living quarters to
others and have no other home of their own.
(See “Determining Usual Place of Residence” on the
next page for a definition of “Usual place of residence.”)
Non-family persons also can be considered household
members if the sample address is their usual place of
residence. These non-family household members could be
lodgers, servants, farmhands, or other employees, as long
as they:
C
Live at the sample address AND
C
Claim the sample address as their usual place of
residence.
Household membership is not limited to sample housing
units and can also include residents of non-institutional
group quarters selected for the NCVS sample, such as
college dormitories, homes for unwed mothers,
Basic National Crime Victimization Survey Concepts
C1-5
Part C, Chapter 1
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
dormitories for student nurses and doctors, and so forth.
Determining Usual Place
of Residence
A person's usual place of residence is a specific living
quarters, either a housing unit or a non-institutional group
quarters unit, where he/she lives and sleeps the greater part
of the time and is free to return to at any time. Do not
consider a mailing address that does not identify a living
quarters as a usual place of residence. For example, if a
person has mail delivered to a box in a post office, that
person’s mailing address does not identify a living
quarters.
Also, do not consider a person's living quarters as his/her
usual place of residence when the person:
C
Is not residing at the living quarters AND is renting
or lending the living quarters to someone else who is
residing there in his/her absence,
OR
C
Families With Two or
More Homes
Is not residing at the living quarters AND the vacant
living quarters is offered for sale or rent.
If a household owns more than one housing unit and
spends time in both homes, only ONE of the housing units
can be considered the usual place of residence for these
household members. Consider the home where they spend
the greater part of the calendar year as their usual place of
residence. If the household spends an equal amount of the
calendar year at each home, consider the family as
household members at the address where they are residing
at the time of the interview.
Here are some examples for handling this type of
situation:
The Moe family owns two housing units--one in the
suburbs of Detroit and the other one is a cabin in a
mountain resort area. They spend about 11 months of the
Basic National Crime Victimization Survey Concepts
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NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Part C, Chapter 1
year in their suburban Detroit home. Also, the Moe family
does not rent out either home in their absence.
•
If the Moes were residing at their suburban Detroit
home when you attempt to interview at that
residence, you would interview all eligible household
members. Since this is the Moes’ usual place of
residence, all family member's who usually live at
the address and are 12 years of age and older are
considered eligible household members at this
address.
•
When you attempt to interview at the cabin address,
you discover that the Moes are residing at the
address. Since the cabin is not their usual place of
residence, you would not interview them as
household members at the cabin address.
Foster Children
Always consider foster children in the household at the
time of your interview as household members at the
sample address, regardless of how long they are expected
to stay with the family.
Crew Member on a
Sailing Vessel
Never consider a sailing vessel to be a usual place of
residence for its crew members. This is true even
when the crew member is on the sailing vessel at the time
of your interview AND is on the vessel for long periods of
time.
Household Members
Who Are Temporarily
Absent
Listed below are circumstances in which persons claiming
the sample address as their usual place of residence are
considered to be household members, even though they are
temporarily absent from the address at the time of
interview:
C
Business travelers,
C
Crew members on sailing vessels,
C
Railroad personnel,
Basic National Crime Victimization Survey Concepts
C1-7
Part C, Chapter 1
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Foreign Citizens
Temporarily Staying
in the United States
C
Long haul truck drivers,
C
Bus drivers, and
C
Persons who are away visiting relatives or friends, on
vacation, or temporarily in general (noninstitutional)
hospitals.
Only consider citizens of foreign countries as household
members at a sample address when:
•
They are temporarily living (not visiting or traveling)
in the United States,
•
The sample address is not an Embassy, Consulate,
Chancellery, or any other type of office for a foreign
country,
AND
•
Members of the
Armed Forces
The sample address is their usual place of residence
while residing in the United States.
Men and women who are Armed Forces members can be
considered household members at a sample housing unit
if:
C
They usually sleep at the sample housing unit and
C
They are stationed in the same locality as the sample
housing unit.
Do not consider Armed Forces members as household
members at a sample housing unit if:
W
They are stationed in a different locality than the
sample housing unit and
Basic National Crime Victimization Survey Concepts
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NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Part C, Chapter 1
W
They are only staying at the sample housing unit
while on leave to visit family or friends.
When you interview at a sample housing unit and discover
that a student is residing away from the family residence
while attending school (boarding, college, trade, or
commercial school in the United States or overseas), do
not consider the student as a household member at the
family residence. While attending school, the student is
considered a household member at his/her school
residence, and would be interviewed at that residence if it
fell into the NCVS sample.
Students
However, students are considered household members at
their family residence when they are:
C
Living at the family residence while attending
school,
C
Living at the family residence at the time of
interview because they are on a short holiday (for
example, Thanksgiving or spring break) or home on
summer vacation,
AND
C
Student Nurses
Claiming the family residence as their usual place of
residence.
At the time of interview, consider a student nurse's usual
place of residence to be the hospital, nurse's home, or other
place where he/she is residing while receiving nurse's
training.
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C1-9
Part C, Chapter 1
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Example:
Before entering nursing school, David lived with his
parents at 101 Railroad Drive, Any Town, AK.
David is now attending nursing school and living at
102 Maple Avenue, Any Town, CO. While
attending nurse's training, David's usual place of
residence is the 7001 Central Avenue address.
If you interview the household at 101 Railroad
Drive and discover that David is currently living at
the 102 Maple Avenue address, do not consider
David a household member at the 101 Railroad
Drive address.
Persons Working
Overseas
Do not consider as household members persons who are
absent from the sample address at the time of your
interview because they are working and residing overseas
for more than 6 months out of the year.
Persons With
Concurrent
Residences
You may find that some persons reside part of the week at
one address and the rest of the week at another address. In
this situation, count the person as a household member at
the address where he/she resides the greater part of the
week. If the person spends an equal amount of the week at
each address, consider the person as a household member
at the address where he/she is residing at the time of your
interview.
Persons in Vacation
Homes, Tourist
Cabins, and Trailers
If persons are residing in vacation homes, tourist cabins,
and trailers and do NOT have any other usual place of
residence at the time of interview, consider these persons
as household members where they are residing at the time
of your interview. However, if these persons do have a
usual residence elsewhere, do not consider them as
household members at the vacation homes, tourist cabins,
and trailers where they are staying at the time of the
interview.
Basic National Crime Victimization Survey Concepts
C1-10
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Inmates and Patients
in Institutional Group
Quarters
Part C, Chapter 1
Inmates and patients in institutional group quarters are not
considered household members at the sample address
while they are residing in the institutional group quarters.
These inmates and patients could reside in the following
types of institutional group quarters:
C
C
C
C
C
C
Correctional Institutions
Nursing, Convalescent, and Rest Homes
Hospitals
Institutions for the Disabled
Institutions for the Mentally Ill/Retarded
Juvenile Institutions.
Remember that persons in institutional group quarters are
not free to come and go without permission. Also, persons
residing in institutional group quarters are not eligible for
NCVS interviewing, even if the group quarters fell into the
NCVS sample. Do not take proxy interviews for
institutionalized persons, because they are not considered
household members while they are residing in an
institution.
(See the Listing and Coverage Manual for Field
Representatives, Form 11-8, for more details about
group quarters.)
When You Are Still
Unsure About Household
Membership
If you have read all the household membership procedures
and still are unsure whether or not to include someone as a
household member, it is better to:
C
Include the person
AND
C
Explain the situation in either an “F7 Note” by using
Control + F7 Case Level notes screen.
Basic National Crime Victimization Survey Concepts
C1-11
Part C, Chapter 1
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Topic 4. Reference Person
We want the household's reference person to be a
responsible adult household member who is not likely
to permanently leave the household.
Definition
To meet this goal, the reference person must:
T
Qualify as a household member at the sample
address,
T
Be one of the owners or renters of the sample
housing unit, and
T
Be at least 18 years of age (in most cases).
Since one of the owners or renters of the sample housing
unit is normally the most responsible and knowledgeable
household member, we prefer the reference person also to
be the household respondent. However, a household
respondent does not have to be one of the household
members who owns or rents the sample housing unit.
During your initial interview with a household you must
designate one of the household members who meets the
above criteria to be the reference person.
(See Topic 5 of this chapter for more details about
household respondents.)
When identifying a reference person for a sample
household, you could encounter one of the following
situations:
Special Situations
Housing Unit Rented
Without Cash
Payment
If a sample housing unit is occupied without payment of
cash rent, then any household member who is at least
18 years of age can qualify as the reference person. (Also
see "When Can a Reference Person Be Under 18 Years
of Age?" shown below.)
Basic National Crime Victimization Survey Concepts
C1-12
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Part C, Chapter 1
Housing Unit Jointly
Owned or Rented
If a sample housing unit is owned or rented jointly, then
the instrument automatically designates as the reference
person the first owner/renter who is listed on the
household roster. This person also must be a household
member at the sample address and must be at least 18
years of age. (Also see "When Can a Reference Person
Be Under 18 Years of Age?" shown below.)
When Can a
Reference Person Be
Under 18 Years of
Age?
There are two situations when the household’s reference
person can be a household member who is under 18 years
of age. These situations include:
±
Sample households in which ALL household
members are 17 years of age. The reference person
should be one of the 17-year-old household members
who owns or rents the sample housing unit.
±
Sample households in which the owners/renters are
married and one or both of them are 17 years of age.
The reference person can be either person.
NOTE:
Changing the Reference
Person
If you encounter a household in which ALL
household members are under 17 years of age,
tell your supervisor who will discuss this
situation with Headquarters staff and then let
you know how to handle the case.
You may encounter situations in subsequent interviews
when you may need to identify a different person from the
household roster as the reference person. This could
happen when the reference person from the previous
enumeration period is no longer a household member
because he/she has:
T Died or
T Moved out of the sample address permanently.
You may discover this at Item NAMECHECK, which
displays the household roster and asks if it is correct. If
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you answer “No,” then Item REFPERSTILLLIVE
appears and asks, “Does (name of person) still live at this
address?” If you answer “No,” Item NEWREFPER
appears.
At the NEWREFPER screen, you ask the following
question to identify a new reference person for the sample
household, “What is the name of the person (or one of
the persons) who owns or rents that home? Would that
be you?” Enter the line number of the new reference
person at this screen; enter "31" if the new reference
person is new to the household and must be added to the
roster. The instrument then follows with prompts to add
the new person to the household roster.
After selecting or adding a new reference person, item
MEMBERCHANGES appears and asks you to enter the
reason(s) for changes in the household roster.
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Part C, Chapter 1
Topic 5. Household and Individual Respondents
A household respondent is the household member that is
selected to be the first household member interviewed
and is almost always a self-response interview. The
household respondent must be able to provide information
for all persons in the sample household, as well as for
herself/himself. For example, the household respondent
must be able to:
Definition
C Update demographic information on the household
information tables in the front section (“Control Card”
section) of the NCVS instrument.
C Complete the household respondent's screening section
of the instrument.
C Complete the incident report section of the instrument
for all incidents reported by herself/himself.
An individual respondent is any household member who
is at least 12 years of age and is not selected as the
household respondent. In most cases, you will interview
each individual respondent by self-response.
Who Qualifies as a
Household Respondent?
In most cases, the household respondent must be:
T A household member,
T At least 18 years of age, and
T Knowledgeable enough about the household to provide
the necessary information for the Control Card screens,
and, if necessary, the incident report screens for each
incident he/she reports.
Normally, the best candidate for the household respondent
is the reference person or another household member
who owns or rents the housing unit. However, unlike
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the requirements for a reference person, the household
respondent does not have to be one of the owners or
renters of the housing unit.
(See Topic 4 of this chapter for information about
reference persons.)
During your initial interview with a household, you select
a household member who meets the household respondent
requirements. In subsequent interviews, the NCVS
instrument always prompts you to ask to speak to the
household respondent from the previous enumeration
period. However, if this is not possible, then make sure
that the household member you select for the current
interview period meets the requirements for a household
respondent and is knowledgeable about the household.
Exceptions to the Rule
Is it acceptable for a household respondent to be under
18 years of age?
If the reference person and/or the spouse of the reference
person is 17 years of age, either the reference person or the
spouse of the reference person can be the household
respondent. For example, a sample household is
comprised of a married couple ages 28 and 17. Because
they are married, either person qualifies as a household
respondent, even though one person is 17 years old.
If ALL household members are 17 years of age, select the
household member who appears to know the most about
the sample household. For example, three 17-year-old
friends rent an apartment together while attending college.
Try to select the household member who is most likely to
provide accurate information about household matters.
If you discover a household comprised of at least one
17 year old and the remaining persons are all under
17 years of age, select the 17-year-old household member
as the household respondent.
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NOTE:
If you encounter a household in which ALL
household members are under 17 years of age,
tell your supervisor who will discuss this
situation with Headquarters staff and then let
you know how to handle the case. Also make a
note of the situation in the case notes.
However, if the household consists of two or more
unmarried individuals AND at least one of the individuals
is 18 years of age or older, then the household respondent
must be one of the members who is at least 18 years of
age. For example, Joe, Terry, and Frank are good friends
and rent a house together. Joe is 17 years old, Terry is
19 years old, and Frank is 20 years old. In this example,
Terry and Frank are eligible to be the household
respondent, but Joe is NOT eligible because of his age.
When can a household respondent be a non-household
member?
A non-household member can ONLY be a household
respondent WHEN ALL OF THE FOLLOWING
CONDITIONS EXIST:
T ALL eligible household members are physically and/or
mentally unable to be interviewed,
T ALL eligible household members have been under the
care of the non-household member for the entire
reference period,
AND
T None of the eligible household members were able to
leave the sample address during the entire reference
period, unless they were accompanied by the nonhousehold member.
If any of the eligible household members are capable of
being interviewed, select a capable household member as
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the household respondent, instead of selecting the nonhousehold member.
Changing Household
Respondents During an
Interview
There may be instances when you need to change
household respondents after starting an interview.
This could happen if:
T
You ask to speak to the previous household
respondent and discover that he/she is no longer
considered a household member.
T
You discover that the previous household respondent
is unable to answer many of the questions about the
household. However, this situation should seldom
occur.
Under these circumstances, you must stop interviewing the
current household respondent and find a current household
member who is more knowledgeable about the household.
Use the “New HHR” tab at the top left of the NCVS
interview screen. The screen that appears, Item
NEW_HHR allows you to select a different household
respondent. At NEW_HHR, select the line number of the
new household respondent.
Once you have selected a new household respondent, start
the household respondent's interview from the beginning.
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Part C, Chapter 1
Topic 6. Proxy Interview
A proxy interview is one in which someone other than the
intended household member answers the interview
questions for another eligible household member. The
person who is authorized to answer for the intended
household member is referred to as the proxy respondent.
The intended household member who is unable to answer
the interview for himself/herself is referred to as the proxy
person.
Definition
Since a proxy respondent is more likely to omit an incident
or leave out some of the details about a reported incident,
we discourage proxy interviews, except as a last resort.
Acceptable Reasons for
Proxy Interviews
Only THREE conditions allow you to take a proxy
interview for a household member. These conditions are:
C
A parent will not allow you to speak to his/her 12- or
13-year-old child to conduct the interview. In this
situation, any household member who is at least
18 years of age can be the proxy respondent for the
child. However, one of the child's parents would be
the best proxy respondent.
C
An eligible household member is temporarily absent
during the entire interview period, such as a
household member who will be out of town for the
entire interview month caring for a sick relative.
Before accepting a proxy interview for this situation,
make sure that the absent person still qualifies as a
household member. If the absent person is still a
household member, then you can accept a proxy
interview from an eligible household member.
(See "Who Qualifies as a Proxy Respondent?"
later in this topic. Also see Topic 3 of this chapter
for more information about household
membership.)
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C
An eligible household member is physically or
mentally incapacitated continuously throughout the
entire interview period, due to health or mental
illness problems. For example, a household may
have a family member who is too hard of hearing to
complete a telephone interview for himself/herself or
a household may have a family member with
Alzheimer’s disease who cannot respond for
herself/himself.
The following problems do not constitute being
physically or mentally incapacitated and cannot be
accepted as reasons for taking a proxy interview: old
age (by itself), colds or flu, drunkenness, under the
influence of drugs, or any problems that might be
aggravated because a respondent feels that some
NCVS questions are upsetting (such as the NCVS
questions related to rape and sexual assault).
Proxy Interviews for
Household Respondents
There is ONLY ONE ACCEPTABLE REASON for taking
a proxy interview for a household respondent - when a
non-household member is a proxy respondent for an
ENTIRE household. This should happen only
occasionally, but when it does, the non-household member
must be the proxy respondent for the household
respondent AND all other household members who are
eligible for the NCVS interview.
If at least one eligible household member is capable of
being interviewed by self-response, then that person must
be the household respondent and the proxy respondent for
the remaining household members who are eligible for
interview. Always complete the household respondent's
interview BEFORE interviewing any other eligible
household members.
(Also see "Accepting a Non-household Member as a
Proxy Respondent" later in this topic.)
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Here are some scenarios:
Unacceptable Reasons for
Proxy Interviews
C
Both members of the Coe household suffer from
Alzheimer’s disease and a nurse cares for them on a
daily basis. The nurse is over 18 years of age and
has been caring for Roy and Mary Coe for the past 2
years. In this situation, the nurse qualifies as a proxy
respondent for Roy and Mary. The nurse would be
the proxy respondent for the household respondent
and the individual respondent.
C
The Moe household includes the reference person,
Megan Moe, and her 78-year-old mother, Jane Voe.
When you call the Moe household, only Jane Voe is
at home. Since both Megan and Jane are eligible to
be the household respondent. You should make Jane
the household respondent, take her NCVS interview,
and recontact the household later to interview Megan
as an individual respondent.
C
When you contact the Coe household, the only
household member who meets the requirements for a
household respondent is away on a business trip and
will not return before closeout. However, his
16-year-old son, Colin, is available when you call the
household. In this situation, you cannot take a proxy
interview for Colin's father and Colin cannot be the
household respondent. Since you must always
interview the household respondent first, you would
not be able to interview this household and the case
is considered a Type A noninterview.
To reinforce the fact that proxy interviews must only be
taken as a "last resort," four situations are listed below in
which you may be tempted to take a proxy interview for an
individual respondent, but must NOT. If you experience
any of these situations, you will not be able to interview
the household member.
W
You make several attempts to contact a household
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member during the interview period, but are never
successful in reaching him/her at home. A good
example of this would be a student who lives at
home, but is engaged in so many activities during the
day and evening that you are unable to set up an
interview before closeout.
Who Qualifies as a Proxy
Respondent?
W
A household member refuses to be interviewed even
after you try to persuade him/her to cooperate, but
tells you to get the information from another
household member.
W
You are unable to interview an eligible household
member, because another household member refuses
to let you conduct the interview. A good example of
this would be a parent who refuses to let you
interview his/her teenager who is 15 years old.
If you must take a proxy interview for an acceptable
reason, your first choice for a proxy respondent would be:
•
A household member who is at least 18 years old,
•
Very knowledgeable of the proxy person, and
•
Has already completed his/her own NCVS interview
by self-response.
Two exceptions to the age requirement for a proxy
respondent are when:
C
The household's reference person or one of the other
persons who owns or rents the home is under
18 years of age or
C
All household members are under 18 years of age.
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Accepting a Nonhousehold Member as a
Proxy Respondent
Part C, Chapter 1
On rare occasions, a non-household member can be a
proxy respondent. However, several requirements must be
met before you can allow a non-household member to be a
proxy respondent.
ALL of the following conditions must exist before
accepting a non-household proxy respondent:
•
Due to physical or mental illness problems, you are
unable to interview ALL eligible household
members by self-response.
•
During the entire reference period (6 months prior
to the interview date), ALL eligible household
members at the sample address were unable to leave
the sample address, unless they were accompanied
by the non-household person who cares for them.
•
The non-household caretaker must be the proxy
respondent for the entire household, including the
household respondent. This is the only situation in
which a household respondent's interview can be
a proxy interview.
•
The non-household proxy respondent must be at least
18 years old.
•
The non-household proxy respondent must have
cared for all eligible household members during the
entire reference period. If the non-household
member did not care for some or all of the household
members for more than a few days during the
reference period, this person does NOT qualify as a
proxy respondent.
If you do not feel comfortable or are unsure about a nonhousehold member as a proxy respondent, check with your
supervisor before conducting the proxy interview.
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Protecting
Confidentiality
When you conduct a proxy interview for the entire
household with a non-household member, you must enter
a description of the situation and explain who the proxy
respondent is in the “Case Level Notes.”
We have such strict requirements for accepting a nonhousehold proxy respondent because we want to ensure
each sample household member's confidentiality.
When talking to a proxy respondent who is not a
household member, you need to be especially careful not
to mention any information provided in a previous
enumeration period. This includes the following types of
information--household composition, marital status,
education, income, and so forth.
Keeping Proxy Interviews
to a Minimum
Whenever possible, we want eligible respondents
(household members who are at least 12 years of age) to
answer the interview questions for themselves. By
allowing a proxy respondent to answer for a household
member, you run the risk of:
C
Missing incidents and/or
C
Not getting sufficient details about reported
incidents.
(Also see pages A2-12 through A2-18 for proxy
respondent procedures.)
Problems Conducting a
Proxy Interview
You may encounter situations in which a proxy interview
is acceptable, but cannot be done because:
C
You are unable to identify an acceptable proxy
respondent
OR
C
An acceptable proxy respondent refuses to give you
an interview for a household member.
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When this happens, you will not be able to conduct an
NCVS interview for the household member.
In the following situation, you will not be able to interview
a sample household and the case will be considered a Type
A noninterview.
T
All household members are unable to be interviewed
by self-response due to health or mental illness
problems,
AND
T
The entire household is under the care of a nonhousehold member caretaker,
AND
T
The non-household caretaker refuses to give a proxy
interview for at least the household respondent.
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Topic 7. Unduplicating/Bounding Interviews
Unduplicating or reviewing bounding incidents is an
NCVS process to ensure that only one set of incident
report questions is completed for each incident or
personal victimization reported in the screen questions.
Definition
This process is designed to avoid duplicate incidents that
could occur when:
C The incident actually occurred in a previous
enumeration period and did not occur again during the
current enumeration period.
C The incident was reported already by another
household member during the current enumeration
period, such as a household break-in and robbery in
which no household members were threatened,
attacked, or personally victimized during the incident.
However, if any household members were personally
victimized during a crime incident, complete the
incident report questions for each household member
who was victimized during the incident.
This quality assurance measure is designed so that we can
provide a more accurate measure of criminal victimization
in the United States.
Unduplication Section of
the NCVS Instrument
After completing all incident reports with an eligible
household member (all screens covering the screen
questions and the incident report questions), the
instrument will check to see if there are any other incidents
reported for household members (including the current
respondent) either during the current interview month or
during the previous interview month. If there are other
incidents reported for the respondent or the household,
then you will go through a set of unduplication screens in
the NCVS instrument.
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As you go through this section of the instrument, you will
compare each incident reported by a respondent during the
current interview month against:
T All other incidents reported during the current
interview month
AND
T Up to four incidents reported in the previous interview
month.
The NCVS instrument will skip you over the
unduplication section if:
C The respondent did not report any incidents during the
current interview month,
OR
C The respondent only reported one incident and there
are no other incidents reported in either the current or
previous interview with the sample household.
If you need to go through the unduplication section of the
NCVS instrument, you will see some or all of the
following screens:
INTRO_UNDUP
Purpose of screen:
To let the respondent know what you are doing for the
next few minutes of the interview.
Text read to respondent:
"Now it will just take me a minute to review the crime
incidents I have recorded from you during this interview
at your household."
Instructions to you:
None
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Precodes:
(1) Enter 1 to continue (This precode takes you to
UNDUP_CURINC if there is more than one incident
reported in the current interview.)
UNDUP_CURINC
Purpose:
Provides you with pertinent facts about the current
incident that you will use to compare it against other
reported incidents in the same interview. You will be
provided with the following types of information about the
current incident: enumeration period in which the incident
was reported, respondent's line number, incident number,
month incident occurred, where incident occurred, weapon
information, presence, theft, and attack information, and
summary report information.
Text read to respondent:
None
Instructions to you:
Compare the incident data below. Is the incident on the
left a duplicate of the incident on the right?
Precodes:
(1) Yes
(2) No
Precode (1) codes the incident on the left as a duplicate
incident.
If there were no incidents reported for the household from
a previous interview month, then you go from the
UNDUP_CURINC screen to the JOBLASTWEEK
screen.
UNDUP_OLDINC
Purpose:
Provide you with key facts for up to four incidents
reported during a previous interview month, so you can
compare each one against the incident described on the left
of the screen.
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Text read to respondent:
None
Instructions to you:
Compare the incident data below. Is the incident on the
left a duplicate of the incident on the right?
Precodes:
(1) Yes
(2) No
Precode (1) codes the incident on the left as a duplicate
incident.
UNDUP_DONE
Purpose:
To let you know that your review of reported incidents is
complete and you can continue with the interview.
Text read to respondent:
None
Instructions to you:
THIS PERSON DOES NOT HAVE ANY MORE
INCIDENTS TO REVIEW, CONTINUE WITH THE
INTERVIEW.
Precodes:
(1) To continue. After pressing “1” the instrument
proceeds to JOBLASTWEEK when the respondent is 16
or older. If the respondent is between ages 12-15, the
instrument proceeds to the NEXTPERSON screen.
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Topic 8. Out-of-Scope Incident
Definition
An "out-of-scope" incident is one that falls outside of the
limits defined for this survey. The BJS has specific
reasons for wanting to exclude certain types of incidents
from our crime victimization data.
Outside Reference Period
Once you start completing the incident report section of
the NCVS instrument, there is only ONE reason for
stopping before the end of the section. If you discover at
the INCIDENTDATE screen that the incident occurred
either before the reference period start date, a popup
screen INCIDENTDATE_OK: appears, prompting you
to confirm the date: “Did you say (month)?” Click the
“suppress” button on the popup screen to confirm that the
date is outside the reference period and keep any more
questions from being asked about the incident.
To change the date of the incident, click the “Close” or
“Goto” button to return to INCIDENTDATE.
OSINCNOT
NEEDED
If the incident is outside the reference period, the next
screen that appears is OSINCNOTNEEDED:
“We are only asking about crimes that happened
during the last 6 months. We will not collect
information on this incident.”
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Part C, Chapter 2
Chapter 2
Screening for Crimes
Table of Topics
Topic
Page
1 Overview of Chapter 2
C2-2
2 Crimes Measured by the NCVS
C2-3
3 Threats
C2-7
4 Recognizable/Unrecognizable Businesses
C2-10
5 Ownership of Motor Vehicles
C2-18
6 Months/Years Living at Address
C2-20
7 Frequency of Household Moves
C2-23
8 Identity Theft Episodes
C2-25
Screening for Crimes
C2-1
Part C, Chapter 2
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Topic 1. Overview of Chapter 2
You will use the Screen Section of the NCVS instrument to determine if any
eligible household members have been victimized during the reference period. As
you use this section of the NCVS instrument to screen for crimes, you ask a series
of detailed questions about various types of victimizations, including situations in
which crimes could occur. However, not all crimes reported by respondents are
measured by the NCVS. Topic 2 covers crimes measured by the NCVS.
As you screen for crime incidents, you need to understand the concepts that are
associated with NCVS crimes. For example, a respondent may report that he or
she was threatened over the telephone, but the NCVS only includes face-to-face
threats made directly by the offender to the respondent. Topic 3 covers threats.
When respondents report thefts from their businesses, it is important to determine
whether these businesses are recognizable or unrecognizable. Not all thefts from
businesses owned by eligible respondents are measured by the NCVS. Only thefts
from businesses that are NOT advertised to the general public with signs or other
visible indicators of a business are included in the NCVS. Topic 4 covers
recognizable/unrecognizable businesses. When respondents report motor
vehicle thefts, the NCVS measures these thefts if they happened during the
reference period and the vehicles were owned by eligible household members at
the time of each incident. If a stolen vehicle is recovered and then sold before the
interview date, the NCVS still includes the theft. Topic 5 covers ownership of
motor vehicles.
Besides screening for crimes, you also ask questions about the sample household,
such as questions about a household's mobility. Topic 6 covers months/years
living at address, and Topic 7 covers frequency of household moves.
Finally, Topic 8 covers identity theft. These questions are intended to find out
how many households have been victims of identity theft and what problems
identity theft has caused those households.
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Part C, Chapter 2
Topic 2. Crimes Measured by the NCVS
NCVS Crime Categories
and Types
The NCVS incidents reported by sample household
members can be separated into two main crime categories:
personal crimes and property crimes.
Personal Crimes
Personal crimes include attempted and completed crimes
that involve direct contact between the victim and the
offender(s). Personal crimes can fall under one of the
following subcategories:
C
Violent crimes
Listed below are the types of personal crimes that are
considered violent crimes whether they are attempted
or completed:
T
T
T
T
T
C
Rape
Sexual assault
Personal robbery
Assault
Verbal threats of rape, sexual assault, personal
robbery, and assault
Personal theft
Listed below are the types of personal crimes that are
considered crimes of theft if they are attempted or
completed:
T Purse snatching
T Pocket picking
A personal theft crime involves an offender taking or
attempting to take property or cash directly from the
victim by stealth, without force or threat of force.
Property Crimes
Property crimes include attempted and completed crimes
that do not involve any direct contact with a sample
household member. Listed below are the types of crimes
that are considered property crimes:
Screening for Crimes
C2-3
Part C, Chapter 2
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
C
C
C
C
C
Personal Crimes vs.
Property Crimes
Forcible entry
Burglary, with forcible entry
Burglary, with illegal entry and no force
Motor vehicle theft
Theft
Personal crimes involve direct contact between offenders
and eligible household members during an incident,
regardless of whether or not the crimes were completed. If
more than one eligible household member was attacked,
verbally threatened, or had property or cash taken directly
from them during the same incident, you need to complete
the incident report screens of the NCVS instrument, for
each eligible household member who was personally
victimized during the incident.
Example:
The Trevor brothers, L1 (person on line 1) and L2
(person on line 2), are both eligible household members.
While they were waiting together in line to enter a movie
theater, someone threatened to stab both of them if they
did not hand over their wallets. Since both household
members were threatened with physical harm, you need
to complete the incident report screens when
interviewing both household members (L1 and L2).
Since property crimes do not involve any personal contact
between a household member and an offender, you only
need to keep one set of incident report screens for a
property crime incident. For example, if two household
members report the same property crime incident, you will
delete one incident report during the unduplication process.
Example:
During the reference period, the Burtons’ house was
illegally entered and burglarized while they were out of
town. John and Ellen Burton both reported this incident,
but you only need to keep the incident report screens for
this incident from one of their interviews.
Screening for Crimes
C2-4
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Part C, Chapter 2
Let's say that you completed the incident report screens for
the property crime described above, one for L1 (John
Burton) and another for L2 (Ellen Burton), and then you
discover that you completed two sets of incident report
screens for the same property crime incident.
If this happens, only keep one incident report, usually the
one reported by the household respondent, who is L1 in the
example above, and delete the duplicate incident reported
in L2's interview during the unduplication process.
(Also see Part C, Chapter 1, Topic 7, for information on
“Unduplicating/Bounding Interviews.”)
Crimes Not Measured by
the NCVS
The NCVS does not collect information about the
following types of crimes:
Y Murder (because there is no victim to interview)
Y Kidnaping
Y Any crimes against recognizable businesses, regardless
of whether the business is or is not operated from a
sample address
Y Con games and fraud, such as credit card and computerrelated
Y Blackmail
The following crimes against society also are excluded
from the NCVS:
Y
Y
Y
Y
Public drunkenness
Drug abuse
Prostitution
Illegal gambling
If a respondent reports a crime not measured by the NCVS,
complete the incident report screens so that we do not miss
any other crime that is measured by the NCVS and could
have been committed during the same incident.
Screening for Crimes
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Part C, Chapter 2
Classifying NCVS Crimes
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
After the following tasks are completed, a computer
program is used at Headquarters to classify each incident
into a specific type of NCVS crime:
C
All out-of-scope incidents for the NCVS have been
deleted,
C
Any editing discrepancies have been resolved, and
C
Specified NCVS data have been keyed.
Using a computer program designed to classify incidents by
type of crime ensures a consistent and standardized
classification of incidents. Keeping errors to a minimum
and reporting all important facts about a reported incident
at the SUMMARY screen will help ensure that each
incident classifies as the correct type of crime.
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NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Part C, Chapter 2
Topic 3. Threats
Definition
A threat must meet the following conditions to be
acceptable as a threat for the NCVS:
T The threat must be delivered verbally and face-to-face
between the offender and the respondent.
AND
T The threat must involve the potential for physical harm
to the respondent.
Examples of Acceptable
Threats
The following examples are acceptable threats for the
NCVS:
Example #1:
Julie was withdrawing money at an ATM when
an offender walked up behind her with a knife in
his hand and told her to hand over the money she
just withdrew or else he would stab her.
Example #2:
An older student and Bobby (who is 16 years old)
were arguing in the school parking lot. During
the argument, the older student threatened to
break Bobby's arm if he did not lend him his car
that afternoon.
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Part C, Chapter 2
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Example #3:
Ted heard a noise just outside his front door. He
went to the door and called out, "Who's there?"
The woman outside the front door yelled back,
"Let me in now or I'll come to your shop and kill
you."
The following types of threats are not threats for the NCVS:
Not Included for the NCVS
W Threats to physically harm the respondent delivered
over the telephone or a FAX machine,
W Threats to physically harm the respondent delivered in a
letter or an "email" message,
W Threats to physically harm the respondent delivered by
someone else for an offender,
W Threats to physically harm a household member who is
under 12 years of age,
W Threats to steal something from a household member or
damage something belonging to a household member,
without a threat to physically harm the household
member,
W Threats to physically harm household pets without a
threat to physically harm a household member
(including thefts of household pets), and
W Incidents in which a household member felt threatened,
but an offender did not verbally threaten to physically
harm the household member.
Examples of Unacceptable
Threats
The following examples are unacceptable threats for the
NCVS:
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Part C, Chapter 2
Example #1:
Frank and Mike are good friends. Mike asked
Frank to deliver a threat to his ex-girlfriend,
Diane, for him. Frank met Diane at her office
and passed on Mike's threat to beat her up if she
continued dating Tony.
Example #2:
Barbara was driving at night on a dark country
road when she noticed a big truck close to her
back bumper. The truck driver honked, flashed
his headlights, and then passed her at a high rate
of speed. Barbara claimed that she felt threatened
during that incident, although no words were
spoken between her and the truck driver.
Example #3:
Nick sent an e-mail message to Sam warning him
to stop parking in his company parking space or
he would knock him unconscious.
Screening for Crimes
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Part C, Chapter 2
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Topic 4. Recognizable/Unrecognizable Businesses
Definitions
When a business is operated from a sample address, we
only collect information about reported incidents involving
the business, such as a theft of business property, when the
business is considered unrecognizable. For this reason, it is
important that you understand the differences between an
unrecognizable and a recognizable business.
For the NCVS, an unrecognizable business must meet
ALL of the following criteria:
C
It must be an establishment selling products or
providing services for a fee that is operated by a
household member from the sample address.
C
There must be NO indication or sign announcing the
business to anyone from outside the sample address,
such as on a front door, window, garage door, mail box,
or a free standing sign in the front yard.
For the NCVS, a recognizable business must meet ALL of
the following criteria:
C
It must be a commercial establishment operated by a
household member either at the sample address or in
another structure from which products are sold or
services are provided for a fee.
C
The business has a sign announcing its existence and
the sign is clearly visible to the general public from
OUTSIDE of the business.
C
When the business is operated from the sample address,
the sign announcing the business must be located on the
sample household's property, such as a sign on a front
door, window, garage door, mail box, or a free standing
sign in the front yard.
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C2-10
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Part C, Chapter 2
Any crimes committed against a recognizable business,
such as an attempted or actual illegal entry of a
recognizable business or an attempted or actual theft of
property belonging to a recognizable business, are NOT
included in the NCVS. However, we do include in the
NCVS incidents in which a household member was
verbally threatened or harmed in some way or had personal
property taken while at a recognizable business.
Here are some examples of incidents that require the
completion of the incident report screens, because a
household member was verbally threatened or harmed in
some way or had personal property taken while at a
recognizable business:
Example #1:
A robbery took place while Monica was buying milk at
her local convenience store. During the robbery, the
offender threatened to kill her if she did not hand over
her purse. She handed over her purse without saying
anything.
Example #2:
While Dave was picking up his prescription at his local
pharmacy, someone stole his wallet from his jacket.
Example #3:
John operates a recognizable insurance agency from his
home. Last week, someone forcibly entered his home
and stole property belonging to both the business and to
John personally.
Identifying Businesses
Operated From the Sample
Address
There are two questions in the Screen Section of the NCVS
instrument that are asked only of the household respondent
to determine if:
U Anyone in the household operates a business from the
sample address (Item BUSINESS) and, if the answer is
"Yes,"
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U Whether there is a sign on the premises or some other
indication to the general public that a business is
operated from the sample address (Item
BUSINESSSIGN).
A "Yes" answer for Item BUSINESSSIGN indicates that a
recognizable business is operated from the sample address.
A "No" answer for Item BUSINESSSIGN indicates that an
unrecognizable business is operated from the sample
address.
Unacceptable Signs of a
Recognizable Business
Do not consider the following indicators as proof that a
recognizable business is operated from a sample address:
Y A business advertisement appearing on the Internet or
in a newspaper or telephone book.
Y Any form of motor vehicle that has a business logo
painted on it, such as a car, van, or truck parked either
in the driveway or on the street outside the sample
address.
Special Situations
Farms and ranches:
Consider a farm or ranch a recognizable business when
either of these conditions exist:
C
A sample address is on a farm or ranch AND there is a
sign somewhere on the property that identifies the farm
or ranch by a specific name, such as "Desert Creek
Dude Ranch."
C
A sample address is on a farm or ranch that has a
produce stand by the roadside of the property.
If the household respondent tells you at Item BUSINESS
that someone in the household operates a business from the
sample address, but the farm or ranch does not have a sign
or roadside produce stand on the property, enter
Precode (2), "No" at Item BUSINESSSIGN and consider
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NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Part C, Chapter 2
the business to be unrecognizable.
Apartments:
When a household member manages an apartment complex
in which he/she resides, consider this as a business operated
from the sample address. If the following conditions exist,
consider the business to be recognizable:
C
A sign is present outside the apartment of a resident
manager, resident owner, or apartment superintendent
stating his/her job.
OR
C
A sign is visible somewhere in the complex directing
people to this person's specific apartment because of
his/her job.
If either situation exists, exclude any incidents involving
thefts of property owned only by the apartment complex,
such as furnishings from a furnished apartment or any hall
decorations. However, you would complete the incident
report screens if any personal items belonging to the
respondent or other household members were stolen.
When no visible sign exists in the apartment complex or
outside the resident manager's apartment identifying his/her
position, enter Precode (2), "No," at Item BUSINESSSIGN
indicating an unrecognizable business. In this situation,
include any reported crime incidents involving property
owned by the apartment complex and reported by the
property's owner, such as furnishings stolen from a
furnished apartment.
Motor Vehicles:
Item SQTOTALVEHICLES is asked only of the
household respondent and the question asks:
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Part C, Chapter 2
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
"What was the TOTAL number of cars, vans, trucks,
motorcycles, or other motor vehicles owned by you or any
other member of this household during the last 6 months?
Include those you no longer own."
When a respondent operates a recognizable business from
the sample address and has a business vehicle, only include
the business vehicle in the count for Item
SQTOTALVEHICLES, if the vehicle is also used for
personal use. If the vehicle is used only for the
recognizable business, do NOT include it in the count for
Item SQTOTALVEHICLES.
If the respondent operates an unrecognizable business from
the sample address and has a business vehicle, the business
vehicle would be included in the count for Item
SQTOTALVEHICLES, regardless of whether the vehicle
was used for business or personal reasons.
Identifying Ownership of
Stolen Property
It is possible that a respondent could report a crime incident
in which property was stolen that belonged to the
household, a household member, and an unrecognizable
business operated from the sample address. When writing
the incident summary at the SUMMARY screen, it is
important to identify separately who owned the stolen
items.
For example, during one incident:
C
A big screen television valued at $800 belonging to the
entire household was stolen,
C
Three rings valued at $2,000 belonging to the wife of
the reference person were stolen, and
C
Five watches were stolen that were valued at $1,250
and belonged to the unrecognizable jewelry repair
business operated from the sample address.
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NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Part C, Chapter 2
When describing the type and value of stolen property, do
not lump together stolen property that belongs to the
respondent or his/her household with stolen property
belonging to the respondent's business. If the stolen
property belongs to a respondent's unrecognizable
business, describe the type and value of the business
property separately from the stolen property belonging to
the respondent or his/her household. Make sure to state
clearly that the stolen property belongs to an
unrecognizable business.
Handling Crime Incidents
Involving Businesses
The following examples show when to report incidents
involving businesses, as well as which parts of incidents
should not be reported in the incident report section of the
NCVS instrument:
U A respondent owns a recognizable candy store that is
not operated from the sample address. A theft occurred
at the candy store in which $100 was taken from the
register and $30 was taken from the respondent's wallet.
DO--Accept the incident when asking the screen
questions and complete the incident report questions for
the $30 theft from the respondent's wallet. However, do
NOT include information about the theft from the
register when completing the incident report questions.
U A respondent works at a recognizable department store
that was robbed. During the course of the robbery, the
respondent was shot in the arm with a handgun and
$500 was stolen from the register at which she was
working.
DO--Accept the incident when asking the screen
questions and complete the incident report questions for
the personal injury to the respondent. However, do
NOT include information about the theft from the
register when completing the incident report questions.
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Part C, Chapter 2
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U A respondent owns a recognizable hair salon and also
operates part of the business from her home (which
appears to be unrecognizable). Someone broke into her
home at the sample address and stole merchandise
belonging to the business.
DO--Accept the incident when asking the screen
questions and complete the incident report screens for
the household break in. Do NOT include information
about the theft, because the stolen property belongs to a
recognizable business.
U A respondent operates a recognizable lawn mower
repair service from his home. When he and his family
were on vacation, someone broke into their home and
stole some household items, as well as business tools
and a few lawn mowers from his business.
DO--Accept the incident when asking the screen
questions. When you complete the incident report
questions, only include information about the household
break in and the stolen household items. Do NOT
include information about the stolen business tools and
lawn mowers from the recognizable business.
Y Someone broke into the respondent's recognizable shoe
store after it was closed for the day and stole several
shoes, boots, and purses. The respondent did not
discover the incident until the next morning when she
opened the store.
DO NOT accept the incident and do NOT complete the
incident report questions, because the stolen property
belongs to a recognizable business and no sample
household members were threatened or injured during
the incident.
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Y A respondent operates a recognizable apartment house
at a beach resort that contains beach rental units. The
respondent reported that someone broke into and
vandalized two apartments, during the off season when
the apartment house was vacant. The offender(s) also
stole electronic equipment and appliances.
DO NOT accept the incident and do NOT complete the
incident report questions. Since this is a recognizable
business, do NOT keep the break in and theft
information. Also, since no sample household
members were threatened or injured during the incident,
you do not need to complete the incident report
questions.
Screening for Crimes
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Part C, Chapter 2
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Topic 5. Ownership of Motor Vehicles
Definition
For the NCVS, motor vehicles owned by household
members are any vehicles that:
U Can be legally tagged, registered, and used as a means
of transportation on most roads and highways (such as
cars, trucks, motorcycles, and recreation
vehicles/motor homes) and
U Were owned by a sample household member during the
6 months prior to the interview (reference period),
regardless of whether the vehicle was sold, given away,
junked, stolen, or abandoned before the interview date.
Item
SQTOTALVEHICLES
Item SQTOTALVEHICLES is asked only of the
household respondent as part of his/her screening interview.
The question at Item SQTOTALVEHICLES reads as
follows:
"What was the TOTAL number of cars, vans, trucks,
motorcycles, or other motor vehicles owned by you or any
other member of this household during the last 6 months?
Include those you no longer own."
If the household respondent answers "None," you will skip
over Item SQMVTHEFT which asks about any incidents
involving motor vehicles owned by the sample household.
Household Respondent
Refuses
If you encounter a household respondent who refuses to tell
you the number of vehicles owned by the household, tell
the respondent that we ask this question so we know
whether or not to ask about any crime incidents involving
household vehicles.
If the household respondent still refuses to answer your
question, enter Control + R, “Refused.” Item
SQMVTHEFT appears next asking about any crime
incidents involving household vehicles.
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Which Vehicles Do You
Include?
Part C, Chapter 2
Under the following circumstances, INCLUDE a motor
vehicle in the count of motor vehicles at Item
SQTOTALVEHICLES:
T Vehicles used for private and/or business purposes if
the vehicles are owned by a household member who
also operates an unrecognizable business from the
sample address.
T Vehicles used partially for private purposes if the
vehicles are owned by a household member who also
operates a recognizable business. You may need to
ask the household respondent whether or not a vehicle
is used only for business purposes when you are unsure
about its usage.
T Vehicles that are leased by a household member for
more than one month AND for which a household
member is responsible in case of theft.
Which Vehicles Do You
Exclude?
Under the following circumstances, EXCLUDE a motor
vehicle from the count of motor vehicles for Item
SQTOTALVEHICLES:
Y Vehicles that are used SOLELY for a recognizable
business operated by a household member.
Y Vehicles that are loaned to a household member from
someone who is not a household member or from a
business owned by someone who is not a sample
household member.
Y Vehicles that are kept at school and used by students
living away from the sample address while attending
school, even if the parents of the students own the
vehicles.
Y Vehicles that are rented or leased by a household
member for a short period of time (less than one
month).
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NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Topic 6. Months/Years Living at Address
Definition
For the NCVS, "Months/years living at address" means the
most current continuous length of time the household
member has lived at the sample address.
Example:
John and Cindy lived at the sample address for a
year before their trial separation. While they
were separated for 2 months, John left the sample
address and lived with his brother at another
address. After the 2-month separation ended,
John moved back into the sample address and has
continued to reside there continuously for the past
4 years. In this situation, the length of time John
has lived at the sample address would be 4 years.
Items Using This Concept
Item TIMEATADDRESS asks:
How long have you lived at this address?
When to Probe
Notice that in the top right corner of the screen text appears
that shows the “last reported as” address. The instrument
fills in the months and years the respondent answered
during the last enumeration. You can use that information
if you verify it with the respondent.
For most NCVS interviews, accept the answer given by the
respondent without probing after you ask, "How long have
you lived at this address?" However, if a respondent does
ask you to explain this question or the answer given seems
incorrect, probe by telling him/her that we want to know
how many months or years he/she has resided continuously
as a household member at the sample address.
If a respondent's answer is either too vague or given to you
in a range of years or months, probe for a more precise
answer.
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C2-20
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Part C, Chapter 2
If a respondent answers:
"Heavens, I've lived here for years and years."
Use this probe:
"Is it more than 5 years or less than 5 years?"
If a respondent answers:
"It's been about 5 to 10 years."
Use this probe:
"Can you give me your best estimate of the number of
years?"
If a respondent answers:
"Oh, I haven't lived here very long, less than a year."
Use this probe:
"Have you lived here less than 6 months or more than 6
months?"
Is a "Don't Know" Entry
Acceptable?
If you have probed for an answer and the respondent really
doesn't know and is unable to give you an estimate, you can
enter "Don't know" by pressing “Ctrl” + “D.” The
instrument then takes you to Item
TIMEATADDRESSPROBE.
Interpreting a
Respondent's Answer
There may be instances when you cannot enter exactly what
the respondent answers and you need to convert the
respondent’s answer to an acceptable form for entry. Here
are some examples for Item TIMEATADDRESS:
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Part C, Chapter 2
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Respondent answers:
"Half a year"
"It's been 2 1/2 years."
"I've lived here 1 year, 3 months,
and 10 days."
"11 and 1/2 months"
"All my life"
"Just 5 days"
"11 weeks"
"11 months and 1 week"
Enter:
Precode 0
3 years
1 year
1 year
Respondent's age from the HHROSTER tab by
pressing “Shift” and “F1" simultaneously, or
clicking on the tab
Precode 0
Precode 0
Precode 0
If a respondent has lived at a sample address for less than
one year (1 to 11 months), enter Precode (0) and then enter
the number of months at the MONTHSATADDRESS
screen. If a respondent has lived at a sample address 12
months or more, enter the number of years at the
TIMEATADDRESS screen.
When a respondent gives an answer in fractions of a month
or in the number of weeks, always convert weeks to one or
more months and either round up to the next month or
down to the previous month. If a respondent answers less
than a month, enter "1 month." If a respondent answers
with a number of years, plus a number of months, either:
C
Round up to the next year when the number of months
given is 6 or more (7 years and 8 months converts to 8
years).
C
When the number of months given is 5 or less, ignore
the number of months and just enter the number of
years (7 years and 2 months converts to 7 years).
Screening for Crimes
C2-22
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Part C, Chapter 2
Topic 7. Frequency of Household Moves
Definition
For the NCVS, we consider a move to be each time a
household member changes his/her usual place of
residence, regardless of whether the usual place of
residence was inside or outside of the United States. A
usual place of residence is the specific living quarters
where a household member usually lives and sleeps the
majority of each week or year.
TIMESMOVEDIN5YEARS
If a household member has lived at the sample address for
less than 5 years, you will ask the following question at
Item TIMESMOVEDIN5YEARS:
"Altogether, how many times have you moved in the last
5 years, that is, since (month of interview) , (year 5 years
prior to interview year)?"
The NCVS instrument will fill the correct information for
the “month of interview” and “year 5 years prior to
interview year.” If an eligible household member has lived
continuously at the sample address for 5 or more years prior
to the interview, the instrument skips over Item
TIMESMOVEDIN5YEARS.
Acceptable Answers
Acceptable answers at Item TIMESMOVEDIN5YEARS
are:
T One number that is a total of all moves made by the
respondent during the past 5 years, including the
household member's move to the sample address. If a
respondent answers with a range of times moved, you
need to probe for a single number.
T An estimated number when a respondent cannot
provide the exact number of moves.
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T Enter “Ctrl” + “D,” “Don’t know,” only as a last resort
when a respondent cannot provide even an estimated
number of times moved.
Probing for an Accurate
Answer
Some respondents may have difficulty remembering how
many times they have moved in the last 5 years, while other
respondents may not understand what we mean by the term
"moved." Be prepared to explain what the number of times
moved should include whenever a respondent appears
confused or asks you a question about Item
TIMESMOVEDIN5YEARS.
When you need to probe for an accurate count to enter at
Item TIMESMOVEDIN5YEARS, try asking the
respondent where he/she was living just before moving to
the sample address and how long he/she stayed at that
address. Repeat this type of questioning until you have
covered the respondent's moves within the past 5 years.
College Students
When interviewing a college student, you may need to
explain that we want to know each time he/she has moved
between his/her dormitory and parents' home during the
past 5 years. These students may not consider these
changes in their usual place of residence as moves, but we
do for the NCVS.
College students who live away from home during the
months of the year when school is in session should
consider the place where they are living as their usual place
of residence. However, if they return to their parents' home
to live during long vacation periods, their parents' home
would be considered their usual place of residence at that
time.
Screening for Crimes
C2-24
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Part C, Chapter 2
Topic 8. Identity Theft Episodes
Definition
Identity theft occurs when someone uses personal information
such as someone’s name, Social Security number, credit card
number, or other identifying information, without permission to
commit fraud or other crimes. The Identity Theft and
Assumption Deterrence Act of 1998, which became effective
October 30, 1998, makes identity theft a Federal crime with
penalties of up to 15 years imprisonment and a maximum fine of
$250,000.
The questions about identity theft were added to the NCVS in
July 2004, and help determine:
•
•
•
•
•
•
The number of identity theft episodes,
The type of episodes,
How these episodes were discovered,
The amount of money taken,
The length of time to resolve problems from the theft, and
Any other adverse effects related to identity theft incidents.
The beginning of the Identity Theft section collects information
about all identity theft incidents discovered by the household
respondent or any other eligible household member during the 6
months prior to the interview. The latter part of the Identity
Theft section relates only to the most recent identity theft
incident discovered during the last 6 months by the household
respondent or any other eligible household member.
Reasons for Asking
About Identity Theft
Identity theft is a serious crime and is becoming more prevalent.
Therefore, measuring identity theft is a priority of the U.S.
Department of Justice. In an effort to identify better ways to help
the victims of identity theft and to find more effective methods of
eliminating this type of crime, the survey sponsor, the Bureau of
Justice Statistics (BJS), requested that this new series of
questions be incorporated into the NCVS interview in July 2004.
People whose identities have been stolen can spend months or
years, as well as their hard-earned money, to clean up the mess
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Part C, Chapter 2
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Reasons for Asking
About Identity Theft
(continued)
that thieves have made of their good name and credit record. In
the meantime, victims may lose job opportunities, be refused
loans, education, housing or cars, or even get arrested for crimes
they did not commit. For this reason, the data collected from
these new questions is an extremely important tool for learning
more about the nature of identity theft crimes.
Eligible Respondents
for the Identity Theft
Questions
The identity theft questions are only asked of the household
respondent during his/her screen interview.
Which Items Cover the
Household
Respondent’s Identity
Theft Questions?
The household respondent’s identity theft questions start with
Item IDENTITYTHEFTINTRO1. This introductory screen is
followed by Items IDTHEFTCREDITCARD through
IDTHEFTMOSTRECENT which identify all identity theft
episodes discovered during the 6 months prior to the interview.
Items IDENTITYTHEFTINTRO2 through
IDTHEFTSUMMARY ask about details concerning only the
most recent discovery of identity theft.
Completing an Incident
Report
At this time, identity theft episodes are not considered NCVS
crimes, just as acts of vandalism are not considered NCVS
crimes, unless the incident also involves an attack, an attempted
attack, a threat of attack, a theft or an attempted theft. Therefore,
if a household respondent ONLY reports an identity theft episode
and none of the sample household members were attacked or
threatened and no theft or attempted theft took place, then you do
NOT complete an incident report for the identity theft episode.
However, if a household respondent does happen to mention an
NCVS crime incident as you ask the identity theft questions and
this incident had not been reported earlier in the interview, make
sure to add the incident (if not already reported) in the incident
report section at the INCIDENTTOADD screen. This ensures
that we do not lose valuable information.
Screening for Crimes
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NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Part C, Chapter 3
Chapter 3
Reporting Crime Incidents
Table of Topics
Topic
Page
1
Overview of Chapter 3
C3-3
2
Series of Crimes
C3-4
3
Right to Legally Enter Home/Lodging
C3-9
4
Restricted Areas/Areas Open to the Public
C3-12
5
Illegal Entry (With or Without Force)
C3-15
6
Presence During an Incident
C3-19
7
Weapons
C3-26
8
Rape/Unwanted Sexual Contact
C3-34
9
Theft/Attempted Theft of Cash/Property
C3-41
10 Value of Stolen Property/Methods Used to
Determine Value
C3-50
11 Property Ownership
C3-53
12 Recovered Money and/or Property
C3-57
13 Medical Care
C3-61
14 Medical Expenses
C3-63
15 Race of Offenders
C3-65
16 Other Victimized Household Members
C3-68
17 Damage to Property During an Incident
C3-71
18 Job/Business at Time of the Incident
C3-76
19 Major Activity During Week of the
Incident
C3-78
20 Incident Occurred at Work Site
C3-82
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Topic
Page
21 Incidents Involving a Police Officer
C3-84
22 Writing Summary Reports
C3-86
23 Type of Industry and Occupation
C3-95
24 Disability
C3-105
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NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Part C, Chapter 3
Topic 1. Overview of Chapter 3
Use the incident report section of the NCVS instrument to report crime
incidents. Each time an incident or personal victimization occurred during the
reference period, you complete the incident report screens to collect detailed
information about the incident or personal victimization. You complete the
incident report section for each household member who reports a personal
victimization during an incident (an attack, attempt to attack, or threat of
physical harm). However, you only keep one set of incident report questions for
each reported incident of a property crime in which none of the household
members were personally victimized (an illegal entry, something taken without
permission, and so forth).
As you collect data about crime incidents, there are several concepts that you
need to understand. Following this overview, definitions and examples are
provided for 25 important concepts that are associated with several screens in
the incident report module of the NCVS instrument.
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Part C, Chapter 3
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Topic 2. Series of Crimes
Definition
For the NCVS, a series of crimes consists of six or more
separate incidents that:
C
ALL occurred during the 6-month reference period,
C
Were ALL reported in the same screen question,
C
Are ALL very similar in nature,
AND
C
Cannot be described separately in enough detail so that
you can complete most screens in the incident report
section of the NCVS instrument.
All of these conditions must be met before you can
complete only one set of incident report questions for
multiple incidents.
Whenever possible, attempt to complete a separate
incident report section for each reported incident.
Classifying six or more similar incidents as a "series"
should be done only as a last resort, since the NCVS will
be losing detailed information for all but the most
recent incident.
Five or Less Similar
Incidents
If a respondent reports that five or less similar incidents
happened during the reference period, then you must
complete a separate set of incident report questions for
EACH reported incident. The instrument leads you
automatically through the correct number of incident
reports.
Classify an individual respondent as a noninterview if:
T The respondent reports five or less similar incidents,
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BUT
T The respondent is unable to recall enough individual
details to complete a separate set of incident report
questions for each of these similar incidents.
If this situation happens while interviewing a household
respondent, first try to select a new household respondent.
If you are able to do this but cannot complete the original
household respondent’s (who is now an individual
respondent) interview, classify the original household
respondent as a Type Z noninterview. However, if you are
not able to interview a household respondent, then classify
the entire household as a Type A - “Other” noninterview
and describe the situation in item TYPEA_SPEC6.
Verifying a Series of
Crimes
INCIDENTNUMBER
OFTIMES,
INCIDENTSSIMILAR,
and RECALLDETAILS
At the beginning of the incident report questions, there are
three screens to verify whether or not six or more similar
incidents meet the criteria for a series of crimes.
Screens INCIDENTNUMBEROFTIMES,
INCIDENTSSIMILAR, and RECALLDETAILS help
determine whether the multiple incidents meet the criteria
for reporting them as a series of crimes. If the multiple
incidents qualify as a series of crimes, then complete only
ONE set of incident report questions for the MOST
RECENT incident in the series.
At screen INCIDENTNUMBEROFTIMES, ask:
“Altogether, how many times did this type of incident
happen during the last 6 months?”
At screen INCIDENTSSIMILAR, ask:
“Are these incidents similar to each other in detail or are
they for different types of crimes?”
At screen RECALLDETAILS, ask:
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Part C, Chapter 3
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“Can you recall enough details of each incident to
distinguish them from each other?”
If you enter the following answers to these three questions,
then the similar incidents will qualify as a series of crimes:
•
At Screen INCIDENTNUMBEROFTIMES,
enterºThe number 6 or a number higher than 6.
•
At Screen INCIDENTSSIMILAR, enter
º Precode (1), "Similar."
•
At Screen RECALLDETAILS, enter
º Precode (2), "No."
If you enter a different answer for any one of these three
screens, the instrument skips to Item INCIDENTTIME,
because the multiple incidents do not qualify as a series of
similar incidents. In this instance, you complete a separate
set of incident report questions for each of the multiple
incidents.
Details for the Most Recent
Incident
Statement at Item
INCIDENTTIME
Examples of Incidents That
Qualify as a Series of
Crimes
Once you have determined that the multiple incidents
qualify as a series of crimes, for most of the incident
questions you only ask about the MOST RECENT
INCIDENT in the series of crimes.
ALWAYS read the "lead-in" statement above the question
in Item INCIDENTTIME BEFORE asking the question.
This statement says: “The following questions refer only
to the most recent incident.” With the exception of Item
SERIESNUMTIMES through
SERIESCONTACTORNOT, do not include information
about any earlier incidents in the series when completing
the incident report questions.
Listed below are two examples of reported incidents that
qualify as a series of crimes.
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Example #1:
Interview Date: August 2
Reference Period: February 1 through August 1
Tammy reported that money was stolen from her desk at
work on seven different occasions between February and
April. She never found out who stole the money and
each time the circumstances were so similar that Tammy
cannot differentiate one incident from the other. These
incidents stopped in April, because Tammy stopped
leaving small amounts of money on top of her desk.
Example #2:
Interview Date: March 1
Reference Period: September 3 through February 28
Dennis reported that the shed in his yard was broken into
and a variety of small garden tools were stolen on six
different occasions between October and November.
Dennis really cannot remember enough details about
each incident to report them separately. The series of
incidents ended when the offender was caught.
Examples of Incidents That
Do NOT Qualify as a Series
of Crimes
Listed below are two examples of reported incidents that do
NOT qualify as a series of crimes.
Example #1:
Interview Date: September 1
Reference Period: March 1 through August 31
Bridget reported that a male co-worker kissed her against
her will on four different occasions in July. She was so
upset that she remembers the circumstances of each
situation very well.
In this situation, the crimes do NOT qualify as a series of
crimes because the respondent reported less than six
similar incidents, regardless of whether or not the
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NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
respondent remembers enough details to report each
incident separately.
Example #2:
Interview Date: April 2
Reference Period: October 2 through April 1
Tim reported that his ex-girlfriend threatened to shoot
him on seven different occasions between November and
January. Tim was so frightened by her that he
remembers the details of each incident very vividly.
In this situation, the crimes do NOT qualify as a series of
crimes, even though there were more than six, because the
respondent remembers the details of each situation so that
he could differentiate one from another for completing the
incident report questions.
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NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Part C, Chapter 3
Topic 3. Right to Legally Enter Home/Lodging
Definition
For the NCVS, we consider that an offender has a legal
right to enter a respondent's home or lodging when the
offender:
T Was living or staying with the respondent at the time of
the incident,
OR
T Had the right to be in the home or lodging or had
permission at the time the incident took place to be
inside the home or lodging, such as a maid from a
cleaning service or a hotel maid, a babysitter, nurse,
salesperson, meter reader, maintenance person, friend,
or relative.
OFFENDERLIVE
When a respondent tells you at Item
LOCATION_IN_HOME that an incident happened in
his/her own home, in a detached building on his/her
property, in a vacation or second home, or in his/her
hotel/motel room and you enter a precode from (11)
through (14) or a “Don’t know” or “Refused” response, the
instrument skips you to OFFENDERLIVE next. At Item
OFFENDERLIVE, you ask:
“Did the offender live there or have a right to be there, for
instance, as a guest or a repair person?”
This question is intended to determine whether or not the
offender had a legal right to enter the respondent's home or
lodging.
No Legal Right to Enter
Under the following circumstances, an offender does NOT
have a legal right to enter a respondent's home or lodging:
Y The offender misrepresented himself/herself as a
policeman, repairperson, and so forth, and fraudulently
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Part C, Chapter 3
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
gained permission to enter the respondent's home or
lodging.
Y The offender was let in by a child or neighbor when the
homeowners would not have allowed the offender to
enter their home.
Y The offender forced his/her way into the respondent's
home or lodging as the respondent answered the door.
Y The offender broke a door lock or window or cut a
screen to enter the respondent's home or lodging.
Offender Not Known,
But Suspected
Examples of Having a
Legal Right to Enter Home/
Lodging
If a respondent is not certain who the offender was, ask the
respondent if the person "suspected" of being the offender:
C
Was living or staying with the respondent at the time of
the incident.
C
Had the right to be in the home or lodging or had
permission at the time that the incident took place to be
inside the home or lodging, such as a maid, babysitter,
nurse, salesperson, meter reader, maintenance person,
friend, or relative.
Listed below are two examples of an offender who has a
legal right to enter the respondent's home/lodging.
Example #1:
Sara, who is 12 years old, reported that during a recent
slumber party one of her guests stole a ring that belonged
to her mother from the kitchen table. Another guest saw
her steal it and told Sara the next morning.
In this situation, the offender was a guest in the
respondent's home and had permission at the time of the
incident to be inside Sara's home.
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Example #2:
Paul reported that his cellular phone was stolen from the
kitchen table by an appliance repair person who was
working on his kitchen stove.
In this situation, the appliance repair person had permission
at the time that the incident took place to be inside Paul's
house.
Examples of Not Having a
Legal Right to Enter Home/
Lodging
Listed below are two examples of an offender who does
NOT have a legal right to enter the respondent's
home/lodging.
Example #1:
Jack reported that someone who misrepresented himself
as a police officer entered his home, tied him up, and
stole cash, jewelry, and other valuable collectibles.
In this situation, the offender did not have a legal right to
enter Jack's home. If Jack had known that the offender was
not a police officer, he would not have allowed him to enter
his home.
Example #2:
Tony has a restraining order against his brother which
prohibits his brother from coming onto his property.
While Tony was at a business meeting out of town, his
neighbor was house sitting for him. The neighbor was
not aware of the restraining order and let the brother into
Tony's house. While the brother was in the house, he
stole Tony's coin collection.
In this situation, the offender did not have a legal right to
enter Tony's home, because the homeowner would not have
allowed the brother to enter his home.
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Part C, Chapter 3
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Topic 4. Restricted Areas/Areas Open to the Public
Definition
For the NCVS, we consider a "restricted area" one in
which:
C
Only certain people are allowed to enter without being
considered trespassers.
C
Persons found in the area OTHER THAN the
"acceptable persons" are considered trespassers.
We consider an area "open to the public" at the time of
the incident if anyone has a right to enter the place.
RESTRICTEDAREA
When you determine at Item LOCATION_GENERAL
that an incident happened in a commercial place, parking
lots or garages, at school, or in a place identified in the
"Other" category, the instrument goes to Item
RESTRICTEDAREA, which asks:
"Did the incident happen in an area restricted to certain
people or was it open to the public at the time?"
For this question, you have the option of either asking the
question or verifying the answer before entering a precode.
The answer categories include:
T Precode (1) - Open to the public
T Precode (2) - Restricted to certain people (or nobody
had a right to be there)
T Precode (3) - Don’t know
T Precode (4) - Other - Specify
Areas Open to the Public
The following places are examples of areas USUALLY
open to the public:
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NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Areas Restricted to
Certain People
Part C, Chapter 3
C
Public areas in commercial establishments, such as in
department stores, convenience stores, barber shops,
restaurants, and so forth.
C
Public sidewalks and parks
C
Public buildings, such as local libraries, Social Security
offices, motor vehicle administration offices, and so
forth.
C
Parking lots that do not charge a fee, such as most
shopping center parking lots
C
Apartment yards
The following places are examples of areas USUALLY
restricted to certain people:
Y School buildings and school grounds
Y Private yards
Y Employee's lounges, back rooms, storage areas,
kitchens, and so forth, in commercial establishments
Y Private clubs, such as country clubs and swim clubs
Y Military bases
Y Public areas of commercial establishments when not
open for business
Other (Specify)
Enter Precode (4), "Other (Specify)," when a respondent's
answer at Item RESTRICTEDAREA does not fit any of
the preceding categories. After entering Precode (4), you
will be prompted to enter a description of the area and the
special circumstances.
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Don't Know
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Enter Precode (3), "Don't know," when a respondent is not
sure if the area was open to the public when the incident
occurred. This could be the case if the respondent does not
know when the incident took place.
Here is an example:
Sara left her leather jacket at the public library where she
had been studying. She returned the next day to get her
jacket, but no one knew where it was. In this case, she
does not know whether the offender stole her leather
jacket while the library was open to the public or after
the library was closed to the public.
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NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Part C, Chapter 3
Topic 5. Illegal Entry (With or Without Force)
Definition
For the NCVS, illegal entry happens when a person who
has no legal right to be on the premises enters, with or
without force, a residence or lodging that is owned or
rented by the sample household during the reference period.
The NCVS is also interested in collecting data on
unsuccessful attempts to illegally enter a sample
household's residence or lodging.
Since most illegal entries result in the theft of household
property, the NCVS is not only interested in actual or
attempted illegal entries at the sample address, but also at
any residences, vacation homes, recreation vehicles, and so
forth, that are occupied by the sample household at the time
of the incident.
Examples of Illegal Entries
Without Force
Here are two examples of incidents involving illegal entries
without force:
Example #1:
While Pat was watering his garden in the back yard, he
left the front door unlocked. As he entered his house
from the back door, he heard noises in the living room.
Just as he entered the living room, he saw someone
running out the front door. Then he noticed that his
cellular phone was missing from the hall table.
Example #2:
While Frank and Amy were renting a summer cottage,
they left the door unlocked and walked down to the
beach for a short walk. When they returned to the
cottage, they found a stranger in the kitchen taking food
out of the refrigerator. The stranger said that since the
door was unlocked, she just let herself in.
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Examples of Illegal Entries
With Force
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Here are two examples of incidents involving illegal entries
with force:
Example #1:
When John returned home from the movies, he
discovered that the glass was broken in his garage
window. As he entered his garage, he found that several
tools were gone and the side door to the garage was left
open.
Example #2:
When Tim and Becky returned home from shopping,
they discovered the porch screen was cut and all their
wicker furniture was gone.
Item SQBREAKIN
Item SQBREAKIN is the only screen question that
specifically asks about any attempted or actual illegal
entries that occurred during the 6-month reference period
and this screen question is asked only of the household
respondent.
Make sure to include illegal entries or attempted illegal
entries:
C
At a household respondent's previous residence if
he/she is in the process of relocating to the sample
address and still owns the previous residence during the
reference period.
C
At the sample address if the current household owned
the residence during the reference period, but had not
yet moved into residence at the time of the incident.
C
Into a garage, shed, or storage room at the sample
address if the household respondent owned or rented
the property during the reference period.
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C
Into a hotel or motel room, vacation home, second
home, or recreation vehicle in which the respondent or
other household members were staying when the
incident took place.
C
Into a vacation home owned by the respondent, but
unoccupied at the time of the incident.
Even though Item SQBREAKIN is the only screen
question that specifically asks about illegal entries, you may
discover other incidents involving an illegal entry as you
ask other screen questions. Always enter incident
information at the screen question where the respondent
mentions them, including illegal entry incidents.
Items in the Incident
Report Section
There are five items in the incident report section of the
NCVS instrument that are used to collect information about
illegal entries–Items OFFENDERINSIDE,
OFFENDERTRY, OFFENDERGETIN,
FORCEDENTRY, and EVIDENCE. At the SUMMARY
screen, include details (not already entered in the incident
report) about an illegal entry as you summarize the reported
incident.
Other items in the incident report section that mention
illegal entry or attempted illegal entry in their answer
categories are Items WHATHAPPEN and HAPPEN.
However, these two screens are not actually used during
post data collection processing to classify incidents as an
illegal entry.
OFFENDERINSIDE
When a respondent tells you at Item
LOCATION_IN_HOME that the incident occurred in
his/her home or lodging (and the answer to
OFFENDERLIVE is “No” or “Don’t know”), then you
will ask the question at Item OFFENDERINSIDE to
determine whether the offender actually entered or got
inside the respondent's home or lodging. For example, an
offender may have entered a large apartment building, but
never actually entered the respondent's apartment unit.
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Part C, Chapter 3
OFFENDERTRY
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
If a respondent tells you at Item OFFENDERINSIDE that
an offender did not get inside the respondent's home or
lodging or a respondent gives you a "Don't know" answer,
then ask the question at Item OFFENDERTRY to
determine whether the offender tried to get inside the home
or lodging.
A "No" answer at Items OFFENDERINSIDE and
OFFENDERTRY indicates that the offender did NOT get
inside or try to get inside the respondent's home or lodging.
If OFFENDERLIVE, OFFENDERINSIDE, or
OFFENDERTRY are all answered “No,” the hard error
pop-up box ENTRY_CK appears. This edit check appears
when you entered precodes indicating that the incident
happened inside the respondent’s home or lodging, but the
offender did not have a right to be inside, nor did they get
inside or try to get inside. Therefore, the incident could not
have happened inside. Use the “Close” or “Goto” button to
navigate to the correct screen to fix the inconsistency.
FORCEDENTRY and
EVIDENCE
Items FORCEDENTRY and EVIDENCE are used to
determine whether there was any visible evidence (and
what the evidence was) that an offender used force to
illegally enter or try to illegally enter a respondent's home
or lodging.
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Topic 6. Presence During an Incident
Definition
For the NCVS, "presence" during an incident is intended to
determine whether any sample household member at the
time of interview:
T Was at the immediate scene of the crime during the
incident
AND
T Was in a place that was reachable by the offender, so
that the offender could have or did attack, threaten to
attack, or steal something directly from the household
member.
Understanding whether or not a respondent was "present"
during an incident and entering the correct information at
Items HHMEMBERPRESENT and WHICHMEMBER
is a very important part of the incident report section of the
NCVS instrument. Whenever a respondent was "present"
during an incident, you will ask additional questions to
determine if the offender attacked the respondent,
attempted to attack the respondent, threatened the
respondent, or injured the respondent. Getting an accurate
and complete picture of everything that transpired during
the incident will help later to classify the incident into the
proper type of crime category during post data collection
processing.
When an Attack, Robbery,
or Threat Has Occurred
Consider the respondent or any other current household
member to be "present" if you determine that:
C
They were attacked or someone attempted to attack
them.
C
They had something taken directly from them or an
attempt was made to take something from them.
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C
They were personally threatened with physical harm by
the offender, even when the offender delivers the threat
from the other side of a closed door.
Do NOT include threats received by telephone, postal
mail, electronic mail, or facsimile machines. Also
exclude any threats delivered indirectly from someone
other than the person who intended to physically harm
the respondent.
Here are a few examples:
Example #1:
Peter was looking out of his living room window when he
saw a co-worker he had been arguing with standing in his
yard with a gun. Before Peter could duck, the co-worker
shot through the window and hit Peter in the shoulder.
Consider Peter present because he was personally
attacked and injured, even though the offender was
outside of his home.
Example #2:
Wendy's neighbor is upset because Wendy's dog keeps
jumping the fence and antagonizing his dog. One evening
Wendy heard someone knocking on her front door and
yelling obscenities. When Wendy asked the neighbor
what was wrong, he replied with: "If you don't keep your
maniac dog in your own yard, you'll be sorry because I'll
put you in the hospital." Consider Wendy present because
she was threatened with physical harm, even though the
neighbor was outside her closed front door.
HHMEMBERPRESENT
and WHICHMEMBER
The question at Item HHMEMBERPRESENT asks:
"Were you or any other member of this household
present when this incident occurred?"
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(Note that there is a HELP screen for this item; press F1 to
access it.) You must ask or verify this information before
entering an answer at Item HHMEMBERPRESENT.
Only verify the answer when you are ABSOLUTELY
SURE of the answer based on what the respondent has
already told you about the incident. If the only persons who
were present at the time of the incident are not household
members at the time of your interview, then enter Precode
(2), "No."
The question at Item WHICHMEMBER asks:
"Which household members were present?"
This screen is designed to identify which household
members were present during the incident--the respondent
(victim) only, the respondent (victim) and other household
members, or only other household members. If you
mistakenly enter Precode (3), "Only other household
member(s), not respondent," the respondent will not have
an opportunity to provide us with any information about
possible attacks, attempted attacks, threats, or injuries
associated with the incident. (If you mistakenly enter
Precode (3) at WHICHMEMBER, be sure to correct your
answer.)
For proxy interviews, enter Precode (1) if the proxy person,
NOT the proxy respondent, was present. However, if the
proxy person and other household members (including the
proxy respondent) were present during the incident, enter
Precode (2), “Respondent and other household members.”
You may discover that a respondent was present during an
incident after entering a "No" answer at Item
HHMEMBERPRESENT. If this happens, back up to
Item HHMEMBERPRESENT with the “Up Arrow” key
and change the "No" answer to a "Yes" answer by entering
Precode (1). Then, ask the subsequent questions as the
appropriate screens appear based on a “Yes” response at
Item HHMEMBERPRESENT.
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Remember that you must complete a separate set of
incident report questions for EACH household member
who is 12 years of age or older at the time of interview and
who was personally victimized during a crime incident.
This is true even if more than one household member was
victimized during the SAME incident.
When and How to Probe
for
HHMEMBERPRESENT
If you sense that a respondent does not grasp the intent of
the question at Item HHMEMBERPRESENT, then you
should probe to assist the respondent in giving an accurate
answer. Here are some probes you might want to try:
"Were you at the immediate scene of the crime?"
"Were you inside the house when the offender broke into
your basement?"
"Were you inside the house when your party guest stole
your jewelry?"
"Were you inside the house when the offender attempted
to break into your attached garage?"
"Were you and the offender both in your yard when the
bicycle was stolen from the driveway?"
A "Yes" answer to any of these probes indicates that the
respondent was present during the incident.
"Did you go outside when you saw the offender
tampering with your car parked in your driveway, or did
you watch from inside your house?"
If the respondent went outside during the incident and the
offender had not fled the scene, then the respondent was
present during the incident. Consider the respondent
present in this situation because he/she was at the
immediate scene of the crime during the incident AND was
in a place that was reachable by the offender. Therefore,
the offender could have attacked, threatened to attack, or
stolen something directly from the respondent.
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However, if the respondent watched the offender from
inside the house, then the respondent was NOT present
during the incident.
If probing still does not help to confirm whether anyone in
the household was present during the incident, enter
Precode (1), "Yes," at Item HHMEMBERPRESENT.
Only enter Precode (2), "No," when you are sure that
NONE of the household members were present during
the incident.
Examples of When It Is
Correct to Enter
Precode (1), "Yes," at
HHMEMBER
PRESENT
For each of the following situations, enter Precode (1),
"Yes," at Item HHMEMBERPRESENT:
T
Respondent was reading in the den while the offender
broke into her attached garage and stole some tools,
even if there was no entrance leading directly from the
attached garage into the home.
T
Respondent was sewing in an upstairs room while the
offender broke into her enclosed porch and stole her
gas grill.
T
Respondent and his family were all asleep on the
second floor of their home while the offender broke in
through the basement door and stole some stereo
equipment from the basement.
T
While respondent was sleeping on his beach blanket,
someone stole his watch and wallet from the blanket.
T
While respondent was getting into her car in a parking
garage, the offender pointed a gun at her and stole her
purse.
T
A student punched the respondent in the stomach in
the school cafeteria.
T
While the respondent was on a business trip, the
offender picked his pocket and stole his wallet.
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Examples of When It Is
Correct to Enter
Precode (2), “No,” at
HHMEMBER
PRESENT
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
T
While at a house party, an offender threatened to break
down the door and knock the respondent unconscious
if he did not unlock the door and let his girlfriend out
of the bedroom.
T
During a party at the respondent's home, the
respondent was in his family room while a party guest
stole money from the bedroom dresser.
For each of the following situations, enter Precode (2),
"No," at Item HHMEMBERPRESENT:
Y The home/apartment at a sample address was broken
into while the respondent and all other household
members were shopping at a mall.
Y The respondent and all other household members were
sleeping in their bedrooms when someone stole the
respondent's car from his driveway.
Y The respondent was at a restaurant when her leather
coat was stolen from the coatroom in the restaurant
lobby.
Y Respondent looked out her kitchen window and saw
someone steal her son's bicycle from the backyard.
Y Someone stole a rocking chair from a respondent’s
unenclosed front porch, while the respondent was
baking in her kitchen.
Y Someone stole an air compressor from a respondent’s
detached garage while the respondent was working in
his home office.
ANYONEPRESENT
Item ANYONEPRESENT asks, "Was anyone present
during the incident besides you and the offender? (Other
than children under age 12.)" The same guidelines on
presence that you just read for Item
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HHMEMBERPRESENT also apply to Item
ANYONEPRESENT.
As you ask the questions at Items ANYONEPRESENT
through HHMEMHARMED in the incident report section,
you may discover that current household members were
either harmed, threatened with harm, robbed by force or by
threat of harm. If this happens, you need to complete a
separate set of incident report questions for each household
member who:
C
Is at least 12 years of age,
C
Was present during the incident,
C
Considers herself/himself to be a victim of a crime, and
C
Have not yet completed their NCVS interview.
Be careful not to assume that other household members
were victims of a crime just because they were present
during a crime incident.
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Topic 7. Weapons
Definition
For the NCVS, most guns and knives are always considered
weapons. However, BB guns and tear gas guns are only
considered weapons when offenders use them as clubs to
attack or threaten to attack respondents. Before any other
type of blunt or sharp objects can be considered a weapon,
the offender must have used or threatened to use the object
to inflict physical harm upon a respondent.
Example of an object used as a weapon:
As Ben entered the stockroom where he worked, he
discovered an offender who jumped up and cut Ben's
throat with a screwdriver. In this incident, the
screwdriver is a weapon.
Example of an object NOT used as a weapon:
An offender tried to break into a respondent's house
using a screwdriver to break the door lock, but was
unsuccessful. In this incident, the screwdriver is NOT a
weapon.
If an offender throws an object at a respondent AND the
object hits and seriously injures the respondent, then the
thrown object can be considered a weapon.
A motor vehicle can be considered a weapon if :
C
The respondent knows the offender and the offender
deliberately used a motor vehicle to try to run into the
respondent's vehicle or a vehicle in which the
respondent is riding.
C
The respondent believes that the offender deliberately
struck or tried to hit him/her with a motor vehicle while
the respondent was on foot, a bicycle, in a motor
vehicle, and so forth. The respondent's belief could be
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based on words spoken by the offender or facts known
about the offender.
However, the offender's vehicle is NOT a weapon if the
respondent does not know the offender and there was
NO verbal threat of physical harm to the respondent
when:
C
The offender cut in front of a vehicle driven by the
respondent.
C
The offender cut in front of a vehicle in which the
respondent was a passenger.
C
The offender and the respondent were involved in some
type of traffic accident or incidence of road rage.
The following objects are never considered weapons:
Y Animals
Y Parts of the body (for example, hands, feet, and so
forth)
Y Food
Y Small empty cans
Y Mace or pepper spray
Y Tear gas
Y Chloroform
Y Rings
Y Casts
If you press “F1” at Item WEAPON, you can access a
“Help” screen which shows a list of objects that are never
considered weapons for the NCVS.
WEAPONPRESENT and
WEAPON
Item WEAPONPRESENT is used to determine whether or
not the offender had a weapon or something he/she
intended to use as a weapon during the incident. The
question at Item WEAPONPRESENT asks:
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"Did the offender have a weapon such as a gun or knife,
or something to use as a weapon, such as a bottle or
wrench?"
If you get a "Yes" response, ask the question at Item
WEAPON next, so that you can identify the weapon(s)
used during the incident. The answer categories for Item
WEAPON are:
Precode:
(1)
(2)
(3)
(4)
(5)
(6)
Hand gun (pistol, revolver, etc.)
Other gun (rifle, shotgun, etc.)
Knife
Other sharp object (scissors, ice pick, axe, etc.)
Blunt object (rock, club, blackjack, etc.)
Other - Specify
Since Item WEAPON allows for multiple entries, continue
asking "Anything else?" until you get a "No" response.
Keep the following points in mind for Item WEAPON:
T If an offender had a blunt or sharp object, other than a
gun or knife, and he/she did not use or threaten to use
the object to inflict physical harm upon the respondent,
the object is NOT a weapon. If no other weapon was
mentioned, go back to Item WEAPONPRESENT and
change the answer to "No" by entering Precode (2) at
Item WEAPONPRESENT.
T If an offender used either a BB gun or a tear gas gun as
a club to hit or threaten to hit the respondent, enter
Precode (5), "Blunt object," at Item WEAPON.
T If an offender made a deliberate attempt to hit the
respondent with a motor vehicle or to cause an accident
and physically harm the respondent in some way with a
motor vehicle (within the guidelines listed on
page C3-26), enter Precode (6), "Other," and enter
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"motor vehicle" in the "Specify" space at Item
WEAPON_SPEC.
T Whenever you enter Precodes (4), (5), or (6) at
Item WEAPON, make sure to explain at the
SUMMARY screen what the object was and how the
offender either used or threatened to use the object as a
weapon to physically harm the respondent.
When a respondent tells you that an offender had a weapon
at Item WEAPONPRESENT and then the respondent
identifies one or more weapons at Item WEAPON, the
respondent should answer “Yes” in at least one of the
following items:
HOWTRYATTACK and
HOWTHREATEN
•
ATTACK
•
TRYATTACK
•
THREATEN
“Did the offender hit you, knock
you down, or actually attack you in
any way?”
“Did the offender try to attack
you?”
“Did the offender threaten you with
harm in any way?”
Whenever a respondent says that an offender either tried to
attack or threatened to attack him/her, ask the question at
Item HOWTRYATTACK for "tried to attack" OR the
question at Item HOWTHREATEN for "threatened to
attack." The answer categories for both items are identical
and the following categories involve the use of a weapon:
Precode:
(17) Weapon present or threatened with weapon
(18) Shot at (but missed)
(19) Attempted attack with knife/sharp weapon
(20) Attempted attack with weapon other than
gun/knife/sharp weapon
Keep the following points in mind for Items
HOWTRYATTACK and HOWTHREATEN:
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HOWATTACK
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
T
Enter Precode (17) when a weapon was present
during the incident or if the offender threatened to
physically harm the respondent with the weapon.
However, if the respondent was injured by the
weapon, then a “Yes” answer should be entered at
Item ATTACK and then you will skip to Item
HOWATTACK.
T
Enter Precode (18) when an offender discharged a gun
in the direction of the respondent, but the respondent
was not hit. However, if the respondent was injured
by gun fire, a “Yes” answer should be entered at Item
ATTACK and then you will skip to Item
HOWATTACK.
T
If an offender attempted to attack the respondent with
a knife or another sharp object, such as scissors or an
ice pick, enter Precode (19).
T
If an offender attempted to attack the respondent with
an object such as a rock, club, or blackjack, enter
Precode (20).
When the respondent tells you at Item ATTACK that the
offender hit, knocked down, or actually attacked him/her in
any way, you will skip to Item HOWATTACK to
determine how the respondent was attacked. The following
answer categories for Item HOWATTACK involve the use
of a weapon:
Precode:
(14)
(15)
(16)
(17)
(18)
(19)
(20)
Shot
Shot at (but missed)
Hit with gun held in hand
Stabbed/cut with knife/sharp object
Attempted attack with weapon (other than gun)
held in hand
Hit by object (other than gun) held in hand
Hit by thrown object
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(21)
Attempted attack with weapon other than
gun/knife/sharp weapon.
Since Item HOWATTACK allows for multiple entries,
continue asking "Anything else?" until you get a "No"
response.
Keep the following points in mind for Item
HOWATTACK:
INJURY
T
If you discover that the respondent was not attacked
and there was no physical contact between the
offender and the respondent, go back to Item
ATTACK and enter a "No" answer by entering
Precode (2) at Item ATTACK.
T
If you enter Precodes (15), (18), or (21) at Item
HOWATTACK and no physical attack with contact
took place during the incident, then the respondent
was not attacked. In this situation, go back to Item
ATTACK and enter a "No" answer by entering
Precode (2) at Item ATTACK.
If the respondent was attacked in any way during the
incident, you will ask the question at Item INJURY to
determine:
C
If the respondent sustained any injuries AND
C
If so, what type of injuries the respondent suffered
from the attack.
The following two answer categories for Item INJURY
relate directly to injuries sustained from a weapon:
Precode:
(15)
Knife or stab wounds
(16)
Gun shot, bullet wounds.
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Since Item INJURY allows for multiple entries, continue
asking "Anything else?" until you get a "No" response.
Keep the following points in mind for Item INJURY:
T Do not consider "mental or emotional suffering" to be an
injury. If only mental or emotional suffering is
mentioned by the respondent, enter Precode (11),
"None."
T Do not enter Precode (16) if the respondent tells you that
he/she was injured from being shot with a BB gun or a
tear gas gun. Instead, enter Precode (21), “Other Specify” and describe clearly what type of injuries were
sustained in the “Specify” space in INJURY_SPEC.
INJURYNOTGUN and
FIRSTINJURY
Item INJURYNOTGUN is used to determine whether any
of the injuries mentioned at Item INJURY were caused by
a weapon other than a gun or knife. You have the option of
either verifying the answer or asking the question before
marking the answer for this item.
If you enter Precode (1), "Yes," at Item
INJURYNOTGUN, ask the following question at Item
FIRSTINJURY:
"Which injuries were caused by a weapon other than a
gun or knife?"
Since Precodes (15) and (16) for Item INJURY describe
injuries caused by a gun or a knife, these two precodes are
omitted from the answer categories for Item FIRST
INJURY. (Item FIRSTINJURY is not asked if only
Precode (15), only Precode (16) or only Precodes (15) and
(16) are marked in Item INJURY.)
ACTIONSDURINGINC
If the respondent tells you at Item PROTECTSELF or
DURINGINCIDENT that he/she did or tried to do
something about the incident while it was happening, ask
the question at Item ACTIONSDURINGINC next.
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Item ACTIONSDURINGINC is used to determine what
actions the respondent took during the incident. Under the
first heading, "USED PHYSICAL FORCE TOWARD
OFFENDER," the following four categories identify
actions involving a weapon:
Precode:
(11)
(12)
(14)
(15)
Attacked offender with gun; fired gun
Attacked with other weapon
Threatened offender with gun
Threatened offender with other weapon
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Topic 8. Rape/Unwanted Sexual Contact
Definition
For the NCVS, rape is defined as forced sexual intercourse
including both psychological coercion, as well as physical
force. Forced sexual intercourse means vaginal, anal, or
oral penetration by the offender(s). This category also
includes incidents where the penetration is from a foreign
object, such as a bottle. A rape victim can be either female
or male and the rape can be heterosexual or homosexual.
The NCVS also obtains information on attempted rapes and
verbal threats of rape and sexual assault. An attempted
rape is an incident in which the offender intends to force
the victim to have sexual intercourse, but the offender does
not penetrate the victim.
Unwanted sexual contact is separate from rape or
attempted rape. Unwanted sexual contact may or may not
involve force and includes such things as grabbing and
fondling without the consent of the victim.
Rape, attempted rape, sexual assaults, and threats of rape
and sexual assault are all considered to be personal crimes
of violence.
Item WHATHAPPEN
Item WHATHAPPEN is used to determine what actually
happened during a reported incident when a respondent
answers "No" to all three of the following questions:
• “Did the offender hit you, knock you down, or actually
attack you in any way?” (Item ATTACK)
• “Did the offender try to attack you?” (Item
TRYATTACK)
• “Did the offender threaten you with harm in any
way?” (Item THREATEN)
Item WHATHAPPEN allows for multiple answers and
two of the answer categories are:
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T Precode (14) - Unwanted sexual contact with force
(grabbing, fondling, etc.)
T Precode (15) - Unwanted sexual contact without force
(grabbing, fondling, etc.)
These two answer categories are intended for respondents
who do not perceive that the offender attacked, tried to
attack, or threatened them in any way during the unwanted
sexual contact. Since these two categories can encompass a
broad range of sexual acts, it may not always be clear which
precode to enter. Base your decision on the degree of
force used in the incident.
Generally, if the incident involved grabbing and other acts
of force, enter Precode (14). However, if the incident
involved only touching and/or fondling with no mention of
force, enter Precode (15). When you are unsure, always go
with the respondent's perception of whether or not the
offender used force.
Probing to Identify Rape
or Attempted Rape
Each time you enter Precode (14), "Unwanted sexual
contact with force," for Item WHATHAPPEN, you must
ask the probing question at Item
SEXCONFORCEPROBE_1 which asks:
"You mentioned some type of unwanted sexual contact
with force. Do you mean forced or coerced sexual
intercourse including attempts?"
If you get a "Yes" answer to this probing question, you will
skip to Item HOWATTACK next.
Items HOWTRYATTACK
and HOWTHREATEN
If a respondent tells you at Item TRYATTACK that the
offender tried to attack him/her, then you will ask the
question at Item HOWTRYATTACK to determine how
the offender tried to attack the respondent. If a respondent
tells you at Item THREATEN that the offender threatened
him/her with harm in any way, then you will ask the
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question at Item HOWTHREATEN to determine how the
offender threatened the respondent.
Both of these questions allow for multiple answers. Two of
the answer categories that might require further clarification
are:
T Precode (15) - Unwanted sexual contact with force
(grabbing, fondling, etc.)
T Precode (16) - Unwanted sexual contact without force
(grabbing, fondling, etc.)
Since these two categories can encompass a broad range of
sexual acts, it may not always be clear which precode to
enter. Base your decision on the degree of force used in
the incident.
Generally, if the incident involved grabbing and other acts
of force, enter Precode (15). However, if the incident
involved only touching and/or fondling with no mention of
force, enter Precode (16). When you are unsure, always go
with the respondent's perception of whether or not the
offender used force.
Probing to Identify Rape
or Attempted Rape
After entering Precode (15), "Unwanted sexual contact with
force (grabbing, fondling, etc.)," at Item
HOWTRYATTACK or HOWTHREATEN, the
instrument shows the following probe question
SEXCONFORCEPROBE_2 that you must ask:
"You mentioned some type of unwanted sexual contact
with force. Do you mean forced or coerced sexual
intercourse including attempts?"
If you get a "Yes" answer to this probing question, the
instrument automatically fills a Precode (1), “Yes” answer
to item ATTACK and skips to Item HOWATTACK next.
Item HOWATTACK
Ask the question at Item HOWATTACK to determine
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how the respondent was attacked. This item allows for
multiple answers. Three of the answer categories are:
C
C
C
Precode (11) - Raped
Precode (12) - Tried to rape
Precode (13) - Sexual assault other than rape or
attempted rape.
If a respondent tells you that the offender either raped or
tried to rape her/him, then you need to ask one of the
following probe questions to ensure that you are entering
the correct precode:
When you enter Precode (11), "Raped," the
RAPE_CK1 probe asks:
"You mentioned rape. Do you mean forced or coerced
sexual intercourse?"
If you get a "No" answer, also ask the following question so
you can determine what the respondent means when using
the term “rape”:
"What do you mean?"
When you enter Precode (12), "Tried to rape," the
ATTRAPE_CK1 probe asks:
"You mentioned attempted rape. Do you mean attempted
forced or coerced sexual intercourse?"
If you get a "No" answer, also ask the following question so
you can determine what the respondent means when using
the term "tried to rape":
"What do you mean?"
These probe questions are used to ensure that the
respondent's interpretation of the term "rape" is the same as
the definition used for the NCVS. After asking "What do
you mean?" for either probe question, do not ask any other
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probing questions related to rape or attempted rape. Make
sure that you enter the correct precodes for Item
HOWATTACK.
Item PRETHREATEN
After determining how a respondent was attacked at
Item HOWATTACK, you will ask the question at Item
PRETHREATEN to determine if the offender threatened
to hurt the respondent before actually attacking her/him.
At the time of the incident and prior to the rape or
attempted rape, it is possible that the offender may have
verbally threatened to hurt the respondent in one of the
ways mentioned at Item HOWATTACK, even though
none of these precodes were entered at Item
HOWATTACK. If a "Yes" or "No" answer does not
adequately cover the respondent's answer for Item
PRETHREATEN, enter Precode (3), "Other - (Specify)"
and enter a note explaining the situation in the “Specify”
space in item PRETHREATEN_SPEC.
Item INJURY
When a respondent has been attacked during an incident,
you will ask the question at Item INJURY to determine
what type of physical or bodily injuries the respondent may
have received during the attack. The question at Item
INJURY asks:
"What were the injuries you suffered, if any?"
Do not consider mental or emotional suffering, such as
depression or the need for counseling after a rape, as an
injury. If the respondent did not suffer any physical injuries
from the incident, enter Precode (11), "None."
If a respondent tells you at Item INJURY that her/his injury
was the rape or attempted rape AND you did not enter the
precode for "Raped" or "Tried to rape" at Item
HOWATTACK, then ask one of the following probe
questions:
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When Precode (12), "Raped," is entered at Item
INJURY and Precode (11), "Raped," is NOT entered at
Item HOWATTACK, ask the following probe question
in RAPE_CK2:
"You mentioned rape. Do you mean forced or coerced
sexual intercourse?"
If you get a "No" answer, also ask the following question so
you can determine what the respondent means when using
the term "raped":
"What do you mean?"
When Precode (13), "Attempted rape," is entered at
Item INJURY and Precode (12), "Tried to rape," is
NOT entered at Item HOWATTACK, ask the following
probe question in Item ATTRAPE_CK:
"You mentioned attempted rape. Do you mean attempted
forced or coerced sexual intercourse?"
If you get a "No" answer, also ask the following question so
you can determine what the respondent means when using
the term "attempted rape":
"What do you mean?"
These probe questions are used to ensure that the
respondent's interpretation of the term "rape" or “attempted
rape” is the same as the definition used for the NCVS and
to distinguish between rape and other types of sexual
assaults. If your probing questions verify that the offender
did rape or tried to rape the respondent, then use the up
arrow to back up and enter the appropriate precodes at Item
HOWATTACK. If prompted to ask "What do you mean?"
for either question, do not ask any other probing questions
related to rape or attempted rape.
"Raped" Entered at
Item HOWATTACK
If a respondent said that he/she was raped at Item
HOWATTACK, always enter Precode (12), "Raped" at
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Item INJURY, even if the respondent does not report
"Raped" as an injury. This is the only precode that you
would enter at Item INJURY without being told to do so
by the respondent. Once you have asked the probe
questions at Item HOWATTACK, do not ask them again
at Item INJURY.
"Tried to Rape" Entered
at Item HOWATTACK
Do NOT automatically enter Precode (13), "Attempted
rape," as an injury at Item INJURY when you entered
Precode (12), "Tried to Rape," at Item HOWATTACK.
Only enter Precode (13), "Attempted rape," at Item
INJURY when the respondent specifically mentions it as
an injury from the incident. Also, if a respondent only
mentions "Attempted rape" at Item INJURY, make sure
that there were no other injuries from the incident by
asking, "Anything else?".
"Sexual Assault Other
Than Rape or Attempted
Rape" Entered at
Item HOWATTACK
Do NOT automatically enter Precode (14), "Sexual assault
other than rape or attempted rape," as in injury at Item
INJURY when you enter Precode (13) as the type of attack
at Item HOWATTACK. Only mark it as an injury at Item
INJURY when the respondent specifically mentions it as
an injury from the incident. Also, if a respondent only
mentions "Sexual assault other than rape or attempted rape"
at Item INJURY, make sure that there were no other
injuries from the incident by asking, "Anything else?".
Completing the
SUMMARY Screen
Since sex-related crimes are rare compared to other types of
crimes, include as many details as the respondent is willing
to provide. This is important so that we can classify any
sex-related crimes into the correct category--rape,
attempted rape, sexual assault, or unwanted sexual contact.
Avoid using phrases like "made sexually explicit
comments," "unwanted sexual contact," or "unwanted
sexual advances." These phrases do not provide us with
enough information to determine what actually happened.
We need to know what was actually said, what parts of the
body were touched, whether or not force was used, and so
forth.
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Topic 9. Theft/Attempted Theft of Cash/Property
Definition
For the NCVS, completed or attempted theft of cash and/or
property is defined differently depending on whether or not
the incident involved direct contact between a sample
household member and an offender. When there was no
direct contact between the offender and a household
member during the theft or attempted theft, then the
incident is considered a property crime. If the incident of
theft or attempted theft involved any direct contact between
the offender and a household member, such as an attack, a
threat, a robbery by force or threat, or a purse snatching or
pocket picking, then the incident is considered a personal
crime.
Property Crime
When an incident involves a theft or attempted theft in
which there was no direct contact between an eligible
household member and an offender, the incident is
considered a property crime.
A property crime of theft or attempted theft can fall into
one of the following categories:
T Burglary,
T Theft, or
T Motor vehicle theft.
Complete ONLY ONE set of incident report questions for
each property crime of theft or attempted theft in which the
offender did NOT attack, attempt to attack, or threaten to
physically harm a household member.
Burglary
The property crime of burglary usually involves a theft or
attempted theft, but always involves the unlawful or
forcible entry or attempted entry of a sample address.
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Example of Burglary:
Harry returned home to his apartment after work and
discovered his apartment door was open and the lock was
broken. However, as he entered his apartment, nothing
appeared to be stolen.
Theft
Theft is the successful or unsuccessful attempt to take cash
and/or property from within the sample address or its
immediate vicinity by someone who has a legal right to be
in the residence at the sample address, such as a maid,
guest, or delivery person.
Theft can also include the successful or unsuccessful
attempt to take property and/or cash from a place other than
the sample address or its immediate vicinity when the
property and/or cash belongs to one or more eligible
household members and there was no direct contact
between the offender and an eligible household member.
Example of Theft:
Jenny invited two of her co-workers to spend the night at
her house, because they had been drinking heavily. After
they left the next morning, she discovered that her
expensive watch was missing from the bathroom. She is
pretty sure that one of her co-workers took the watch.
Example of Attempted Theft:
While in a movie theater, John threw his leather coat
over the empty seat beside him. John happened to notice
the coat moving and he turned around to see who was
pulling it. The person who was trying to steal John's coat
got up and left the theater without the coat.
Motor Vehicle Theft
Motor vehicle theft is defined as the stealing or
unauthorized taking of a motor vehicle that belongs to one
or more eligible household members. Motor vehicle theft
also includes failed attempts to steal or take a motor vehicle
without authorization from the owner(s).
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Example of Motor Vehicle Theft:
Brian left the keys to his Mercedes on his car seat while
running into the house to answer the phone. When he
went back outside, his Mercedes was gone from the
driveway.
Example of Attempted Motor Vehicle Theft:
While Diane's 15-year-old nephew was visiting her, she
caught him trying to start her SUV and take it for a joy
ride. Diane was able to stop him before he left with the
vehicle.
Personal Crime
A completed or attempted theft of cash and/or property is
considered to be a personal crime, when:
C
There was direct contact between an eligible
household member and an offender, such as a personal
attack or threat of physical harm, or
C
Cash, a purse or a wallet was taken directly from an
eligible household member without the use of force or
the threat of physical harm.
Example of Theft With Direct Contact:
As Margaret was leaving the shopping mall and walking
to her car, a man took her by surprise, grabbed her arm to
stop her, and took her purse. After taking her purse, he
knocked her to the ground and ran away with her purse.
Purse Snatching and
Pocket Picking
Thefts From Unrecognizable
Businesses
Purse snatching and pocket picking are the successful
and/or unsuccessful attempts to take cash, a purse, or a
wallet directly from an eligible household member without
the use of force or the threat of physical harm.
The NCVS is interested in collecting information for
incidents involving thefts from a business when:
T An eligible household member operates an
unrecognizable business from the sample address.
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AND
T Cash and/or property belonging to the unrecognizable
business is stolen either from the sample address or
from another location where the business is still
unrecognizable.
Example of Theft From an Unrecognizable Business:
Frank repairs lawn mowers in his garage as a side
business, but there is no sign on the premises advertising
his business. While Frank was away for the weekend,
someone broke into his garage and stole tools and lawn
mowers belonging to the business.
The NCVS is NOT interested in collecting information for
incidents involving thefts from a recognizable business,
regardless of whether or not it is operated from the sample
address. In general terms, a recognizable business is one
that has a sign on the premises or some other indication to
the general public that a business is operated from the
address.
(Also refer to Part C, Chapter 2, for a detailed
explanation of recognizable and unrecognizable
businesses.)
Example of Theft From a Recognizable Business:
Cindy runs a ceramics class and retail shop from her
home and she has a sign on the premises advertising her
business. While she was on vacation, someone broke
into her home and stole several finished ceramic pieces
that were for sale.
Thefts From Children
Under 12 Years of Age
The NCVS is interested in collecting information for
incidents involving thefts from a sample household member
who is under 12 years of age ONLY when:
T The thefts took place at the sample address (inside the
home or in the immediate vicinity of the home), or at a
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vacation/second home or hotel/motel where the family
is staying temporarily.
AND
T The child was not attacked or threatened with physical
harm during the incident.
This type of incident would be considered a property crime,
NOT a personal crime.
Example of an Acceptable Theft From a Child
Under 12:
While interviewing the household respondent, she
reported that her 5-year-old son's wagon was stolen from
the front yard of their home. Her son was inside the
house eating his lunch when the wagon was stolen.
The NCVS is NOT interested in collecting information for
incidents involving thefts from a sample household member
who is under 12 years of age when:
Y The theft took place at a location other than the family's
home and its immediate vicinity or at a place other than
any lodging and immediate vicinity where the family is
staying temporarily, such as from a friend’s yard.
OR
Y The child was attacked or threatened with physical
harm during the incident, regardless of where the theft
took place.
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Example of an Unacceptable Theft From a Child
Under 12:
While interviewing the parent of a 10-year-old boy, the
parent reported that his son was injured by an older boy
while playing in the park near their home. During the
incident, the older boy stole the son's remote control
operated race car.
THEFT and
ATTEMPTTHEFT
Item THEFT determines whether or not something was
stolen or taken without permission that belonged to the
respondent or another household member. Item
ATTEMPTTHEFT determines whether or not an
unsuccessful attempt was made to steal or take without
permission items belonging to the respondent or another
household member.
If a respondent indicated earlier in the interview that items
were taken without permission or an unsuccessful attempt
was made to take items belonging to the respondent or
another household member, you have the option to either
ask the question or verify the answer before entering the
appropriate precode to answer Item THEFT or
ATTEMPTTHEFT.
Do not consider the cash and/or property as stolen if any of
the following conditions exist:
Y The items belong to a recognizable business operated
from the sample address or any other location where the
business is recognizable.
Y The items belong to someone who is not a sample
household member, such as the owner of a rental
home/apartment or a neighbor/friend who left the items
at the respondent's home or allowed the respondent to
borrow the items.
Y The items belong to the respondent and were loaned to
someone who never returned the items.
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Y The items belong to a household member under 12
years of age who was attacked and/or threatened with
physical harm during the incident.
Y The items belong jointly to a legally separated husband
and wife who are not yet divorced and the offender is
one of the spouses.
ATTEMPTTHEFTWHAT
Item ATTEMPTTHEFTWHAT will identify what items
the respondent thinks that the offender was trying to steal.
Since this item allows for multiple entries, continue asking,
"Anything else?" until you get a "No" reply.
Keep the following points in mind for Item
ATTEMPTTHEFTWHAT:
For Precode:
(11) Cash
Do not enter this precode for checks, credit cards, or
coin collections. Enter Precode (14) for checks and
credit cards, and Precode (23) for coin collections.
(14) Credit cards, checks, bank cards
In addition to the items mentioned, also enter
Precode (14) for other items which have little or no
value unless used fraudulently, such as Savings
Bonds, bank books, money orders, and traveler's
checks.
(16) Other motor vehicle
Enter Precode (16) for any type of truck, van, sport
utility vehicle (SUV), motorcycle, or moped.
Precode (16) is NOT intended for boats, airplanes,
minibikes, or snowmobiles; instead, enter
Precode (26) "Other," and identify the type of
transportation in the "Specify" space in Item
ATTEMPTHEFTWHAT_SPEC. Also, if the
motor vehicle was owned and operated exclusively
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for a recognizable business, do not enter Precode
(16) at Item ATTEMPTTHEFTWHAT.
For Precode:
(17) Part of motor vehicle
Do not enter Precode (17) for any items stored in the
glove compartment, left on the seat, or kept in the
trunk, since they are not considered part of the motor
vehicle.
(23) Personal effects
Enter Precode (23) for items used by a specific
household member, rather than by most or all
household members. Some examples include:
watches, jewelry, personal luggage, clothing,
cameras, books, stamp or coin collections, compact
discs, and so forth.
(24) Handgun
Enter Precode (24) for all "hand-held" guns,
regardless of how they are used. Precode (24) is not
intended for pellet guns, BB guns, air pistols, flare
guns, or tear gas guns; instead, enter Precode (26) for
these types of guns and identify the type of gun in the
"Specify" space in Item
ATTEMPTHEFTWHAT_SPEC. .
(25) Other firearm
Enter Precode (25) for all rifles and shotguns,
regardless of how they are used, but do not enter
Precode (25) for pellet guns, BB guns, air pistols,
flare guns, or tear gas guns; instead, enter Precode
(26) for these types of guns and identify the type of
gun in the "Specify" space in Item
ATTEMPTHEFTWHAT_SPEC. .
WHATWASTAKEN
Item WHATWASTAKEN is asked to identify what items
were taken from the respondent or other household
members during the incident. This item has 27 answer
categories from which to choose, as compared to only 17
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answer categories in Item ATTEMPTTHEFTWHAT for
attempted thefts. Item WHATWASTAKEN also allows
for multiple entries, so continue asking, “Anything else?”
until you get a “No” reply.
Only include property/money that belonged to the
respondent or other household members. If the respondent
mentions that the stolen property was leased or rented by
the respondent or another household member for one
month or longer, consider the household member(s) as the
owner(s) of the stolen property for this item. If necessary,
ask the respondent how long the stolen property has been
leased or rented.
(Refer to Part B, Chapter 4, for detailed instructions
about specific answer categories in Item
WHATWASTAKEN.)
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Topic 10. Value of Stolen Property/Methods Used to Determine Value
Definition
For the NCVS, the value of stolen property should be the
respondent's best estimate of the dollar value:
Y
Excluding any stolen cash, checks, or credit cards
AND
Y
Excluding any portion of the dollar amount that
covers the stolen property owned by a nonhousehold
member.
Respondents can use any method they choose to arrive at a
dollar value for the stolen property that belonged to sample
household members.
PROPERTYVALUE
When items other than cash/checks/credit cards were stolen
during an incident, you will ask the respondent the
following question at Item PROPERTYVALUE:
"What was the value of the PROPERTY that was taken?
Include recovered property. (Exclude any stolen
cash/checks/credit cards. If jointly owned with a
nonhousehold member(s), include only share owned by
household members.)"
Keep the following points in mind as you ask this question:
T
Only include the dollar amount for stolen property or
the portion of the stolen property that is owned by
sample household members.
T
If the stolen property was owned jointly by one or
more household members and a nonhousehold
member, only include the dollar amount for the
portion of the property owned by household
member(s).
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DECIDEDVALUE
Part C, Chapter 3
T
Although you do not want to suggest a method for
arriving at the dollar amount, you can mention the
stolen items individually to the respondent. If the
respondent finds it easier to give you separate dollar
amounts for each stolen item, then just total the
separate amounts (you can use the F11 function key
to bring up an onscreen calculator) and enter the total
in the answer space at Item PROPERTYVALUE.
T
If one of the stolen items is food stamps, ask the
respondent for the "face value" of the food stamps.
T
Enter the value of the stolen property in whole
dollars rounding up or down as necessary.
Item DECIDEDVALUE is used to determine how the
respondent arrived at the amount given for the value of the
stolen property provided at Item PROPERTYVALUE.
Ask the question exactly as it is worded on the screen:
"How did you decide the value of the property that was
taken?"
Since this screen allows for multiple entries, continue
asking "Any other way?" until you get a "No" reply. Avoid
reading the answer categories to the respondent, except as a
last resort.
Methods Used to
Decide
Precode (11), Original cost
The price paid for the item when the respondent first
bought it.
Precode (12), Replacement cost
If the stolen property has been replaced already, it would be
the price paid at that time. Otherwise, it would be the cost
to replace the stolen property at the time of interview.
When using the replacement cost, do NOT consider the
original purchase price.
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Precode (13), Personal estimate of current value
Current value is not the same as the property's replacement
cost. A personal estimate of current value is the
respondent's idea of what the stolen property was worth at
the time of the incident.
Precode (14), Insurance report estimate
This is the amount that an insurance company estimates the
stolen property to be worth.
Precode (15), Police estimate
This is the amount that the police estimate the stolen
property to be worth.
Precode (17), Other (Specify)
Use this category when the respondent gives you a definite
way in which he/she arrived at the value, but it is not one of
the categories listed in Precodes (11) through (15) of
Item DECIDEDVALUE. After entering Precode (17),
always enter what the method was in the “Specify” space in
DECIDEDVALUE_SPEC, such as "a friend's estimate,"
"appraisal from an antique dealer," or "face value" (for
stolen food stamps).
Precode (16), Don't know
By entering Precode (16), you are indicating that the
respondent does not know how he/she decided on the
amount given as the value of the stolen property at
Item PROPERTYVALUE. Always probe to get a more
precise answer before entering Precode (16) for “Don’t
know.”
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Topic 11. Property Ownership
Definition
The NCVS is interested in obtaining information about
attempted or actual thefts of property or money only when
the property or money is owned by persons who are eligible
sample household members at the time of interview. As
you complete the incident report section of the NCVS
instrument for an attempted or actual theft, you determine
whether the property is owned by:
C
The respondent only
C
The respondent and other household member(s)
C
Other household member(s) only
C
Nonhousehold member(s) only
C
Jointly by a household member and a nonhousehold
member.
Theft Incidents From
Former Residences
You may encounter incidents where an attempted or actual
theft occurred during the reference period while the sample
household resided at an address other than the sample
address. As long as the property that the offender stole or
attempted to steal is owned by a person who is a household
member at the sample address at the time of interview, you
keep the attempted or actual theft report for the NCVS.
However, if the attempted or actual theft involved property
owned SOLELY by a person who is NOT a household
member at the sample address at the time of interview,
continue to collect information for that incident.
Theft Incidents From
a Legally Separated
Spouse
If a husband and wife are legally separated and not yet
divorced, any property that they owned jointly while
married is still considered jointly owned during their legal
separation.
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Items ATTEMPTTHEFT
OWNER and
WHOOWNEDSTOLEN
PROPERTY
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
When you determine at Items ATTEMPTTHEFT and
ATTEMPTTHEFTWHAT that a reported incident
involves an attempted theft, you will ask the respondent
the following question at Item
ATTEMPTTHEFTOWNER:
"Did the (property/money) the offender tried to take
belong to you personally, to someone else in the
household, or to both you and other household
members?"
When you determine at Items THEFT and
WHATWASTAKEN that a reported incident involves an
actual theft, you will ask the respondent the following
question at Item WHOOWNEDSTOLENPROPERTY:
"Did the stolen (property/money) belong to you
personally, to someone else in the household, or to both
you and other household members?"
Both of these items are designed to determine whether the
owner is:
T
The respondent only
T
The respondent and other household member(s)
T
Other household member(s) only
T
Nonhousehold member(s) only
T
Other "Specify" (For example, property or money
owned jointly by a household member and a
nonhousehold member.)
Here are a few situations in which you enter Precode (5)
"Other" at Items ATTEMPTTHEFTOWNER or
WHOOWNEDSTOLENPROPERTY:
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C
Owners of the property/money are the respondent and a
nonhousehold member.
OR
C
Nonhousehold Member
at Time of Interview
Owners of the property/money are another household
member and a nonhousehold member.
When a reported incident of theft or attempted theft
involves property belonging to a person who is NOT a
sample household member at the time of interview, the
incident will be kept for the NCVS. If you discover at
Items ATTEMPTTHEFTOWNER or
WHOOWNEDSTOLENPROPERTY that the property/
money belongs only to a person who is a nonhousehold
member at the time of interview, you still must finish
completing the incident report section of the instrument.
By completing the incident report section, you may
discover other facts about the incident that are within the
scope of the survey.
(See Part C, Chapter 1, Topic 8, for more information
about out-of-scope incidents.)
ATTEMPTTHEFTLNS
and OTHERSOWNED
STOLENPROPERTY
When the property/money involved in a theft or attempted
theft incident is owned by the respondent AND other
sample household members, you will identify by line
number at either Item ATTEMPTTHEFTLNS or Item
OTHERSOWNEDSTOLENPROPERTY which
household members other than the respondent own the
property. For an attempted theft, enter the line number(s) at
ATTEMPTTHEFTLNS. For an actual theft, enter the
line number(s) at
OTHERSOWNEDSTOLENPROPERTY.
Consider the property to belong to the ENTIRE sample
household and enter Precode (40), "Household property" if:
T The respondent tells you that the property belongs to
ALL household members or
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T The respondent tells you that the property belongs
jointly to himself/herself AND more than two other
household members.
Depending on the circumstances, it is acceptable to enter
line number(s) for the theft of personal property and also
enter Precode (40), "Household property."
The SUMMARY Screen
When property from an attempted or actual theft incident is
owned by two or more persons, you need to identify at the
SUMMARY screen which persons own which items and,
when necessary, which items are household property. For
example, if you enter Precode (2) at Item
ATTEMPTTHEFTOWNER or
WHOOWNEDSTOLENPROPERTY, then you need to
identify by line number in your summary report which
items belong to the respondent and which items belong to
the other household member(s).
It is not necessary to do this when the property/money:
C
Belongs only to the respondent or
C
Is considered to be entirely household property.
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Topic 12. Recovered Money and/or Property
Definition
Item
ALLPARTRECOVERED
For the NCVS, "recovered money and/or property" means:
C
For stolen money: Any money stolen during the
reported incident that has either been found and
returned to the respondent OR that the offender has
reimbursed to the respondent for all or part of the stolen
money.
C
For stolen property: All or part of the original stolen
property was returned to the respondent or is being held
as evidence for a court case.
Item ALLPARTRECOVERED is one of the questions
that you will ask the respondent when money and/or
property was stolen during a reported incident. The
question at Item ALLPARTRECOVERED asks:
"Was all or part of the stolen (money/property) recovered,
not counting anything received from insurance?"
The information recorded at Item WHATWASTAKEN
will indicate whether you will ask about the recovery of
stolen money, property, or both at Item
ALLPARTRECOVERED. For the NCVS, we want to
determine whether all, part, or none of the stolen money
and/or property was recovered.
Do Not Include as
Recovered
Under the following circumstances, do NOT consider the
stolen money and/or property to be recovered:
Y An insurance company replaced the stolen property or
provided money to replace the stolen property.
Y The offender replaced the stolen property or provided
money to replace the stolen property.
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Y Anyone other than the offender reimbursed the
respondent for the money that was stolen, such as an
insurance company or a relative.
For the NCVS, we are only interested in the original
property/money, not property/money that was given to the
owner as a replacement or reimbursement.
WHATRECOVERED
If a respondent tells you at Item
ALLPARTRECOVERED that only part of the stolen
money and/or property was recovered, then you determine
at Item WHATRECOVERED how much of the stolen
money and/or property was recovered.
Cash Was Recovered
When stolen cash was recovered, enter Precode (1), "Cash,"
and then enter the amount in whole dollars (rounding up or
down as necessary) in the "Amount of cash recovered"
space at Item CASHRECOVERED. An estimated dollar
amount is acceptable when the respondent is unable to give
you an exact amount.
Only Property Was
Recovered
When stolen property was recovered, there are five separate
"Property" answer categories in WHATRECOVERED:
C
Precode (2), "Purse"
C
Precode (3), "Wallet"
C
Precode (4), "Credit cards, checks, bank cards"
C
Precode (5), "Car or other motor vehicle"
C
Precode (6), "Property other than the above"
Based on the respondent's answer, enter precodes for all
property categories that apply. Any time a respondent
answers "Purse" or "Wallet," Item CONTAINMONEY
appears next, which asks: "Did it contain any money?"
This additional question is to ensure that we document any
stolen cash that may have been recovered. If you get a
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"Yes" answer, make sure to enter the dollar amount in the
"Amount of cash recovered" space in Item
CASHRECOVERED.
Enter Precode (6), "Property other than the above" when:
T The respondent mentions recovered property not
described in any of the other four property categories at
Item WHATRECOVERED.
OR
T The respondent does not know or is unsure about which
stolen property items were recovered.
Both Cash and Property
Were Recovered
RECOVEREDCASH
VALUE
When both stolen money and property were recovered:
C
Enter Precode (1) and then enter the amount in whole
dollars (rounding up or down as necessary) in the
"Amount of cash recovered" space, and
C
Enter precodes for all appropriate "property" categories
from Precodes (2) through (6) based on the respondent's
answer.
When the stolen property recovered was something other
than cash, checks, or credit cards, then you will ask the
question at Item RECOVEREDCASHVALUE to
determine the value of the recovered stolen property. The
question at Item RECOVEREDCASHVALUE asks:
"Considering any damage, what was the value of the
property after it was recovered? (Do not include
recovered cash, checks, or credit cards.)"
Keep the following points in mind for Item
RECOVEREDCASHVALUE:
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T Include the value of a recovered purse and/or wallet, but
do not include the value of recovered cash, checks, or
credit cards that may have been in the purse or wallet.
T Damage to stolen property before it is recovered may
cause its value to decrease from what it was before the
theft.
T Include the total whole dollar amount (rounding up or
down as necessary) for all recovered property both
damaged and undamaged (other than cash, checks, and
credit cards).
T It is acceptable to mention recovered items individually
to a respondent and allow the respondent to use any
means he/she wishes to arrive at the item's value. Then,
total the individual amounts (You can use the F11
Calculator function here if desired.) and enter the total
in the "Value of property recovered" space at Item
RECOVEREDCASHVALUE.
POLICEFOLLOWUP
Item POLICEFOLLOWUP is one of a series of questions
inquiring as to how the police responded when notified
about an incident. The question at Item
POLICEFOLLOWUP asks:
"What did the police do in following up this incident?"
This question allows you to enter more than one precode.
"Recovered property" is one of the answer categories to
identify what the police followed up on for the incident.
Before entering Precode (14), "Recovered property," make
sure that the stolen property is considered "recovered" by
the NCVS definition provided earlier in this topic.
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Topic 13. Medical Care
Definition
For the NCVS, medical care is any care or treatment that a
respondent received for physical injuries suffered during
the incident, regardless of:
C
Who administered the care or
C
Where the care was administered.
Medical care can range from something as simple as
applying an ice pack to something as complicated as major
surgery. The person administering the medical care does
not need to be anyone with medical training. In fact, it
could even be the respondent treating his/her own injuries.
The location where treatment is provided can be
anywhere--at the crime scene, at home, in an ambulance, or
at a hospital.
Item MEDICALCARE
When a respondent tells you that he/she was injured during
the incident, you will ask the following question at
Item MEDICALCARE:
"Were you injured to the extent that you received any
medical care, including self treatment?"
Item INJURY will actually identify what type of injuries
were suffered, if any. If the respondent suffered injuries
during an incident, but did not receive any care or treatment
for those injuries, enter Precode (2) "No" at Item
MEDICALCARE and the instrument skips to Item
PREGATTIMEOFINC if you are speaking to a female
respondent age 18 to 49, otherwise the instrument continues
with Item PROTECTSELF.
A "Yes" answer at Item MEDICALCARE will take you
through Items RECEIVECAREWHERE through
CAREDAYHOSPIT, so you can determine:
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T Where the respondent received medical care for his/her
injuries (Item RECEIVECAREWHERE). Item
RECEIVECAREWHERE contains seven different
answer categories identifying where medical care could
have been provided to the respondent. Since you can
enter more than one precode at Item RECEIVE
CAREWHERE, continue asking "Anywhere else?"
until you get a "No" response.
T Whether the respondent stayed at the hospital overnight,
when care was administered at a hospital (Item
CAREOVERNIGHT).
T How many days the respondent stayed at the hospital,
when the respondent stayed overnight at a hospital
(Item CAREDAYHOSPIT).
If you determine that medical care was not provided at a
hospital, then you will skip to Item
MEDICALINSURANCE after completing Item
RECEIVECAREWHERE, so you can inquire about
medical insurance.
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Topic 14. Medical Expenses
Definition
MEDICALEXPENSES
For the NCVS, medical expenses are intended to include all
costs incurred directly as a result of treatment received for
any injuries that the respondent experienced during the
incident, regardless of who paid these costs. Consider the
following costs as medical expenses if they are related
directly to the respondent's injuries from the incident:
C
Services provided by doctors, surgeons, and hospitals,
C
Ambulance service and emergency room fees,
C
Physical therapist and dentist fees,
C
Any costs for medicine or special devices, such as
braces, wheelchairs, dentures, and so forth.
Item MEDICALEXPENSES is used to determine what the
total dollar amount was for medical expenses resulting
from the incident. The question at Item
MEDICALEXPENSES reads as follows:
"What was the total amount of your medical expenses
resulting from this incident (INCLUDING anything paid
by insurance)? Include hospital and doctor bills,
medicine, therapy, braces, and any other injury-related
expenses."
Make sure to read the statement following the question so
that the respondent understands fully what to include when
providing you with a total amount. If the respondent told
you at Item MEDICALINSURANCE that he/she was
covered by medical insurance or another type of health
benefits program at the time of the incident, make sure to
read the statement within parentheses, "(INCLUDING
anything paid by insurance)" as you ask the question at
Item MEDICALEXPENSES.
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If the respondent is unable to provide an exact amount, take
the respondent's best estimate of the total dollar amount for
medical expenses. In some cases, a respondent may still be
undergoing treatment for his/her injuries at the time of
interview. If so, try to get a projected estimate for the total
cost of medical expenses resulting from the incident. When
a respondent is unable to provide even an estimated
amount, enter “Ctrl” + “D” for "Don't know."
Enter “0” (Zero) for “No cost" at Item
MEDICALEXPENSES for instances when medical care
was provided at no cost to the respondent or his/her
medical insurance.
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Topic 15. Race of Offenders
Definition
For the NCVS, we use only three race categories at
Items SINGOFFENDERRACE and
MULTOFFENDERRACE to identify an offender’s race-White, Black, and Other. The "Other" category
encompasses any racial category that is not White or
Black/African American. For example:
C
American Indian or Alaska Native
C
Asian (Japanese, Chinese, Filipino, Korean, Asian
Indian, Vietnamese, or other Asian)
•
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander
Do NOT enter Precode (3), "Other," for persons who
respond with "Spanish, Hispanic, or Latino" or any other
ethnic origin, such as Italian, Greek, Polish, and so forth.
If you do need to enter Precode (3), always enter the racial
category that the respondent gives you in Items
SINGOFFENDERRACE_SPEC and
MULTOFFENDERRACE_SPEC. If the respondent does
not know the offender(’s) race, enter Precode (4) for "Don't
know."
SINGOFFENDERRACE
When a respondent tells you that the crime was committed
by just one offender or a respondent knows something
about one of the offenders, you ask him/her a series of
questions in the incident report section of the instrument to
gather information about the offender. One of these
questions is at Item SINGOFFENDERRACE; it asks
about the offender's race.
The answer categories available at this screen are White,
Black, Other (Specify), and Don't know.
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Keep in mind that a person's ethnic origin is NOT the
same as a person's race. If a respondent answers the
offender’s race question with “Spanish, Hispanic,
Latino” or any other ethnic origin, such as French or
German, enter Precode (1), "White," not Precode (3),
"Other.”
If a respondent does mention an offender’s race that is
different from “White” or “Black/African American,” enter
Precode (3), “Other,” and then enter the offender’s race in
the “Specify” space in Item
SINGOFFENDERRACE_SPEC.
MULTOFFENDERRACE
and
MULTOFFENDERRACE
MOST
When a respondent tells you that the crime was committed
by more than one offender, ask the respondent a series of
questions in the incident report section to gather
information about these offenders. Two of these questions
are at Items MULTOFFENDERRACE and
MULTOFFENDERRACEMOST. The question at Item
MULTOFFENDERRACE asks:
"Were the offenders White, Black, or some other race?"
Since the offenders could be of more than one race, you can
enter more than one precode at Item
MULTOFFENDERRACE to identify the races of each
offender. Keep asking, “Anything else?”, until you get a
“No” response. The answer categories for Item
MULTOFFENDERRACE are:
C
Precode (1), White
C
Precode (2), Black
C
Precode (3), Other (Specify)
C
Precode (4), Don't know race of any/some
The question at Item MULTOFFENDERRACEMOST
asks:
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"What race were most of the offenders?"
Whenever two or more precodes are entered at Item
MULTOFFENDERRACE, ask the question at Item
MULTOFFENDERRACEMOST to determine the race of
MOST of the offenders. Only enter ONE of the following
precodes at Item MULTOFFENDER RACEMOST:
C
C
C
C
C
Precode (1), Mostly White
Precode (2), Mostly Black
Precode (3), Mostly some other race
Precode (4), Equal number of each race
Precode (5), Don't know
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Topic 16. Other Victimized Household Members
Definition
For the NCVS, "Other victimized household members"
consist of sample household members who are:
C
Also victims in an incident reported by the household
member you are currently interviewing,
C
Household members at the time of interview, and
C
At least 12 years of age at the time of the incident.
Consider a household member to be a "victim" if the
offender did any of the following things to an eligible
household member:
T Hit, knocked down, or actually attacked the household
member.
T Tried to attack the household member.
T Threatened to physically harm the household member.
Since it is important that we get a complete picture of each
household member's victimization, you need to complete a
separate set of incident report questions for each eligible
household member at the time of interview who was
personally victimized during an incident.
PERSONSHARMED
Through
HHMEMHARMED
Item PERSONSHARMED is used to determine if any
persons who were present during the incident, other than
the respondent, the offender, and any children under 12
years of age were victimized. If you get a "Yes" answer at
Item PERSONSHARMED, then, at Item
PERSONSHARMEDNUM, document the number of
victimized persons excluding the respondent, the offender,
and any children under 12 years of age.
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Item HHMEMHARMED is used to determine if any of
the persons present during the incident who were
victimized are eligible household members at the time of
interview and, if so, to identify the household members by
line number. The question at Item HHMEMHARMED
asks:
"How many of these persons are members of your
household now? Do not include yourself, the offender, or
children under 12 years of age."
Victimized Member Not
Yet Interviewed
If a household member identified at Item
HHMEMHARMED_NAMES does not mention that
he/she was personally victimized during his/her interview,
remind the respondent about the incident reported by the
other household member. There may be instances when the
respondent contradicts what the other household member
told you.
Victimized Member
Already Interviewed
At Item HHMEMHARMED_NAMES you enter the line
numbers of the household members who were presonally
victimized during this incident. If you have already
interviewed a household member who was identified at
Item HHMEMHARMED_NAMES and the household
member did not mention that he/she was personally
victimized in the incident, you will not be able to complete
an incident report for that person. If you come across this
situation, be sure to document it in the “Case Level Notes.”
Victimized Person No
Longer a Household
Member
Do NOT enter a previous household member's line number
at Item HHMEMHARMED_NAMES if the person is
NOT a household member at the time of the incident.
Victimized Person Is a
Proxy Respondent
If you are conducting a proxy interview, the question and
statement at Item HHMEMHARMED_NAMES is
worded differently so that you ask about the proxy person,
NOT the proxy respondent.
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Make sure to enter the proxy respondent's line number at
Item HHMEMHARMED_NAMES if the proxy
respondent:
C
Is a household member at the time of interview
AND
C
Was personally victimized during the reported incident.
If you confirm that a proxy respondent was personally
victimized, make sure to document it in the “Case Level
Notes.”
Victimized Person Is a
Noninterview
If you have already tried and are unable to interview a
household member and another household member tells
you that this noninterviewed person was also personally
victimized during an incident, do not attempt to re-contact
the noninterviewed person about the victimization.
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Topic 17. Damage to Property During an Incident
Definition
The NCVS measures "damage to property" when the
property is:
T Owned by someone who was a household member at
the time of the incident,
OR
T Owned by an unrecognizable business that is operated
from the sample address,
AND
T The property was damaged or vandalized during the
incident.
When to Exclude Damaged
Property
Under the following circumstances, EXCLUDE
information about damaged property for the NCVS:
Y The damaged property belonged to someone who was
not a sample household member at the time of the
incident and at the time of the interview.
Y The damaged property belonged to a recognizable
business operated by a household member.
Y The damaged property is commercial property that does
not belong to a household member.
Incident Report Screens
There are several screens in the incident report section that
are used to collect information about property damage
during a reported crime incident–Items WHATHAPPEN,
HAPPEN, and DAMAGED through PAIDREPAIRS. At
the SUMMARY screen, include details about damaged
property as you summarize the reported incident.
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WHATHAPPEN
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Item WHATHAPPEN is used to determine what actually
happened during the incident and it allows for multiple
answers. Ask the question at Item WHATHAPPEN when
the respondent was present during the incident and
answered "No" when asked if the offender:
C
Hit, knocked down, or actually attacked the respondent
in any way (Item ATTACK);
C
Tried to attack the respondent (Item TRYATTACK);
and
C
Threatened to physically harm the respondent in any
way (Item THREATEN).
Two of the answer categories for Item WHATHAPPEN
deal with damage to property:
T Precode (18), Damaged or destroyed property, and
T Precode (19), Attempted or threatened to damage or
destroy property.
HAPPEN
Item HAPPEN is also used to determine what actually
happened during the incident and this screen allows you to
enter more than one precode. You will see Item HAPPEN
when only household members, other than the respondent,
were present during the incident.
Item HAPPEN includes two answer categories that deal
with damage to property:
T Precode (16), Damaged or destroyed property, and
T Precode (17), Attempted or threatened to damage or
destroy property.
DAMAGED
Item DAMAGED determines whether any property owned
by a household member at the time of the incident (other
than stolen property) was damaged during the incident.
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Since Item DAMAGED excludes damage done to property
stolen during an incident, make sure to read the lead-in
statement Other than any stolen property, whenever an
incident involves stolen property. If the incident does not
involve stolen property, then the instrument does not
display the lead-in statement. If you entered Precodes (12)
through (36) in Item WHATWASTAKEN, then you
should read the lead-in statement when asking the question
Item DAMAGED.
If a respondent appears to be confused, ask the probe
question shown below the question at Item DAMAGED to
give the respondent some examples. The probe reads:
"For example, was (a lock or window broken/clothing
damaged/damage done to a car), or something else?"
Based on the type of incident reported, decide which phrase
within the parentheses is most appropriate to read for the
probe question.
DAMAGEDREPAIRED
ESTCOSTTOREPAIR
REPLACE and
ACTCOSTREPAIR
REPLACE
When you enter Precode (1), "Yes," at Item DAMAGED,
continue with Item DAMAGEDREPAIRED to determine
whether any or all of the items that were damaged during an
incident were either repaired or replaced. A "Yes" answer
(Precode (1), “Yes, all,” or (2), “Yes, part”) is acceptable at
Item DAMAGEDREPAIRED regardless of:
C
Who repaired or replaced the damaged items or
C
What the repair or replacement cost may have been,
even if the repair or replacement was done at no charge.
If a respondent tells you that the damaged items were not
repaired or replaced, ask the question at Item
ESTCOSTTOREPAIRREPLACE to determine what it
would cost to repair or replace the damaged items.
If a respondent tells you that all or part of the damaged
items were repaired or replaced, ask the question at Item
ACTCOSTREPAIRREPLACE to determine what it did
cost to repair or replace the damaged items.
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For Items ESTCOSTTOREPAIRREPLACE and
ACTCOSTREPAIRREPLACE, enter the amount in
whole dollars, rounding up or down as necessary. If a
respondent is having difficulty giving you an amount, probe
to help him/her decide on an accurate answer. It is
acceptable to enter the respondent's best estimate when an
exact amount is not readily available or remembered. Only
enter Control + D for "Don't know," when you are unable to
even get an estimated cost after probing. If the household
did not incur any cost to repair or replace the damaged
property, then enter Precode “0” (zero), "No cost."
Item PAIDREPAIRS
Item PAIDREPAIRS determines who either paid or would
pay the cost to repair or replace any items damaged during a
reported incident. When asking the question at Item
PAIDREPAIRS, make sure to use the appropriate words
based on the answers you received at Items DAMAGED
through ACTCOSTREPAIRREPLACE. Since the repair
or replacement costs could be paid by more than one person
or organization, Item PAIDREPAIRS allows you to enter
more than one precode. Continue asking "Anyone else?"
until you get a "No" answer.
When recording answers at Item PAIDREPAIRS,
remember the following points:
Precode (1) "Items will not be repaired or replaced":
Only enter Precode (1) when NONE of the damaged
property will be repaired or replaced. However, if money
was paid by insurance or another source to the respondent
for the purpose of repairing or replacing the damaged
property and the respondent decided not to use it for that
purpose, do NOT enter Precode (1). Instead, enter
Precodes (3) through (6), as appropriate. Here are a few
examples:
T The victim's insurance paid to repair some furniture that
was damaged during a household theft and the victim
decided to give the damaged furniture away and use the
insurance money for some other purpose. In this
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example, you would enter Precode (4), "Victim's (or
household's) insurance," even though the furniture was
not repaired.
T The respondent's neighbor gave the respondent money
to replace a lamp that the neighbor broke while arguing
and physically assaulting the respondent during a party
at the respondent's home. The respondent did not use
the money to replace the lamp. In this example, you
would enter Precode (5), "Offender."
Any time money is given to a respondent for the purpose of
repairing or replacing a damaged item, enter the appropriate
precodes to show who gave the money, regardless of
whether or not the money was used for that purpose.
Precode (3), "Landlord or landlord's insurance," and
Precode (4), "Victim's (or household's) insurance":
Any time the cost to repair or replace a damaged item is
paid for by someone other than an insurance company and
that person is later reimbursed by an insurance company,
you would enter Precode (3) and/or Precode (4) depending
on whose insurance reimbursed the person. If the
household member had to pay a deductible and the
insurance company paid the balance, enter Precode (2),
"Household member," AND Precode (4), "Victim's (or
household's) insurance."
Precode (6), "Other":
If the money to repair or replace the damaged property
came from a source not covered in Precodes (1) through
(5), enter Precode (6) and describe the type of person or
organization in the “Specify” space in Item
PAIDREPAIRS_SPEC. Some examples are: a relative,
friend, government agency, church, or community
organization.
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Topic 18. Job/Business at Time of the Incident
Definition
For the NCVS, a job or business at the time of the incident
means that the respondent:
T Had a definite arrangement to work for pay or profit on
a part-time or full-time basis at the time of the incident.
T Was self-employed in his/her own business/farm or
partnership at the time of the incident.
T Was working without pay on a family farm or in a
family business at the time of the incident.
If a respondent meets one of the conditions stated above
and is temporarily absent from work because of an illness,
vacation, bad weather, strike, or temporary layoff, you
would still consider him/her to have a job at the time of the
incident.
Do NOT consider a respondent to have a job at the time of
the incident, if the respondent was:
Y Doing volunteer work without pay.
Y Keeping house without pay.
Y Receiving money from a scholarship.
JOBDURINGINCIDENT
The question at Item JOBDURINGINCIDENT can be
either asked or verified and it asks: "Did you have a job at
the time of the incident?" A "Yes" answer to this question
takes you to Item LOSTOTHERWORKTIME, if the
respondent was not injured. However, if the respondent
was injured and answers “Yes” at Item
JOBDURINGINCIDENT, continue with Screen
LOSTWORKTIME. A “No” answer takes you to Item
MAJORACTIVITY.
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Keep in mind that the employment questions in the
screening section of the instrument ask about the
respondent's job or business held for at least two
consecutive weeks in the 6 months before the interview and
Item JOBDURINGINCIDENT asks about the
respondent’s job or business at the time of the incident.
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Topic 19. Major Activity During Week of the Incident
Definition
For the NCVS, major activity during the week of the
incident is intended to identify the one activity at which the
respondent spent the majority of his/her time during the
week that the incident occurred. Whenever a respondent
says at Item JOBDURINGINCIDENT that he/she did not
have a job or business at the time of the incident, you ask
the question at Item MAJORACTIVITY to determine
how the respondent spent most of his/her time during the
week of the incident.
MAJORACTIVITY
When a respondent tells you at Item
JOBDURINGINCIDENT that he/she did not have a job
or business at the time of the incident, continue with the
question at Item MAJORACTIVITY to find out whether
the person was:
C
C
C
C
C
C
Precode (1), Looking for work
Precode (2), Keeping house
Precode (3), Going to school
Precode (4), Unable to work
Precode (5), Retired
Precode (6), Other - Specify
Make sure that you read the entire question, so the
respondent has a better idea of the question's purpose and
only enter ONE precode.
The question at Item MAJORACTIVITY asks:
"What was your major activity the week of the incident were you looking for work, keeping house, going to
school, or doing something else?"
Looking for Work
The following activities constitute "Looking for work,"
Precode (1):
T Registering at an employment office,
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T Meeting with prospective employers,
T Placing or answering job advertisements, and
T Investigating the possibility of starting a business or
professional practice.
Keeping House
Precode (2), "Keeping house," is intended for respondents
whose primary responsibility during the week of the
incident involved housework within their own home.
"Keeping house" includes the following activities:
T Cooking, washing clothes, and cleaning house,
T Caring for their own children, foster children, or
children of relatives, such as brothers, sisters, cousins,
and so forth,
T Overseeing the care of their home, even if someone else
actually does the labor, and
T Maintaining their yard and house, such as cutting the
grass, painting the house, and caring for vegetable and
flower gardens (other than on a family farm).
Consider a respondent as having a job at the time of the
incident if the respondent is paid to keep house, such as a
maid. If this happens, go back to Item
JOBDURINGINCIDENT and change the “No” answer to
a “Yes” answer.
Going to School
Precode (3), "Going to school," is intended for respondents
who spent the major part of the incident week attending any
kind of public or private school, including a trade or
vocational school. When a respondent was not at school
due to an illness or short vacation, you still enter Precode
(3), "Going to school."
However, a student's summer vacation is treated differently.
If the respondent was on summer vacation when the
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incident occurred and he/she was not attending summer
school during that week, enter one of the other categories,
NOT Precode (3), "Going to school."
For example, if the household member was:
C
Looking for work, enter Precode (1),
OR
C
"Babysitting brother and sister" or "Doing volunteer
work without pay," enter Precode (6), "Other," and
enter the activity in the "Specify" space in Item
MAJORACTIVITY_SPEC.
Unable to Work
Precode (4), "Unable to work," is intended for respondents
who are unable to do any kind of work either permanently
or for more than 6 months from the time of the incident due
to a long-term physical/mental illness or disability. This
category is NOT intended for respondents who are only ill
or disabled temporarily and will be able to do some type of
work within 6 months following the incident. For a
temporary illness or disability that keeps a respondent from
working, you may need to enter Precode (6), "Other," and
enter a description of the major activity in Item
MAJORACTIVITY_SPEC.
Retired
Precode (5), "Retired," is intended for respondents who
have discontinued working permanently from their jobs. If
a respondent has retired from one job, but was working at
least part of the incident week, consider the person as
having a job at the time of the incident, go back to
Item JOBDURINGINCIDENT and change the answer to
“Yes.”
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Other
Part C, Chapter 3
Enter Precode (6), "Other, specify" when the respondent's
major activity during the incident week does not fit any
other category from Precodes (1) through (5) for Item
MAJORACTIVITY. Whenever you enter Precode (6),
you must enter a written description of the major activity,
such as recuperating from surgery, caring for a sick relative,
and so on in Item MAJORACTIVITY_SPEC.
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Topic 20. Incident Occurred at Work Site
Definition
For the NCVS, a work site is the area in which the
respondent usually conducts his/her day-to-day job-related
tasks for all jobs held by the respondent at the time of the
incident.
INCIDENTHAPPENAT
WORK
If you determine at Item DOINGATINCIDENTTIME
that the incident happened while the respondent was
working or on duty, then you ask a series of questions about
the respondent's job and employer. Item
INCIDENTHAPPENATWORK is part of this series of
questions and is asked to find out if the incident happened
at the respondent's work site. You have the option of either
verifying the answer or asking the question before entering
the appropriate precode.
Here are some situations when you would enter
Precode (1), "Yes," at Item
INCIDENTHAPPENATWORK:
Example 1:
As a taxi cab driver was driving a customer to the airport,
the customer threatened to stab him with a knife if he did
not turn over his money and watch.
Example 2:
While working at a construction site, a bricklayer was
physically attacked by a coworker.
Example 3:
An insurance agent was sexually assaulted in her office
while working late one evening. However, if this incident
had occurred while meeting with a potential client in a
restaurant, then the incident did not happen at the
respondent's work site and you would enter Precode (2),
"No," at Item INCIDENTHAPPENATWORK.
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Example 4:
A traveling salesperson was physically assaulted by a
potential customer while he was in the customer's home
trying to make a sale.
Example 5:
An accountant who works out of her unrecognizable home
office reported that her office was broken into, vandalized,
and computer and other electronic equipment were stolen
during the incident. However, if the only items stolen
belonged to the respondent personally and not to the
unrecognizable business, enter Precode (2), "No," at Item
INCIDENTHAPPENATWORK.
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Topic 21. Incidents Involving a Police Officer
Definition
Police officers can be involved in crime incidents as either
victims or offenders. The NCVS is interested in all
incidents involving police officers, regardless of whether
the officers are victims or offenders or on duty or off duty.
Due to the nature of their job, police officers present special
issues for the NCVS.
An assault, a threat of physical harm, or any other type of
NCVS crime in which a police officer has been victimized
is no less of a crime because of his/her line of work.
However, due to a police officer's job, he/she is more likely
to report a greater number of incidents than the average
NCVS respondent.
Even though a police officer in the line of duty sometimes
has the right to use necessary physical force to make an
arrest or to keep the peace, a police officer while either on
or off duty can still be an offender in a crime incident. If a
respondent claims that an offender is a police officer, do
NOT attempt to determine whether the police officer was or
was not acting in the line of duty.
Headquarters staff reviews all incident reports involving
offenders who are police officers and determines whether
each incident:
C
Should be kept because the police officer acted beyond
the line of duty
OR
C
POLICEINFORMED
Should be deleted because the police officer acted
within the line of duty.
When completing the incident report questions for an
incident in which a police officer is either the victim or the
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offender, do not assume that the police department was
informed and an official report was filed.
The question at Item POLICEINFORMED asks:
"Were the police informed or did they find out about this
incident in any way?"
Ask this question of the respondent and, if necessary, probe
by asking whether or not an official report was filed for the
incident. If a report was not filed, enter Precode (2), "No."
The SUMMARY Screen
When a police officer is reported as the offender in an
incident, Headquarters staff rely heavily on the facts that
you enter at the SUMMARY screen. Since this
information helps determine whether or not the incident
falls out of scope for the NCVS, you need to provide as
many facts as possible to answer the following questions:
C
Was the victim/respondent arrested?
C
Did the victim/respondent press charges against the
police officer?
C
Did the police confiscate any property? If so, was the
property returned, kept as evidence, and so forth?
C
Was the police officer on or off duty?
C
Did the police officer have a hand gun or billy club? If
so, did the police officer draw or use either the gun or
billy club?
Probe to get a complete description of the police officer's
actions AND the victim's actions during the incident
without offending the respondent.
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Topic 22. Writing Summary Reports
Definition
The Summary Report, which you enter at Item
SUMMARY is intended for you to summarize all of the
pertinent facts involving a reported crime incident. Each
summary report should be written so that anyone reading it
can get a clear, well-defined picture of how the respondent
was victimized during the reported incident.
Include in the summary report any details that you feel are
not evident from the answers in the incident report section
of the interview. This is very important because, before
sending a case for processing, editors often need more
specific details than they can get from other entries in the
NCVS interview. When this happens, they must rely on
what is written in your summary report.
As you write your summary report, be careful not to use
nonspecific or misleading words or phrases that may raise
more questions about the incident, instead of clarifying
what really happened.
For example:
When you ask if the offender threatened the respondent
with harm in any way, the respondent answers "No." Also,
the respondent tells you at Item WHATHAPPEN that her
husband was harassing her and using abusive language.
However, in the summary report, you use the phrase
"verbally threatened her." Be careful that the words and
phrases you use in summary reports help explain the
situation, instead of adding more confusion to the situation.
Key Points to Cover
Use these key words to jog your memory when writing a
summary report--who, what, where, when, and how.
Who - Using the person's line number (L1, L2, and so
forth) from the household roster, identify all household
members who were involved in the incident, even if the
member was a noninterview. Also include any
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nonhousehold members who were involved in the incident.
In the summary report, identify that they are nonhousehold
members and use specific descriptions, such as "friend,"
"neighbor," or "co-worker" to show their relationship to the
respondent. Avoid using pronouns to describe persons
involved in an incident.
Reminder:
If other current household members who are at least
12 years old were also victims of a personal crime with
contact, you need to complete a separate set of incident
report questions for each of these persons who you are able
to interview.
What - Explain the type of crime and any pertinent details
related to the crime incident--purse stolen & offender
threatened to stab L1 while she was washing her hands.
Where - Explain where the crime took place--in a
restaurant restroom.
When - Explain when the incident took place--At 8:30 p.m.
on December 21.
How - Explain how the crime was executed--offender
yanked purse from L1's shoulder & ran/no injury to
L1/reported to police/property not recovered.
Weapons Used
Item WEAPONPRESENT - Did the offender have a
weapon such as a gun or knife, or something to use as a
weapon, such as a bottle or wrench?
Item WEAPON - What was the weapon?
If a respondent tells you at Items WEAPONPRESENT
and WEAPON that an offender had a weapon other than
any type of gun, rifle, shotgun, or knife, your summary
report needs to explain if and how this object was used as a
weapon. Since guns, rifles, shotguns, and knives are
obviously weapons, it is not necessary to explain if and
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how any of these weapons were used as a weapon in the
summary report.
For example:
L1 was arguing with neighbor/neighbor picked up
rock/threw it at L1 & hit L1 in head/L1 treated at hospital
emergency room & got 4 stitches for the cut.
Keep in mind that thrown objects are only considered
weapons if they hit and seriously injure the respondent. BB
guns and tear gas guns are only considered weapons if they
are used as clubs.
The following objects are NEVER considered weapons:
W
W
W
W
W
W
W
W
W
Sex-Related Crimes
Animals
Pellet guns
Chloroform
Food
Mace or pepper spray
Parts of the body
Small empty cans
Tear gas
Water balloons
Since sex-related crimes are rare compared to other types of
crimes, include as many details as the respondent is willing
to provide. This is important so that we can classify any
sex-related crimes into the correct category--rape,
attempted rape, sexual assault, or unwanted sexual contact.
Avoid using phrases like "made sexually explicit
comments," "unwanted sexual contact," or "unwanted
sexual advances." These phrases do not provide us with
enough information to determine what actually happened.
We need to know what was actually said, what parts of the
body were touched, whether or not force was used, and so
forth.
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Even though we want all the pertinent facts, do not probe
beyond the structured probes that are provided for
Items WHATHAPPEN, HOWTRYATTACK,
HOWATTACK, and INJURY. For example, here is the
structured probe question for Item
SEXCONFORCEPROBE_1, "Do you mean forced or
coerced sexual intercourse including attempts?"
Stolen Property
Item ATTEMPTTHEFTOWNER - "Did the
(property/money) the offender tried to take belong to you
personally, to someone else in the household, or to both
you and other household members?"
Item WHOOWNEDSTOLENPROPERTY - "Did the
stolen (property/money) belong to you personally, to
someone else in the household, or to both you and other
household members?"
Items ATTEMPTTHEFTOWNER and
WHOOWNEDSTOLENPROPERTY relate to ownership
of property and/or money that an offender tried to steal or
stole. If property and/or money involved in the incident
belongs to the respondent AND other household members
OR just to other household members, make sure to
specifically identify these persons by their line numbers
(L1, L2, and so forth).
If property and/or money involved in the incident belongs
to nonhousehold members, mention that they are
nonhousehold members, along with a specific description
of their relationship to the respondent, such as co-worker,
friend, cousin, and so forth.
Item PROPERTYVALUE - "What was the value of the
PROPERTY that was taken? Include recovered property.
(Exclude any stolen cash/checks/credit cards. If jointly
owned with a nonhousehold member(s), include only
share owned by household members.)"
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When completing Item PROPERTYVALUE, please note:
If stolen property is jointly owned by one or more
household members together with one or more
nonhousehold members, only include the dollar amount for
the portion that was owned by the household members.
When identifying the value of stolen property that was
owned jointly by a household member and a nonhousehold
member, show a separate dollar amount in your summary
report to differentiate between the share owned by the
household member and the share owned by the
nonhousehold member. Do not use names in your
summary report; instead, use line numbers for household
members and relationships to the respondent for
nonhousehold members.
Offender is a Police
Officer
Commercial
Establishment
Whenever an offender is a police officer, there are specific
facts that we need to have in your summary report. Include
as many of these facts as you can gather. Be diplomatic
and ask for the following facts in a tactful manner:
T
Get a complete description of both the officer's and
the victim's actions.
T
Find out if the officer used or attempted to use his/her
gun or billy club.
T
Determine if the victim signed a complaint and, if so,
include any additional details (for example, victim
was arrested).
T
Ascertain whether any property was confiscated by
the police. If so, find out what was done with the
confiscated property– whether it was returned, kept as
evidence, etc.
If a crime incident occurred at a business or commercial
establishment, include in your summary report as many
facts as possible to provide a complete picture of what took
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place. Also, make sure to mention whether the business is
recognizable or unrecognizable.
For example:
L2 was shot in arm during clothing store robbery
(recognizable business)/Off. shot L2 with small handgun as
L2 reached under register to set off burglar alarm/L2 treated
@ emergency room/Store clothing & displays
damaged/store closed for 2 days/Est. $50k in stolen money,
damages & lost sales to store/Off. arrested.
Although the NCVS is not interested in the theft of property
or cash belonging to a recognizable business, we do want
this information in the summary report when it helps in
describing a situation in which:
Series Crimes
Verifying Summary
Reports
T
Personal property was also stolen from a household
member.
T
A household member received a face-to-face threat of
physical harm, was attacked, or an attempt was made
to attack the household member.
T
Someone illegally entered, broke into, or attempted to
break into the sample housing unit.
When writing a summary report for series of crimes, start
by providing a GENERAL description of the entire series
of incidents. For the last or most recent incident in the
series, provide a DETAILED description of the incident
following the who, what, where, when, and how format.
Once you have completed the summary report, ALWAYS
read it back to the respondent. This gives the respondent a
final opportunity to either change or add any facts that may
provide a clearer picture of the crime incident.
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Things to Avoid
Examples of Good
Summary Reports
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
When writing summary reports for crime incidents, avoid:
W
Using very general or vague statements or any
unnecessary words or phrases. Instead, write the facts
in short, concise sentences.
W
Using the exact wording from the answer categories
in the instrument.
W
Using pronouns (she, he, him, her, they, their, and so
forth).
W
Using abbreviations that most editors would not
understand. Instead, access and use the abbreviations
list in the NCVS instrument by using Shift + F11 or
the F1 Help key at the SUMMARY screen.
W
Omitting pertinent facts that could help clarify details
of an incident.
Here are some examples of good summary reports:
(
At 10 p.m. on Aug. 4, L1's drunken ex-spouse
(nonhousehold member) was arguing & using abusive
language while in L1's home/ex-spouse refused to
leave & threatened to burn down the house if L1
didn't take him back/police arrested ex-spouse/no
injury to L1/lamp broken valued @ $40.
(
At 12:30 p.m. on Oct. 10, L1 (school teacher) had $10
stolen from desk drawer in classroom while eating
lunch in school cafeteria/police not notified/off. never
caught/$10 not returned.
(
At 4 p.m. on Feb. 3, L2 (apt. mgr.) was shot in the
arm by angry evicted tenant in L2's office/small hand
gun used/police notified & off. arrested/L2
hospitalized overnight.
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Examples of Bad Summary
Reports
Part C, Chapter 3
(
At 2 a.m. on Dec. 12, off. attempted to break into L1's
home/no one present/security alarm scared off. & off.
ran away/damage to door & lock valued @ $50/police
notified/off. not found.
(
At 11 a.m. on May 5, L2's antique shop robbed at
gunpoint by two off./$1,500 taken from shop
register/$50 taken from L2/gold necklace & purse
taken from customer/no injuries or store damage/
police notified/off. caught & prosecuted.
(
At 9 p.m. on July 10, off. threatened to rape L2 at
gunpoint/siren from passing police car scared off./L2
got free & ran to drug store for help/L2 bruised/police
notified/off. never found.
(
At 5 p.m. on Aug. 4, off. forcibly grabbed L2/kissed
L2 against L2's will/ran his hands up & down L2's
buttocks/L2 kneed off. in his groin & got away/no
police report/no injuries to L2.
The following are examples of bad summary reports:
;
There was unwanted sexual contact between off. and
L2 with no injuries.
;
Sam was threatened by his co-worker in an office
building. There were no injuries.
;
Rsp. sd she was shot at while walking down the
street/offenders were arrested.
;
Rsp. was involved in a car jacking/threatened to
shoot/not far from home/police notified.
;
Was on way to school/music compact discs
stolen/$75/no police.
;
Garage broken into/HH sleeping at time/bike stolen/
no police/no injuries.
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;
Lawnmower stolen from premises/hh on vacation/no
threats, attack, or injury.
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Part C, Chapter 3
Topic 23. Type of Industry and Occupation
Definition
Specific questions in the incident report section of the
instrument, ask about various aspects of a respondent’s job
at the time of the incident. The information collected about
the respondent’s employer, kind of business, and kind of
work done at the time of the incident are used to assign
industry and occupation codes that uniquely identify the
respondent’s job by type of industry and occupation.
The aggregated data from these industry and occupation
items allow users to analyze crime data by different types of
industries and occupations.
Conditions for Asking the
Industry and Occupation
Questions
The only time you ask a respondent the industry and
occupation questions is when the respondent reports that
he/she was working or on duty when the incident
happened/started. In other words, Precode (11), “Working
or on duty,” is entered at Item
DOINGATINCIDENTTIME.
Screens Covering the
Industry and Occupation
Questions
The industry and occupation questions are Items
EMPLOYERTYPE through ISCURRENTJOB.
EMPLOYERTYPE
Item EMPLOYERTYPE is used to identify into which
“Class of Worker” type the respondent’s employer fits.
The “Class of Worker” categories include:
Precode (1)
Precode (2)
Precode (3)
Precode (4)
Precode (5)
A private company, business, or individual
for wages.
The Federal government.
A State, county, or local government.
Yourself (Self-employed) in your own
business, professional practice, or farm.
A private, not-for-profit, tax-exempt, or
charitable organization.
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INCORPORATED
Item INCORPORATED is used to determine whether the
business at which the respondent worked at the time of the
incident is incorporated. Only ask this question if you
entered Precode (1), (4), or (5) at Item
EMPLOYERTYPE.
EMPLOYERNAME
Item EMPLOYERNAME is used to identify the name of
the respondent’s employer at the time of the incident.
Since Census Bureau coders working in the National
Processing Center need this key piece of information to
assign the correct industry code, make sure that you record
this information accurately.
Even though a respondent may be reluctant to provide the
name of his/her employer, make every effort to collect this
information without badgering the respondent. In some
cases, you may succeed by just reassuring a respondent that
the information he/she provides is held strictly confidential.
TYPEBUSINESS
Item TYPEBUSINESS is used to determine the kind of
business or industry that is transacted by the respondent’s
employer at the time of the incident. This is another key
piece of information needed to assign the correct industry
code for a respondent’s employer.
To ensure that our coders can assign an accurate industry
code, enter a clear and specific description of the
employer’s kind of business or industry:
T
What is the purpose of the business?
OR
T
Structured Probe
What type of products are produced by this industry?
If the respondent hesitates in giving you an answer to your
initial question at Item TYPEBUSINESS, also ask the
structured probe question printed below the initial question.
This question may help the respondent to understand what
type of description we want at this screen.
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Be Specific
Part C, Chapter 3
Make sure that you avoid entering descriptions that are too
general, such as:
W
W
W
W
“It’s a mining company.”
“The business provides a repair service.”
“It’s a computer-related business.”
“It’s a retail store.”
Here are some examples of better descriptions:
T
T
T
T
“Mines & transports coal & coal byproducts.”
“Repairs small home appliances.”
“Designs & sells computer software.”
“Operates two large hardware stores.”
Enter descriptions that are specific, but avoid using
unnecessary words that make the descriptions too long.
Keep your descriptions under 50 characters, since this is the
maximum number of characters allotted for keying this
information. This is true for each industry and occupation
item requiring a write-in entry.
BUSINESSSECTOR
Item BUSINESSSECTOR is used to identify the major
type of industry in which the respondent was working at the
time of the incident. The four options to choose from are:
T
T
T
T
Manufacturing
Retail trade
Wholesale trade
Something else
Distinguishing between these types of industries is very
important, because type of industry also plays an essential
role in assigning the correct industry code. If this question
is answered incorrectly, the coders will not be able to assign
an accurate industry code for the respondent’s employer.
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Precode (1),
Manufacturing
If a respondent’s employer makes and sells its products in
large quantities or lots to other manufacturers, wholesalers,
or retailers, the respondent’s employer is probably a
manufacturing company.
Precode (2), Retail
Trade
If a respondent’s employer sells primarily to individual
consumers or users, but seldom makes products, the
respondent’s employer is probably a retail establishment.
Precode (3), Wholesale
Trade
If a respondent’s employer buys, rather than makes,
products in large quantities or lots for resale to retailers,
industrial users, or to other wholesalers, the respondent’s
employer is probably a wholesale establishment.
Precode (4), Something
Else
If a respondent’s employer does not manufacture or sell
products as a wholesaler or a retailer, then enter Precode
(4), “Something Else.” Examples of some employers that
fit into the “Something Else” category are:
T
T
T
T
T
When To Probe
Car repair shops,
Accounting firms,
Medical centers,
Trucking companies, or
Banks.
Some firms are engaged in more than one type of business
or activity. When you encounter this situation, you need to
do some additional probing to determine the most
appropriate precode to enter at Item BUSINESSSECTOR.
If you discover that the respondent’s employer conducts
business at more than one location (for example, making
copy machines at one location and making chemicals used
by the copy machines at another location), collect data for
the location at which the respondent works.
If you discover that the respondent’s employer conducts a
variety of activities at the same location (for example, a
gasoline station that also sells groceries), probe to
determine which activity or product the respondent is most
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directly involved with in his/her job. For example, if the
respondent primarily sells groceries at the gasoline station,
enter Precode (2). However, if the respondent primarily
works as a mechanic servicing motor vehicles at the
gasoline station, enter Precode (4).
OCCUPATIONDESC
Item OCCUPATIONDESC is used to determine the kind
of work or occupation the respondent had at the time of
the incident. In addition to assigning an industry code for
the respondent’s employer, the coders also assign an
occupation code for the respondent’s job based on:
•
The kind of work described at Item
OCCUPATIONDESC and
•
The respondent’s most important activities or duties
described at Item USUALJOBDUTIES.
Make sure that you enter complete and accurate
descriptions for both of these items, so that the coders can
assign the correct occupation code.
Job Title vs. Kind of
Work
The “kind of work” descriptions that our coders need must
clearly specify the type of work the respondent does on
his/her job, and this is not necessarily the respondent’s job
title. For some occupations, the common descriptions or
general job titles that a respondent provides will not be
sufficient for the coders to assign the correct occupation
code.
Self-Employed Persons
When a respondent is self-employed, only enter “Manager”
as his/her occupation if the person actually spends most of
the workday managing his/her business. Otherwise, we
want you to enter the kind of work the respondent spends
the majority of his/her time doing, such as plumber, hair
stylist, dentist, house painter, and so forth. In other words,
describe the respondent’s actual trade or craft, when that is
the kind of work that the respondent spends most of his/her
time doing for the business.
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Avoid Entering
Department or Work
Place Titles
Avoid entering kind of work entries such as “Works in
shipping department” or “Works in the warehouse.” These
entries do not adequately describe the kind of work done by
the respondent. If the respondent inspects outgoing
products from the shipping department, enter “Inspects
products leaving shipping department.” If the respondent is
a clerk who monitors inventory in a warehouse, enter
“Clerk monitoring warehouse inventory.”
Apprentice vs. Trainee
There is a difference between someone who is an
apprentice and someone who is a trainee. An apprentice is
under contract during his/her training period, but a trainee
is not. If a respondent tells you that he/she is in an
apprenticeship or trainee program, make sure to enter both
the person’s occupation or kind of work, along with the
term “apprentice” or “trainee.” For example, you may need
to enter “Apprentice plumber” or “Buyer trainee.”
Machinist vs. Machine
Operator vs. Mechanic
Although all three titles sound similar, there are major
differences in the kind of work done by a machinist, a
machine operator, and a mechanic.
A machinist is a skilled craftsman who constructs metal
parts, tools, and machines through the use of blueprints,
machine and hand tools, and precise measuring
instruments.
A machine operator runs a factory machine, such as a drill
press operator.
A mechanic inspects, services, repairs, or overhauls
machinery.
Secretary vs. “Official
Secretary”
The title secretary applies to someone who does secretarial
work in an office. The title official secretary applies to
someone who is an elected or appointed officer of a
business, union, or other organization.
Probing for Difficult to
Code Occupations
Here is a basic rule for Item OCCUPATIONDESC: Avoid
entering a one word response, because it will usually be too
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general for our coders to assign the correct occupation
code. For these situations, we are providing the following
table which has some difficult to code, one word
occupations, along with a suggested probe for each
occupation. These probes are written to encourage the
respondent to provide a more specific description of the
kind of work he/she does on the job. This table is also
available as a job aid, “Difficult to Code Occupations.”
Occupation
Suggested Probe
Assembler
What do you assemble? For example, do you assemble
automobiles, electric motors, farm equipment, sheet metal, or
something else?
Clerk
What type of clerk are you? For example, do you handle
accounting, billing, filing, shipping, statistical data, sales, or
something else?
Engineer
What kind of engineer are you? For example, are you a civil,
electrical, mechanical, nuclear, chemical, train, stationary,
building, or some other type of engineer?
Inspector
What type of things do you inspect? For example, do you
inspect automobiles, restaurants, houses, buildings, meats, or
something else?
Manager
What type of manager are you? For example, do you manage a
bakery, garage, hotel, office, property, store, or something else?
Machinist
Do you set up AND operate machines?
Machine operator
How many machines do you operate? Also, what type of
machine do you operate primarily?
Mechanic
What type of mechanic are you? For example, do you service
and repair automobile bodies, engines, appliances, trucks,
valves, or something else?
Nurse
What type of nurse are you? For example, are you registered,
licensed, practical, vocational, a nursing aide, or some other type
of nurse?
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Occupation
Suggested Probe
Researcher
What is your field of research?
Sales Worker
What do you sell? For example, do you sell advertising, cars,
houses, insurance, shoes, tickets, or something else?
Supervisor
Who or what do you supervise? For example, do you supervise
clerical workers, counselors, laborers, field representatives, or
someone else?
Teacher
Do you teach at the preschool, elementary, high school, or
college level? Also, which subjects do you teach?
Truck Driver
What type of truck do you operate? What type of cargo do you
transport?
USUALJOBDUTIES
Item USUALJOBDUTIES is used to describe the usual
activities or duties a respondent performs at his/her job.
This is the second key piece of information that our coders
use to assign an occupation code. What you enter at Item
USUALJOBDUTIES is especially useful when a simple
job title does not provide enough information to code the
occupation.
Here are some examples of entries you may need to enter at
Item USUALJOBDUTIES:
•
•
•
•
Keeping account books
Selling new and used motor vehicles
Laying bricks and stone
Typing and filing letters, reports, memos, etc.
If a respondent tells you that his/her job duties are
classified, do NOT probe. In this situation, enter
“Information is classified.”
Item JOBMSATYPE
Item JOBMSATYPE is used to find out if the respondent
was working in a city, suburban area, rural area, or a
combination of any of these areas at the time of the
incident. This type of information helps our sponsor, the
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BJS, in determining if specific areas are more prone to
crime.
When a respondent worked for more than one employer at
the time of the incident, enter the precode for the area in
which he/she worked the greater number of hours. Avoid
entering Precode (4), “Combination of any of these?”,
unless a respondent insists that the area he/she worked
MOST of the time was a combination of city, suburban, and
rural.
Item
INCIDENTHAPPEN
ATWORK
Item INCIDENTHAPPENATWORK is used to
determine whether the incident happened at the
respondent’s work site for any job held by the respondent at
the time of the incident. If you already know the answer to
this question, you can verify the answer without asking this
question.
Incident Happened at
Work Site
Consider a respondent’s work site to be the place where
his/her USUAL day-to-day activities take place. Some
examples of work sites include: office, hospital, taxi cab,
convenience store, beauty parlor, and so forth.
Work Site at Sample
Address
If a respondent works out of an office or workshop in
his/her home and the incident occurred in the office or
workshop, consider the incident as happening at the
respondent’s work site. However, if the incident happened
somewhere else in the house, garage, or property OTHER
THAN in the office or workshop, then the incident did not
happen at the respondent’s work site.
Not at Usual Work Site
Do not consider the incident as happening at a respondent’s
work site if it occurred while the respondent was on the job,
but not at his/her usual work site. Some examples include
attending a meeting in another office building during
working hours or attending a business meeting out of town.
Last Resort Answer
Only enter Precode (3), “Don’t know,” when a respondent
really does not know if the incident happened at his/her
work site.
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Explanation Required
Enter Precode (4), “Other,” if a respondent’s answer
requires more than just a “Yes” or “No” answer and then
use the “Specify” space at Item
INCIDENTHAPPENATWORK_SPEC to answer this
question.
WORKDAYNIGHT
Item WORKDAYNIGHT is used to find out if the
respondent worked primarily days, nights, or rotating shifts
at the time of the incident.
ISCURRENTJOB
Item ISCURRENTJOB is used to determine whether the
respondent’s job at the time of the incident is also his/her
current job at the time of the interview.
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Part C, Chapter 3
Topic 24. Disability
Definition
Not Considered Serious
Disabling Conditions
For the NCVS, a disability can be:
•
A mental health condition that keeps the respondent
from participating fully in work, school, or other
activities. We are looking for mental health
conditions that are readily apparent to a potential
offender and significantly impact the respondent’s
life.
•
An intellectual disability such as mental retardation,
Down syndrome, autism, or cerebral palsy.
•
Any type of brain injury that causes the respondent
to have difficulty thinking, concentrating, or making
decisions, such as a stroke, brain tumor, or any other
type of brain injury.
•
Any other type of serious disabling condition, such as
ALS or Lou Gehrig’s disease, multiple sclerosis,
muscular dystrophy, or Huntington’s disease. We are
looking for serious disabling conditions that are
readily apparent to a potential offender and
significantly impact the respondent’s life.
For the NCVS, we do not consider the following health
problems to be serious disabling conditions:
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Why Does the NCVS Ask
About Disability?
Back injuries
Hip or knee problems (such as hip or knee
replacements)
Old age
Diabetes
Asthma
Arthritis
Many people believe that persons who have disabilities are
more likely to be targeted for victimization because
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offenders see them as being more vulnerable and, therefore,
they are seen as easy targets for crime. New legislation
requires the NCVS to collect data relating to the nature of
crime against people with disabilities. These data are used
by policy makers in developing programs that address the
safety and justice needs of people with disabilities.
The disability questions in the NCVS interview determine:
Screens Covering the
Disability Questions
•
Whether the respondent has a serious health
condition, impairment, or disability.
•
Whether the respondent has any reason to suspect that
he/she was victimized during the current incident
because of the serious health condition, impairment,
or disability.
•
Which of the respondent’s health conditions,
impairments, or disabilities does he/she believe
caused the offender to target him/her for this incident.
The series of disability questions begins with an
introduction at Item DISABILITY_INTRO, which is read
to prepare the respondent for the type of questions you are
about to ask and to explain why we are asking about
possible health conditions, impairments, or disabilities.
Following the introduction, the disability questions
continue with Item HEARING and end with Item
WHICHDISABILITYTARGET_3.
To lessen respondent burden, you do not ask the complete
series of disability questions for every incident reported by
a respondent. When you are completing the first incident
report for a household member, ask all of the disability
questions in Items HEARING through LEAVINGHOME.
If the respondent indicates that he/she has a health
condition or disability in any of those items, then the
instrument continues with Item
VICTIMDUETODISABLE. You only ask Items
Reporting Crime Incidents
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Part C, Chapter 3
WHICHDISABILITYTARGET if you entered Precode
(1), “Yes” in Item VICTIMDUETODISABLE.
However, if you have already completed an incident report
for a household member who reported a health condition or
disability, subsequent incident reports for the household
member skip over the introduction and Items HEARING
through LEAVINGHOME and start with Item
VICTIMDUETODISABLE. If you get a “Yes” answer in
Item VICTIMDUETODISABLE, you also ask Items
WHICHDISABILITYTARGET, which are the last
disability questions.
If you have already completed an incident report for a
household member who did NOT report a health condition
or disability, you skip over all of the disability questions
when completing any subsequent incident reports for the
household member and continue with the summary report
for the incident.
Reporting Crime Incidents
C3-107
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Part D
Part D
NCVS Case Management
Table of Topics
Topic
Page
1 Introduction
D1-2
2 Getting into Case Management
D1-3
3 Telecommunications
D1-14
4 Address Book
D1-18
NCVS Case Management
D1-1
Part D
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Topic 1. Introduction
Primary Purpose
This document outlines procedures for the NCVS CAPI
Case Management System used by field representatives and
supervisory field representatives to manage the NCVS
assignments in the field.
Case Management helps you organize and manage your
assignments and is an important part of interview planning.
Case Management provides a list of all sample units in your
assignment, along with additional information such as
respondent names, telephone numbers, scheduled
appointments, etc.
NCVS Case Management
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Part D
Topic 2. Getting Into Case Management
Logging onto Laptop
Getting into Case
Management
C
The first screen that appears when you turn on the
computer is the standard U.S. Census “accessing a
government computer” warning.
C
The Entrust login box appears; type your password
and press “Enter.”
C
If the password is incorrect the message “(-160)
Incorrect password supplied,” is displayed. If the
password is correct, the Windows desktop appears.
You may enter Case Management in several different ways
from the Desktop.
Using the Mouse:
C
Move the mouse arrow onto the NCVS icon and
double-click the left mouse or touch pad button.
(Note: a single tap of the touch pad also works, if
the mouse is not plugged in.) OR
C
Move the mouse arrow onto the Start button and
single click the left mouse or touch pad button or
tap the touch pad. A menu will appear; highlight
“Programs.” A second menu will appear, highlight
“NCVS,” and click the left mouse button or touch
pad button, or tap the touch pad. OR
Using the Keyboard
C
Press the Windows key on your laptop and a menu
will appear. Press “P” for “Programs” and a second
menu will appear. Arrow down to NCVS and press
“ENTER.” A menu will appear; highlight
“Programs.” A second menu will appear, highlight
“NCVS,” and click the left mouse button or touch
pad button, or tap the touch pad.
NCVS Case Management
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Part D
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
C
The main display appears. You will notice that the
screen is split into two panes. The display has four
components, which are:
Menu Bar (see section A)
Case List Pane (see section B)
Tool Bar Icons / Function Keys (see Section C)
Details Pane (see Section D)
Menu Bar
General Information
C
The Menu Bar is at the top of the screen. It is
labeled as follows:
File - selections include:
Edit
View
Actions
Help
C
In Windows Case Management there are some
functions that can only be accomplished through use
of menus (that is, there is no Function key assigned
for that function).
C
All actions that may be performed with a Function
or shortcut key may also be performed through the
menus.
Accessing a Menu
C
To access a menu, position the cursor over the
selection on the menu bar and left click, and a dropdown menu appears.
C
The selections for the menu appear. Each has an
underlined letter and any Function or shortcut keys
that perform the same action are listed to the right.
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Part D
C
To make a selection there are two options:
Use the arrow keys to highlight your selection and
press “ENTER,” OR
Press the key for the underlined letter in the
selection.
Case List Pane
General Information
C
The case list pane is in the top half of the screen and
shows the list of cases you still have to complete.
Completed cases do not appear on this list.
C
The case list pane differs from survey to survey.
C
Use the vertical scroll bar area on the right hand
side of the case list to move up and down in the case
list (click on the up and down arrows that appear at
the bottom and top of the scroll bar).
Columns
For the NCVS the following columns appear:
C
Control Number - PSU, segment, sample, serial
number, household number
C
* (Asterisk) - a case is flagged with an asterisk if
there is something special about it, for example, if
the case has been reassigned to you or it is a
confirmed refusal. If an asterisk appears for a case,
one or more small icons will appear in the upper
right corner of each tab in the Details pane.
C
Case Address - House number, house number
suffix, street name, unit designation, GQ unit
designation, non-city address, physical description.
NCVS Case Management
D1-5
Part D
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
There is a space between each field. Address is
truncated to fit the screen. If truncated, a ‘~’ should
appear in the last space to indicate continuation.
(Note: If house number, house number suffix, and
street name are blank, then the physical description
will be displayed.)
C
Place Name/City - City, town, or designated place
where address is located.
C
ZIP - ZIP code.
C
Appointment - This field will be filled with an
appointment or the best time to contact a household.
If not specific appointment has been made with a
household, this field will be filled with BESTTIME.
BESTTIME is the time range the respondent in the
previous interview said was the best time to reach
them. In the first interview month, this field is
blank. Best time values are listed below:
00 - Special restriction; supervisor sets appointment
01 - 9 am - 12 noon
02 - 11 am - 1 pm
03 - 12 noon - 4 pm
04 - 4 pm - 7 pm
05 - 6 pm - 9 pm
06 - 9 am - 9 pm
07 - 7 pm - 9 pm
08 - 9 am - 4 pm
09 - After 5 pm
C
P/T - Indicates whether the case is to be completed
by personal interview (P) or by telephone (T).
NCVS Case Management
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NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Part D
C
Status - interview status codes. Status codes
include:
O - Case has been opened
P - Partial interview completed
C - Completed interview
A - Type A noninterview
B - Type B noninterview
C - Type C noninterview
X - Bad case, missing data
R - case has been reassigned to another FR
T - Transmitted
TR - Case has been received by HQ
Tool Bar and
Function Keys
C
Telephone number - Household’s phone number.
C
Int # - Number of interview (1-7).
C
Rte - Allows you to enter the order or route in
which you plan to visit your cases. You can then
sort (F9) your cases so that they are displayed in the
order you want to work that day.
General Information
C
The tool bar contains icons (or symbols) labeled
with the function key names. The icons remind you
of what the function keys do.
C
You can also use your mouse or touchpad to click
on these to perform the same function as pressing
the corresponding function key.
C
If you have worked on other Census CAPI surveys,
notice that some function keys work the same as
they do in CASES case management. Others have
been slightly altered, and others have been given
new meanings.
NCVS Case Management
D1-7
Part D
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
F1 - Help
C
Displays the Help information about the active
window. In Case Management information about
various topics such as sorting cases, adding cases,
outcome codes, etc. is provided.
F2- Interview
C
Opens the selected case so you can interview the
respondent.
C
Displays the control number, eight character case
ID, house number, house number suffix, street
name, unit designation, physical description, place,
state, and ZIP code (ZIP and ZIP + 4).
C
If you chose the correct case, click “OK” or press
“ENTER.”
C
If you chose the wrong case, click “Cancel” or
highlight “Cancel” using the “TAB” key and press
“ENTER.”
F3 - Next Tab
C
Controls the display at the bottom half of the Case
Management screen by moving you from tab to tab.
F4 - Go Detail / Case List
C
Activates the Details (bottom) pane. Toggles to
Case List, to let you return to the Case List (top)
pane.
C
F4 was chosen because it is the function key in the
instrument that “jumps.”
NCVS Case Management
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Part D
C
Use this function key when you need to edit
something in one of the tabs.
C
The tool bar toggles between “Go Detail” and “Case
List” depending on which pane is active.
F5 - Reports
C
Displays the Case Management Report Selection
dialog box, in which you choose the report(s) you
want.
C
Select the report you would like to display with
either the mouse or arrow keys. Select “OK” and
press “ENTER.”
F6 - Listing
C
Opens the selected case so you can work on it.
F7 - Notes
C
Displays the Notes field for the selected case. You
may edit your notes.
C
Multiple pages of notes may be entered. (Notes are
no longer limited to 15 lines.)
C
Case Management and the NCVS instrument will
use the same application for editing notes. Notes
entered in Case Management are displayed in the
survey instrument and case level notes entered in
the instrument can be viewed in Case Management.
C
The notes application automatically fills in a CAPI
indicator, date, time, and your FR code, so that
notes may be tracked if a case is transferred to
another FR.
NCVS Case Management
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Part D
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
C
Enter “F10" to exit the notes application.
C
Select “Yes” and press “ENTER” to save the note.
F8 - View
C
Activates the “Display category selection” dialog
box, in which you choose the category of cases
you’d like to see. This lets you look at a shorter list
of cases - only those which fall into the category
you choose - or at a list of all your cases.
Categories are:
All
Not started
Open
Partial
Interviewed
Type A
Type B
Type C
CATI
Deleted
Missing Data
Observed
Transmitted
Received in HQ
C
When you select an option, the program lists only
the cases that match that criteria. The display will
be just like the main display, but with a label to
identify which set of cases you selected.
C
Use F8 again to select a different category.
C
Use Shift + F8 to return to the main Case
Management screen.
NCVS Case Management
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NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Part D
F9 - Sort
C
Lets you rearrange the listed cases according to your
criteria.
C
Select the sort you want by highlighting a category
in the left of the pop-up box and holding down the
left mouse button. You then move the mouse to the
right until an arrow appears on the right of the popup box. Cases will be sorted first by the top
category, then the second category from the top,
etc., and lastly by bottom category
C
You may select as many columns as you like.
F10 - Exit
C
Exits/closes Case Management and returns to the
Windows desktop.
Other Functions
Windows Case Management uses function keys in
combination with other keys on the keyboard to allow you
to perform other operations. These include:
C
Shift + F1 - Displays Welcome, the first help topic
C
Alt + F4 - Closes the active window or exits the
program
C
Shift + F8 - Returns you to the main Case
Management screen from the Display Categories
screen
C
Control + K - Accesses the list of shortcut keys
C
Control + Home - Moves you to the first case on
the list
NCVS Case Management
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Part D
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
C
Details Pane
Control + End - Moves you to the last case on the
list
General Information
C
The details pane is the area in the bottom half of the
screen.
C
The information displayed in the details pane
corresponds to whichever case is highlighted in the
Case List pane.
C
The Details pane contains seven tabs/sections
(Assignment, HH Roster, Additional Information,
Notes, Contacts, History, and Interview Time
Preference) that act as folders to store information
about a particular case. The selected tab will be
displayed with its title bolded.
C
If you are in a detail pane, the title appears in red.
C
The F3 key changes the tab that is displayed.
Fields with a white background may be edited. Shift + S
saves any changes you enter.
Assignment Tab
C
The assignment tab is the main tab and contains
information about the control number, assignment
period, interview number, household respondent
name, home addresses, separate mailing addresses,
refusal information, languages spoken, telephone
numbers, and appointments.
HH Roster Tab
C
The HH Roster tab displays the household roster line number, name, age, birthdate, and sex of all
NCVS Case Management
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NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Part D
household members. It also identifies the
household respondent.
Details Pane (con’td)
C
The roster is updated when you exit a case in the
instrument.
C
You cannot update the roster in Case Management;
you can only view it.
Additional Information Tab
C
This tab provides additional information about cases
that are in group quarters.
Notes Tab
C
Allows you to view the notes for the case.
C
For more information see Tool Bar Icons /
Function Keys, F7 - Notes.
Contacts Tab
C
The contacts tab contains contact information for
the case.
History Tab
C
This tab contains the history of all previous
interviews for the case.
C
It also keeps a record of all the times the case has
been accessed in the current month.
NCVS Case Management
D1-13
Part D
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Topic 3. Telecommunications
Transmissions
General Information
C
“Transmissions” is a separate icon on your main
Windows desktop.
Entering “Transmissions”
There are three ways to enter the transmissions program
from the desktop:
C
Move the mouse arrow onto the Transmissions icon
and left double-click the mouse or touch pad button
button. (Note: a single tap of the touch pad also
works if the mouse is not plugged in.) OR
C
Move the mouse arrow onto the Start button and left
click the mouse/touch pad button once or tap the
touch pad. A menu appears. Highlight
“Transmissions” and left click the mouse/touch pad
button or tap the touch pad. OR
C
Press the Windows key on your laptop and a menu
appears. Press “P” for Programs and a second menu
appears. Arrow down to “Transmissions” and press
“ENTER.”
Preparing a Transmission
C
The main transmission screen lists all your surveys.
C
Before you make a transmission, separate pop-up
screens appear that remind you to:
þ Back up your work, and
þ Complete your payroll file.
NCVS Case Management
D1-14
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Part D
C
For the highlighted survey, key “D” for “daily,”
“F”for “Final,” or “S” for “Special.” Note: Only
key “S” if instructed to do so by your SFR or RO
staff.
C
To deselect an option press “DELETE” or click on
“Deselect” on the toolbar.
C
Use the arrow keys to highlight other surveys for
which you also need to transmit data.
C
Note that the transmissions program also has menus
and function keys to help you.
C
F10 exits transmissions.
C
F11 is used to change your preset transmission time.
Transmitting
Backing Up Your Work
C
F12 is now used to retransmit.
C
You will be asked to pick an interview period for
any final transmissions.
C
You then choose between an immediate or a preset
transmission. Preset is the default and is displayed
at the bottom of the pop-up box.
C
The program then provides you with the number of
cases being transmitted.
Your computer backs up your work using the hard drive.
Procedures for backing up work are as follows:
C
Select “Backup” from the System Tools submenu.
NCVS Case Management
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Part D
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
C
If all your files were successfully backed up, you
see the following message in the Backup Message
pop-up box:
“The Backup process completed successfully.”
C
If your files were not backed up successfully you
see the “unsuccessful” message in the Backup
Message pop-up box:
“The Backup process did not complete
successfully”
If your files did not back up successfully, try to back
them up again. If your files are not backed up
successfully after two attempts, then call your
regional office for assistance.
Mail
General Information
C
“Read Mail” allows the user to read mail from HQ
and read the transmission activity log.
C
“Create Mail” allows the user to send mail to the
RO survey only.
C
“Sent Mail” keeps a historical log of messages sent
that you can view later, if necessary.
Getting Into Mail
There are three ways to get into the mail transmissions
program from the desktop:
C
Move the mouse arrow onto the Mail Transmissions
icon and left double-click the mouse or touch pad
button (Note: a single tap of the touch pad also
works, if the mouse is not plugged in.) OR
NCVS Case Management
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Part D
C
Move the mouse arrow onto the Start button and
single left click the mouse or touch pad button or
tap the touch pad. A menu will appear, highlight
programs. A second menu will appear, highlight
Transmissions and click the left mouse or touch pad
button or tap the touch pad. OR
C
Press the Windows key on your laptop, a menu will
appear. Press “P” for Programs and a second menu
appears. Arrow down to Mail Transmissions and
press “ENTER.”
Reading Mail Messages
C
This function displays a full screen with a list of
mail messages.
C
Arrow up and down to select a message, then press
“ENTER” to read it. Once in the message, use the
arrow keys to move around, then press “ESC” to
exit the message.
C
On exit, “Do you wish to delete this message
(Y/N)?” appears. “N” returns you to the Read Mail
screen; “Y” deletes the message and returns you to
the Read Mail screen.
Creating Mail Messages
C
Select the survey for which to create mail from the
Surveys List.
C
The Create Mail screen is displayed.
C
The message “Do you wish to edit a previous
message?” is displayed if you have any messages
that were created and saved.
NCVS Case Management
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Part D
NCVS-550 (CAPI) (7/2008)
Topic 4. Address Book
General Information
C
An address book application has been added for
your convenience.
C
You must enter all information to create your own
personal address book. Fields include:
C
C
C
C
Entering Address Book
Name
Phone number(s)
Address
Notes
There are three ways to enter the address book application
from the desktop:
C
Move the mouse arrow onto the Address Book icon
and left double-click the mouse or touch pad button
(Note: a single tap of the touch pad also works, if
the mouse is not plugged in.) OR
C
Move the mouse arrow onto the Start button and
single left click the mouse or touch pad button or
tap the touch pad. A menu appears, highlight
programs. A second menu appears, highlight
Address Book and left click the mouse or touch pad
button or tap the touch pad. OR
C
Press the Windows key on your laptop. A menu
will appear. Press “P” for Programs and a second
menu appears. Arrow down to Address Book and
press “ENTER.”
NCVS Case Management
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NCVS-550 (10/2006)
Screen Name
Screen Name Index
Part/Chapter/Pages
B4-166, C3-73
B4-90, C3-32
B4-95
B2-24
B4-190
B4-157, C3-57
B2-21
B4-215
B4-222
B4-217
B4-215
B4-96, C3-24
B4-193
B6-4
B2-38
B4-189
B4-150
B4-58
B4-127, C3-46
B4-136
B4-137
B4-134
C3-55
B4-135
B4-132, C3-54
C3-47
B2-43
B4-193
B4-249
B2-38
B4-250
B2-35
B2-35
B2-35
B3-6
B4-205, C3-97
B3-6
B2-9
B4-85
B4-85
B6-6
B1-10
ACTCOSTREPAIRREPLACE
ACTIONSDURINGINC
ACTIONWORSE
ADRCHECK_CP
AGENCYHELP
ALLPARTRECOVERED
ALTERNATE_1_CP
AMOUNTHHMEMTIMELOST
AMOUNTLOSTPAYNOEMP
AMOUNTLOSTPAYNOMED
AMOUNTTIMELOST
ANYONEPRESENT
ANYTHINGFURTHER
APPT
ARMEDFORCES
ARRESTMADE
ARTICLEINCAR
ATTACK
ATTEMPTTHEFT
ATTEMPTTHEFTITEMONPERSON
ATTEMPTTHEFTITEMS
ATTEMPTTHEFTITEMSINMV
ATTEMPTTHEFTLNS
ATTEMPTTHEFTONPERSON
ATTEMPTTHEFTOWNER
ATTEMPTTHEFTWHAT
ATTENDINGSCHOOL
AUTHORITIES
AUTISM
BPERSON_SEX
BRAININJURY
BRTHDATEDY
BRTHDATEMO
BRTHDATEYR
BUSINESS
BUSINESSSECTOR
BUSINESSSIGN
CAPI_INTRO_B
CAREDAYHOSPIT
CAREOVERNIGHT
CASE LEVEL NOTES EDITOR
CASEID
I-19
NCVS-550 (10/2006)
Screen Name
Screen Name Index
Part/Chapter/Pages
B4-153
B6-5
B6-5
B4-249
B2-12
B3-53
B4-192
B5-4
B3-54
B4-252
B4-163, C3-72
B4-164, C3-73
B4-220
B4-156, C3-51
B4-247
B4-195
B4-249
B4-89
B2-40
B4-203, C3-96
B4-200, C3-95
B3-52
B2-28
B4-165, C3-73
B4-38, C3-18
A2-24
B4-46
B4-82, C3-32
B4-104
B4-36, C3-18
B2-5
B2-11, B2-20
B5-8
B5-8
B5-9
B5-9
B5-8
B5-11
B5-9
B5-10
B5-9
B5-11
CASHONPERSON
CATI_ELIGIBLE1
CATI_ELIGIBLE2
CEREBRALPALSY
CHNGPH_CP
COLLEGEEMPLOYER
CONTACTAUTHORITIES
CRIME_END
CURRENTJOBSATYPE
DAILYACTIVITIES
DAMAGED
DAMAGEDREPAIRED
DAYSLOSTWORK
DECIDEDVALUE
DISABILITY_INTRO
DOINGATINCIDENTTIME
DOWNSYNDROME
DURINGINCIDENT
EDUCATIONATTAIN
EMPLOYERNAME
EMPLOYERTYPE
EMPLOYERTYPECURRENT
ENTIREREFPERIOD_CP
ESTCOSTTOREPAIRREPLACE
EVIDENCE
FAQ (General Help)
FARFROMHOME
FIRSTINJURY
FIRSTTOUSEFORCE
FORCEDENTRY
GEN_INTRO_CP
GETLETTER_CP
H_ABBREV
H_CATCHALL
H_DAMAGED
H_DISABILITY
H_HISPORIGIN
H_NONINT
H_NOTREPORTED
H_OMB
H_PRESENCE
H_RACEOTHER
I-20
NCVS-550 (10/2006)
Screen Name
Screen Name Index
Part/Chapter/Pages
B5-8
B5-11
B5-9
B4-108, C3-72
B2-21
B4-94
B2-21
B2-33, B2-35
B2-28
B4-48, C3-20, C3-22
B4-102, C3-68
B4-223
B2-33
B2-33
B3-55
C3-30, C3-36
B4-123
B4-98
B4-67, C3-29, C3-35
B4-63, B4-67, C3-29, C3-35
B3-24
B5-3
B3-43
B4-3
B4-13
B4-4
B4-244
B4-212, C3-81, C3-103
B4-246
B4-238
B4-242
B4-240
B4-242
B4-243
B4-2
B4-6, C3-5
B5-3
B4-11
B4-7, C3-5
B4-10, C3-6
B5-2
B5-3
H_STATE
H_THEFT
H_WHYREPORTED
HAPPEN
HELLO_ALT2_CP
HELP
HELP_OTH_CP
HHLDCOVERAGE
HHLDPROXYREASON
HHMEMBERPRESENT
HHMEMHARMED
HHMEMLOSTWORKTIME
HHROSTER_LNAME
HHRROSTER_FNAME
HOUSEHOLDINCOME
HOWATTACK
HOWMANYOFFENDERS
HOWOTHERSHELP
HOWTHREATEN
HOWTRYATACK
IDENTITYTHEFTINTRO1
INC_REDUCE
INC_REPORTS
INCIDENTADDRESS
INCIDENTAIR
INCIDENTDATE
INCIDENTEVIDENCEHATE
INCIDENTHAPPENATWORK
INCIDENTHATE_FELT_BELIEVED
INCIDENTHATECRIME
INCIDENTHATETARGET
INCIDENTHATETARGETREASONS
INCIDENTHATETARGETRELIGION
INCIDENTHAVEEVIDENCEHATE
INCIDENTINTRO
INCIDENTNUMBEROFTIMES
INCIDENTNUMTOADD
INCIDENTPLACE
INCIDENTSSIMILAR
INCIDENTTIME
INCIDENTTIMESPROBE
INCIDENTTOADD
I-21
NCVS-550 (10/2006)
Screen Name
Screen Name Index
Part/Chapter/Pages
B5-3
B4-202, C3-95
B2-32
B4-23, B4-45
B4-92
B4-93
B4-77, C3-31, C3-38
B4-81, C3-32
B5-5, C1-27
B4-214, C3-104
B2-28
B4-154
B3-47
B4-197, C3-76
B3-45
B3-46
B3-44
B4-211, C3-102
B4-104
B4-119
B4-112
B6-4
B6-4
B4-106
B2-28
B4-26
B4-14
B4-19
B4-22
B4-30
B4-24
B4-27
B4-29
B4-218
B4-221
B4-216
B4-214
B2-11, B2-25
B4-198, C3-78
B2-36
B4-82, C3-61
B4-87, C3-63
INCIDENTTOADDWHY
INCORPORATED
INDIANRESERVATIONHU
INDSIDEOROUT
INJACTION
INJACTIONHELP
INJURY
INJURYNOTGUN
INTRO_UNDUP
ISCURRENTJOB
ISPROXYRESP18_CP
ITEMSTAKEN
JOBDESCRIPTION
JOBDURINGINCIDENT
JOBDURINGREFPERIOD
JOBLAST2WEEKS
JOBLASTWEEK
JOBMSATYPE
KNOWLEARNOFFENDERS
KNOWOFFENDERRELATION
KNOWOFFENDERS
LANGUAGEPROBLEM_CP
LANGUAGEPROBLEM_SPEC_CP
LEARNOFFENDERS
LEAVEONOWN_CP
LOCATION_COMMERCE
LOCATION_GENERAL
LOCATION_IN_HOME
LOCATION_NEAR_HOME
LOCATION_OPEN_AREA
LOCATION_OTHER_HOME
LOCATION_PARKING
LOCATION_SCHOOL
LOSTOTHERWORKTIME
LOSTPAYNOEMPINS
LOSTPAYNOMEDINS
LOSTWORKTIME
MAILINGSAME_CP
MAJORACTIVITY
MARITAL
MEDICALCARE
MEDICALEXPENSES
I-22
NCVS-550 (10/2006)
Screen Name
Screen Name Index
Part/Chapter/Pages
B4-86
B4-249
B4-249
B4-123
C3-66
C3-66
B2-21
B6-3
B2-28
B2-28
B2-28
A3-21
B4-173
B4-176
B4-152
B4-151
B4-207, C3-99
B4-40
B4-34, C3-17
B4-32, C3-9
B4-35, C3-18
B4-111
C1-30
B3-58
B4-153
B4-97
B4-99
C3-55
B2-22
B2-22
B4-100
B4-167, C3-74
B4-43
B4-148
B4-100, C3-68
B4-102
B2-28
B4-182
B4-180
B4-184
B4-170
B4-187, C3-60
MEDICALINSURANCE
MENTALCONDITION
MENTALRETARDATION
MULTOFFENDERONLYTIME
MULTOFFENDERRACE
MULTOFFENDERRACEMOST
NEWHHR_CP
NEXTPERSON
NONHHLDHHRINVALID_CK
NONHHM_NAME_FIRST_CP
NONHHM_NAME_LAST_CP
NOTES
NOTREPORTEDPOLICE
NOTREPORTIMPORTANT
NUMBERFIREARMS
NUMBERHANDGUNS
OCCUPATIONDESC
OFFENDERGETIN
OFFENDERINSIDE
OFFENDERLIVE
OFFENDERTRY
ONEORMOREOFFENDERS
OSINCNOTNEEDED
OTHER_LANGUAGE
OTHERONPERSON
OTHERSACTIONS
OTHERSACTIONSWORSE
OTHERSOWNEDSTOLENPROPERTY
OTHR_NAME_FIRST_CP
OTHR_NAME_LAST_CP
OTHWORSE
PAIDREPAIRS
PARTSCHOOLBLDG
PERMISSIONGIVEN
PERSONSHARMED
PERSONSHARMEDNUM
PICK_PROXYPERSON
POLICEACTION
POLICEARRIVE
POLICECONTACT
POLICEFINDOUT
POLICEFOLLOWUP
I-23
NCVS-550 (10/2006)
Screen Name
Screen Name Index
Part/Chapter/Pages
B4-168, C3-83
B4-185
B4-88
B4-76, C3-38
B4-155, C3-50
B4-88
B2-46
B4-177
B4-8, C3-5
B4-83
B4-161
C3-59
B4-162
B2-28
B4-179
B4-42
B4-44
B4-149
B2-47
B4-233
B3-8
B4-53
B4-235
B4-229
B4-226
B4-230
B4-231
B4-228
B4-250
B4-188
B4-113
B4-114
B4-115
B4-113
B4-112
B4-117
B4-116
B4-123
B4-122, C3-65
B4-116
B4-118
B2-45
POLICEINFORMED
POLICEINTOUCH
PREGATTIMEOFINC
PRETHREATEN
PROPERTYVALUE
PROTECTSELF
RACE
REASONREPORT
RECALLDETAILS
RECEIVECAREWHERE
RECOVEREDCASHVALUE
RECOVEREDCASHVALUE
RECOVEREDINSURANCE
RELATIONTOHHLD_CP
REPORTIMPORTANT
RESPONDENTSSCHOOL
RESTRICTEDAREA
RETURNCAR
ROSTERREVIEW
SAMETHINGEACHTIME
SCREEN QUESTIONS
SEEOFFENDER
SERIESCONTACTORNOT
SERIESLOCATION
SERIESNUMTIMES
SERIESOFFENDER
SERIESOFFENDERRELATION
SERIESWHICHMONTHQ1Q4
SERIOUSDISABLE
SIGNCOMPLAINT
SINGOFFENDERAGE
SINGOFFENDERDRINKDRUG
SINGOFFENDERDRINKORDRUG
SINGOFFENDERGANG
SINGOFFENDERGENDER
SINGOFFENDERHOWWELL
SINGOFFENDERKNEW
SINGOFFENDERONLYTIME
SINGOFFENDERRACE
SINGOFFENDERRECOG
SINGOFFENDERSIGHT
SP_ORIGIN
I-24
NCVS-550 (10/2006)
Screen Name
Screen Name Index
Part/Chapter/Pages
SQATTACKHOW
SQATTACKKNOWNOFF
SQATTACKWHERE
SQBREAKIN
SQCALLPOLICEATTACKTHREAT
SQCALLPOLICESPEC
SQMVTHEFT
SQNOCALLPOLICE CRIME
SQNOCALLPOLICEATTACKTHREATTIMES
SQSEXUAL
SQTHEFT
SQTOTALVEHICLES
SQVANDALISM
SQVANDAMOUNTDAMAGE
SQVANDDAMAGE
SQVANDEVIDENCEHATE_FELT_ BELIEVED
SQVANDEVIDENCEHATE_MAKEFUN
SQVANDEVIDENCEHATE_NEARHOLIDAY
SQVANDEVIDENCEHATE_OFFENDERDIDSAME
SQVANDEVIDENCEHATE_OTHERLIKECRIMES
SQVANDEVIDENCEHATE_POLICETARGET
SQVANDHATECRIME
SQVANDHATEHAVEEVIDENCEHATE
SQVANDHATERACE
SQVANDHATESEXUAL
SQVANDHATETARGETRELIGION
SQVANDHATETARGETWHOYOU KNOW
SQVANDOTHERCRIME
SQVANDPROPERTY
START_CP
SUMMARY
SUREOFINFO
TELEPH
TELEPHONE_ACCEPTABLE
TELEPHTYPE
TELLPOLICEHATECRIME
TENURE
THANKCB_CP
THANKYOU_CP
THANKYOU_INDIV
THEFT
THREATEN
I-25
B3-18
B3-19
B3-17
B3-11
B3-20
B3-21
B3-15, C2-20
B3-22
B3-23
B3-20
B3-10
B3-13, C2-20, C2-21
B3-31
B3-34
B3-33
B3-42
B3-42
B3-42
B3-42
B3-42
B3-42
B3-36
B3-41
B3-38
B3-38
B3-40
B3-39
B3-35
B3-32
B2-3, B2-15
B4-254, C3-40, C3-84
B4-105
B6-4
B6-4
B6-4
B4-247
B2-30
B6-5
B6-5
B6-5
B4-124, C3-42
B4-61
NCVS-550 (10/2006)
Screen Name
Screen Name Index
Part/Chapter/Pages
B2-33, B3-3
B3-4
B4-181
B2-34, B3-5, C2-26
B2-22
B4-234
B4-60, B4-72
B4-203, C3-96
B4-192
B4-225
B5-6, C1-28
B5-7, C1-29
B5-7, C1-28
B4-211, C3-102
B2-12, B2-23
B6-6
B2-12, B2-26
B2-36
B4-253
B4-57, C3-26, C3-27
B4-54, C3-27
B4-62, C3-34, C3-72
B4-159, C3-58
B4-139, C3-48
B3-58
B4-253
B4-52, C3-20
B4-145, C3-54
B2-16
B4-213, C3-104
B4-95
TIMEATADDRESS
TIMEATADDRESSPROBE
TIMEPOLICEARRIVE
TIMESMOVEDIN5YEARS
TOOLATE_CP
TROUBLEONGOING
TRYATTACK
TYPEBUSINESS
TYPEOFAGENCY
TYPETRANSPORTATION
UNDUP_CURINC
UNDUP_DONE
UNDUP_OLDINC
USUALJOBDUTIES
VERADD_CP
VERIFY
VERIFYMAILING_CP
VFYAGE
VICTIMDUETODISABLE
WEAPON
WEAPONPRESENT
WHATHAPPEN
WHATRECOVERED
WHATWASTAKEN
WHICH_LANGUAGE
WHICHDISABILITYTARGET
WHICHMEMBER
WHOOWNEDSTOLENPROPERTY
WHOTOCALL_CP (Telephone Interview)
WORKDAYNIGHT
WORSE
I-26
NCVS-550 (10/2006)
Subject
Subject Index
Part/Chapter/Pages
Absent-household members who are temporarily absent
Acceptable Threats, examples of
Accuracy and Usefulness, improving
Accurate Information, entering
Actions of respondent during incident
Actions taken by others present during incident, how made situation worse
Actions taken by others present during incident, made situation worse
Actions taken by respondent during incident
Actions taken by respondent during incident that worsened situation
Activity (major) during week of incident
Acts of Vandalism With No NCVS Crime
Actual cost to repair or replace
Additional Incidents, adding
Address Book
Address check prompt
Age Requirement, exceptions to
Agency help received for crime victims
Alternate household members yet to interview
American Indian Reservation, incident on
Appointment time for future telephone contact
Apprentice vs. Trainee
Area Segments
Areas Open to the Public
Areas Restricted to Certain People
Armed Forces
Armed forces members
Arrest Made
Arrow Keys
Article in car
Ask or Verify Instruction
Assembling Your Materials
Assignment, completing
Attack
Attack respondent during incident, try to
Attacked, how
Attempted theft
Attempted theft inside motor vehicle
Attempted theft other than cash, directly from person
Attempted theft, directly from person
Attempted theft, items
Attempted theft, line number
Attempted theft, owner of stolen property/money
I - 27
C1-7
C2-7
A1-5
A4-7
B4-90, C3-32
B4-95
B4-97
B4-90, C3-32
B4-95
B4-198, C3-78
C2-10, C2-11
B4-166, C3-73
A3-16
D1-19
B2-24
A2-11
B4-190
B2-21
B4-13
B6-4
B4-208
A4-3
C3-12
C3-13
B2-38
C1-8
B4-189
B1-17
B4-150
B1-16
A3-8
A3-7
B4-58
B4-60, B4-72
C3-30, C3-36
B4-127, C3-46
B4-134
B4-136
B4-135
B4-137
C3-55
B4-132, C3-54
NCVS-550 (10/2006)
Subject
Subject Index
Part/Chapter/Pages
Attempted theft, what items
Attempted Thefts and Vandalism, Distinguishing between
Attending school
Authorities
Authorities, anything further
Authorities, contact
Authorization by law of survey
Autism
Backing Up Your Work
Bad Summary Reports, examples of
Basic Field Duties
Basic Survey Procedures
Before Entering a "Don't know" Answer
Being Professional, Friendly, and Sincere
Believing in Yourself and the NCVS
Birth date, day
Birth date, month
Birth date, year
BJS/NCVS-information regarding
Brain injury
Burglary
Business operated from sample address
Business Sector
Business sign for recognizable business
Businesses, handling crime incidents involving businesses
Callback, Thank You, and Notes Screens
Callbacks, keeping to a minimum
CAPI Introduction, ready to complete interview
Case Identification
Case level notes editor
Case List Pane
Case Management
Cash on person
Cash Was Recovered
CATI eligible
CATI Eligible PSUs
Cerebral Palsy
Classifying NCVS Crimes
Closing the Interview and "Thank You" Letters
College employer
College Students
Confidentiality
I - 28
C3-47
B3-16
B2-43
B4-193
B4-193
B4-192
A2-2
B4-249
D1-15
B4-262, C3-94
D1-15
A4-2
B4-34
A2-19
A2-20
B2-35
B2-35
B2-35
A2-27
B4-250
B2-35
B3-6
B4-205, C3-97
B3-6
C2-17
A3-20
A4-9
B2-9
B1-10
B6-6
D1-5
D1-3
B4-153
C3-58
B6-5
A1-10
B4-249
C2-6
A2-1
B3-53
C2-27
A2-6
NCVS-550 (10/2006)
Subject
Subject Index
Part/Chapter/Pages
Control Card Information
Cost (actual) to repair/replace any items damaged during incident
Crew Member on a Sailing Vessel
Crime end screen
Crimes Not Measured by the NCVS
Current job area type
Daily activities
Daily Tasks
Damage to Property During an Incident
Damaged
Damaged items repaired or replaced
Data Products and Their Uses
Days lost from Work
Decennial Census
Details Pane
Disability
Disability introduction
Don't Know (Control + D)
Don't Know or Refused
Down Arrow-Forward One Item
Downs Syndrome
Duplicate Reports, avoiding
Duties, additional
Education attained
Efficient Interviews, conducting
Eligible Respondents
Employer, name
Employer, type
Employer, type current
Employment Questions
End - Last Item
Enumeration Periods, First Through Sixth
Estimated cost to repair or replace
Evidence
Families With Two or More Homes
Far from home-distance from residence that incident happened
Field Evaluations Observation and Reinterview
Firearms (other than handguns) stolen during incident
First Enumeration Period Interviews
First injury-caused by weapon other than gun or knife
First Person to Interview
Force during incident, first to use
I - 29
A3-14
B4-166, C3-73
C1-7
B5-4
C2-5
B3-54
B4-252
A3-8
C3-71
B4-163, C3-72
B4-164, C3-73
A1-11
B4-220
A2-30
D1-12
C3-105
B4-247
B3-4
A2-47, B1-15
B1-19
B4-249
A3-16, A3-20
A4-1
B2-40
A4-9
A2-9
B4-203, C3-96
B4-200, C3-95
B3-52
A3-17, A3-20
B1-20
A3-2
B4-165, C3-73
B4-38, C3-18
C1-6
B4-46
A4-12
B4-152
C1-3
B4-82, C3-32
A2-10
B4-104
NCVS-550 (10/2006)
Subject
Subject Index
Part/Chapter/Pages
Forced entry
Foreign Citizens Temporarily Staying in the United States
Form Pane
Forms, Answer, Navigate, Options, and Help
Foster Children
Frequency of Household Moves
Frequently Asked Questions (General Help) Screen
Function key chart for NCVS
Function key, 10 Skip to End
Function key, F1 Question Help
Function key, F2 Not Available
Function key, F3 Not Available
Function key, F4 Jump Menu
Function key, F6 NOT AVAILABLE
Function key, F7 Notes
Function key, F8 Return From Skip
Function key, F9 Not Available
Gender, understanding
General Interviewing Techniques
General introduction screen, personal visit interviews
General Survey Questions
General Survey Questions and Answers
Get introductory letter (CAPI)
Getting Started
Good Impression, creating
Good Summary Reports, examples of
Group Quarters (GQ) Segments
Guidelines for Gaining Cooperation From Respondents
Guns and Knives
Handguns stolen during incident
Happen-what happened during incident; respondent not present
Happen-what happened during incident; respondent present
Harmed-household members harmed during incident
Hate Crimes, examples of
Hate-Related Acts of Vandalism
Hate-Related NCVS Crime Incidents
Hello alternate-lists other eligible household respondents (CAPI)
Help screen, catchall questions for editing and coding
Help screen, damaged items
Help screen, disability questions
Help screen, Hispanic origin
Help screen, list of abbreviations
Help screen, OMB notice
I - 30
B4-36, C3-18
C1-8
B1-6
B1-26
C1-7
C2-26
A2-24
B1-31
B1-20
B1-18
B1-19
B1-19
B1-19
B1-19
B1-19
B1-20
B1-20
B4-241
A2-33
B2-5
A2-24
A2-29
B2-11, B2-20
B1-21
A2-18
B4-261, C3-93
A4-4
A2-19, A2-20
B4-54
B4-151
B4-108, C3-72
B4-62, C3-34, C3-72
B4-102, C3-68
C3-86
C3-85
C3-85
B2-21
B5-8
B5-9
B5-9
B5-8
B5-8
B5-10
NCVS-550 (10/2006)
Subject
Subject Index
Part/Chapter/Pages
Help screen, presence during incident
Help screen, race other
Help screen, state
Help screen, theft
Help screen, Type A, B, C noninterviews
Help screen, why incident not reported to police
Help screen, why reported to police
Help-HELP_OTH_CP screen to select new household respondent
Help-identify how actions improved situation
Historical Overview
Home-First item in section
Hospital Care
Household and Individual Respondents
Household Changes, other
Household coverage
Household Membership
Household Proxy (Personal Visit), entire household
Household Proxy (Telephone Interview), entire household
Household Respondent Refuses
Household Respondent, change
Household respondent, new (CAPI)
Household Respondents, change during an interview
Household roster, last name
Household roster, Who To List
Housheold income
Housheold roster, first name
Housing Unit Jointly Owned or Rented
Housing Unit Rented Without Cash Payment
How long will this interview really take?
Identity Theft Episodes
Identity theft questions introduction
Identity Theft Questions, eligible respondents
Illegal Entries With Force, examples of
Illegal Entries Without Force, examples of
Illegal Entry (With or Without Force)
Incident address
Incident date
Incident Happened at Sample Address Before Owned/Rented by HHR
Incident hate crime
Incident hate crime, target due to prejudice or bigotry
Incident hate crime, target due to religion
Incident hate crime, target due to who you know
I - 31
B5-9
B5-11
B5-8
B5-11
B5-11
B5-9
B5-9
B2-21
B4-94
A1-5
B1-20
B4-85
C1-15
B2-34
B2-33, B2-35
C1-5
B2-27
B2-27
C2-20
A2-11
B2-21
C1-18
B2-33
B2-34
B3-55
B2-33
C1-13
C1-12
A2-30
C2-28
B3-24
C2-29
C3-16
C3-15
C3-15
B4-3
B4-4
B3-12
B4-238
B4-244
B4-242
B4-242
NCVS-550 (10/2006)
Subject
Subject Index
Part/Chapter/Pages
Incident hate crimes: Make fun, symbols, police target, offender did same,
Incident introductory screen, beginning of incident report section
Incident place
Incident Report Items, importance of completing
Incident Report Section items
Incident Report, completing
Incident reports screen, how many incidents reported
Incident time of day
Incident times probe
Incident to add
Incident to add, why
Incident, evidence of hate crime
Incident, happen at work
Incident, hate target reasons
Incident, number of times
Incidents Involving a Police Officer
Incidents Occurring on the Day of the Interview
Incidents Outside of Reference Period
Incidents similar
Incidents That Do NOT Qualify as a Series of Crimes, examples of
Incidents That Qualify as a Series of Crimes, examples of
Incidents, similar
Incorporated business or organization
Indian Reservation housing unit
Individual Respondent Refusals
Industry and Occupation Questions, conditions for asking
Information Pane
Injured, actions help
Injured, actions taken
Injury
Injury caused by weapon other than gun or knife
Inmates and Patients in Institutional Group Quarters
Inside or outside, location of incident
Interpreters and Signers
Interpreting a Respondent's Answer
Interview Period
Interview Scheme
Interviewing Assignments
Interviewing Individual Respondents
Interviewing Pattern
Interviews, how many times
Introducing Yourself
I - 32
B4-242
B4-2
B4-11
B5-2
C3-17
C2-29
B3-43
B4-10, C3-6
B5-2
B5-3
B5-3
B4-243
B4-212, C3-81, C3-103
B4-240
B4-6, C3-5
C3-83
A3-4
A3-4, C1-4
C3-5
C3-7
C3-6
B4-7, C3-5
B4-202
B2-32
A3-22
C3-95
B1-6
B4-93
B4-92
B4-93
B4-77, C3-31, C3-38
C1-11
B4-23, B4-45
A2-9
C2-24
A3-5
A3-4
A4-5
A3-17
A1-9
A2-31
B5-5, C1-27
NCVS-550 (10/2006)
Subject
Subject Index
Part/Chapter/Pages
Introducing Yourself and the Survey
Introduction
Introductory Letters, how to use
Invalid Entries
Item or Screen Name
Item Specific Questions
Items taken
Job description
Job during incident
Job during reference period
Job in the last two weeks
Job last week
Job type-city, suburban, rural
Job/Business at Time of Incident
Keep Accurate Records
Keeping House
Key Points to Cover
Keys to a Successful Introduction
Language other than English required to conduct interview
Language problem
Language problem specify
Laptop, logging on
Learning About the NCVS Instrument
Leaving on Good Terms
Legal Right to Enter Home/Lodging, examples of
Legal Right-not having, to enter home/lodging, examples of
Length of Time in Sample
Listing Assignments
Location, commercial place
Location, general categories
Location, in home
Location, near home
Location, open area
Location, other home
Location, parking lots and garages
Location, school
Lost pay, no unemployment insurance for activities
Lost pay, no unemployment insurance from injuries
Lost time-household members lost time from work
Lost work time
Machinist vs. Machine
Mail
I - 33
A4-6, B1-21
B5-8
A2-3
B1-15
B1-10
A2-23
B4-154
B3-47
B4-197, C3-76
B3-45
B3-46
B3-44
B4-211, C3-102
B4-197, C3-76
A4-7
C3-79
B4-255
A2-18
B3-58
B6-4
B6-4
D1-3
B1-2
A2-48
C3-10
C3-11
A3-2
A4-2
B4-26
B4-14
B4-19
B4-22
B4-30
B4-24
B4-27
B4-29
B4-221
B4-216
B4-214
B4-214
B4-208
D1-17
NCVS-550 (10/2006)
Subject
Subject Index
Part/Chapter/Pages
Mailing address same as address
Marital status
Medical care for injuries
Medical expenses for injuries
Medical insurance eligibility
Meet Expected Standards
Mental condition
Mental retardation
Menu Bar
Methods of Making Entries
Minutes per Case, high number of
Monthly Instructions
Monthly Tasks
Months/Years Living at Address
Motor Vehicle Parts, examples of
Motor Vehicle Theft
Motor Vehicles
Motor vehicles, total owned
Mouse or Keyboard
Moved Into Sample Address During Reference Period
Multiple Entry Questions
Multiple offender, committed crime against household only one time
Multiple offender, race
Multiple offender, race of most offenders
MultiUnit Structure
Navigation and Using Function Keys
NCVS At a Glance
NCVS Authorization and Introduction
NCVS Concepts, understanding
NCVS Crime Categories and Types
NCVS Question
NCVS Sample Population and Size
NCVS vs. Police Reports
NCVS, how began
NCVS-What information do you get from this survey?
NCVS-What is this survey all about?
NCVS-What kind of results are released from this survey?
New Assignments, check for
Next person to interview
No crimes here, so go ask somebody else
No Legal Right to Enter
No One Home
I - 34
B2-11, B2-25
B2-36
B4-82, C3-61
B4-87, C3-63
B4-86
A4-7
B4-249
B4-249
D1-4
B1-13
B4-13
A3-6
A3-6
C2-23
B3-16
C3-42
B4-55
B3-13, C2-20, C2-21
B1-17
B3-11
B1-13
B4-123
C3-66
C3-66
B4-34, B4-35
B1-17
A2-27
A2-2
A4-7
C2-3
B1-10
A1-8
A1-3
A1-5
A2-29
A2-29
A2-29
A3-6
B6-3
A2-26
C3-9
A2-6
NCVS-550 (10/2006)
Subject
Subject Index
Part/Chapter/Pages
Nonhousehold Member at Time of Interview
Nonhousehold Member Proxy Respondent
Nonhousehold member proxy, invalid person or reason-edit check
Nonhousehold member, first name of new household respondent
Nonhousehold member, last name of new household respondent
Noninterviews
Noninterviews, minimizing
Not Included for the NCVS
NOTES Screen
Noting Distinctions
Number of incidents, determine if a series
Objects That Are Never Weapons
Objects Used as Weapons
Observations
Occupation description, kind of work at time of incident
Occupied Without Payment of Cash Rent
Offender inside respondent's dwelling or lodging
Offender inside, determine if offender actually entered building or dwelling
Offender Is a Police Officer
Offender live, or has the right to be in respondent's home
Offender Not Known, But Suspected
Offender relationship
Offender tried to get into respondent's dwelling/property
Offender, how threatened to harm respondent
Offender, how tried to attack respondent
Offender, sign complaint against
Offenders, how many
Offenders, know or learn anything about
Offenders, learn any information about
Offenders, one or more
Operator vs. Mechanic
Organizing Your Work Schedule
Other than cash, purse, or wallet taken directly from person
Other Victimized Household Members
Other, new household respondent, first name (CAPI)
Other, new household respondent, last name (CAPI)
Others owned stolen property
Others, how helped during incident
Out of Scope Incident
Outside Reference Period
Overview of the Front Section
Overview of the Middle Section
I - 35
C3-55
A2-6
B2-28
B2-28
B2-28
A3-23
A3-25
C2-8
A3-21
B4-175
B4-226
B4-55
B4-54
A4-12
B4-207, C3-99
B2-31
B4-34, C3-17
B4-40
B4-169, B4-259, C3-9
B4-32, C3-9
C3-10
B4-119
B4-35, C3-18
B4-67, C3-29, C3-35
B4-63, B4-67, C3-29, C3-35
B4-188
B4-123
B4-104
B4-119
B4-111
B4-208
A3-6
B4-153
C3-68
B2-22
B2-22
C3-55
B4-97
C1-30
C1-30
B2-2
B3-2
NCVS-550 (10/2006)
Subject
Subject Index
Part/Chapter/Pages
Owned or Being Bought by You or Someone in Your Household
Ownership of Motor Vehicles
Ownership of Stolen Property
Owns/Rents a Recreation Vehicle/Vacation Home (Household Respondent )
Page Up/Page Down Keys
Paid repairs, identify who paid or will pay for damaged items
Partial Interview, completing
Partial Interview, exiting
Partial Interviews and Callbacks
Participation, do I have to?
Pay respondent lost
Pay respondent lost due to injuries
Performance Ratings
Performance Standards
Permission given to use motor vehicle
Permit Segments
Personal Crimes
Personal Crimes vs. Property Crimes
Personal Visit Interviews
Personal Visit Interviews
Persons harmed who were present
Persons harmed who were present, number of
Persons in Vacation Homes, Tourist Cabins, and Trailers
Persons With Concurrent Residences
Persons Working Overseas
Planning Your Daily Schedule
Planning Your Travel Route
Police action with victimized during initial visit
Police arrive to talk to victimized person
Police contact, subsequent contacts about incident
Police find out
Police follow up on the incident
Police in touch-who initiated later contact
Police informed/aware of incident
Police Officer, Victim and Offender
Police, not reported to
Police, not reported to- most important reason
Police, who to exclude
Pregnant at time of incident
Preparing to Interview
Presence During an Incident
Present, anyone besides respondent
I - 36
B2-30
C2-20
B4-258, C3-90
B3-12
B1-17
B4-167, C3-74
B1-24
B1-21
B1-21
A2-31
B4-222
B4-217
A4-8
A4-8
B4-148
A4-3
C2-3, C3-43
C2-4
A2-7
A2-7, A3-9
B4-100, C3-68
B4-102
C1-10
C1-10
C1-10
A3-8
A4-8
B4-182
B4-180
B4-184
B4-170
B4-187, C3-60
B4-185
B4-168, C3-83
B4-169
B4-173
B4-176
B4-168
B4-88
A3-6
C3-19
B4-96, C3-24
NCVS-550 (10/2006)
Subject
Subject Index
Part/Chapter/Pages
Present-household member present during incident
Prethreathen verbally before attack
Primary Purpose
Primary Sampling Units
Probing for Item NOTREPORTEDPOLICE
Probing for Item REASONREPORT
Probing to Identify Rape or Attempted Rape
Problems Conducting a Proxy Interview
Procedures for Type A, B, and C Noninterviews
Procedures for Type Z Noninterviews
Production Standards
Property Crimes
Property only was recovered
Property Ownership
Property value, dollar amount of stolen property
Property, decided value of
Protect self or property during the incident
Protecting Confidentiality
Protecting the Rights of Household Members
Proxy Interviews for Household Respondents
Proxy Interviews, Acceptable Reasons
Proxy Interviews, keeping to a minimum
Proxy Interviews, Procedures for Conducting
Proxy Interviews, Unacceptable Reasons
Proxy reason for household
Proxy Respondent, Accepting a Nonhousehold Member as Proxy
Proxy respondent, Exceptions to age requirement
Proxy respondent, leave housing unit unaccompanied by proxy
Proxy respondent, pick person
Proxy Respondents
Proxy respondent's relation to the household
Proxy Respondents Who Are Not Household Members
Proxy, Individual Household Member (Personal Visit or Telephone)
Purpose and Sponsor of NCVS
Purpose of Function Keys in the NCVS Instrument
Purpose of the Vandalism Questions
Purse Snatching and Pocket Picking
Quality Interviews
Race of household members
Race of Offenders
Race, understanding
Rape/Unwanted Sexual Contact
I - 37
B4-48, C3-20, C3-22
B4-76, C3-38
A1-2
A1-8
B4-178
B4-178
C3-35, C3-36
C1-24
A3-26
A3-29
A4-8
C2-3, C3-41
B4-161
C3-53
B4-155, C3-50
B4-156, C3-51
B4-88
C1-24
A2-16
C1-20
C1-19
C1-24
A2-16
C1-21
B2-28
C1-23
A2-11
B2-28
B2-28
A2-9, A2-12 to A2-15
B2-28
A2-14
B2-27
A1-2
B1-18
C2-10
C3-43
A4-9
B2-46
C3-65
B4-240
C3-34
NCVS-550 (10/2006)
Subject
Subject Index
Part/Chapter/Pages
Reading, additional
Reason reported to police
Reasons for Asking About Identity Theft
Reassuring Respondents
Receive medical care, where
Recognizable Business
Recognizable Business, Unacceptable Signs
Recognizable/Unrecognizable Businesses
Recovered cash value
Recovered Money and/or Property
Recovered property's cash value
Recovered, theft reported to insurance company
Recovering From Program Errors
Reference Period
Reference Period, date outside of
Reference Person
Reference Person, change
Refused After Starting Interview
Refused at the INTROFORNEWRESPONDENT Screen
Reinterview
Rented for Cash
Replacement Households
Report which reason most important to police
Reporting Crime Incidents
Respondent Questions, importance of answering
Respondent Rapport, maintaining
Respondents' Questions, answering
Respondent's school, to determine if incident happened there
Response Rate
Response Rate, low
Responsibilities as a CAPI interviewer
Restricted area or open to the public
Restricted Areas/Areas Open to the Public
Retired
Return car taken in incident
Right to Legally Enter Home/Lodging
Roster review
Rules for Household Respondents
Rules for Individual Respondents
Rules for Interpreters and Signers
Rules for Proxy Respondents
Sample Design
I - 38
A4-7
B4-177
C2-28
A2-7, B3-57
B4-83
B3-6
C2-14
C2-12
C3-59
C3-57
C3-59
B4-162
B1-24
A3-2, C1-3
B4-4
C1-12
C1-13
A3-21, A3-22
A3-22
A4-13
B2-31
A3-13
B4-179
A3-15
A2-23
A2-18
A2-24
B4-42
A4-10
A4-12
C1-2
B4-44
C3-12
C3-80
B4-149
C3-9
B2-47
A2-10
A2-12
A2-17
A2-12
A1-8
NCVS-550 (10/2006)
Subject
Subject Index
Part/Chapter/Pages
Sample Unit Selection
School building, part of which incident happened
School, going to
Screen components
Screen Content
Screen Layout
Screen Layout and Instructions for the Screening Section
Screen question, attack how
Screen question, attack know offender
Screen question, attack where
Screen question, break-in
Screen question, motor vehicle theft
Screen question, police called to report a crime
Screen question, police called-specify
Screen question, police not called
Screen question, police not called-attacked or threatened
Screen questions
Screening for Crime Incidents
Screens Without Questions
Second Through Seventh Enumeration Period Interviews
Secondary Purpose
Secretary vs. "Official Secretary"
See offender; respondent personally saw offender
Selection of Questions and Screen Content
Sending "Thank You" Letters
Series of Crimes
Series, contact crime or not contact crime
Series, location
Series, number of incidents in series
Series, offender
Series, relationship of offender to respondent
Series, which month, to determine quarter
Serious diabling conditions
Setting up the Household Roster
Seventh Enumeration Period
Sex of household member
Sex-Related Crimes
Sexual Assault Other Than Rape or Attempted Rape
Shift F1 Display Household Roster
Shift F2 Frequently Asked Questions
Shift F5 Spanish Version
Shift F7 View Notes
I - 39
A1-9
B4-43
C3-79
B1-5
B1-10
B1-5
B3-3
C3-30, C3-36
B4-112
B3-17
B3-11
B3-15, C2-20
B3-22
B3-21
B3-22
B3-23
B3-8
A3-14
B1-10
C1-4
A1-2
B4-208
B4-53
B1-9
A3-9
B4-260, C3-4, C3-92
B4-235
B4-229
B4-226
B4-230
B4-231
B4-228
B4-250
B2-33
A2-49
B2-38
B4-257, C3-89
C3-40
B1-18
B1-19
B1-19
B1-20
NCVS-550 (10/2006)
Subject
Subject Index
Part/Chapter/Pages
Similar Incidents, five or less
Single Entry Questions
Single offender, age
Single offender, distinguish between drinking or drugs
Single offender, drinking or on drugs
Single offender, gang member
Single offender, gender
Single offender, how well known before incident
Single offender, knew or had seen in the past
Single offender, only time
Single offender, race
Single offender, recognize
Single offender, tell police how to find
Soft and Hard Edits
Spanish origin
Special Situations
Special Situations for Item HOUSEHOLDINCOME
Specific Household Procedures
Start screen (CAPI)
Starting Off on the Right Foot
Starting With the Household Respondent
Statistics
Staying Neutral and Objective
Stolen money/property recovered, what part
Stolen Property
Stolen property, all or part recovered
Student Nurses
Students
Summary screen for incident
Sure of information about offenders
Survey Changes, other
Survey doesn't seem to be working, crimes still occur
Survey Sponsor
Table X for Extra Units, completing
Tabs
Telecommunications
Telephone interview acceptable
Telephone Interviews
Telephone Interviews and Callbacks, conducting
Telephone number screen
Telephone number, change current number (CAPI)
Telephone type screen
I - 40
C3-4
B1-13
B4-113
B4-115
B4-114
B4-113
B4-112
B4-117
B4-116
B4-123
B4-122, C3-65
B4-118
B1-15
B2-45
B2-42, C1-12, C2-14
B3-57
A3-10
B2-3, B2-15
A2-18
A3-10
A2-30
A2-19
B4-159, C3-58
B4-258, C3-90
B4-157, C3-57
C1-9
C1-9
B4-254, C3-40, C3-84
B4-105
A1-7
A2-27
A1-2
A3-12
B1-18
D1-14
B6-4
A2-7
A3-8
B6-4
B2-12
B6-4
NCVS-550 (10/2006)
Subject
Subject Index
Part/Chapter/Pages
Tell police, hate crime
Tenure screen
Thank you screen after complete interview (CAPI)
Thank you screen and callback (CAPI)
Thank you screen for individual after callback information recorded
Theft
Theft
Theft Incidents From a Legally Separated Spouse
Theft Incidents From Former Residences
Theft/Attempted Theft of Cash/Property
Thefts From Children Under 12 Years of Age
Thefts From Unrecognizable Businesses
Things to Avoid
Threaten
Threats
Thrown Objects
Time at address
Time at address probe, length of time continuously lived at address
Time household members other than respondent lost from work
Time police arrived, from being notified to arriving
Time respondent lost from work due to injuries
Time, Date, and Respondent Information
Times moved in five years
Times-how many times contacted
Too late, proxy for unavailable respondent (CAPI)
Tool Bar and Function Keys
Transmissions
Transmitting Completed Work
Tried to Rape Entered at Item HOWATTACK
Trouble still going on, series of crime
Two Level Screen Interaction
Type A Noninterviews
Type B Noninterviews
Type C Noninterviews
Type of agency who assisted household, government or private
Type of business of respondent's employer at time of incident
Type of Industry and Occupation
Type of transportation when the incident happened
Type Z Noninterviews
Type Z Noninterviews, designating household members
Types of Entries
Types of NCVS Data Products
I - 41
B4-247
B2-30
B6-5
B6-5
B6-5
B4-124, C3-42
B4-124, C3-42
C3-53
C3-53
C3-41
C3-44
C3-43
B4-260
B4-61
C2-7
B4-55
B2-33, B3-3
B3-4
B4-223
B4-180
B4-215
B1-10
B2-34, B3-5, C2-26
A2-27
B2-22
B1-26, D1-7
D1-14
A3-9
C3-40
B4-234
B1-7
A3-26
A3-27
A3-28
B4-192
B4-203, C3-96
C3-95
B4-225
A3-29, A3-30
A3-30
B1-13
A1-11
NCVS-550 (10/2006)
Subject
Subject Index
Part/Chapter/Pages
Types of NCVS Respondents
Types of Respondent Questions
Unacceptable Threats, examples of
Unduplicating/Bounding Interviews
Unduplication done screen
Unduplication of current incident against incidents in past interviews
Unduplication of current incident against other reported incidents
Unduplication process, introduction
Unduplication Section of the NCVS Instrument
Unit Segments
Unrecognizable Business
Unwanted sexual activity
Unwanted Sexual Contact
Up Arrow - Back One Item
Using "Thank You" Letters
Using an Interpreter
Usual job duties respondent performs
Usual Place of Residence, determining
Value of Stolen Property/Methods Used to Determine Value
Vandalism
Vandalism
Vandalism and Theft, Distinguishing between
Vandalism, amount of damage
Vandalism, evidence of hate crime
Vandalism, evidence of hate crime, felt/believed
Vandalism, evidence of hate crime, make fun
Vandalism, evidence of hate crime, near holiday
Vandalism, evidence of hate crime, offender did same
Vandalism, evidence of hate crime, other like crimes
Vandalism, evidence of hate crime, police target
Vandalism, evidence of hate crime, religion
Vandalism, evidence of hate crime, symbols
Vandalism, evidence of hate crime, who you know
Vandalism, hate or race reasons
Vandalism, hate, sexual orientation
Vandalism, have evidence of hate crime
Vandalism, property damaged or destroyed
Vandalism, type of damage
Vandalism, types of evidence of hate crime
Verify address (CAPI)
Verify age
Verify mailing address (CAPI)
I - 42
A2-9
A2-23
C2-8
C1-26
B5-7, C1-29
B5-7, C1-28
B5-6, C1-28
C1-26
C1-26
A4-2
B3-7, C2-12
B3-20
B4-68
B1-18
A2-48
A2-7
B4-211, C3-102
C1-6
C3-50
B3-31
C2-10
B3-16
B3-34
B3-41
B3-42
B3-42
B3-42
B3-42
B3-42
B3-42
B3-40
B3-42
B3-39, B3-41
B3-38
B3-38
B3-41
B3-32
B3-33
B3-41
B2-12, B2-23
B2-36
B2-12, B2-23
NCVS-550 (10/2006)
Subject
Subject Index
Part/Chapter/Pages
Verify previously collected information
Verifying a Series of Crimes
Verifying Answers
Verifying Summary Reports
Verifying That You Have Reached the Correct Address
Victim Is a Police Officer
Victimized due to disability
Wasting Taxpayers' Money
Weapon present during incident
Weapon type during incident
Weapons Used
What else does your agency do?
What happened during incident
What was taken without permission
When an Attack, Robbery, or Threat Has Occurred
When Can a Reference Person Be Under 18 Years of Age?
When Not to Accept a Proxy Interview
When Not to Use a Nonhousehold Member
When to Accept a Proxy Interview
When to Probe
When You Are Still Unsure About Household Membership
Which disability targeted respondent during incident
Which household members were present during incident
Which Items Cover the HH Respondent's Identity Theft Questions?
Which language required for interview, other than English
Which Vehicles Do You Include/Exclude?
Who Are Considered the Police?
Who owned stolen property
Who Qualifies as a Household Respondent?
Who Qualifies as a Proxy Respondent?
Who to call (Telephone Interview)
Who Uses the NCVS Data and Why
Who uses this information? What good is it?
Why can't you get this information from police records?
Why can't you just mail me a questionnaire?
Why not ask the police about crimes?
Why so many questions when I told you "No crimes?"
Why Was I Selected for This Survey?
Why We Use Introductory Letters
Work days or nights
Work time lost, respondent only
Work, looking for
B6-6
C3-5
B4-174, B4-178
B4-260, C3-92
A3-11
B4-169
B4-253
A2-25
B4-54, C3-27
B4-57, C3-26, C3-27
B4-256, C3-88
A2-30
B4-62, C3-34, C3-72
B4-139, C3-48
C3-19
C1-13
A2-13
A2-15
A2-13
C2-23
C1-11
B4-253
B4-52, C3-20
C2-29
B3-58
C2-21
B4-168
B4-145, C3-54
C1-15
C1-22
B2-16
A1-12
A2-26
A2-29
A2-31
A2-26
A2-26
A2-30
A2-2
B4-213, C3-104
B4-215
C3-78
I - 43
NCVS-550 (10/2006)
Subject
Subject Index
Part/Chapter/Pages
Work, unable to
Worsen situation by respondent's actions
Wrapping Up the NCVS Interview
Writing a Summary Report
C3-80
B4-95
B6-2
A3-16, C3-87
I - 44
| File Type | application/pdf |
| File Modified | 2010-02-16 |
| File Created | 2010-02-16 |