Revised OMB memo

U.S. Department of Justice

Office of Justice Programs

Bureau of Justice Statistics

Washington, D.C. 20531

MEMORANDUM

To: Jennifer E. Park

Office of Statistical and Science Policy

Office of Management and Budget

Through: Melody Braswell

Department Clearance Officer

Justice Management Division

Jeri M. Mulrow

Acting Director

Bureau of Justice Statistics

From: Jessica Stroop

Statistician, Project Manager

Allen Beck, Ph.D.

Senior Statistical Advisor

Bureau of Justice Statistics

Date: January 22, 2021

Re: Revisions to BJS’s Request for OMB Clearance to Conduct Cognitive Testing in Spanish for the National Survey of Youth in Custody (NSYC-3), under the BJS Generic Clearance Agreement (OMB# 1121-0339)

Introduction

On March 1, 2017, BJS submitted a memorandum seeking clearance for a Spanish Cognitive test of selected items for the National Survey of Youth in Custody (NSYC-3). On March 20, 2017, BJS received a request to further clarify the items seeking to measure sexual orientation and gender identity among Spanish speaking facility youth. This memo revises two of the items and addresses the remaining questions raised.

By way of background, BJS is also submitting as an attachment (Attachment 1) the Executive Summary of the English language cognitive test that was conducted in August 2016 with 20 youth residing in youth correctional facilities and 10 non-facility LGBTQ youth in the Washington, DC area. Modifications to the SOGI items were made to the English language version, and then translated into Spanish.

Gender Identity Items

The NSYC-3 contains two items used to establish gender identity. For the first item, GI1, the English NSYC-3 and OMB versions are identical.

GI1. What sex were you assigned at birth, on your original birth certificate?

Male ………………………………1

Female ………………………………2

The proposed Spanish NSYC-3 translation of the item will be replaced with the approved Spanish OMB translated version, below.

GI1. ¿¿Qué sexo le asignaron al nacer, en su acta de nacimiento original?

Hombre ……………………………1

Mujer………………………………2

(Rehusó)

(No sabe)

However, options for “refuse” (Rehusó) and “Don’t know” (No sabe) will be addressed in follow-up screen in the ACASI instrument for the full data collection implementation, but do not appear in the cognitive version. The OMB version was tested for NCVS in which items are administered by a field representative (FR). Respondents in NCVS are not provided with the options for “refuse” and “don’t know”. If during the NSYC cognitive test respondents indicate they would prefer not to answer or don’t know, the FR will probe to better understand the reason for non-response. In the ACASI version, the follow-up screen will serve the same purpose.

For the second gender identity item, GI2, the English NSYC-3 and OMB versions are identical.

GI2. Do you currently describe yourself as male, female or transgender?

The proposed Spanish NSYC-3 translation of the item will be replaced with the approved Spanish OMB translated version, below.

¿Actualmente se describe a sí mismo(a) como hombre, mujer o transgénero?

Hombre

Mujer

Transgénero

Ninguna de las anteriores

However, the Spanish OMB version is modified for NSYC-3 to include instructions to define “transgender” for youth respondents, and contains additional options. The August cognitive test of youth in English indicated a need for a “not sure” response. The modified item is below.

GI2. ¿ Actualmente se describe a sí mismo(a) como hombre, mujer o transgénero?

[Algunas personas se describen a sí mismas como transexuales cuando sienten que su identidad de género es diferente que su sexo biológico. Por ejemplo, una persona que nació hombre, pero que siente que es mujer o que vive como si fuera mujer.]

Hombre……….………………………………………1

Mujer ……….…………………… …………………2

Transgénero ………………………………………….3

Ninguna de estas opciones…..………………………..4

No estoy seguro…………….………………………...5

Sexual Orientation Item

 

The NSYC-3 contains one item used to establish sexual orientation. For the item GI3, the English NSYC-3 and OMB versions of the stem are identical.

GI3. Do you consider yourself…?

However, the Spanish NSYC-3 options differ somewhat from the OMB options to better address specific youth considerations. NSYC GI3 option #2 will be revised to be consistent with the OMB version. NSYC options 4 and 5 are adapted for youth based on the results of the English cognitive test and will include additional response options for “something else” and “not sure”.

NSYC-3 also includes sexual orientation options for youth who answered “Transgender/Transgénero”, “Something else/Ninguna de estas opciones”, or “Not sure/No estoy seguro” in GI2. If during the NSYC cognitive test a respondent selects option 4, “Ninguna de estas opciones” or option 5 “No estoy seguro” in GI2, and they select option 4 “Otra cosa” or option 5, “No estoy seguro” for GI3 the FR will probe to better understand how the respondent decided on their answer.

GI3. [HOMBRES] ¿Te consideras?

Gay……………………………….1

No gay, o sea, heterosexual………2

Bisexual…………………………..3

Otra cosa………………………….4

No estoy seguro…………………..5

[MUJER] ¿Te consideras?

Lesbiana o gay……………………..………1

No gay o lesbiana, o sea, heterosexual…….2

Bisexual……………………………………3

Otra cosa………….………….…………….4

No estoy seguro……………..……………..5

[Transgénero, NINGUNA DE ESTAS OPCIONES, O NO ESTOY SEGURO]

¿Te consideras?

Gay o lesbiana …………………………….. 1

No gay o lesbiana, o sea, heterosexual…..….2

Bisexual ……………………………………. 3

Otra cosa ……………………………………4

No estoy seguro …………………………….5

Sexual Preference Item

 

The NSYC-3 contains one item used to measure sexual preference. Item GI4 asks about sexual attraction and does not have an OMB equivalent. This item was developed and included after consulting the research literature. Research on adolescent sexual orientation supported including an item about attraction (as opposed to sexual experience or romantic preference) since not all adolescent youth have been sexually active.

GI4.1 Las personas son diferentes en cuanto a la atracción sexual que sienten hacia otras personas. ¿Cuál de las opciones describe mejor lo que sientes?

Únicamente me atraen los hombres …………………1

Mayormente me atraen los hombres …………………2

Siento la misma atracción por hombres y mujeres ……3

Mayormente me atraen las mujeres …………………4

Únicamente me atraen las mujeres …………………5

Otra cosa …………………6

No estoy seguro …………………7

Upon completion of the Spanish cognitive testing, a cognitive interviewing report will be provided and will include recommendations for the final version of the Spanish survey. Any changes suggested to the SOGI items will be shared with OMB in a separate memorandum.

Contact Information

Jessica Stroop

Statistician, Project Manager

Bureau of Justice Statistics

Phone: 202-598-7610

Email: jessica.stroop@usdoj.gov

Allen Beck, Ph.D.

Senior Statistical Advisor

Bureau of Justice Statistics

Phone: 202-616-3277

Email: allen.beck@usdoj.gov

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