Form FIST-1 2016 Firearm Inquiry Statistics - Annual Survey of Backg

Attachment II. Proposed 2016 FIST survey

OMB NO. 1121-0314: Approval Expires (XX/XX/20XX)

U.S DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
BUREAU OF JUSTICE STATISTICS (BJS)

FORM FIST-1

(REJIS ACTING AS DATA COLLECTION AGENT)

2016 FIREARMS INQUIRY STATISTICS (FIST)

Annual Survey of Background Checks for Firearm Transfers and Permits
Please correct any errors in the name and address information that is printed below.

OFFICIAL AGENCY NAME (If different from above)
9-DIGIT NCIC-ORI NUMBER
PERSON COMPLETING THE FORM
NAME

TITLE

TELEPHONE

FAX

E-MAIL ADDRESS
IMPORTANT – Please answer the following questions before proceeding with the questionnaire. Mark [X] in
the appropriate box below.
Did your agency process, track, or conduct background checks for firearm transfers or permits to purchase or carry
at any time between January 1, 2016, and December 31, 2016?
Yes  If applicable, please list any other agencies for whom you conduct these activities:
(Agency Name(s))

No  The authorized permit processing, tracking, or checking agency for your jurisdiction is:
(Agency Name(s))

If your response to the above question is “No” or if the following condition applies, you do not need to
complete the questionnaire. Mark an [X] in the appropriate box below and return the survey using the
instructions below.
Agency no longer in existence
Agency employed only part-time officers AND the total combined hours of work for these officers averaged
less than 35 hours per week
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RETURN INSTRUCTIONS
Please submit your completed form by using the web reporting option at rejis.org/FIST, mailing it to the
Regional Justice Information Service (REJIS) in the enclosed postage paid envelope, or faxing each page to 1314-535-1729.
If you have any questions, comments, or feedback about the survey, please call the FIST project manager toll
free at 1-800-531-2150, or send an e-mail to fist@rejis.org.
Please retain a copy of your completed survey for 1 year.

Burden Statement
Under the Paperwork Reduction Act, we cannot ask you to respond to a collection of information unless it displays a current OMB control number. The burden of
this collection is estimated to average 25 minutes per response, including time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining
the data needed, and completing and reviewing this form. Send comments regarding this burden estimate, or any other aspects of this collection of information,
including suggestions for reducing this burden, to the Director, Bureau of Justice Statistics, 810 Seventh Street, NW, Washington, DC 20531. The Omnibus Crime
Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968, as amended (42 USC 3732), authorizes this information collection.

Attachment II Proposed 2016 FIST survey
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INSTRUCTIONS FOR COMPLETING THE FORM
Please mark ‘X’ in the appropriate boxes.
If possible, please answer all questions for the entire calendar year (January through December) 2015. If data
are available for only part of the year, please supply any available information in the spaces provided.
If the answer to a question is “not available” or “unknown,” write “DK” in the space provided.
If the answer to a question is “not applicable,” write “NA” in the space provided.
If the answer to a question is “none” or “zero,” write “0” in the space provided. Please respond with zero only
when the actual total reported count is zero, as opposed to when the data are not known or unavailable.
When an exact numeric response is not available, provide an estimate and mark the estimate box next to the
number field. Please provide a brief explanation in Section II to describe how the estimates were calculated.
Please do not leave any items blank unless otherwise directed.
Section I –APPLICATIONS AND DENIALS

1. Between January 1, 2016, and December 31, 2016,,
how many applications for Purchase Permits
(Transfer Permits) were processed or tracked by
your agency?
Applications

Mark ‘x’ if
estimate

_________________

4. How does your agency track reasons for denial?
(Please select all that apply)
Computer software keeps a running count of
reasons as part of standard operations
Computer software can be queried for counts of
reasons if needed
Counts of reasons are tallied on paper as part of
standard operations
Counts of reasons are tallied by hand if requested
Other (please explain below or in Comments
section)

2. Between January 1, 2016, and December 31, 2016,,
how many applications for Purchase Permits
(Transfer Permits) were denied? A denial occurs
5. If MULTIPLE reasons are found for a denial, how
when an applicant is prohibited from receiving a
are found reasons tracked?
firearm or permit that can be used to obtain a
firearm because a disqualifying factor was found
during a background check.
All reasons for denial are tracked (skip to
Mark ‘x’ if
question 7)
Denials

estimate

_________________

3. Does your agency track the reason(s) why an
application was denied? (Please indicate “Yes” if
your agency had zero denials in 2016, but you would
track the reason(s) for a denial if one were processed.
Please also indicate “Yes” if you can provide estimates
for reasons for denial.)
Yes

Only one reason for the denial is tracked
Don’t know (skip to question 7)
6. If ONLY ONE reason for a denial is tracked, how is
that reason tracked?
The first reason found during the background
check is tracked
The most serious charge listed on the criminal
history record is tracked
Other method of tracking (Please explain below
or in Comments section.)

No (skip to question number 8)
Don’t know

Attachment II Proposed 2016 FIST survey

7. For denials tracked in 2016, why was the
application denied? List total counts (including zeros,
where applicable) for each reason for a denial (please
include all federal, state, and local law reasons for
denial within the most appropriate category). Mark ‘x’
in the checkbox provided for any estimated counts.
Purchase
Permits

Mark ‘x’ if
estimate

a. Felony indictment or
charge………………….………
b. Felony conviction…..........
c. Felony arrest with no
disposition...............................
d. Fugitive or outstanding
warrant………………………..…..
e. Domestic violence
misdemeanor…....…….….......
f. Domestic violence,
protective or restraining
order………………………..………
g. Addicted to or unlawful
user of a controlled
substance….…………….…….…
h. Mental health
commitment or
adjudication….….…..……..
i. Illegal or unlawful alien…...
j. State law prohibitor
(if not included in above
categories)………………..….…..
k. Local law prohibitor
(if not included in above
categories)………….…..………..
l. Other reasons not
included above (including
juveniles and dishonorable
discharge)………………………
(After answering this question, skip to question number
11)

8. Why is your agency unable to track reasons for
denial? (Please select all that apply)
No record of the reason for a denial is saved
Records for 2016 were saved temporarily but
purged before the survey was received
Staff or budget is not available to look up or
compile statistics on reasons for denial
Records of reasons for denial are not in an easily
accessible format
Other (please explain below or in Comments
section)

9. What would enable your agency to keep
summary statistics on reasons for denial? (Please
select all that apply)
Computer software that tracks applications,
denials, and reasons for denial
Form for recording a monthly summary of
application denial decisions
Form for recording an application denial when
the decision is made
Additional personnel or funds to keep track of
application denial decisions
Other (please explain below or in Comments
section)

10. If possible, please estimate what proportion
(percentage) of your agency’s denials are made
up of the following reasons:
Felony arrests, charges, and convictions
Domestic violence convictions and
protective (restraining) orders
State law prohibitor (if not included in
above categories)
Other reasons not included above
(including juveniles and dishonorable
discharge)

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Attachment II Proposed 2016 FIST survey

11. Do any of the counts you provided for any of
the items throughout the survey cover only
part of the year?
Yes (please specify below or in Comments
section):
-Which counts cover only part of the year
-The months that are covered

No

Section II - COMMENTS
Please include any comments that would better explain
how your agency collects information for firearm
transfers or permits, including the names of any permit
or transfer types not listed on this form that you
process, track, or conduct background checks for. If the
reported totals are estimates, please provide a brief
explanation to describe how the estimates were
calculated.
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