ASPP Nonsubstantive Change Memo

U.S. Department of Justice

Office of Justice Programs

Bureau of Justice Statistics

Washington, D.C. 20531

MEMORANDUM TO: Robert Sivinski

Office of Statistical Policy and Planning

Office of Management and Budget

THROUGH: Melody Braswell, Clearance Officer, Justice Management Division

Jeffrey H. Anderson, Director, Bureau of Justice Statistics

Elizabeth Ann Carson, Acting Corrections Unit Chief

FROM: Danielle Kaeble

Statistician

SUBJECT: Change request for the Annual Surveys of Probation and Parole: OMB Control No: 1121-0064

DATE: September 27, 2019

The Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) is requesting two changes to the existing Annual Surveys of Probation and Parole (ASPP) (OMB Control No: 1121-0064, expires 10/31/2020). The terms of the OMB approval in 2017 were that BJS submit a change request to conduct the proposed pilot test for the revised ASPP. BJS is proceeding with the pilot test, and will submit a change request prior to conducting it, but has focused on assessing the scope and frame of the project first. However, there are two changes that could be made to immediately reduce the burden of the surveys. The first change would remove one question from the parole survey (CJ-7) and from the probation survey (CJ-8) about the number of individuals whose locations were tracked through a Global Positioning System (GPS). Data collected from this question have not been used for analysis in past survey cycles because of item low response rates and inconsistent counts reported year-to-year. The second is the addition of one question to both the CJ-7 and the CJ-8, asking respondents who report the number of cases rather than individuals under supervision to also provide an approximate ratio of cases to individuals. This will allow BJS to better estimate the number of individuals under supervision and improve the accuracy of the national and state statistics. Prior cognitive testing in 2017 confirmed that respondents were able to understand and respond to the question.

The ASPP provides the only national-level, regularly collected data on the community corrections populations, and, as such, these surveys provide critical data on this key stage of the criminal justice process. Since 1977, these establishment surveys have provided BJS with the capacity to report annually on changes in the size and composition of the community corrections populations in the United States. Data are collected from the known universe of probation and parole supervising agencies, using central reporters wherever possible to minimize burden on the public. Making these two changes will reduce the burden to respondents and increase the accuracy of the estimates derived from these surveys.

There are two aspects of this request that will change the respondent burden:

1. Removing the one question from each survey will decrease the burden for 455 probation data providers and 53 parole data providers by 2 minutes per response.

2. Adding the one question to each survey will increase the burden for approximately 147 probation agencies and 4 parole agencies by 1 minute. This estimate is based on the proportion of data providers that reported case counts in the reference year (RY) 2018 surveys as only respondents who report case counts will need to respond to the additional question.

The total impact on burden is expected to be a decrease of approximately 755 minutes (13 hours). The proposed changes will be made during the RY 2019 ASPP, which will begin to be fielded in January 2020. The updated CJ-7 and CJ-8 forms are attached to this request.

Table 1. Original Summary of Total Respondent Burden for the ASPP (expires 10/31/2020)

Table 2. Summary of Burden Hours for the Updated ASPP Forms

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