CSC Frame Building Attachments

[Date]

Attachment A

(NAME), (TITLE)
(AGENCYNAME)
(ADDR)
(CITY), (STATE) (ZIP)
Dear (NAME),
The U.S. Department of Justice’s Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS), in partnership with the National Center for State
Courts (NCSC), is requesting local courts in your state to provide contact and basic court information to prepare for the
Census of State Courts (CSC). This project will develop a comprehensive, national list of trial and appellate courts.
Further, the CSC will compile important staffing data and information about the case types heard in state courts.
The CSC project team is sending this letter to serve as notification of the development of a complete national list of
limited and general jurisdiction trial courts and appellate courts. On [date], you will receive an email from NCSC
requesting that you confirm a list of courts in your jurisdiction. If you are unable to verify this list but can identify a
designee who can, please send the designee’s contact information to the CSC project team at CSC@ncsc.org by [date
before NCSC email is sent]. Otherwise, you will hear from NCSC for this request.
BJS is authorized to conduct this data collection under 34 U.S.C. § 10132. By law, BJS employees and its data collection
agents may only use your agency’s information for statistical or research purposes and must protect the confidentiality of
information identifiable to a private person [34 U.S.C. §§ 10134 and 10231]. BJS is not permitted to publicly release
your agency’s responses in a way that could reasonably identify a specific private person. Contact information collected
through this effort will not be publicly disseminated by BJS.
Attached to this email, you will find a project flyer with details about this project. If you have questions regarding the
CSC data collection program, please contact George E. Browne, BJS project manager, at George.Browne@usdoj.gov
or call (202) 598-1395 or Nicole Waters, NCSC Director of Research & Design, at nwaters@ncsc.org or call (757)
259-1574.

Thank you for your assistance in ensuring that [state] is accurately represented in this Census.
Sincerely,

Kevin M. Scott,
Acting Director
Bureau of Justice Statistics

U.S. Department of Justice
Office of Justice Programs
Bureau of Justice Statistics

Attachment B

Census of State Courts

JUNE 2024

The Census of State Courts (CSC) is a new data collection
project by the Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) to
compile a list of state and local courts operating in the
United States and to enhance our understanding of
court operations.

A second, but equally important outcome of this project
will be the creation of a comprehensive list of limited and
general jurisdiction trial courts and appellate courts. This
list will help stakeholders and interested parties identify
the courts operating in each state.

To collect this information, BJS will work with the
National Center for State Courts (NCSC). The NCSC has
compiled detailed and comparative information about
state courts through the State Court Organization (SCO)
series, which provides information on the operations
of each state’s system. The SCO and its companion state
court structure charts inform consumers of court data
and the public about state courts. The CSC project will
expand upon these resources by compiling additional
information about these courts.

How will data from the courts be used?

What is the population of interest?

How safe are my data?

The population of interest is all state courts. There
are more than 15,600 state courts, including limited
jurisdiction courts (12,500), general jurisdiction courts
(3,000), intermediate appellate courts (97), and courts of
last resort (58). Of these, the least is known about limited
jurisdiction courts, due to their sources of authority
and funding, so those courts will be a critical focus for
the CSC.

BJS will not publish case-specific information or collect
any personally identifiable information through the CSC.
While the CSC will ask for direct contact information
to identify a point of contact to complete the survey, the
contact information will not be shared.

What information will the CSC collect?
The primary purpose of the CSC is to collect information
about the work of state courts, including their
operations, staffing, caseload, and budget.

The census will provide important information about all
state and local courts in the United States, will expand our
knowledge of limited jurisdiction courts, and may inform
future data projects. BJS can use CSC data to sample
and target courts with jurisdiction over certain types of
cases or with certain structures or processes. CSC and
future surveys generated from it will enhance the body of
knowledge about state courts.

Census of State Courts

What is the timeline for the CSC?

How can I find out more information?

The CSC is a three-year project that launched in January
of 2023. The first phase of the project is a full census of all
municipal, trial, and appellate courts that will collect basic
information about the location and size of each court.
The second phase will collect more detailed information
about staffing, jurisdiction, types of cases heard, and other
topics from a subset of the courts.

George Ebo Browne, PhD, CSC Project Manager
Bureau of Justice Statistics
202-307-1618 | George.Browne@usdoj.gov
Nicole Waters, PhD, Director, Research & Design
National Center for State Courts
757-259-1574 | Nwaters@ncsc.org

The project team will begin contacting state courts to
complete the first phase of the project in early 2024. BJS
expects to launch the second phase later in 2024.

Why should my jurisdiction participate?
This project will increase the available knowledge about
state and local courts and inform court leaders’ decisions
about changes to court structure and policies. This
information, combined with caseload data and other
resources on state and local court operations, will help
courts better articulate funding needs. This critical tool
will enhance public knowledge of the judiciary and
empower data consumers to make informed comparisons
across jurisdictions.

CONNECT WITH US

@BJSGov

AskBJS@usdoj.gov

bjs.ojp.gov/subscribe

2

Attachment C
NCSC Email for Confirmation of Courts List

Last week, you received an email about the Bureau of Justice Statistics’ (BJS) Census of State Courts
(CSC). For this project, BJS and the National Center for State Courts (NCSC) are creating a census of all
state and local courts to enhance ours and the public’s understanding of state courts. As an initial step to
complete the census, we need assistance verifying courts in each state. A list of courts in [state] has been
generated from public sources. We ask that you or a designee, please review the list to verify or
supplement to ensure we have an accurate and complete list by visiting the link below.
Here is your unique link:
[]
When you click on the link, you will see a spreadsheet for [state]. Please review and make edits directly
into the spreadsheet. The spreadsheet is updated in real-time and saved automatically. Upon completing
your review and update, please respond to this email letting us know you’re done. Alternatively, if you
have an already existing list with the requested information, we welcome you to share that with us by
clicking on the link and using the upload option in the box folder or by emailing CSC@ncsc.org. With
either method, please ensure that a correct contact email is provided, as this is how we will administer
the questionnaire when fielding the survey.
We ask that you complete your review of the spreadsheets or provide an already existing list to us by
[date]. If more time is needed, please let us know and we’ll work with you to determine a feasible date.
If you are unable to confirm this list but can identify a designee who can, please send the designee’s
contact information to the CSC project team at CSC@ncsc.org.
Thank you,
Sincerely,
[NCSC contact]

Attachment E
NCSC Email for State Court Admin Delegate to Confirm Courts List
The U.S. Department of Justice’s Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS), in partnership with the National
Center for State Courts (NCSC), is requesting local courts in your state to provide contact and basic court
information to prepare for the Census of State Courts (CSC). This project will develop a comprehensive,
national list of trial and appellate courts. Further, the CSC will compile important staffing data and
information about the case types heard in state courts.
As an initial step to complete the census, we need assistance verifying courts in each state. A list of
courts in [state] has been generated from public sources. We were provided your contact information as
being a person who could potentially assist with verification of this list. We ask that you or a designee,
please review the list to verify or supplement to ensure we have an accurate and complete list by visiting
the link below.
Here is your unique link:
[]
When you click on the link, you will see a spreadsheet for [state]. Please review and make edits directly
into the spreadsheet. The spreadsheet is updated in real-time and saved automatically. Upon completing
your review and update, please respond to this email letting us know you’re done. Alternatively, if you
have an already existing list with the requested information, we welcome you to share that with us by
clicking on the link and using the upload option in the box folder or by emailing CSC@ncsc.org. With
either method, please ensure that a correct contact email is provided, as this is how we will administer
the questionnaire when fielding the survey.
We ask that you complete your review of the spreadsheets or provide an already existing list to us by
[date]. If more time is needed, please let us know and we’ll work with you to determine a feasible date.
If you are unable to confirm this list but can identify a designee who can, please send the designee’s
contact information to the CSC project team at CSC@ncsc.org.
Thank you,
Sincerely,
[NCSC contact]

Attachment F

Nonresponse Follow Up #1 Script (Email)
Respondents who have not started the spreadsheet.
Dear x,
This is a follow-up message from [date]. We are identifying a comprehensive list of all courts in the
nation, and it is important to include [state] in this census.
Will you please review the list of courts in [state] to verify or supplement to ensure we have an accurate
and complete list by selecting this link [link]? Alternatively, if you have an already existing list, you may
submit it through the link or by emailing it to us at CSC@ncsc.org. If you are unable to verify or can
partially verify this list, please let us know who is best to contact to obtain this information. If you have
questions regarding verification of the courts list, please contact the project team at [CSC project phone
number] or CSC@ncsc.org.
Additionally, if you have any questions pertaining to the CSC data collection program, please contact
George E. Browne, BJS project manager at George.Browne@usdoj.gov or call (202) 598-1395 or Nicole
Waters at nwaters@ncsc.org or call (757) 259-1574.
Sincerely,
Respondents who started the spreadsheet but not completed it.
Dear x,
This is a follow-up message from [date]. We are identifying a comprehensive list of all courts in the
nation, and it is important to include [state] in this census.
We noticed that you started revisions to the spreadsheet courts list [link] but have not sent an email
stating you are done. Have you completed your review of the courts list? If yes, please respond to this
email letting us know. If not, please let us know if we can assist you in anyway. Alternatively, if you have
an already existing list, you may upload it through the drop box link with your spreadsheet or by
emailing it to us at CSC@ncsc.org. If you are unable to verify or can partially verify this list, please let us
know who is best to contact to obtain this information. If you have questions regarding verification of
the courts list, please contact the project team at [CSC project phone number] or CSC@ncsc.org.
Additionally, if you have any questions pertaining to the CSC data collection program, please contact
George E. Browne, BJS project manager at George.Browne@usdoj.gov or call (202) 598-1395 or Nicole
Waters at nwaters@ncsc.org or call (757) 259-1574.
Sincerely,

Attachment G
Nonresponse Follow Up #2 Script (Phone Call)
Respondents who have not started the spreadsheet.
Hello, this is [name] from the National Center for State Courts. I am calling to check if you received our
previous outreaches regarding the Census of State Courts. The Bureau of Justice Statistics, along with
NCSC, are creating a census of all state and local courts to enhance our understanding of state courts.
We’d like confirmation on the courts in [your state). Would you be able to verify a list of courts that we
have gathered from public sources?
If yes, say “Would you please verify the list in [state]? We will [re]send the email with a link to the online
courts list to [contact’s email]”.
If no, say “If you are not the person, do you have a good point of contact that can assist us? What is the
best email address or phone number to reach them?”.

Respondents who have started the spreadsheet but not yet submitted.
Hello, this is [name] from the National Center for State Courts. I am calling regarding the Census of State
Courts. The Bureau of Justice Statistics, along with NCSC, are creating a census of all state and local
courts to enhance our understanding of state courts. We noticed that you started revisions to the courts
list for [state] but have not sent an email stating you are done. Have you completed your review of the
courts list?
If yes, say “Thank you for letting us know. We will mark your list as complete”.
If no, say “Is there anything that we can do to assist you?”.

Attachment H

Protection of Human Subjects
Policies and Procedures

Appendix H
Determination of Need
and
Request for IRB Review

NCSC Human Subject Protection Guidance
Determination of Need and Request for IRB Review

Project Title:

Sponsor:

Census of State Courts (CSC)

Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS)

Period of Performance: 01/01/2023-09/30/2025

Principal Investigator:

Nicole Waters, PhD

Checklist of Materials for Review:
Completed request for IRB review
Privacy certificate, if appropriate
Informed consent form, if appropriate
Proposal abstract and statement of tasks
Complete research proposal, if full board review anticipated

SECTION I
1. Is the activity a systematic investigation designed to develop or contribute to generalized
knowledge?
Yes – Activity is research. Continue with Question 2
No – Activity is not research and IRB Review is not required

2. Does the research involve obtaining information about living individuals?
Yes – Continue to Question 3
No – The research does not involve human subjects and IRB Review is not required

3. Does the research involve interventions or interactions with individuals or is the information
individually identifiable and private requiring IRB review?
Yes – Activity is research involving human subjects
Request for IRB Review

2

NCSC Human Subject Protection Guidance
Determination of Need and Request for IRB Review

No – The research does not include human subjects and IRB review is not required

Request for IRB Review

3

NCSC Human Subject Protection Guidance
Determination of Need and Request for IRB Review

SECTION II: Project Summary
1. Provide a brief summary of the project and how it involves human subjects.

2. Indicate the nature of risks (physical, psychological, social, economic, etc.) and the methods used
to minimize risks.

3. If you are collecting primary (original) data, attach a detailed memorandum describing the
research protocols and specific methods for mitigating risks and plans for disclosing risk via an
informed consent (if appropriate).

SECTION III: Determination of Need for NCSC IRB Review
1. Will this project collect primary data involving a special or sensitive population group such as
minors/juveniles; persons with diminished mental capacities; prisoners; abuse victims; or
individuals whose linguistic skills, education, or economic status might increase their
vulnerability as subjects?
Yes – skip to Recommended Action, check E
No – continue with Question 2
Certain populations are particularly vulnerable insofar as they may lack the cognitive or
developmental ability to give informed consent to certain risks. Additional precautions may be
necessary to ensure that those individuals understand the risks of participating in a research project.
Primary research involving these special populations is always subject to a full IRB review. Be
sensitive to situations in which some, but not all subjects may be from a special population. Even
secondary research involving such populations should receive a higher standard of scrutiny.
Request for IRB Review

4

NCSC Human Subject Protection Guidance
Determination of Need and Request for IRB Review

2. Are all data regarding human subjects derived from records that are publicly available?
Yes – skip to Recommended Action, check B
No – continue with Question 3
Research involving public documents is usually exempt. Information contained in court files is
generally open to the public, but some information may be deemed confidential by court rule, statute,
or a specific court order. Collection of sealed information may be subject to IRB review. Mixed data
(public and private1) may also require IRB review. Be aware of potentially sensitive2 information.

3. Will the data be linked by identifiers to the individuals from whom it is obtained (e.g., by name,
address, case number)?
Yes – continue with Question 4
No – skip to Recommended Action check B
In the absence of identifiers linking data to specific individuals, the principal and most common
concern to subjects in NCSC research—a breach of confidentiality—is minimal. Barring the
involvement of subjects from a sensitive class, the project should be exempt. An expedited review
might be appropriate depending on the existence of other risks and the magnitude of potential harm.

4. Are the data collected only from elected or appointed public officials concerning their
professional duties?
Yes – skip to Recommended Action, check B
No – continue with Question 5
Surveys of judges, legislators, and other public officials are generally exempt, provided that the
survey questions pertain to their official duties and responsibilities.

5. Does data collection consist of the following types of interactions with human subjects: survey
procedures, interview procedures, or observations of public behavior?
Yes – skip to Recommended Action, check B
No – continue with Question 6
“Private” data include data on behaviors or on records that an individual could reasonably expect would not be observed
or made public (i.e., school records, welfare records, juvenile court records, medical records).
2
“Sensitive” data include data that if made public could cause physical, mental, emotional, economic, or other harm to an
individual (i.e., sexual activity, illegal behavior, family relations, substance abuse).
1

Request for IRB Review

5

NCSC Human Subject Protection Guidance
Determination of Need and Request for IRB Review

Certain research methods, especially survey procedures, interview procedures, and observations of
public behavior generally involve only minimal risk to individuals. Such activities are usually
exempt unless information is recorded in such a manner that subjects can be identified and any
disclosure of subjects’ responses could reasonably place the subjects at risk of criminal or civil
liability or be damaging to the subjects’ financial standing, employability, or reputation.

6. Does this research involve more than minimal risk to human subjects?
Yes – see Recommended Action, check D
No – see Recommended Action, check C
“Minimal risk” means that the probability and magnitude of harm or discomfort anticipated are not
greater than those ordinarily encountered in daily life or during the performance of routine physical or
psychological examinations or tests.

SECTION IV: Recommended Action
A. No further review regarding human subjects is required. There are no living human
subjects involved or the study poses little or no risk to any subjects.
B. Research probably qualifies for an exemption.
C. Research should undergo an expedited review by an IRB. The risk of harm to human
subjects is minimal.
D. Research should undergo a full IRB review. The risk to human subjects is more
than minimal.
E. Research should undergo a full IRB review. Human subjects are involved in the
research and it involves a special population.
Note: If either D or E is checked, the project task plan and budget should contain sufficient time
and funds to support the IRB review (e.g., preparation of briefing paper for IRB members,
presentation to IRB, and periodic reviews of project compliance with IRB requirements.)

Request for IRB Review

6

NCSC Human Subject Protection Guidance
Determination of Need and Request for IRB Review

SECTION V: Final Determination
Based on the research protocol and design focus and the anticipated involvement of living
individuals in this research effort, I submit the following recommended determination to the IRB
Chair.

EXEMPT

This research is exempt from the government requirement for an IRB review.

EXPEDITE

Human subjects are involved in the research but the risk of harm to these
individuals is minimal. This research project should undergo an expedited
review by the IRB. The IRB must be notified when significant changes occur
in design. The project will be included in the IRB’s annual review.

REVIEW

Human subjects are involved in the research and the risk is more than
minimal. The research project should undergo a full IRB review. The IRB
must be notified when significant changes occur in design. The project will
be included in the IRB’s annual review.

Principal Investigator:

Date: 9/22/2023
(Signature)

This section to be completed by IRB Chair:
I recommend the following review status, to be approved by the IRB.
X EXEMPT

EXPEDITE

IRB Chair:

FULL BOARD REVIEW

Date:

10-25-2023

(Signature)

January 2019
Request for IRB Review

7

Proposal Abstract
The purpose of the Census of State Courts (CSC) is to compile a comprehensive list of all courts
operating in the United States and to collect pertinent information regarding the staffing,
administrative operations, and jurisdictional purview of those courts. The information contained
with the State Court Organization (SCO), and its state court structure charts, together create a
critical resource to inform consumers of court data and the public about state courts.
The primary activities of this project include consultation of a panel of subject matter experts to
develop, test, and implement an electronic data collection tool and field the CSC to create a
resource on how state courts are organized and administered. This project entails verifying,
cleaning, and analyzing the data for dissemination to the public.
To accomplish these goals, NCSC will partner with the Conference of State Court
Administrators (COSCA) and the National Association for Court Management (NACM). This
collaboration will ensure more accurate data and increase participation in the CSC. Members of
these associations will also serve as subject matter experts in the development and refinement of
the electronic data collection tool.
The expected outcome of this project includes a comprehensive list of limited and general
jurisdiction trial courts and appellate courts along with relevant information about the staffing
and cases under state courts’ jurisdiction. This project will also produce an updated frame of all
state courts which can be used to better understand state courts. The information collected for the
CSC will benefit judges, court administrators, federal and state policymakers, researchers,
journalists, and the public and result in useful insights that inform policy, budgetary, and court
management decisions about state courts.

HUMAN SUBJECTS PROTECTION
CERTIFICATION OF COMPLIANCE

National Center for State Courts
_________________________________________________________________
Name of Organization

_________________________________________________________________
Vendor Number

Census of State Courts
_________________________________________________________________
Title of Project (if multiple projects are proposed, one form must be completed for each project)

______________________________________________
Application Number (to be completed by BJS)

I.

IS THE PROJECT "RESEARCH?"

Is the research project a systematic investigation designed to develop or contribute to generalizable
knowledge?
Check "No" if the project is not designed to contribute to generalizable knowledge. Examples of projects
that do not contribute to generalizable knowledge may include; operational activities such as program
monitoring, projects designed for internal agency use, projects that do not produce public documents, and
the development of agency websites.
____

No - The project does not contribute to generalizable knowledge; therefore, is not considered
"research" for the purposes of federal human subjects protection. Skip to Section III and check
(B).

x
____

Yes - The project contributes to generalizable knowledge; therefore, it is considered "research" for
the purposes of federal human subjects protection. Continue to Section II.

Page 1 of 3

II.

DOES THE PROJECT INVOLVE HUMAN SUBJECTS?
Will the researcher obtain any information about a living person by communicating with that person?
____ Yes - Human subjects are involved. Continue to Section III and check (A).
X No - Continue to the next question.
____

Will the researcher obtain identifiable private information (i.e., information not publicly available) about a
living person?
"Identifiable information" is information where the identity of the subject may be readily
ascertained. Information is "private" if the individual has a reasonable expectation that it will not
be made public.
If the researcher is seeking information about a living individual that is publicly available, either
from public or commercial sources, check "No." If the researcher is seeking private information
about a living individual and no personal identifiers are obtained by the researcher at any point in
the project, check "No."
The source of the information is irrelevant for the purposes of this question. Check "Yes" if the
researcher will obtain personally identifiable private information about a living person:


from records about the person (e.g., criminal history records, arrest records, court
records),


from third parties,


from files, or


from any other source.
____ Yes - Human subjects are involved. Continue to Section III and check (A).
____ No - Human subjects are not involved. Continue to Section III and check (C).

III.

DO FEDERAL HUMAN SUBJECTS PROTECTIONS APPLY?
_____

A.

Federal human subjects protections apply. IRB review of this project is required. An
IRB must determine whether full or expedited review is warranted, or determine which
exemptions apply, if any (28 CFR Part 46). Documentation from an IRB is required
before human subject-related research can begin.

_____

B.

This project is not considered "research" for the purposes of federal human subjects
protection. No IRB review is required.

X
_____

C.

There are no "human subjects" involved in the research project as that term is defined by
federal regulations. No IRB review is required.

Page 2 of 3

CERTIFICATION TO BE COMPLETED BY THE APPLICANT:
I certify that, to the best of my knowledge and belief, all of the information provided above is true, complete, and
made in good faith.

_______________________________________________________
Signature of Person Authorized to Certify

______7/5/22_____
Date

__Vice President, Research Division________________________
Title of Person Authorized to Certify

_757-259-1508_______
Phone number

TO BE COMPLETED BY BJS

CLEARANCE BY THE BJS HUMAN SUBJECTS PROTECTION OFFICER:
I have reviewed the Human Subjects Protection Certification of Compliance. Based on the representations made in
this document by the applicant and the materials submitted as part of the grant application, the research project
meets the federal requirements for human subjects protections found at 28 CFR Part 46.

_______________________________________________________
Signature of the BJS Human Subjects Protection Officer

IRB documentation is:

___ included in application

___ forthcoming

___________________
Date

___ not needed

Notes:
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________

Page 3 of 3

BUREAU OF JUSTICE STATISTICS (BJS)
MODEL PRIVACY CERTIFICATE
U.S. Department of Justice regulations at 28 CFR §22.23 require that a Privacy Certificate be submitted
as part of any application for a project in which information identifiable to a private person will be collected
for research or statistical purposes. The following summarizes the requirements of 28 CFR Part 22 and
may be used as a guide to complete the Privacy Certificate.
1.

Data identifiable to a private person will not be used or revealed unless it is research or statistical
information being used for research and statistical purposes.

2.

Identifiable data will be used or revealed only on a need-to-know basis to (a) officers, employees, and
subcontractors of the recipient of assistance; and (b) persons and organizations receiving transfers of
information for research and statistical purposes only if an information transfer agreement is entered
into in which the recipient is bound to use the information only for research and statistical purposes
and to take adequate administrative and physical precautions to ensure the confidentiality of the
information.

3.

Employees with access to data on a need-to-know basis will be advised in writing of the
confidentiality requirements and must agree in writing to abide by these requirements.

4.

Subrecipients requiring access to identifiable data will only do so in accordance with an information
transfer agreement which states that the confidentiality of the data must be maintained and that the
information may only be used for research or statistical purposes.

5.

Private persons from whom identifiable data are obtained or collected will be advised that the data
will only be used for research and statistical purposes and that compliance with requests for
information is not mandatory. That is, participation in the research is voluntary and may be withdrawn
at any time. Please note: If the notification requirement is to be waived, an explanation must be
contained within or attached to the Privacy Certificate.

6.

Adequate precautions will be taken to ensure the administrative and physical security of the
identifiable data.

7.

A log indicating that identifiable data has been transferred to persons other than those in BJS or other
OJP bureaus or to grantee, contractor, or subcontractor staff will be maintained and will indicate
whether the data has been returned or if there is an alternative arrangement for the future
maintenance of such data.

8.

Project plans will be designed to preserve the anonymity of persons to whom the information relates,
including where appropriate, name-stripping, coding of data, or other similar procedures.

9.

Project findings and reports prepared for dissemination will not contain information which can
reasonably be expected to be identifiable to a private person.

10. Upon completion of the project, the security of research or statistical information will be protected by
either:
a. the complete physical destruction of all copies of the materials or the identifiable portions of the
materials after a three year required recipient retention period or as soon as authorized by law; or
b. the removal of identifiers from the data and separate maintenance of a name-code index in a
secure location. Please note: If you choose to keep a name-code index, you must maintain
procedures to secure such an index.

1

PRIVACY CERTIFICATE
Organization Name: National Center for State Courts

Vendor Number:

Project Title: Census of State Courts
Application Number:
I. Brief description of project:
The purpose of the Census of State Courts (CSC) is to compile a comprehensive list of all courts operating in the United States and to collect
pertinent information regarding the staffing, administrative operations, and purview of those courts.

II. Procedures to notify subjects, as required by 28 CFR §22.23(b)(4) or an explanation if notification
is to be waived, pursuant to 28 CFR §22.27(c):
All information collected for this project comes from public records or publicly available information regarding institutions and their
functions. This project will not be requesting any personally identifying information other than contact information for the data providers
and these will be work emails/phone numbers/mailing addresses.

III. Procedures developed to preserve the anonymity of private persons to whom information relates,
as required by 28 CFR §22.23(b)(7):
This project is not requesting any private persons' information.

IV. Procedures for data collection and storage, as required by 28 CFR §22.23(b)(5):
This project is not requesting any private persons' information.

V. Procedures for the final disposition of data, as required by 28 CFR §22.23(c) and §22.25:
This project is not requesting any private persons' information.

VI. List of individuals having access to data, as required by 28 CFR 22.23(b)(2):
Principal Investigator(s)

Project staff

Information technology personnel

Subcontractors or consultants

Additional lines may be added, as needed. Staff signatures are required in the next section.
2

Grantee1 certifies that -•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

data identifiable to a private person2 will not be used or revealed, except as authorized under 28
CFR Part 22, Sections 22.21 & 22.22.
access to the data will be limited to those employees having a need for such data and that such
employees shall be advised of and agree in writing to comply with the regulations in 28 CFR Part
22.
all contractors, subcontractors, and consultants requiring access to identifiable data will agree,
through conditions in their subcontract or consultant agreement, to comply with the requirements
of 28 CFR §22.24 regarding information transfer agreements and that the Bureau of Justice
Statistics (BJS) will be provided copies of all transfer agreements before they are executed as
well as the name and title of the individuals with the authority to transfer data.
if applicable, a log will be maintained indicating that (1) identifiable data have been transferred to
persons other than employees of BJS and other Office of Justice Programs bureaus and offices,
or grantee/contractor/subcontractor staff; and (2) such data have been returned or that
alternative arrangements have been agreed upon for future maintenance of such data, in
accordance with 28 CFR §22.23(b)(6).
any private person from whom identifiable information is collected or obtained shall be notified, in
accordance with 28 CFR §22.27, that such data will only be used or revealed for research or
statistical purposes and that compliance with the request for information is not mandatory.
project findings and reports prepared for dissemination will not contain information which can
reasonably be expected to be identifiable to a private person, except as authorized by 28 CFR
§22.22.
adequate precautions will be taken to ensure administrative and physical security of identifiable
data and to preserve the confidentiality of the personally identifiable information.
all project personnel, including subcontractors, have been advised of and have agreed, in writing,
to comply with all procedures to ensure the confidentiality of data identifiable to a private person.
the procedures are accurately described above and will be adhered to by project staff, as well as
subcontractors and BJS shall be notified of any material change in any of the information
provided in this Privacy Certificate.

All project staff, including information technology personnel, subcontractors, and/or consultants, with
access to identifiable data in conjunction with the BJS-funded activities are required to sign this
Privacy Certificate to affirm their understanding of and agreement to comply with the terms of access
and privacy requirements.
The grantee is responsible for maintaining an updated staffing list of individuals with access to
identifiable data and for submitting a current list to BJS with its semi-annual progress reports. All
individuals who are granted access to identifiable data during the project period are required to sign a
Privacy Certificate. The grantee must retain copies of all signed Privacy Certificates as an auditable
requirement, and should be prepared to submit them to BJS upon request.
Signature(s):
Principal Investigator

Date 7.1.2022
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Institutional Representative

__________________________ Date

7/5/22
__________

Other project staff, including information technology personnel, subcontractors, and/or consultants,
with access to identifiable data:
Name and title

_______________________________________Date

________

Name and title

_______________________________________Date

________

Name and title

_______________________________________Date

________

Name and title

_______________________________________Date

________

Name and title

_______________________________________Date

________

Name and title

_______________________________________Date

________

Additional signature lines may be added, as needed.

1

The term “grantee” refers to all recipients of federal funds awarded by the Bureau of Justice Statistics.

2

Information identifiable to a private person is defined in 28 CFR §22.2(e) as "Information which either (1)
Is labelled by name or other personal identifiers, or (2) Can, by virtue of sample size or other factors, be reasonably
interpreted as referring to a particular private person."

Updated: July 17, 2017

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