Overview
Title
Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comments Requested; Reinstatement, With Change, of a Previously Approved Collection for Which Approval Has Expired: 2020 Census of Publicly Funded Forensic Crime Laboratories (CPFFCL)
Agencies
ELI5 AI
The Department of Justice wants to check how crime labs get their work done, like who works there and how much money they have. They did a big check back in 2014 and plan to do it again. People have until March 15, 2021, to say if they think it's a good idea and how they might do it better.
Summary AI
The Department of Justice has announced a 60-day comment period for the proposed reinstatement of the Census of Publicly Funded Forensic Crime Laboratories. This collection aims to acquire updated data on personnel, budgets, and operations of federal, state, and local crime labs across the US. It's part of an effort to understand and improve lab efficiency, following a similar study from 2014. Public comments on the necessity and methodology of this data collection are encouraged until March 15, 2021.
Abstract
The Department of Justice (DOJ), Office of Justice Programs, Bureau of Justice Statistics, will be submitting the following information collection request to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.
Keywords AI
Sources
AnalysisAI
The Department of Justice has released a notice regarding the proposed reinstatement of the Census of Publicly Funded Forensic Crime Laboratories. This initiative aims to gather crucial data on the operations, personnel, and budgets of crime labs across federal, state, and local levels within the United States. Notably, this effort seeks to update insights from a similar study conducted in 2014, with an emphasis on understanding and enhancing the efficiency of these laboratories. Public comments are invited on the necessity and effectiveness of this data collection process, with a submission deadline of March 15, 2021.
General Summary
The Bureau of Justice Statistics, under the Department of Justice, is preparing to submit an information collection request to the Office of Management and Budget for the Census of Publicly Funded Forensic Crime Laboratories. This proposed collection is a continuation of an effort to acquire detailed data on the workings of forensic crime labs, which play a critical role in criminal investigations across the country. The census will involve approximately 500 respondents and aims to collect data for the year 2020, along with some summary data from 2019.
Significant Issues and Concerns
Several issues are notable within the proposal. Firstly, while the document outlines the collection's purpose, it does not provide details on the total budget involved, nor does it give a breakdown of costs, such as those associated with cognitive testing of the updated census form. This lack of transparency could hinder a comprehensive assessment of the potential for wasteful expenditure. Furthermore, although improvements to the form are mentioned, specific examples of these changes are not provided, which could leave stakeholders questioning the actual enhancements made to reduce respondent burden. Additionally, the vague language concerning the technological methods to be used for data collection might limit understanding of the process, potentially affecting the confidence of respondents in the data collection procedure. Furthermore, the document provides estimates for the number of respondents and response time but lacks detailed justification for these figures, which might raise concerns about the basis of these estimates.
Impact on the Public
Broadly, the document signifies an important effort to improve forensic crime laboratories, which are integral to the criminal justice system. A successful collection and analysis of data could lead to more efficient crime labs that serve the public better by processing evidence more quickly and accurately. However, concerns about transparency and the clarity of the proposal may affect public confidence in the initiative's execution and potential outcomes.
Impact on Specific Stakeholders
The proposed information collection will directly impact the forensic crime laboratories that are required to respond. If executed well, this data collection could lead to improvements in lab processes and policies, potentially benefiting lab staff by addressing workloads and resource allocation. Nevertheless, if the process is burdensome or if the utility of the data is not apparent, it might negatively affect morale and the perceived value of participation. In addition to the labs, policymakers and public safety agencies would stand to benefit from enhanced insights, which could inform more effective strategies and funding decisions. Ultimately, the positive or negative impact on these stakeholders hinges on the transparency, execution, and ensuing application of the collected data.
Overall, while the intentions behind the reinstatement of the census appear beneficial, addressing the noted concerns is crucial to ensuring a successful and impactful data collection effort.
Issues
• The document does not provide specific details on the total budget for the information collection activity, making it difficult to assess potential wasteful spending.
• The process for the cognitive testing of the census form with 23 forensic crime laboratories is mentioned, but there is no detailed breakdown of costs associated with this testing phase.
• While the document mentions that the census form was updated to reduce respondent burden and ensure relevance, it lacks specific examples of these changes, which would clarify the improvements made.
• Language such as 'appropriate automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques' is somewhat vague and could benefit from specific examples of technologies or methods to be used.
• The rationale for selecting the 500 respondents and the estimate of 2.5 hours for response time is provided, but a more detailed explanation of how these estimates were derived would enhance transparency.