FR 2021-01882

The document in question is a notice from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), which is part of the Department of Justice. It addresses a proposed survey meant to gather feedback on the Crime Data Explorer. This tool serves law enforcement officials, scholars, and everyday citizens who wish to access crime data more easily. The notice is essentially a standard procedural step wherein the FBI notifies the public about its intent to collect this information and invites public comments on the matter. Let's delve into this notice, highlighting some key points and issues of concern.

General Summary

The crux of the document is that the FBI plans to continue collecting feedback through the Crime Data Explorer Feedback Survey. The survey's primary aim is to gather insight from various stakeholders—law enforcement, academia, and the general public—on how the Crime Data Explorer can be improved. It's estimated the survey will collect about 200 responses yearly, with each response anticipated to take roughly two minutes. Comments on the survey are invited until March 29, 2021, providing the public and other concerned parties an opportunity to weigh in on the survey's necessity and design.

Significant Issues and Concerns

Several issues emerge from the document that may require further clarification or improvement:

1. Financial Implications: The notice does not clarify any costs associated with conducting this feedback survey. This could raise concerns about potential wasteful spending if not adequately justified.

2. Lack of Specificity in Improvements: The document doesn’t clearly outline the nature of the improvements intended for the Crime Data Explorer. This vagueness might lead respondents to question the survey's ultimate utility and their role in contributing to meaningful changes.

3. Complex Language: The bureaucratic nature of the language used in the document may pose comprehension challenges for some readers. Simplifying the wording could enhance public understanding and engagement.

4. Target Audience Ambiguity: It’s unclear why law enforcement, academia, and the general public were specifically chosen as the survey's target audience. There’s also no mention of whether any incentives or outreach strategies will be employed to encourage participation from these groups.

5. Confidentiality and Transparency: There’s no mention of how survey data will be managed, analyzed, or shared with the public. This omission could lead to concerns regarding the transparency and confidentiality of the process.

6. Public Burden Estimation: While the document gives a rough estimate of the time burden on respondents, it lacks transparency regarding the methodology used to arrive at these figures, which might lead to questions about the estimate's reliability.

Public Impact

This notice of a planned survey collection may have varying impacts on the public:

• Broad Impact: The survey process itself appears to be a standard procedure, aiming to ensure that users have a say in how important crime data tools like the Crime Data Explorer are developed. However, the unclear language and transparency issues may dampen public trust and participation.

• Specific Stakeholders: For law enforcement and academic institutions, this survey could provide a valuable platform to voice needs and feedback, potentially improving their usage of the Crime Data Explorer. For the general public, it represents an opportunity, albeit unclear, to contribute to a tool they can use to access important data about crime.

In conclusion, while the intention to gather feedback is ostensibly positive, the document's lack of specificity and clarity in several areas may limit its effectiveness and public engagement. Stakeholders might benefit from further information about how their input will be used, leading to more informed and active participation.