Overview
Title
Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed eCollection, eComments Requested; Law Enforcement Public Contact Data Collection
Agencies
ELI5 AI
The FBI wants to know how often police talk to people, like when someone calls for help or when police stop someone. They need people to help them by filling out forms, which take about half an hour each.
Summary AI
The Department of Justice, through the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Criminal Justice Information Services Division, is seeking comments on a new information collection request. This collection aims to gather data on the number of contacts law enforcement officers have with the public in three categories: citizen calls for service, officer-initiated contacts, and court activities. The FBI estimates there will be 18,671 responses annually, with each taking about 30 minutes to complete, totaling approximately 9,336 hours each year. Comments are invited until April 26, 2021, particularly regarding the necessity and efficiency of the proposed collection.
Abstract
The Department of Justice, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Criminal Justice Information Services Division, will be submitting the following information collection request to the Office of Management and Budget for review and approval in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.
Keywords AI
Sources
AnalysisAI
The document in question is a notice from the Department of Justice and specifically the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), concerning a proposed new information collection initiative. This initiative aims to gather detailed data on interactions between law enforcement officers and the public across three primary categories: citizen calls for service, officer-initiated contacts, and court or bailiff activities.
Summary of the Document
The FBI, through its Criminal Justice Information Services Division, is inviting public comments on the necessity and execution of this data collection project. The proposal estimates that it will generate 18,671 responses annually, with each participant spending approximately 30 minutes per response, resulting in a total burden of around 9,336 hours every year. Public feedback on these estimates and the general utility of the collection is encouraged until April 26, 2021.
Significant Issues and Concerns
A notable issue with the document is its lack of detail regarding the potential costs or financial implications associated with the data collection. This omission makes it challenging for stakeholders to assess whether there might be any unnecessary or wasteful expenditure involved. Furthermore, there is no discussion on how the spending will be managed to prevent favoritism towards specific organizations or individuals.
The complexity of the document's language and the use of technical terms without explanation, such as "unit/officer-initiated contacts" and "court/bailiff activities," may alienate or confuse a general audience. Simplifying these terms and providing definitions could enhance public understanding and engagement.
Moreover, the absence of a detailed explanation of the methods and assumptions used to estimate the public burden could lead to ambiguity. Without this information, it may be difficult to assess the accuracy and reliability of the projected response times and public involvement.
Public Impact
The proposed data collection has significant implications for both the public and law enforcement agencies. By monitoring and analyzing law enforcement interactions with the public, the initiative could contribute to more transparent and accountable policing practices. This kind of data might help identify trends or areas where policy improvements are needed, ultimately benefiting society by fostering safer and more effective community-police relations.
Stakeholder Impact
For law enforcement agencies, this data collection could bring additional administrative tasks, as officers will be required to document and report their public interactions thoroughly. This could have the unintended consequence of increasing their workload, potentially affecting operational efficiency if not managed correctly.
Conversely, for advocacy groups and researchers interested in policing practices, the initiative could provide valuable data that could influence public policy and contribute to social justice initiatives. By measuring how frequently and in what manner officers engage with the public, stakeholders can better understand and address systemic issues within law enforcement.
In conclusion, while the initiative to collect data on public-law enforcement interactions represents a potentially beneficial step towards greater accountability and transparency, the document outlining this proposal could benefit from more clarity and detail. Greater clarity might foster trust and engagement from the public and key stakeholders alike.
Issues
• The document does not specify the potential costs or budgetary impact associated with the data collection, making it difficult to assess if there is any wasteful spending.
• The document does not detail any measures in place to ensure that the spending does not favor particular organizations or individuals.
• The description of the affected public and the abstract are somewhat technical and may not be easily accessible to a lay audience, suggesting room for simplification.
• Details regarding the methodology and assumptions for the estimated public burden are not clearly explained, potentially leading to ambiguity in understanding the accuracy of these estimates.
• The document uses specialized terminology, such as 'unit/officer-initiated contacts' and 'court/bailiff activities,' without lay explanations, which could lead to misunderstandings among general readers.