Department of Justice Seeks Public Comments on National Crime Victimization Survey Changes
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On July 24, 2025, the Department of Justice (DOJ), Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS), published a notice in the Federal Register about the National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS).
The BJS is asking the public for comments on a planned update for the NCVS. The updates must be approved by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). The public can send comments for 60 days, ending on September 22, 2025.
The NCVS collects national information about how often people in the United States experience crime. The survey counts crimes both reported and not reported to the police. The NCVS also collects data on how police handle reports and how safe people feel in their communities.
Every so often, the survey process is updated. The 2026 update uses new methods to better represent the U.S. population using 2020 census data.
Details of the Collection:
- Type: This is a revision of a currently approved collection.
- Title: National Crime Victimization Survey.
- Form Numbers: NCVS-1 and NCVS-2.
- Agency: Bureau of Justice Statistics, Office of Justice Programs.
- Who Responds: U.S. residents age 12 or older living in selected households. Responding is voluntary.
Estimates for the Survey:
- Total Respondents per Year: 157,439 people.
- Time to Complete Survey (Average Interview): 34.4 minutes.
- Time for Non-Interviewed Respondents: 9.3 minutes.
- Follow-up Interview Time: 7 minutes.
- Follow-up for Non-interview: 1 minute.
- Annual Burden (Total Hours): 123,202 hours.
- Annual Cost Burden: $0.
Burden Hours by Activity:
| Activity | Respondents | Frequency | Annual Responses | Time per Response (minutes) | Annual Burden (hours) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Interviewed | 91,312 | 2 | 182,624 | 34.4 | 104,698 |
| Non-interviewed | 56,772 | 2 | 113,544 | 9.3 | 17,599 |
| Re-interview (Interviews) | 7,484 | 1 | 7,484 | 7.0 | 873 |
| Re-interview (Non-interviews) | 1,871 | 1 | 1,871 | 1.0 | 31 |
| Unduplicated Totals | 157,439 | — | 305,523 | — | 123,202 |
How to Comment or Get More Information:
Those with suggestions or questions can contact Rachel Morgan, Chief of the Victimization Statistics Unit at the BJS. Her office is located at 999 N Capitol Street NE, Washington, DC 20531. Email and phone contacts are also provided: [email protected], 202-307-0765.
For further information, Darwin Arceo, Department Clearance Officer at the DOJ, is also listed as a contact.
Key Points for Comments:
The DOJ asks the public to focus on these points in their comments:
- Is the survey needed for the BJS to do its job well?
- Are the time estimates and methods correct?
- Can the collected information be improved?
- Can the burden on respondents be reduced by using technology?
The deadline for public comments is September 22, 2025.
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This article includes content collected from the Federal Register (federalregister.gov). The content is not an official government publication. This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. For case-specific consultation, please contact us. Read our full Legal Disclaimer, which also includes information on translation accuracy.
