BJS FY24 National Survey of Victim Service Providers

The National Survey of Victim Service Providers (NSVSP) is designed to address significant gaps in knowledge about the availability and use of services to support victims of crime or abuse. The proposed approach focuses on relationship- and capacity-building with VSPs to mitigate previous challenges including high ineligibility rates, limited victim-level data (e.g., victim characteristics, victims served) and missing data, and low response rates. It also incorporates tiered technical assistance (TA) to support survey outreach and follow-up methods, reach new VSPs, and promote sustainability for future iterations. 

Close collaboration with the Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) and an expert panel will inform revisions to the NSVSP instrument, sampling of eligible VSPs, and improved data collection processes. Proposed outreach and survey administration procedures leverage existing relationships with VSPs and trusted individuals or organizations to raise awareness and generate buy-in, confirm contact information and eligibility, and deliver a tiered TA strategy to support survey completion. 

Rigorous cognitive testing and usability testing will ensure VSPs’ understanding of the questions; improve accuracy and validity of the survey data collected; enhance clarity and usability of the survey; and support instructions, introductory language, and communications to encourage response and reduce burden. Two rounds of cognitive interviews involving distinct focal areas (i.e., victim-level data, services provided, invitation/messaging, and organizational and staffing information) and 60-75 VSP interviews will be conducted, followed by up to 15 usability tests of the instruments across survey modes. 

The sampling plan includes sub-stratification by organization type, region or state, and VSP’s participation in prior NSVSP and NCVSPs to facilitate data gathering and maximize response rates. A power analysis will guide sample sizes, with initial sample sizes between 6,500 and 7,500 selections and an 80% targeted response rate. Specific bivariate and multivariate analytic strategies, including machine learning models accounting for interactions between model predictors, are proposed to handle missing data, conduct nonresponse bias analysis, and compute survey weights to adjust for potential bias and differential probabilities of selection. Consultation with BJS and the weighting process will inform item imputation and associated methods.  

The final report will include complete details about the NSVSP's methodology and provide instructions and documentation to support data users. By implementing this thorough and collaborative approach, the NSVSP will produce high-quality, reliable data that improves on previous administrations and significantly enhances the understanding of victim services across the nation, ultimately benefitting victims and the organizations that serve them.