National Crime Victimization Survey Instrument Redesign and Testing Project

The National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS) Instrument Redesign and Testing Project is designed to provide scientific and technical support for the redesign and testing of the NCVS roster control card, crime screener (NCVS-1), and crime incident (NCVS-2) instruments in support of BJS's efforts related to increasing the efficiency, reliability, and use of the NCVS. In addition, the project will evaluate the use and content of the NCVS supplements. Through this project, BJS seeks to evaluate and modernize the organization and content of the NCVS instruments; improve the efficiency of the instruments and the current core-supplement design; develop a procedure for introducing routine improvements to the NCVS in order to capture emerging crime types and time-relevant topics; develop a systematic process for testing item reliability, validity, and burden; conduct cognitive tests of current and proposed items on the survey instruments; and pre-test the modified NCVS. This project is directly supportive of larger NCVS redesign efforts and the regular, annual core functions related to statistical analyses, report writing, and documentation. The key goals of the Survey Instrument Redesign and Testing Project include: 1) evaluate the content, organization, and format of the NCVS roster control card, NCVS-1 screening instrument, NCVS-2 crime incident report instrument, and periodic supplements; 2) evaluate the current core-supplement approach to the NCVS, including the periodicity of supplements, the sample to which they are administered, and the integration of supplements into the core; 3) revise and enhance the use, value, and timeliness of the information obtained from the NCVS instruments; 4) establish processes and protocol for evaluating and revising the NCVS instruments on a routine basis; 5) establish a research agenda for investigating the performance of the instruments based on sample design, mode, and other data collection operations; 6) measure the impact of instrument changes on victimization estimates. The primary tasks to achieve these goals include 1) the analysis of existing data, and 2) designing and implementing original research studies.
CA/NCF