Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed eCollection eComments Requested; Extension of a Currently Approved Collection: Capital Punishment Report of Inmates Under Sentence of Death

AGENCY:

Bureau of Justice Statistics, Department of Justice.

ACTION:

30-Day notice.

SUMMARY:

The Department of Justice (DOJ), Office of Justice Programs, Bureau of Justice Statistics, will be submitting the following information collection request to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. This proposed information collection was previously published in the Federal Register at 81 FR 41352-41353, on June 24, 2016, allowing for a 60-day comment period.

DATES:

Comments are encouraged and will be accepted for 30 days until December 5, 2016.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

If you have additional comments especially on the estimated public burden or associated response time, suggestions, or need a copy of the proposed information collection instrument with instructions or additional information, please contact Tracy L. Snell, Statistician, Bureau of Justice Statistics, 810 Seventh Street NW., Washington, DC 20531 (email: Tracy.L.Snell@usdoj.gov; telephone: 202-616-3288). Written comments and/or suggestions can also be directed to the Office of Management and Budget, Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Attention Department of Justice Desk Officer, Washington, DC 20530 or sent to OIRA_submissions@omb.eop.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Written comments and suggestions from the public and affected agencies concerning the proposed collection of information are encouraged. Your comments should address one or more of the following four points:

—Evaluate whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the Bureau of Justice Statistics, including whether the information will have practical utility;

—Evaluate the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of information, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions used;

—Evaluate whether and if so how the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected can be enhanced; and

—Minimize the burden of the collection of information on those who are to respond, including through the use of appropriate automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or other forms of information technology, e.g., permitting electronic submission of responses.

Overview of this information collection:

(1) Type of Information Collection: Extension of a currently approved collection.

(2) The Title of the Form/Collection: Capital Punishment Report of Inmates under Sentence of Death.

(3) The agency form number, if any, and the applicable component of the Department sponsoring the collection: The form numbers for the questionnaires are: NPS-8, Report of Inmates under Sentence of Death; NPS-8A Update Report of Inmate under Sentence of Death; NPS-8B Status of Death Penalty—No Statute in Force; and NPS-8C Status of Death Penalty—Statute in Force. The applicable component within the Department of Justice is the Bureau of Justice Statistics, in the Office of Justice Programs.

(4) Affected public who will be asked or required to respond, as well as a brief abstract: Respondents will be staff from state departments of correction, state Attorneys General, and the Federal Bureau of Prisons. Staff responsible for keeping records on inmates under sentence of death in their jurisdiction and in their custody are asked to provide information for the following categories: Condemned inmates' demographic characteristics, legal status at the time of capital offense, capital offense for which imprisoned, number of death sentences imposed, criminal history information, reason for removal and current status if no longer under sentence of death, method of execution, and cause of death by means other than execution. BJS plans to publish this information in reports and reference it when responding to queries from the U.S. Congress, Executive Office of the President, the U.S. Supreme Court, state officials, international organizations, researchers, students, the media, and others interested in criminal justices statistics.

(5) An estimate of the total number of respondents and the amount of time estimated for an average respondent to respond: 117 responses at 30 minutes each for the NPS-8; 3,215 responses at 30 minutes each for the NPS-8A; and 52 responses at 15 minutes each for the NPS-8B or NPS-8C.

(6) An estimate of the total public burden (in hours) associated with the collection: There are an estimated 1,539.5 annual total burden hours associated with the collection.

If additional information is required contact: Jerri Murray, Department Clearance Officer, United States Department of Justice, Justice Management Division, Policy and Planning Staff, Two Constitution Square, 145 N Street NE., 3E.405B, Washington, DC 20530.