Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed eCollection eComments Requested; Reinstatement, With Change, of a Previously Approved Collection for Which Approval Has Expired: 2016 Law Enforcement Administrative and Management Statistics (LEMAS) Survey

AGENCY:

Bureau of Justice Statistics, Department of Justice.

ACTION:

60-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.

DATES:

Comments are encouraged and will be accepted for 60 days until April 8, 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 Shelley S. Hyland, Statistician, Bureau of Justice Statistics, 810 Seventh Street NW., Washington, DC 20531 (email: Shelley.Hyland@usdoj.gov; telephone: 202-616-1706).

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: Reinstatement of the Law Enforcement Management and Administrative Statistics (LEMAS) Survey, with changes, a previously approved collection for which approval has expired.

(2) The Title of the Form/Collection: 2016 Law Enforcement Management and Administrative Statistics Survey.

(3) The agency form number, if any, and the applicable component of the Department sponsoring the collection: The form number for the questionnaire is CJ-44. 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 general purpose state, county and local law enforcement agencies (LEAs), including local and county police departments, sheriff's offices, and primary state law enforcement agencies. Since 1987, BJS has collected information about the personnel, policies, and practices of law enforcement agencies via the Law Enforcement Management and Administrative Statistics (LEMAS) survey. This core survey, which has been administered every 4 to 6 years, has been used to produce nationally representative estimates on the demographic characteristics of sworn personnel, hiring practices, operations, equipment, technology, and agency policies and procedures. 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: An agency-level survey will be sent to approximately 3,497 LEA respondents. The expected burden placed on these respondents is about 2.65 hours per respondent. The burden estimate is based on data from prior administrations of the LEMAS.

(6) An estimate of the total public burden (in hours) associated with the collection: There is an estimated 9,269 total burden hours associated with this 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.