NCJ Number
248217
Date Published
July 2014
Length
35 pages
Annotation
Since a growing number of State statistical analysis centers (SACs) have undertaken statewide victimization surveys, the Justice Research and Statistics Association (JRSA) presents a review of victimization surveys conducted by SACs over the last 12 years, and recommendations for report content and training for future SAC victimization surveys are proposed.
Abstract
The report provides information on the various survey methods, content, and results reported by 25 victimization surveys completed by 14 SACs. The review found that SACs differed in how they reported their survey findings. Although most wrote full-length reports, others provided shorter reports or presented the findings in other formats. Most SACs could have provided greater detail about sampling methodology in their reports. Although almost all SACs reported an overall response rate, most did not provide detailed information on contact rates, refusal rates, and cooperation rates, as recommended by the American Association for Public Opinion Research (AAPOR). A few SACs, however, provided AAPOR-specified rates. Most SACs contracted the survey work to local universities or other research organizations. Although the various types of contact, refusal, and cooperation rates suggested by AAPOR may involve more detail than is needed, this report recommends that at a minimum SACs report a contact rate, a refusal rate, and a response rate. An accounting of partial responders (those who terminated the survey before completion) and how these were handled by the SAC should also be provided. In order to inform future survey efforts by SACs, JRSA could establish a series of training "webimars" on topics related to basic survey construction, sampling, and reporting methods and results. 3 tables, 31 references, and appended supplementary information