National Crime Victimization Survey Local-Area Crime Survey: Field Test Methodology Report

• NCJ Number: 254519
• Author(s): J. Michael Brick; Sharon Lohr; Pamela Giambo; Pam Broene; W. Sherman Edwards; Robin Jones; Yunhee Lim
• Date Published: April 2020
• Length: 419 pages
• Grant Number(s): 2010-NV-CX-K077
• Sponsoring Agency: Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS)
• Corporate Author: Westat
• Sale Source: Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS)
• Publication Format: Document; Document (Online)
• Publication Type: Test/Measurement; Survey; Program/Project Description
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This report presents the methodology and outcomes of the field test of the Local Area Crime Survey (LACS).

Abstract

The LACS was adapted from the National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS) as part of the U.S. Justice Department's Bureau of Justice Statistics' (BJS') efforts to develop a program that will estimate criminal victimization at sub-national levels. These subnational entities can be states, metropolitan areas, cities, or police jurisdictions. This report describes the sample design, data-collection methods, response rates, and estimation procedures. It also compares survey results from various versions of the LACS instrument, the NCVS, and the Uniform Crime Reporting Program. The LACS field test was administered in 2015 and 2016 to residents of the 40 largest metropolitan areas in the United States. It collected data on the number and characteristics of criminal victimizations reported by respondents, as well as their perceptions of police and community safety. A key conclusion from this field testing of the LACS is that a cost-effective sub-national criminal victimization survey is feasible. This report discusses methods and features of the survey that improved its utility. Important differences between the LACS and the core NCVS are noted. Extensive tables and appended survey instruments