BJS Proposes Census of Publicly Funded Forensic Crime Laboratories, 2014

The Bureau of Justice Statistics encourages comments for 60 days until November 17, 2014 on the proposed Census of Publicly Funded Forensic Crime Laboratories. The census will provide national statistics on federal, state, county, and municipal publicly funded forensic crime laboratories that analyze physical evidence collected during criminal investigations. It will cover budgets, staffing levels, types of analyses performed, backlogs for forensic services, and accreditations. In BJS’s request to the Office of Management and Budget published in the Federal Register written comments should address points such as:

• whether the proposed data collection is necessary including whether the information will have practical utility
• the accuracy of the agency’s estimate of the burden of the proposed information collection, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions
• whether and how the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected can be enhanced
• the burden of the information collection on respondents, including the use of appropriate automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques.