Redesigning and Testing Revised Questions to Measure Rape and Sexual Assault on the National Crime Victimization Survey

• In Event: An Update on Efforts to Modernize the National Crime Victimization Survey Instruments

Abstract

Prior research shows that estimates of rape or sexual assault (RSA) on the National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS) are significant underestimates of these crimes (Kruttschnitt, et al., 2014). For example, when the number of completed rapes reported to the police from the 2018 NCVS are compared to a similar measure from the UCR, the NCVS is one-half or less that of the UCR. Similarly, NCVS measures of RSA are significantly below estimates from the National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey, as well as the Rape and Sexual Assault Pilot Test funded by BJS (Cantor, et al., 2021). As part of the NCVS instrument redesign, the survey items used to measure RSA were evaluated and changed to address these known limitations. This presentation will describe recent testing efforts and the resulting changes that were made to the questions used on the screening and crime incident report portions of the survey. A comparison of the current and redesigned approaches will be described. Findings from these testing efforts will also be presented.

Authors

• David Cantor, Westat

• Sherman Edwards, Westat

• Pamela Giambo, Westat

• Darby Steiger, Westat

• Jennifer Truman, Bureau of Justice Statistics

• Heather Brotsos, Bureau of Justice Statistics