National Survey of Prosecutors.

The National Survey of Prosecutors (NSP) is a data collection by the Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS). The NSP collects data about staffing, budgets, caseloads, and other special topics. BJS previously collected data from prosecutors in 1990, 1992, 1994, 1996, 2001, 2005, and 2007.

To administer the 2020 NSP, BJS has retained RTI International, a research organization, and the National District Attorneys Association (NDAA), a prosecutor membership organization.

What is the population of interest?

The 2020 NSP will sample approximately 750 prosecutor offices that handle cases in courts of general jurisdiction. The survey is not intended for federal prosecutors or for offices that try cases exclusively in limited jurisdiction courts.

What is the timeline for the 2020 NSP?

RTI and NDAA began contacting prosecutor offices in 2019 to review the draft survey and provide comments. BJS tested the instrument with 24 offices in the spring and summer of 2020. The full survey is planned to start in the winter of 2021, though there may be some delays due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

What kinds of questions are included?

The 2020 NSP will measure staffing characteristics, budgets, overall caseloads, and cases involving emerging issues important to the Attorney General's priorities. The survey will also collect information on new topics areas, to include problem-solving courts, prosecutorial diversion, plea bargains, and trials.

How are the data used?

BJS will use NSP data to produce reports similar to those from our earlier NSP data...