BJS: Bureau of Justice Statistics

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Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS)
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Home  | Data Collection Detail

Data Collection: National Inmate Survey (NIS)
Status: Active
Frequency: As funding permits
Latest data available: 2007, 2008–09, and 2011–12

The National Inmate Survey (NIS) is part of BJS's National Prison Rape Statistics Program, which gathers mandated data on the incidence and prevalence of sexual assault in correctional facilities under the Prison Rape Elimination Act of 2003 (PREA; P.L. 108- 79). PREA requires a 10% sample of correctional facilities to be listed by incidence of sexual assault, with a minimum of one prison and one jail facility in each state. Data are collected directly from inmates in a private setting using audio computer-assisted self-interview (ACASI) technology with a touchscreen laptop and an audio feed to maximize inmate confidentiality and minimize literacy issues. See the methodology section in reports for sampling and weighting information.

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Collection Period

Annually as funding permits.

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Questionnaires

NIS ACASI instruments
2012 PDF (336K) | 2009 PDF (221K) | 2007 PDF (727K)
NIS Paper and Pencil Instruments -- Females
2012 PDF (476K) | 2012 PDF (Spanish) (270K) | 2009 PDF (476K) | 2009 PDF (Spanish) (342K) | 2007 PDF (Spanish) (114K) | 2007 PDF (107K)
NIS Paper and Pencil Instruments -- Males
2012 PDF (250K) | 2012 PDF (Spanish) (264K) | 2009 PDF (Spanish) (273K) | 2009 PDF (251K) | 2007 PDF (Spanish) (115K) | 2007 PDF (107K)
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Methodology

The Prison Rape Elimination Act of 2003 (PREA; P.L. 108-79) requires a 10% sample of correctional facilities to be listed by incidence of sexual assault, with a minimum of one prison and one jail facility in each state. See the methodology section in reports for sampling and weighting information, which varies by collection year. Inmates are randomly assigned to receive either a survey of sexual victimization or a survey of mental and physical health, past drug and alcohol use, and treatment for substance abuse.

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Publications & Products

The following publications and products were generated by BJS using data from this collection.

PREA Data Collection Activities, 2016 Describes the Bureau of Justice Statistics' (BJS) activities to collect data and report on the incidence and effects of sexual victimization in correctional facilities, as required by the Prison Rape Elimination Act of 2003 (PREA) (P.L. 108-79).
  PDF (424K) | ASCII file (19K)
Part of the PREA Publications Series

Disabilities Among Prison and Jail Inmates, 2011–12 ABOUT A THIRD OF PRISON AND JAIL INMATES REPORTED A DISABILITY IN 201112
  Press Release


Disabilities Among Prison and Jail Inmates, 2011–12 Presents the prevalence of disabilities among prison and jail inmates, detailing the prevalence of six specific disability types: hearing, vision, cognitive, ambulatory, self-care, and independent living.
  Press Release | Summary (PDF 242K) | PDF (651K) | ASCII file (95K) | Zip format (15K)


Veterans in Prison and Jail, 2011–2012 Presents counts and rates of veterans in state and federal prison and local jail in 2011 and 2012.
  Press Release | Summary (PDF 247K) | PDF (541K) | ASCII file (34K) | Comma-delimited format (CSV) (Zip format 35K)


Use of Restrictive Housing in U.S. Prisons and Jails, 2011–12 NEARLY 20 PERCENT OF PRISON AND JAIL INMATES SPENT TIME IN SEGREGATION OR SOLITARY CONFINEMENT IN 201112
  Press Release


Use of Restrictive Housing in U.S. Prisons and Jails, 2011-12 Presents data on the use of restrictive housing in U.S. prisons and jails, based on inmate self-reports of time spent in disciplinary or administrative segregation or solitary confinement.
  Press Release | Summary (PDF 253K) | PDF (745K) | ASCII file (60K) | Comma-delimited format (CSV) (Zip format 22K)


PREA Data Collection Activities, 2014 The Prison Rape Elimination Act of 2003 (P.L. 108-79) requires the Attorney General to submit to Congress, not later than June 30 of each year, a report on the activities of the Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) for the preceding calendar year.
  PDF (439K) | ASCII file (17K)
Part of the PREA Publications Series

PREA Data Collection Activities, 2013 The Prison Rape Elimination Act of 2003 (PREA; P.L. 108-79) requires the Attorney General to submit to Congress, not later than June 30 of each year, a report on the activities of the Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) for the preceding calendar year.
  PDF (466K) | ASCII file (17K)
Part of the PREA Publications Series

Sexual Victimization in Prisons and Jails Reported by Inmates, 2011-12 INMATES WITH MENTAL HEALTH PROBLEMS REPORTED HIGH RATES OF SEXUAL VICTIMIZATION IN 2011-12
  Press Release
Part of the PREA Publications Series

Sexual Victimization in Prisons and Jails Reported by Inmates, 2011-12-Update Presents data from the National Inmate Survey (NIS), 2011-12, conducted in 233 state and federal prisons, 358 local jails, and 15 special correctional facilities (operated by U.S. Armed Forces, Indian tribes, or U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)) between February 2011 and May 2012, with a sample of 92,449 inmates age 18 or older and 1,738 inmates ages 16 to 17.
  Supplemental Tables (Transgender Victims) (PDF 435K) | Supplemental Tables (Transgender Victims) (CSV) (Zip format 15K) | Press Release | PDF (1.7M) | ASCII file (123K) | Comma-delimited format (CSV) (Zip format 40K)
Part of the PREA Publications Series

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Related Topics

  • Corrections
  • Corrections | Local jail inmates and jail facilities
  • Corrections | State and federal prisoners and prison facilities
  • Corrections | Special populations
  • Corrections | Prison Rape Elimination Act (Sexual Victimization in Correctional Facilities)
  • Corrections | Local jail inmates and jail facilities | Jail inmate characteristics
  • Corrections | Local jail inmates and jail facilities | Local jail facility characteristics
  • Corrections | State and federal prisoners and prison facilities | Prison inmate characteristics
  • Corrections | State and federal prisoners and prison facilities | State and federal prison facility characteristics
  • Corrections | State and federal prisoners and prison facilities | Special topics
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