WS - E - Conducting Community Surveys

The CVS eliminates the need for many of the procedures that occupy survey researchers. The survey instrument has already been rigorously pre-tested to ensure that questions are neutral and understandable, and responses have been scaled and validated. In addition, the software includes a method for generating a simple random sample of telephone numbers through a random digit dial approach by using the telephone prefixes for the area. Telephone surveys are a promising method for police to collect quality information from citizens on a routine basis and at relatively low cost. Conducting survey research that meets standards of reliability is not difficult but requires a significant amount of effort. Importantly, the commitment and resources for this task should be carefully evaluated by police before undertaking survey research. Only if sufficient resources are available to police to conduct reliable scientific surveys can the benefits of telephone surveys be fully realized. 6 A Practical Guide for Police