What does SSV mean in UNCLASSIFIED

The Survey of Sexual Victimization (SSV) is a biennial national survey conducted by the Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) that collects information from state and federal prisons in the United States about sexual victimization occurring within prison facilities. The SSV assesses both non-consensual sexual acts and abusive sexual contact.

The SSV collects data on non-consensual sexual acts as well as abusive sexual contact, such as coercion and touching without consent. It also collects demographic information about victims, perpetrators, facilities, staff responses and other topics related to sexual victimization in correctional facilities.

The SSV uses inmate self-report surveys as well as facility staff interviews to collect information about sexual victimization in state and federal prisons. Inmates can choose whether or not they want to participate in the survey and can do so anonymously if they prefer.

Yes, all responses are kept strictly confidential; no identifying information about any individual is released or reported publicly. All data collected is used only for statistical analyses and no individual’s identity or personal information will be revealed in any form or context.

Generally speaking, an inmate should expect a survey to take between 20 minutes to an hour depending on their experience with being victimized during their incarceration period.

Following completion of a survey, facility staff may provide educational materials related to prisoner’s rights, safe guard effectiveness against victimization and contact information for additional support services such as counseling for inmates who may have suffered from criminal justice-involved trauma.

In cases where access to technology is limited, paper copies are provided by BJS personnel who arrange a convenient time for administering the surveys with inmates whom have expressed interest in participating in the study.

An SSV is typically administered every two years at each correctional facility surveyed by BJS personnel.; however this schedule may vary based on availability of local resources during any given year interval when surveys need re-administration in newly incarcerated populations entering a specific correctional facility housing unit assessed during previous biennial intervals.

Results from each iteration cycle of a biennial national Study Survey reports can be found online through various criminal justice databases including websites operated by URC/CJTC Center for Domestic Violence Research & Education (DVR&E), Bureau of Prisons (BOP), Civic Research Institute (CRI), Department of Corrections (DOC), etc., via briefs containing computer graphic renderings displaying statistics associated with given research project topics addressed by particular study iteration cycle.