ICPSR User Support

Dec 9, 2012

Important note about using the RECODE or COMPUTE online analysis features for TEDS-A, Concatenated 1992-2009

This FAQ applies to data users who are creating new variables using the RECODE or COMPUTE functions in the SAMHDA online analysis system (SDA). Due to the large number of cases involved in the TEDS-A Concatenated dataset, it takes the system up to 30 minutes for SDA to complete a RECODE or COMPUTE command. Therefore, it is recommended that users wait for approximately 30 minutes between the creation of a new recoded variable and the analysis of the data on the SAMHDA online analysis system. The system (SDA) will use a new variable (created using RECODE or COMPUTE functions) in an analysis even before the variable is completely created. Thus, users are requested to pay close attention to analytic results that use a created variable to make sure that enough time has elapsed and the new variables have been completely created. When running either RECODE or COMPUTE, you may encounter one of the following: (1) the screen turns blank and the status indicator in your browser says "Done" or (2) the server "times out." If these problems occur, SDA will continue to process your request, although it may take 30 minutes or more to complete.

Feb 13, 2012

How secure is the data deposit form?

The transmission of files from your computer to ICPSR over the Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) is encrypted using Secure Socket Layer (SSL) Version 3 with CAMELLIA_256_CBC, SHA1 for message authentication, and DHE_RSA for the key exchange mechanism. Upon receipt, ICPSR encrypts the files using AES-256 encryption and writes them to a secure location on our web server. Once every minute, a process at ICPSR checks the web server for incoming files, moves them onto a server behind our firewall, and deletes the copy on the web server.

Jan 12, 2012

How can I obtain restricted HMCA Data?

Every data collection is examined by HMCA staff for confidentiality issues. Variables that pose a disclosure risk are restricted from general dissemination. Restricted variables are removed from the public-use datasets available on our Web site or are modified in a way that limits disclosure. For example, a variable that gives respondents' ages in single years may be recoded to five-year age groups and topcoded at 75 so that age 16 becomes age 15-19 and age 92 becomes 75+.

To obtain restricted variables in their original form, analysts must agree to the terms and conditions of a restricted data use agreement. These legally binding agreements place strict controls on who may access restricted data and how the data are used, stored, and conveyed.

If HMCA has restricted one or more variables in a data collection, that will be noted in the "Restrictions" section of its study description (e.g., http://www.icpsr.umich.edu/HMCA/studies/31001/detail) and the "ICPSR Processing Note" in its codebook. The latter may be omitted if the study description or other section of the codebook provides sufficient information on how the restricted variables were handled.

To apply for restricted data from the Community Tracking Study and related surveys, use the special forms that have been prepared for that purpose. For restricted data from other HMCA studies, go to the study downloads page (e.g., www.icpsr.umich.edu/icpsrweb/HMCA/studies/28641) and follow the link under Access Notes.

HMCA is changing the submission process for obtaining restricted data, moving from one that is paper based to one that is Web-based. During the transition, both methods will be in use. Some studies will use the old process while others will use the new.

Oct 27, 2011

Why is the video so wide?

The original videos are just over 1300 pixels wide. Although we can shrink them within the Web browser, that makes it difficult to perceive the details necessary for observational coding. (Facial expression and such.) If you're attempting to code the videos, you probably want to adjust your screen resolution and maximize your browser window.

How do I code my own dataset?

This site doesn't feature specialized software for creating your own dataset. In all likelihood, your best bet is to adjust your browser window to fill the top half of your screen and use Microsoft Excel in the lower half of your window to record your codes.

...more to come...

How were the microphones positioned?

In the video, you can see a black/silver pole interrupting the view. Atop that pole was a microphone that captured the students input. In addition, the teachers wore a microphone. You can switch between these audio tracks using the video player.

Why does the video appear to be distorted?

The distortion is the result of rendering all sides of the room into one long image, a segmented panorama.

Although the distortion is unusual at first glance, this view enables you to see the entire classroom without having to adjust the camera angle, which is very useful for observational coding.

Can I get access to higher-quality versions of the videos?

Unfortunately, the video you see on the site is the highest quality version of the video. After video processing (and compression), the original videos were destroyed.

Oct 13, 2011

Purpose of the Resource Guide

This Violence Against Women (VAW) Resource Guide was designed by the National Archive of Criminal Justice Data (NACJD) staff to provide easy access to data collections on the topic of violence against women, such as Quick Links to certain types of VAW studies and links to studies available for online data analysis. This resource guide also provides useful information for the secondary analysis of these data collections, such as customized help pages for complex data collections, information about how to obtain restricted access data, and links to funding opportunities and publications.

Sources of the VAW Data at NACJD

Many of these data collections are sponsored by the Violence Against Women and Family Violence (VAW&FV) Research and Evaluation program at the National Institute of Justice. This program aims to promote the safety of women and family members, and to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of the criminal justice system's response to these crimes. More information about this program can be found at the VAW&FV Web site.

Their preservation and dissemination through NACJD is also sponsored by the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) Data Resources Program (DRP). In 1984 NIJ established the DRP to ensure the preservation and availability of research and evaluation data collected through NIJ-funded research. NACJD archives these data collections to support new research, replicate original findings, or test new hypotheses based on existing NIJ-funded data collections.

VAW Data Collection Highlights

International and Domestic Trends in Sex Trafficking of Women in the United States, 1999-2000 (ICPSR 3438)
Janice G. Raymond and Donna M. Hughes
Coalition Against Trafficking Women

This study was the first to research both contemporary international and domestic trafficking of women for sexual exploitation in the United States and to include primary research information from interviews with trafficked and prostituted women in the sex industry. Telephone and personal interviews were conducted with people who had experience with or knowledge of sex trafficking in the United States. This data collection consists of the verbatim questions and responses in 107 data files from the following groups of individuals who were interviewed: (1) international and United States women who had been or were in the sex industry in the United States, (2) law enforcement officials who had experience and expertise in sex-industry related cases or immigration, (3) social service workers who provided services to women in prostitution or might have come into contact with women from the sex industry and those providing services to immigrant populations, and (4) health care workers who provided services to women in prostitution or who may have come into contact with women in the sex industry.

Quick Links to VAW Data

The following Quick Links were created to facilitate access to Violence Against Women data collections at NACJD. These collections can also be found through our Download Data web page.

View all VAW studies
View newly archived or updated VAW collections
Other NACJD data collections that can be used for VAW research:

Online Survey Documentation and Analysis

A selection of NACJD data collections is available for use with our online Survey Documentation and Analysis (SDA). This means that users can perform the following tasks without having to download the entire collection and importing it into a statistical package:

Search for variables of interest in a dataset
Review frequencies or summary statistics of key variables to determine what further analyses are appropriate
Review frequencies or summary statistics for missing data
Produce simple summary statistics for reports
Create statistical tables from raw data
Create a subset of cases or variables from a particularly large collection to save downloading time and space on a personal computer

VAW data collections available for online analysis

Learn more about the online analysis system

Help for Complex Data Collections

NACJD is developing specialized web pages to help data users analyze complex data collections. These pages are currently available for the following studies:

Chicago Women's Health Risk Study (ICPSR 3002)

Violence and Threats of Violence Against Women and Men in the United States, 1994-1996 (ICPSR 2566)

Human Subjects Issues

NACJD employs a variety of measures to ensure that subject confidentiality is preserved in all of our data collections. Due to the sensitive nature of data collected about violence against women, many of these data collections are restricted from general access. This means that these data are still freely available to the public, but they cannot simply be downloaded from the NACJD Web site. Access to restricted data collections is possible through a written request to NACJD. Using a Data Transfer Agreement, available online as a PDF file, prospective data users must certify in writing that the data will be used for research or statistical purposes only, and that the confidentiality of respondents or subjects will be protected. More information about the procedures for accessing these data is available on the Restricted Access Data web page.

Funding Opportunities

NIJ provides two types of funding for Violence Against Women Research:

NIJ's Violence Against Women and Family Violence program provides funds for research and evaluation, including research fellowships. The program's objectives are to estimate the scope of violence against women and family violence, identify their causes and consequences, evaluate promising prevention and intervention programs, disseminate research results to the field, and build partnerships among a wide variety of disciplines to accomplish these objectives.
NIJ's Data Resources Program provides funding for the secondary analysis of existing data collections. The program seeks applicants to conduct original research using data from NACJD, especially data from previously funded NIJ projects.

Details regarding the application procedures for both types of funding can be found at NIJ's Funding Opportunities.

Publications

NACJD makes criminal justice data available to the public for secondary analysis. We do not generally archive, produce, or distribute published reports, statistics, charts, or other analyses based upon data holdings.

Users interested in such publications can search our online database of citations for publications related to NACJD data collections. Many of the publications listed in the online database are available in either paper hardcopy or electronic form from the National Criminal Justice Reference Service.

Other publications on the subject of violence against women can be found at NIJ Publications Topical Collections.