The survey was done June 2 for The Times by JEM Research Inc., of Valparaiso. Of the 1,149 responses from 6,500 calls around the county, almost 65 percent favored the ban, with the lowest percentage being 51 percent among those 35 to 44 years old. The support increased to 62.5 percent in the 45 to 54 age bracket, 78 percent among 55 to 64 year olds and 90.5 percent for those 65 and older.

A survey done by Valparaiso University students for the city earlier this year showed about 67 percent favored the ban.

Read more at NWI Times

I’m told that while age is a state of mind, experience as a general concept comprises knowledge of or skill in some thing or some event gained through involvement in that thing or event. So says Webster’s. Involved and experienced is not a state of mind.

JEM Research has a management and interviewing staff that, by definition, is involved in every step of the data collection process.  Let me explain.

JEM’s Management Staff is right there in the thick of things.  Our project management team is involved in the project programming of the questionnaire, the project briefing, and project progress.  Our daily status reports to our clients keep them involved, as well.  You can call and speak with any person on the team and ask questions about the successes and the challenges that your project may present.  The team isn’t in an office far from the “action”, on another floor or in another building.  Our team’s offices are just steps away from the telephone room and receiving updates from Project Supervisors and Data Collection interviewers alike.

Our Data Collection Interviewers are thoroughly involved in the interview process, as well.  They aren’t just “readers”.  Interviewers attend a basic interviewing training program over the course of 3 days that puts special emphasis on listening to the respondent. Did the respondent understand the question?  Did the respondent answer the question?  If the answer is no, our interviewers will either re-ask the question emphasizing the words that caused the confusion (usually time periods or personal usage) or re-direct the respondent to use the scale that is provided for their answers. I know it seems like those things should be a given from every data collection provider. I also know that it’s not.

We here at JEM invite you to monitor interviews in progress so that you can feel confident that our interviewers and our management team clearly understand your expectations and intent.  In fact, we encourage you to monitor the interviews in progress.  We like the opportunity to show off a little.

JEM Data Collection Interviewers and Management Team members are well-trained, experienced and knowledgeable about the data collection process. Involved and experienced in the industry for over 25 years!