diff --git a/cpp/benchmarks/CMakeLists.txt b/cpp/benchmarks/CMakeLists.txt
index 4c8ac4165fe..0f38138fff9 100644
--- a/cpp/benchmarks/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/cpp/benchmarks/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -308,6 +308,7 @@ set(STRINGS_BENCH_SRC
   "${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/string/case_benchmark.cpp"
   "${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/string/contains_benchmark.cpp"
   "${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/string/convert_durations_benchmark.cpp"
+  "${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/string/copy_benchmark.cpp"
   "${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/string/find_benchmark.cpp"
   "${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/string/replace_benchmark.cpp"
   "${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/string/url_decode_benchmark.cpp")
diff --git a/cpp/benchmarks/string/copy_benchmark.cpp b/cpp/benchmarks/string/copy_benchmark.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..d5c24527fe3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cpp/benchmarks/string/copy_benchmark.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,63 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright (c) 2021, NVIDIA CORPORATION.
+ *
+ * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+ * You may obtain a copy of the License at
+ *
+ *     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ *
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+ * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+ * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+ * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+ * limitations under the License.
+ */
+
+#include <benchmark/benchmark.h>
+#include <benchmarks/common/generate_benchmark_input.hpp>
+#include <benchmarks/fixture/benchmark_fixture.hpp>
+#include <benchmarks/synchronization/synchronization.hpp>
+
+#include <cudf/copying.hpp>
+#include <cudf/strings/strings_column_view.hpp>
+#include <cudf_test/column_wrapper.hpp>
+
+#include <algorithm>
+#include <random>
+
+class StringCopy : public cudf::benchmark {
+};
+
+static void BM_copy(benchmark::State& state)
+{
+  cudf::size_type const n_rows{(cudf::size_type)state.range(0)};
+  auto const source = create_random_table({cudf::type_id::STRING}, 1, row_count{n_rows});
+  auto const target = create_random_table({cudf::type_id::STRING}, 1, row_count{n_rows});
+
+  // scatter indices
+  std::vector<cudf::size_type> host_map_data(n_rows);
+  std::iota(host_map_data.begin(), host_map_data.end(), 0);
+  std::random_shuffle(host_map_data.begin(), host_map_data.end());
+  cudf::test::fixed_width_column_wrapper<cudf::size_type> scatter_map(host_map_data.begin(),
+                                                                      host_map_data.end());
+
+  for (auto _ : state) {
+    cuda_event_timer raii(state, true, 0);
+    cudf::scatter(source->view(), scatter_map, target->view());
+  }
+
+  state.SetBytesProcessed(state.iterations() *
+                          cudf::strings_column_view(source->view().column(0)).chars_size());
+}
+
+#define SORT_BENCHMARK_DEFINE(name)          \
+  BENCHMARK_DEFINE_F(StringCopy, name)       \
+  (::benchmark::State & st) { BM_copy(st); } \
+  BENCHMARK_REGISTER_F(StringCopy, name)     \
+    ->RangeMultiplier(8)                     \
+    ->Ranges({{1 << 12, 1 << 24}})           \
+    ->UseManualTime()                        \
+    ->Unit(benchmark::kMillisecond);
+
+SORT_BENCHMARK_DEFINE(scatter)
diff --git a/cpp/include/cudf/detail/scatter.cuh b/cpp/include/cudf/detail/scatter.cuh
index 0918f071443..7d5c3f4d2ee 100644
--- a/cpp/include/cudf/detail/scatter.cuh
+++ b/cpp/include/cudf/detail/scatter.cuh
@@ -114,10 +114,9 @@ struct column_scatterer_impl<string_view, MapIterator> {
                                      rmm::cuda_stream_view stream,
                                      rmm::mr::device_memory_resource* mr) const
   {
-    using strings::detail::create_string_vector_from_column;
-    auto const source_vector = create_string_vector_from_column(source, stream);
-    auto const begin         = source_vector.begin();
-    auto const end           = begin + std::distance(scatter_map_begin, scatter_map_end);
+    auto d_column    = column_device_view::create(source, stream);
+    auto const begin = d_column->begin<string_view>();
+    auto const end   = begin + cudf::distance(scatter_map_begin, scatter_map_end);
     return strings::detail::scatter(begin, end, scatter_map_begin, target, stream, mr);
   }
 };
diff --git a/cpp/include/cudf/lists/detail/scatter.cuh b/cpp/include/cudf/lists/detail/scatter.cuh
index 9e18798eb46..5dd3db1117c 100644
--- a/cpp/include/cudf/lists/detail/scatter.cuh
+++ b/cpp/include/cudf/lists/detail/scatter.cuh
@@ -431,11 +431,11 @@ struct list_child_constructor {
     auto const num_child_rows{
       cudf::detail::get_value<size_type>(list_offsets, list_offsets.size() - 1, stream)};
 
-    auto string_views = rmm::device_vector<string_view>(num_child_rows);
+    auto string_views = rmm::device_uvector<string_view>(num_child_rows, stream);
 
     auto populate_string_views = [d_scattered_lists = list_vector.begin(),  // unbound_list_view*
                                   d_list_offsets    = list_offsets.template data<int32_t>(),
-                                  d_string_views    = string_views.data().get(),
+                                  d_string_views    = string_views.data(),
                                   source_lists,
                                   target_lists] __device__(auto const& row_index) {
       auto unbound_list_view    = d_scattered_lists[row_index];
@@ -483,7 +483,7 @@ struct list_child_constructor {
       string_views.begin(), string_views.size(), stream, mr);
 
     auto string_chars = cudf::strings::detail::child_chars_from_string_vector(
-      string_views, string_offsets->view().template data<cudf::size_type>(), 0, stream, mr);
+      string_views, string_offsets->view(), stream, mr);
     auto child_null_mask =
       source_lists_column_view.child().nullable() || target_lists_column_view.child().nullable()
         ? construct_child_nullmask(
diff --git a/cpp/include/cudf/strings/detail/scatter.cuh b/cpp/include/cudf/strings/detail/scatter.cuh
index 7e2513a7633..342afae7336 100644
--- a/cpp/include/cudf/strings/detail/scatter.cuh
+++ b/cpp/include/cudf/strings/detail/scatter.cuh
@@ -61,29 +61,25 @@ std::unique_ptr<column> scatter(
   rmm::cuda_stream_view stream        = rmm::cuda_stream_default,
   rmm::mr::device_memory_resource* mr = rmm::mr::get_current_device_resource())
 {
-  auto strings_count = target.size();
-  if (strings_count == 0) return make_empty_strings_column(stream, mr);
+  if (target.is_empty()) return make_empty_strings_column(stream, mr);
 
-  // create null mask -- caller must update this
-  rmm::device_buffer null_mask{0, stream, mr};
-  if (target.has_nulls()) null_mask = cudf::detail::copy_bitmask(target.parent(), stream, mr);
+  // create vector of string_view's to scatter into
+  rmm::device_uvector<string_view> target_vector = create_string_vector_from_column(target, stream);
 
-  // create string vectors
-  rmm::device_vector<string_view> target_vector = create_string_vector_from_column(target, stream);
   // do the scatter
   thrust::scatter(rmm::exec_policy(stream), begin, end, scatter_map, target_vector.begin());
 
   // build offsets column
   auto offsets_column = child_offsets_from_string_vector(target_vector, stream, mr);
   // build chars column
-  auto chars_column = child_chars_from_string_vector(
-    target_vector, offsets_column->view().data<int32_t>(), 0, stream, mr);
+  auto chars_column =
+    child_chars_from_string_vector(target_vector, offsets_column->view(), stream, mr);
 
-  return make_strings_column(strings_count,
+  return make_strings_column(target.size(),
                              std::move(offsets_column),
                              std::move(chars_column),
                              UNKNOWN_NULL_COUNT,
-                             std::move(null_mask),
+                             cudf::detail::copy_bitmask(target.parent(), stream, mr),
                              stream,
                              mr);
 }
diff --git a/cpp/include/cudf/strings/detail/utilities.hpp b/cpp/include/cudf/strings/detail/utilities.hpp
index 3084c55bce0..8844d2fb4b2 100644
--- a/cpp/include/cudf/strings/detail/utilities.hpp
+++ b/cpp/include/cudf/strings/detail/utilities.hpp
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * Copyright (c) 2019-2020, NVIDIA CORPORATION.
+ * Copyright (c) 2019-2021, NVIDIA CORPORATION.
  *
  * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
  * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
@@ -17,9 +17,10 @@
 
 #include <cudf/column/column.hpp>
 #include <cudf/strings/strings_column_view.hpp>
+#include <cudf/utilities/span.hpp>
 
 #include <rmm/cuda_stream_view.hpp>
-#include <rmm/device_vector.hpp>
+#include <rmm/device_uvector.hpp>
 
 namespace cudf {
 namespace strings {
@@ -60,36 +61,34 @@ std::unique_ptr<column> make_empty_strings_column(
  * @param stream CUDA stream used for device memory operations and kernel launches.
  * @return Device vector of string_views
  */
-rmm::device_vector<string_view> create_string_vector_from_column(
-  cudf::strings_column_view strings, rmm::cuda_stream_view stream = rmm::cuda_stream_default);
+rmm::device_uvector<string_view> create_string_vector_from_column(
+  cudf::strings_column_view const strings, rmm::cuda_stream_view stream = rmm::cuda_stream_default);
 
 /**
  * @brief Creates an offsets column from a string_view vector.
  *
- * @param strings Strings column
+ * @param strings Strings input data
  * @param stream CUDA stream used for device memory operations and kernel launches.
  * @param mr Device memory resource used to allocate the returned column's device memory.
  * @return Child offsets column
  */
 std::unique_ptr<cudf::column> child_offsets_from_string_vector(
-  const rmm::device_vector<string_view>& strings,
+  cudf::detail::device_span<string_view> strings,
   rmm::cuda_stream_view stream        = rmm::cuda_stream_default,
   rmm::mr::device_memory_resource* mr = rmm::mr::get_current_device_resource());
 
 /**
  * @brief Creates a chars column from a string_view vector.
  *
- * @param strings Strings vector
+ * @param strings Strings input data
  * @param d_offsets Offsets vector for placing strings into column's memory.
- * @param null_count Number of null strings.
  * @param stream CUDA stream used for device memory operations and kernel launches.
  * @param mr Device memory resource used to allocate the returned column's device memory.
  * @return Child chars column
  */
 std::unique_ptr<cudf::column> child_chars_from_string_vector(
-  const rmm::device_vector<string_view>& strings,
-  const int32_t* d_offsets,
-  cudf::size_type null_count,
+  cudf::detail::device_span<string_view> strings,
+  column_view const& offsets,
   rmm::cuda_stream_view stream        = rmm::cuda_stream_default,
   rmm::mr::device_memory_resource* mr = rmm::mr::get_current_device_resource());
 
diff --git a/cpp/src/strings/utilities.cu b/cpp/src/strings/utilities.cu
index d68cdc9f557..5b9a1374224 100644
--- a/cpp/src/strings/utilities.cu
+++ b/cpp/src/strings/utilities.cu
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * Copyright (c) 2019-2020, NVIDIA CORPORATION.
+ * Copyright (c) 2019-2021, NVIDIA CORPORATION.
  *
  * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
  * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
@@ -21,11 +21,12 @@
 
 #include <cudf/column/column_device_view.cuh>
 #include <cudf/column/column_factories.hpp>
+#include <cudf/detail/get_value.cuh>
 #include <cudf/strings/detail/utilities.cuh>
 #include <cudf/utilities/error.hpp>
 
 #include <rmm/cuda_stream_view.hpp>
-#include <rmm/device_vector.hpp>
+#include <rmm/device_uvector.hpp>
 #include <rmm/exec_policy.hpp>
 
 #include <thrust/transform_reduce.h>
@@ -52,19 +53,20 @@ std::unique_ptr<string_view, std::function<void(string_view*)>> string_from_host
     new string_view(reinterpret_cast<char*>(d_str->data()), length), deleter};
 }
 
-// build a vector of string_view objects from a strings column
-rmm::device_vector<string_view> create_string_vector_from_column(cudf::strings_column_view strings,
-                                                                 rmm::cuda_stream_view stream)
+/**
+ * @copydoc create_string_vector_from_column
+ */
+rmm::device_uvector<string_view> create_string_vector_from_column(cudf::strings_column_view strings,
+                                                                  rmm::cuda_stream_view stream)
 {
   auto strings_column = column_device_view::create(strings.parent(), stream);
   auto d_column       = *strings_column;
 
-  auto count = strings.size();
-  rmm::device_vector<string_view> strings_vector(count);
-  string_view* d_strings = strings_vector.data().get();
+  rmm::device_uvector<string_view> strings_vector(strings.size(), stream);
+  string_view* d_strings = strings_vector.data();
   thrust::for_each_n(rmm::exec_policy(stream),
                      thrust::make_counting_iterator<size_type>(0),
-                     count,
+                     strings.size(),
                      [d_column, d_strings] __device__(size_type idx) {
                        if (d_column.is_null(idx))
                          d_strings[idx] = string_view(nullptr, 0);
@@ -74,35 +76,38 @@ rmm::device_vector<string_view> create_string_vector_from_column(cudf::strings_c
   return strings_vector;
 }
 
-// build a strings offsets column from a vector of string_views
+/**
+ * @copydoc child_offsets_from_string_vector
+ */
 std::unique_ptr<cudf::column> child_offsets_from_string_vector(
-  const rmm::device_vector<string_view>& strings,
+  cudf::detail::device_span<string_view> strings,
   rmm::cuda_stream_view stream,
   rmm::mr::device_memory_resource* mr)
 {
   return child_offsets_from_string_iterator(strings.begin(), strings.size(), stream, mr);
 }
 
-// build a strings chars column from an vector of string_views
+/**
+ * @copydoc child_chars_from_string_vector
+ */
 std::unique_ptr<cudf::column> child_chars_from_string_vector(
-  const rmm::device_vector<string_view>& strings,
-  const int32_t* d_offsets,
-  cudf::size_type null_count,
+  cudf::detail::device_span<string_view> strings,
+  column_view const& offsets,
   rmm::cuda_stream_view stream,
   rmm::mr::device_memory_resource* mr)
 {
-  size_type count = strings.size();
-  auto d_strings  = strings.data().get();
-  size_type bytes = thrust::device_pointer_cast(d_offsets)[count];
+  auto const d_strings = strings.data();
+  auto const bytes     = cudf::detail::get_value<int32_t>(offsets, strings.size(), stream);
+  auto const d_offsets = offsets.data<int32_t>();
 
   // create column
   auto chars_column =
     make_numeric_column(data_type{type_id::INT8}, bytes, mask_state::UNALLOCATED, stream, mr);
   // get it's view
-  auto d_chars = chars_column->mutable_view().data<int8_t>();
+  auto d_chars = chars_column->mutable_view().data<char>();
   thrust::for_each_n(rmm::exec_policy(stream),
                      thrust::make_counting_iterator<size_type>(0),
-                     count,
+                     strings.size(),
                      [d_strings, d_offsets, d_chars] __device__(size_type idx) {
                        string_view const d_str = d_strings[idx];
                        memcpy(d_chars + d_offsets[idx], d_str.data(), d_str.size_bytes());