Featured Research
The Day After... in Jerusalem: A Strategic Planning Exercise on the Path to Middle East Peace — Nov. 6, 2009
Starting in 2008, the RAND Center for Middle East Public Policy conducted a series of exercises to help the new U.S. administration address the challenges of the Arab-Israeli conflict (and of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in particular) as a key component of the broader effort to secure stability in the Middle East.
Full Document
International Affairs Research Area
Living Conditions in Anbar Province in June 2008 — Sep. 30, 2009
Effective counterinsurgency is dependent on understanding the local population. A survey of those living in Iraq's Anbar Province (once one of the country's most violent areas), reveals both the many improvements that have occurred, as well as the extent to which these Iraqis have suffered from the effects of war.
Full Document
National Security Research Area
Integrating Civilian Agencies in Stability Operations — Sep. 25, 2009
RAND Arroyo Center examined the question of how the Army can help make key civilian agencies more capable partners in stability, security, transition, and reconstruction operations. Even without much action at the national level, the Army can still improve civilian participation in these activities.
Full Document
National Security Research Area
Barriers to the Broad Dissemination of Creative Works in the Arab World — Sep. 22, 2009
Many analysts have examined the media that violent extremists use to communicate their core messages. Far less research, however, has been devoted to the growing body of creative works produced by Arab authors and artists that counter the intellectual and ideological underpinnings of violent extremism.
Full Document
The Arts Research Area
Countering Piracy in the Modern Era — Sep. 3, 2009
RAND recently convened a group of experts from the U.S. government, allied partner nations, the maritime industry, and academic organizations to reconsider the underlying factors that drive maritime piracy in this century. This conference proceedings highlights the six major themes that animated much of the discussion.
Full Document
National Security Research Area
China's International Behavior: Activism, Opportunism, and Diversification — Aug. 27, 2009
China is a global actor of significant and growing importance, now integrated into the international system and altering that system's dynamics. The complexity of China's ever-changing global activism raises questions about its intentions and the implications for global stability and prosperity.
Full Document
International Affairs Research Area
Corporations and Counterinsurgency — Aug. 25, 2009
Large multinational corporations (MNCs) can play significant roles in zones of violent conflict, including in counterinsurgency. While the activities of MNCs aimed at shaping their violent environments may only be intended to protect their infrastructure and personnel, they can have less-than-benign consequences.
Full Document
International Affairs Research Area
Understanding Why Terrorist Operations Succeed or Fail — Aug. 11, 2009
Being able to understand why terrorist attacks have failed and to predict the likelihood of which will succeed is important for homeland security and counterterrorism planning. Literature on the topic suggests that the threat of any terrorist operation can best be evaluated by examining three key sets of characteristics.
Full Document
Terrorism and Homeland Security Research Area
Public Health Preparedness and Response to Chemical and Radiological Incidents — Aug. 6, 2009
One under-examined area of public health emergency preparedness concerns incidents involving the release of chemical or radiological substances, which can have serious public health consequences. This report focuses on the roles of the public health service in emergency preparedness and its response to such incidents.
Full Document
Public Safety Research Area
A Question of Balance: Political Context and Military Aspects of the China-Taiwan Dispute — Aug. 5, 2009
While relations between China and Taiwan are warmer now than in recent years, China still feels entitled to use force to prevent Taiwan from becoming independent. Meanwhile, the modernizing of China's military may call into question the U.S.' ability to defend Taiwan against a large-scale Chinese attack.
Full Document
International Affairs Research Area
U.S.-U.K. Conference on Behavioral Finance and Public Policy: RAND Behavioral Finance Forum — Jul. 31, 2009
The RAND Behavioral Finance Forum, an organization dedicated to helping consumers make better financial decisions, held a conference on May 1, 2009, to discuss new policy options in consumer finance with staff and members of Congress and other policymakers, and with representatives of academe and the financial industry.
Full Document
Population and Aging Research Area
World Economic Recession Unlikely to Have Lasting Geopolitical Consequences — Jul. 30, 2009
Will the current global economic recession have long-term geopolitical implications? Assuming that economic recovery begins in the first half of 2010, lasting structural alterations in the international system — a substantial change in U.S.-China relations, for example — are unlikely. This is because economic performance is only one of many geopolitical elements that shape countries' strategic intent and core external policies.
Full Document
International Affairs Research Area
The Phoenix Program and Contemporary Counterinsurgency — Jul. 22, 2009
The wars in Afghanistan and Iraq have re-focused attention on past U.S. counterinsurgency operations like the Phoenix Program, aimed at dismantling the Viet Cong underground during the Vietnam War. This study helps balance claims about the program's effectiveness against charges of its brutality and its political costs.
Full Document
National Security Research Area
The Reliability of Provider Profiling: A Tutorial — Jul. 3, 2009
Although hospitals and managed care facilities have used performance measurement for some time, the focus on doctor profiling by purchasers and health plans is relatively new, bringing to the fore the limitations of available physician data and proving the need for reliability measures in physician profiling.
Full Document
Health and Health Care Research Area
Police Recruitment and Retention in the Contemporary Urban Environment — Jul. 1, 2009
Recruitment and retention of urban police officers is a growing challenge in a time of increasing demand and decreasing resources. In June 2008, RAND convened a national summit at which speakers discussed police workforce issues, current strategies, best practices, and case studies of police agencies in selected cities.
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Public Safety Research Area
Reconstruction Under Fire: Unifying Civil and Military Counterinsurgency — Jun. 17, 2009
Effective civilian reconstruction work can help convince people to support their government against insurgency, Therefore, insurgents typically target such work, thereby threatening the civilian population. This too often results in a postponement of reconstruction efforts and/or excessive reliance on force to defeat insurgents.
Full Document
National Security Research Area
Strategies and Models for Promoting Adolescent Vaccination for Low-Income Populations — Jun. 15, 2009
Since 2005, three new vaccines for teenagers have been licensed in the U.S. Although the majority of 13-17-year-olds have received recommended vaccines, rates remain below 2010 targets, and the coverage rates for low-income adolescents and minority youth are likely to be lower.
Full Document
Health and Health Care Research Area
Substance Use Is Not the Primary Cause of Workplace Injuries, but Is a Contributing Factor — Jun. 8, 2009
Occupational injuries are a serious public-health issue and cause significant morbidity and mortality in the United States, with direct and indirect costs extending beyond injured workers to their families, other workers, firms, and consumers. This paper explores the link between substance use and work-related accidents.
Full Document
Workforce and Workplace Research Area
U.S. Households Are Coping with the Economic Downturn by Helping Each Other Financially — Jun. 5, 2009
One way that U.S. households are coping with the global economic downturn is by reaching out to each other via financial help, according to recent survey results, which also reveal that many more households are giving financial help than receiving it and that help most frequently flows from parents to children.
Full Document
Population and Aging Research Area
Assessment Framework Can Help Security Planners Decide Which Hypothetical Threats To Worry About — Jun. 3, 2009
Concerns about the panpoply of possible terrorist attacks are central to the design of security efforts to protect both individual targets and the nation overall. Two questions can be posed to assess the novelty and ease of execution of emerging threats, allowing security planners to both learn from new threats and prioritize.
Full Document
Terrorism and Homeland Security Research Area
The Long March: Building an Afghan National Army — Jun. 2, 2009
The Afghan National Army (ANA) is critical to the success of achieving a stable Afghanistan. This monograph assesses the ANA's progress and finds that though it has come a long way since the outset of the recent conflict in the country, the United States will play a crucial role in Afghanistan for the foreseeable future.
Full Document
National Security Research Area
Southeast Asian Terrorist Groups Continue To Pose a Serious, but Manageable, Threat — May 29, 2009
Terrorism has been a destabilizing force in Southeast Asia since the Cold War and has since risen in reaction to government modernization and the influence of radical Islam. This study examines the extremist groups that have resorted to terrorist violence in the Philippines, southern Thailand, and Indonesia, and government responses.
Full Document
Terrorism and Homeland Security Research Area
Social Science Approach to Counterterrorism Addresses Why Terrorism Arises and Declines — May 26, 2009
This report from an interdisciplinary project to survey and integrate the scholarly social-science literature relevant to counterterrorism answers questions related to why some individuals become terrorists, how terrorists generate public support, how terrorist organizations make decisions, and why individuals disengage.
Full Document
Terrorism and Homeland Security Research Area
Transportation Challenges for the New Administration: Perspectives of Past Transportation Secretaries — May 1, 2009
Shortly after the inauguration of President Barack Obama, RAND hosted a panel discussion with three former U.S. secretaries of transportation. These conference proceedings summarize their comments on which issues should be among the Department of Transportation's (DOT's) top priorities, DOT funding and appropriation, earmarking and transparency in the transportation funding process, and the federal role in transportation policy.
Full Document
Transportation and Infrastructure Research Area
What the Policy Community Should Know About Corporate Compliance, Ethics, and Misdeeds — Apr. 28, 2009
Improving corporate compliance, ethics, and oversight has been a significant policy goal for the U.S. government for decades, and made more salient by the collapse of financial markets in late 2008. On March 5, 2009, RAND convened a conference in Washington, D.C., on the role and perspectives of corporate chief ethics and compliance officers in the detection and prevention of corporate misdeeds.
Full Document
Workforce and Workplace Research Area
How the Air Force Can Understand and Mitigate Titanium Price Trends — Apr. 15, 2009
Titanium is a significant element in the construction of aircraft. However, in recent years a major spike in titanium prices is expected to significantly influence the acquisition costs of future aircraft. This monograph examines the titanium industrial base, production technology, and the factors underlying its market price fluctuations, with a focus on the role of supply-side drivers.
Full Document
National Security Research Area
Enhancing Combat Operations Through Improved Air-Ground Integration — Apr. 14, 2009
Although airpower capabilities have improved dramatically in the past decade, the joint warfighting potential offered by these capabilities is not being fully realized, as illustrated during combat operations in Afghanistan and Iraq. The authors propose several alternatives and suggest a new joint warfighting concept designed to enhance the prioritization and synchronization of joint fires and maneuver.
Full Document
National Security Research Area
Evaluating Options for U.S. Greenhouse-Gas Mitigation Using Multiple Criteria — Apr. 14, 2009
Devising policies to mitigate greenhouse gases responsible for climate change is one of the great challenges facing the U.S. Options that are effective and politically feasible must not just be cost-effective but also consider the realities of passing major federal legislation with widespread impacts on U.S. producers and consumers.
Full Document
Energy and Environment Research Area
A Framework to Assess Programs for Building Security Partnerships Among Nations — Apr. 13, 2009
Security cooperation activities conducted by Department of Defense entities with other nations range from the very visible — training, equipping, and exercising together — to those that are less obvious. It is often challenging to measure the effectiveness of these activities. This study lays out an objective framework for security program assessment.
Full Document
National Security Research Area
Five Key Education Priorities for the Obama Administration — Apr. 8, 2009
A set of five policy briefs address key education priorities for the Obama administration and the 111th Congress. Each brief summarizes the current research on the topic and the implications for federal policymakers.
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Education Research Area
An Economic Model and Software to Estimate the Profits Resulting from the Employment of Illegal Aliens — Mar. 30, 2009
Federal law provides for forfeiture of the proceeds from the employment of illegal aliens, but statutory law does not specify how to calculate that amount. This report presents tools that can help determine the appropriate penalty to be levied on firms that knowingly employ undocumented workers.
Full Document
Workforce and Workplace Research Area
Understanding Forfeitures: An Analysis of the Relationship Between Law Enforcement Funding and High Asset Forfeiture — Mar. 27, 2009
The Treasury Executive Office for Asset Forfeiture (TEOAF) administers the forfeitures that result from the prosecution of criminal enterprises - such as drug cartels, terrorist organizations, and individual embezzlers - can be used to fund future investigations. TEOAF commissioned RAND to examine such funding and forfeiture outcomes.
Full Document
Civil Justice Research Area
Implications for U.S. of the Saudi-Iranian Struggle for Influence in the Middle East — Mar. 17, 2009
Saudi Arabia and Iran have long been rivals in the Middle East, but the fall of Saddam Hussein in 2003 and the ongoing war in Iraq have increased tensions between the two states. This study analyzes the Saudi-Iranian struggle for influence in Iraq, the Persian Gulf, Lebanon and Palestine and its implications for U.S. interests.
Full Document
International Affairs Research Area
Oversight of the Liberian National Police — Feb. 21, 2009
The Liberian National Police (LNP) will become the chief provider of security in Liberia as the United Nations Mission in Liberia is reduced. Given the LNP's capabilities and complexity, its past manipulation by former President Charles Taylor, and a pattern of police misconduct in much of Africa, the question of oversight is critical.
Full Document
Public Safety Research Area
U.S. Army Guidebook on Using Economic Development to Support Stability Operations — Feb. 21, 2009
This guidebook instructs U.S. Army personnel on how to better use various economic assistance programs and projects to support economic and infrastructure development in the course of their operations. Suggestions efforts include the realms of humanitarian assistance, agriculture, natural resource management, and private sector activity.
Full Document
National Security Research Area
Adjusting to Global Economic Change: The Dangerous Road Ahead — Feb. 17, 2009
This study of historical experience from an economics perspective explores various crises - from the Great Depression to the stagflation and recovery of the 1970s and 1980s to our current economic woes - and suggests the tools policymakers need to address what may be the worst case scenario.
Full Document
Workforce and Workplace Research Area
Afghanistan's Growing Security Challenge — Jan. 27, 2009
This essay from a collection, which examines the security situation in Afghanistan through the largest public opionon survey ever conducted in Afghanistan, asks three questions. What are Afghan perceptions of the security environment? How do these perceptions vary across the country? How do Afghans feel about their security institutions?
Full Document
Read More
Domestic Trends in the United States, China, and Iran: Implications for U.S. Security Planning — Jan. 22, 2009
The U.S. Navy faces uncertainty about the need to prepare for a high-end future conflict against a powerful, well-armed opponent versus the so-called Long War against rogue nations and terrorist organizations. The answer depends to a large extent on the evolution of U.S. relations with China and Iran and the future of the United States itself.
Full Document
National Security Research Area
Unfolding the Future of the Long War: Implications for the U.S. Military — Jan. 19, 2009
While policymakers, military leaders, and scholars have offered numerous definitions of the "long war" - an epic struggle against adversaries bent on forming a unified Islamic world to supplant western dominance; an extension of the war on terror - no consensus has been reached about this term or its implications for the United States.
Full Document
National Security Research Area
How the U.S. Government Can Strategically Reach Policy Goals, Using the Example of Counterterrorism — Jan. 12, 2009
While the United States government has historically undertaken strategic reviews and produced numerous strategy documents, these have provided only very general directions for U.S. policymakers. This paper defines an approach to strategic planning and illustrates its application using the example of the critical national security topic of counterterrorism.
Full Document
Terrorism and Homeland Security Research Area
Teen Drinking in Low-Income Neighborhoods is Related to High Concentrations of Alcohol Stores — Dec. 30, 2009
Alcohol availability is significantly higher around residences of minority and lower-income families and is associated with high rates of binge drinking and drunk driving among teenagers who live within a half mile from where alcohol can be purchased.
Abstract
Substance Abuse Research Area
Enhancement by Enlargement: The Proliferation Security Initiative — Dec. 21, 2008
The Proliferation Security Initiative consists of 91 countries seeking to limit the spread of weapons of mass destruction between states or non-state actors that would thereby pose a serious threat to global or regional security. This report assesses the perspectives of the five "hold-out" nations and how to possibly gain their affiliation.
Full Document
National Security Research Area
Thinking About America's Defense: An Analytical Memoir — Dec. 15, 2008
Lieutenant General Glenn A. Kent, a uniquely acute analyst and developer of American defense policy in the second half of the twentieth century, summarizes the dozens of national security issues in which he was personally engaged in his 33-year career in the Air Force and his more than 20 years as one of the leading analysts at RAND.
Full Document
National Security Research Area
A Call to Revitalize the Engines of Government by Limiting Private Contractors — Dec. 11, 2008
Since the 1970s, federal officials have faced increasing pressure to reduce the size of the federal government and to privatize services traditionally provided by government, a trend that increased under George W. Bush and has harmed government's ability to carry out the nations' business.
Full Document
Workforce and Workplace Research Area
Mandatory Workplace Safety and Health Programs: Implementation, Effectiveness, and Benefit-Cost Trade-Offs — Dec. 5, 2008
In 1998, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) began efforts to reuire all workplaces to establish a safety and health program to reduce the risk of occupational injuries and illnesses. By 1999, it had stopped pursuing these federal standards, partly due to intense criticism of their value. This report assesses the standard, concluding with recommendations should authorities revisit the initiative.
Full Document
Public Safety Research Area
Explaining the Increase in Unemployment Compensation for Veterans During the Global War on Terror — Nov. 26, 2008
The Unemployment Compensation for Ex-Servicemembers (UCX) program provides income assistance to unemployed veterans as they search for work, a number that increased by about 75 percent between 2002 and 2004, raising concerns that veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are having difficulty finding civilian jobs.
Full Document
National Security Research Area
History of Egyptian Grassroots Political Reform Movement Provides Insight Into Reform Efforts — Nov. 25, 2008
The Kefaya Movement, an indigenous effort for political reform organized in Egypt, provides policymakers with an example of the challenges grassroots organizations in the Arab world face as they try to implement democracy and political reform. In late 2004, Kefaya was able to mobilize wide segments of Egyptian society.
Full Document
International Affairs Research Area
For 10th Quadrennial Review of Military Compensation, Retirement Revisions Recommended — Nov. 13, 2008
As military compensation is a fundamental tool for recruiting and retaining an all-volunteer force, it is reviewed every four years to make sure it can meet the U.S. military's objectives. This research examines the value and effectiveness of the current retirement system and possible alternatives, drawing on military personnel career data.
Full Document
National Security Research Area
Benefit-Cost Analysis Rarely Captures the Full Economic Value of Social Programs — Nov. 12, 2008
This study assesses the state of the art in determining the economic value of social programs for use in benefit-cost analysis (BCA). It finds that rarely are the benefits of social programs consistently or accurately monetized and suggests ways to advance the use of BCA in evaluating social programs' economic returns.
Full Document
Child Policy Research Area
In the Middle of the Fight: An Assessment of Medium-Armored Forces in Past Military Operations — Nov. 11, 2008
This monograph presents a qualitative assessment of the performance of medium-armored forces in 13 past conflicts that span the range of military operations. The accompanying analysis is designed to help inform U.S. Army decisions about fielding medium-armored forces in the future. The case histories yielded three major insights.
Full Document
National Security Research Area
Lessons from Six Decades of Research on Deterrence, From Cold War to Long War — Oct. 30, 2008
The United States' 2006 reversal of its 2002 proclamation that deterrence was irrelevant to most future national security strategies is bolstered by research which shows that deterrence will likely play an ongoing role in U.S. efforts to manage a variety of threats, including both near-peer competitors and terrorist organizations.
Full Document
National Security Research Area
Quarterly Report on Los Angeles County Juvenile Justice Crime Prevention Rates Home-Based Programs — Oct. 10, 2008
A detailed review of five Los Angeles home-based programs determines how their current practices compare with the literature on best practices in corrections, and assigns scores to each for their ability to deliver quality interventions and services for offenders.
Full Document
Superseding Document
Meeting America's Security Challenges Beyond Iraq — Sep. 18, 2008
In a conference cohosted by RAND and the Center for Naval Analyses Corporation, members of the U.S. defense community discussed approaches to meeting the challenges of a demanding future security environment.
Full Document
National Security Research Area
A Common Operating Picture for Air Force Materiel Sustainment — Sep. 3, 2008
Implementing a common operating picture would help the Air Force conquer the countervailing pressures that place continuous demands on the organization: to increase efficiency and lower costs, and to increase the effectiveness of combat and training operations.
Full Document
National Security Research Area
South Korea Achieves Democracy Despite Previous Obstacles — Sep. 2, 2008
Key successes in achieving reform and development – particularly the creation of government stakesholders, the broadening of the ideological spectrum, collaboration between political factions, and major internal and external shocks – have contributed to the consolidation of the democratic system.
Full Document
International Affairs Research Area
Early Puberty in Girls Is a Risk Factor for Delinquency, Requires Positive Parenting — Aug. 31, 2008
Early puberty is a risk factor for delinquency, and early puberty combined with low parental nurturance, communication, or parental knowledge of the child's activities presents a risk for aggressive behavior in early adolescent girls.
Abstract
Health and Health Care Research Area
Improving the Cost Estimation of Space Systems — Aug. 25, 2008
Why have the costs of acquiring space systems been so high? What are the sources of the problems? To answer these questions, RAND researchers examined the sources of cost growth of Air Force space systems and undertook an extensive study of two space systems.
Full Document
National Security Research Area
Dangerous Thresholds: Managing Escalation in the 21st Century — Aug. 25, 2008
Historical examples and the analysis of two modified Delphi exercises augment an examination of approaches to escalation management within the demands of today’s security environment and its attendant threats involving not only long-standing nuclear powers, but also insurgent groups and terrorists.
Full Document
National Security Research Area
Overview of Research Literature Finds Positive Effects of Education on Community — Aug. 20, 2008
A review of existing research prepared for a group of Santa Monica community and school leaders finds strong evidence of a positive correlation between education and community health, as measured through data on crime, employment and earnings, housing values and tax revenues.
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Education Research Area
DoD Should Consider Nonmilitary Means to Advance U.S. National Security Interests — Aug. 13, 2008
The nature of recent challenges and the types of missions the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) has undertaken highlight the need for training DoD personnel in the simultaneous use of different types of tools, military and otherwise.
Full Document
National Security Research Area
UK's 30 Year Defense Plan to Acquire 50 Ships, Submarines May Overstretch Capacity — Jul. 21, 2008
To preserve its ability to design, build and support complex warships and submarines, the UK's Ministry of Defence (MOD) asked RAND Europe for help with identifying labour implications for its shipbuilding programme. Research indicates that MOD will need to preserve and sustain several key technical skills, especially detailed designers and professional engineers for various stages of surface ship and submarine acquisition and support.
Full Document
Research Brief
California's Workers' Compensation Program Could Model Pay-for-Performance — Jul. 17, 2008
California's workers' compensation group health program is suitable for three models of a pay-for-performance initiative that include agreed on performance measures, expandable data-collection infrastructure, and incentives in order to ensure physician buy-in.
Full Document
Health and Health Care Research Area
Sources of Weapon System Cost Growth in Major Defense Acquisition Programs — Jul. 10, 2008
The U.S. Department of Defense and Military have historically underestimated the price tag of new weapon systems. A variety of factors lead to acquisition cost growth, including military planning errors, government policy changes, and financial issues like inflation and shifting exchange rates.
Full Document
National Security Research Area
Fruit and Vegetable Consumption Linked with Neighborhood Socioeconomic Status — Jul. 6, 2008
Higher neighborhood socioeconomic status is associated with greater fruit and vegetable intake. This link is an important pathway through which social environments affect population health.
Abstract
Health and Health Care Research Area
The Rise of Political Islam in Turkey: The Nation’s Role in Western Security Efforts — Jun. 23, 2008
While Muslim-majority Turkey may be the linchpin to promoting liberal Islam worldwide, relationships between the nation’s secular government and religious forces have shifted in the past decade, with implications for the future of Islam in the region and the world.
Full Document
National Security Research Area
Improving Outcomes in Iraq Depends on Better Tracking of Violence Against Iraqis — Jun. 16, 2008
A formalized system of data collection will help monitor the extent and type of violence against Iraq civilians and will help improve U.S. counterinsurgency efforts.
Full Document
National Security Research Area
U.S. Military Prone to Operations Not in Accord with COIN Doctrine — Jun. 4, 2008
Similarities between the Vietnam War and current Middle East operations reveal our military is apt to engage in traditional warfare despite the more nuanced tactics called for by counter-insurgency doctrine.
Full Document
National Security Research Area
Breaking the Failed-State Cycle — May 27, 2008
The predominant threat to U.S. security in the 21st century comes not from the actions of opposing countries but from the fallout of collapsing ones. The world’s leading states can and should help the citizens of failed states by integrating efforts to reduce violence, advance the economy, and reform government.
Full Document
International Affairs Research Area
Afghanistan: From Chaos and Corruption to Sustainable Success — May 23, 2008
Since the 2002 U.S.-led attacks in Afghanistan, the country has
struggled to stabilize their government and society. RAND co-hosted a
conference attended by experts in academia, government and NGOs from
over 20 nations to discuss the need for a strategic approach to
Afghanistan's attempts at nation-building.
Full Document
International Affairs Research Area
Unbeknownst to U.S., Islamic Media Shapes the Mid-East — May 23, 2008
A DVD is now available of a conference RAND sponsored to build awareness of popular media initiatives in the Islamic world that are successfully combating extremist agendas.
Full Document
Science and Technology Research Area
Charter School Students in Chicago Enjoy Better Graduation, College Entry Rates — May 7, 2008
Chicago's multi-grade charter high schools (those serving students in grades 7-12, 6-12 or K-12) appear to improve their students' chances of graduating and attending college, as compared with the city's traditional public high schools.
Full Document
Superseding Document
Rethinking Counterinsurgency to Respond to the Evolving Jihadist Insurgency — May 5, 2008
Despite great technological and military advances, British and U.S. counterinsurgency (COIN) operations have been slow to respond and adapt to the rise of the global jihadist insurgency. Operational failures have highlighted the need for the West to rethink and retool its current COIN strategy.
Full Document
Terrorism and Homeland Security Research Area
"Preferred Performance Metric" Could Aid Evaluation of Army Recruiters — Apr. 20, 2008
Traditional Army recruiter performance metrics do not adequately measure effort, skill, and productivity. A “preferred performance metric” that takes into account the difficulty of recruiting different types of youth in various markets could provide a more accurate assessment of recruiters.
Full Document
National Security Research Area
Comparing Alternative U.S. Counterterrorism Strategies — Apr. 19, 2008
The U.S. faces the challenge of countering the terrorism threat. Frequently, both expert decisionmakers and lay citizens have trouble assessing alternative strategies to address such issues because of the emotions and uncertainty involved. An assumption-based planning approach might help.
Full Document
International Affairs Research Area
Understanding the Challenge of Extremist and Radicalized Prisoners — Apr. 15, 2008
A preliminary overview of the challenges posed by radicalized and extremist prisoners helps to explore the potential for the radicalization of young European Muslims in the prison environment.
Full Document
Turkey as a U.S. Security Partner — Apr. 10, 2008
Turkey has long been an important ally, but Ankara is increasingly behaving more independently and assertively in ways that must factor into future U.S. planning for the region.
Full Document
National Security Research Area
Economic Progress of Allegheny County Could be Enhanced by Government Consolidation — Apr. 3, 2008
The City of Pittsburgh and Allegheny County, Pennsylvania could enhance the economic progress of the region if its governments are consolidated, although evidence of such gains in other consolidations is mixed.
Full Document
Public Safety Research Area
The Arts Debate: What do People Value About the Arts? — Mar. 29, 2008
In 2006 and 2007, Arts Council England ran a large inquiry called 'the arts debate'. A summary of the feedback from this inquiry offers insight into what people value about the arts and what principles should guide publicly funded arts organizations.
Full Document
The Arts Research Area
The Legal and Economic Implications of Electronic Discovery — Mar. 27, 2008
Pretrial discovery is central to the American civil legal process, however the growing volume of electronically stored information has led to concerns over the effects of electronic discovery (e-discovery). A preliminary model explores the range of plausible effects that e-discovery might have on case outcomes.
Full Document
Civil Justice Research Area
Developing U.S. Civilian Personnel Capabilities in State-Building Operations — Mar. 19, 2008
Recent U.S. experiences in Afghanistan and Iraq have shown that engaging in stability and reconstruction operations is a difficult and lengthy process that requires appropriate resources. A framework for improving U.S. civilian personnel and staffing programs for state-building efforts could help.
Full Document
International Affairs Research Area
How Can We Assess Novel Threats to Homeland Security? — Mar. 10, 2008
Policymakers should take a measured approach to responding to possible terrorist use of "novel" weapons such as cruise missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles. This approach should be built on a foundation of investments in broader counterterrorism and law enforcement capabilities.
Full Document
National Security Research Area
What are the Costs and Benefits of Out-of-School-Time Youth Programs? — Feb. 29, 2008
Evaluation of youth programs offered during the time that students are not in school shows that the programs that are costlier and provide more-intense resources to youth perform the best.
Full Document
Child Policy Research Area
More Value Should be Placed on the Tradecraft of Intelligence Analysis — Feb. 29, 2008
While the initiatives set in motion by the December 2004 intelligence reform legislation are promising, they are just the beginning. Intelligence analysis needs improvement across U.S. intelligence agencies to account for a world of threats very different from that of the Cold War.
Full Document
National Security Research Area
How Should Scientists Respond to Concern Over Technology-Driven Threats? — Feb. 21, 2008
Scientists and engineers should undertake efforts to reduce the negative impacts of their work. Technology impact studies can be incorporated into the research plans of major new initiatives, along with formal requirements to mitigate known negative societal impacts.
Full Document
Science and Technology Research Area
Assessing the Impact of Nutrition Label Revisions in the EU — Feb. 7, 2008
The European Commission (EC) is currently considering a revision of its food nutrition labelling legislation. An assessment of the proposed policy alternatives addresses their potential economic, social and environmental impact.
Full Document
Health and Health Care Research Area
U.S. Air Force and Navy Reinforce One Another in Strike-Warfare Operations — Dec. 27, 2007
The U.S. Air Force and U.S. Navy have steadily developed exceptional cross-service harmony in their conduct of integrated strike operations since the first Persian Gulf War in 1991. That close harmony contrasts sharply with the situation that prevailed throughout most of the Cold War.
Full Document
National Security Research Area
What are the Effects of Marijuana Sanctions on Risk and Price? — Nov. 26, 2007
Lower legal risks for marijuana users users are associated with higher marijuana prices and thus higher profits for drug dealers.
Abstract
Substance Abuse Research Area
Is There a Civil-Military Gap in the United States? — Oct. 15, 2007
Concerns about a civil-military gap and possible erosion of the principle of civilian control of the military appear to be overstated. The groups do not differ greatly on the questions that are most pertinent to military effectiveness.
Full Document
National Security Research Area
A Vision for the Arts in Los Angeles — May 14, 2007
The arts in L.A. are booming. But the city, major players, the public, and the arts sector lack a shared vision for realizing its full potential. On October 5, 2006, RAND hosted a Policy Forum to guide strategic thinking about the future of the arts in Los Angeles.
Full Document
The Arts Research Area