Welcome to RAND Infrastructure, Safety, and Environment
RAND Infrastructure, Safety, and Environment (ISE) provides effective solutions and insights to decisionmakers in the public and private sectors on the challenges of developing, managing, and protecting energy, transportation, water, communications, and other infrastructure as well as the safety and security of individuals and communities. ISE studies are coordinated through four programs: Environment, Energy & Economic Development; Homeland Security & Defense; Safety & Justice; and Transportation, Space, & Technology.
ISE is known for its:
- Objective, innovative approaches to problem solving
- Impartial, expert analysis of complex—and sometimes controversial—policy issues
- Clearly communicated findings and recommendations subject to rigorous quality assurance
- Capabilities that cut across traditional policy boundaries and span multiple economic sectors
An infographic presents findings from RAND's Cost of Crime Calculator — the new tool, by quantifying the tangible and intangible costs of crime, can help cities decide how best to invest their crime-control dollars.
An analysis of the outcomes for murder defendants who were represented either by public defenders or by appointed private counsel in Philadelphia raises important questions about the adequacy and fairness of
the criminal justice system.
Marijuana legalization will be on the ballot in at least two U.S. states in November 2012, and it is the subject of serious debate in a growing number of countries. When it comes to understanding the consequences of legalization, the devil is in the details of how the regulatory regime is designed.
Police agencies have historically measured their performance against a restricted set of crime-focused indicators, but law enforcement duties are changing. Well-developed performance measurement approaches can capture the complexity of modern policing and identify best practices.
Police workforce readiness requires careful and consistent personnel development to ensure that needed skills and knowledge are recognized, appropriately utilized, and fostered. A RAND methodology developed for the U.S. Air Force may be applicable to law enforcement agencies, too.
To examine alternative approaches for estimating the benefits of U.S. regulations designed to reduce the risks of terrorist attacks, RAND convened a workshop of experts. Their recommendations address cross-cutting issues such as transparency, as well as opportunities for better modeling and data collection.
There are large quantities of coal mine water in Pennsylvania—much more than could be used in the coming decade for hydraulic fracturing. Researchers and operators will need to further explore quantity and quality needs to confirm whether coal mine drainage sources represent a viable, large-scale alternative to fresh water.
"The U.S. has really expanded [oil] production over the past several years," Keith Crane told NPR's Corey Flintoff, but he added, oil markets are so intertwined that global markets dictate prices at the pump, not U.S. production.
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