RAND Focuses on Climate Change

On April 13th, RAND held a panel on What Constitutes an Effective Approach to Limiting Greenhouse Gases? Panelists included Peter Molinaro, The Dow Chemical Company; David Hawkins, Natural Resources Defense Council; and William Kovacs, U.S. Chamber of Commerce. The event was moderated by Michael Toman from RAND.

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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.

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Is It Time to Rethink U.S. Entry and Exit Processes? — Mar. 23, 2009

Meeting mandated standards for managing individual travelers' entry and exit at U.S. borders has been a longstanding difficulty for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the U.S. border protection apparatus. This paper examines related policies and procedures critical to their success.

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Understanding Forfeitures: An Analysis of the Relationship Between Law Enforcement Funding and High Asset Forfeiture

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.

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Challenges and Opportunities Related to the Interconnection of Climate, Energy, and Transportation Policies — Mar. 9, 2009

In June 2008, RAND convened three workshops for private and public sector representatives to discuss their competing views on climate change mitigation. The conference allowed them to find commonality on such issues as technological innovation; potential legislative and regulatory solutions; international cooperation; and public engagement.

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Organized Crime Is Increasingly Active in Film Piracy; Three Cases Link Terrorists to Piracy Profits — Mar. 3, 2009

Organized crime increasingly is involved in the piracy of feature films, with syndicates active along the entire supply chain from manufacture to street sales. While crime syndicates have added piracy to their criminal portfolios, the profits from film piracy also have been used on occasion to support the activities of terrorist groups.

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The Challenge of Domestic Intelligence in a Free Society — Feb. 2, 2009

Whether U.S. terrorism-prevention efforts match the threat continues to be central in policy debate. Part of this debate is whether the United States needs a dedicated domestic counterterrorism intelligence agency. To inform future policy decisionmaking, this book examines, from a variety of perspectives, the policy proposal that such an agency be created.

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Police-Community Relations in Cincinnati: Year Four Evaluation Report — Jan. 23, 2009

In 2002, the Cincinnati Police Department and the ACLU joined together to review police-community relations. This report finds that CPD is not the same as the department that policed Cincinnati in 2001. With crime reduced and no evidence of racial bias at traffic stops, there is still room for improvement with community relations.

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The RAND Database of Worldwide Terrorism Incidents — January 14, 2009

RAND is now offering institutional subscriptions to access the RDWTI.

The Database of Worldwide Terrorism Incidents defines and categorizes terrorist attacks in order to help analysts, policymakers, and practitioners understand general trends in the threat. It is based on over 30 years of research by analysts at RAND.

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Pennsylvania's Rail System Will Require Collaborative Approach to Improve Safety and Security

Pennsylvania leaders have an active role to play in coordinating public and private efforts to improve the safety and security of Pennsylvania's extensive and complex railroad system.

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Western Riverside County Habitat Conservation Plan Progressing, but Needs Fine-Tuning — Nov. 3, 2008

Western Riverside County's Multiple Species Habitat Conservation Plan -- a sweeping effort to protect endangered and threatened species while accelerating the approval of transportation improvements -- has made significant progress, but needs modifying to reach its goals in Southern California's changing economy.

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Easing Restrictions on Deliveries to Postal Mailboxes Could Hurt Efforts to Keep Mail Safe — Oct. 23, 2008

Allowing private courier services to deliver items into mailboxes could hamper efforts by the U.S. Postal Service to safeguard the nation's mail. Although the impact of such a change is likely to be moderate, it could diminish public safety and security by diluting the effectiveness of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.

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Should the United States Establish a Dedicated Domestic Intelligence Agency for Counterterrorism? — Oct. 22, 2008

In the wake of 9/11, Congress directed the Department of Homeland Security to evaluate whether the U.S. needs a dedicated domestic intelligence agency, separate from law enforcement, to deter terrorism. DHS asked RAND not to offer specific recommendations, but to make clear what should be considered in the creation of such an agency.

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