Terrorism and Homeland Security

RAND is a world leader in research on terrorism, counterterrorism, counterinsurgency, disaster management, and homeland security—topics that affect a wide variety of policy areas and challenge individuals and nations worldwide. As a public service, RAND disseminates all its unclassified research online or in printed documents.

Research conducted by: Homeland Security and Defense Center; RAND Justice, Infrastructure, and Environment; RAND National Security Research Division; RAND Project AIR FORCE; RAND Europe; RAND Arroyo Center; Center for Terrorism Risk Management Policy

Featured at RAND

Capabilities-Based Planning Can Enhance Energy Security at DoD Installations

Energy security strategies are needed because DoD installations rely on the U.S. commercial electricity grid which is vulnerable to disruption from natural hazards and actor-induced outages, such as physical or cyber attacks.

All Items (1468)

Commentary

Generations of Terrorism — Dec 12, 2012

Whatever its eventual outcome, Syria's civil war has already produced thousands of experienced jihadists who will continue to threaten the region for years to come, writes Brian Michael Jenkins.

Commentary

Fake Boarding Pass Fears Inflated — Dec 11, 2012

Instead of ratcheting back the PreCheck program because of manufactured fears about security lapses, TSA should be encouraged to expand this program to more airlines, more airports and more infrequent travelers, write Jack Riley and Lily Ablon.

Report

Validating the Preference Profiles for the Dutch National Risk Assessment — Dec 10, 2012

RAND Europe assessed the validity of preference profiles and associated weights used in the Dutch National Risk Assessment and offers recommendations to incorporate public values using scientifically validated methods.

Blog

Unrest in Mali Leaves Opening for Radicalism — Dec 6, 2012

African leaders meeting in Paris on Wednesday reportedly agreed that an African-led operation is needed to keep the western part of the continent, including Mali, from becoming overtaken by terrorists, including al Qaeda affiliates.

Multimedia

Threats: Cyber Warfare — Dec 6, 2012

In this conference call, RAND senior management scientist Martin Libicki discusses cyber threats—including the declaration of cyber war by "hacktivist" group Anonymous against Israel—with RAND media relations director Jeffrey Hiday.

Blog

Health Care Providers May Be the Key to Improving Flu Vaccination Rates — Dec 4, 2012

For vaccination to become a public health priority in the U.S., stakeholders must strengthen guidance for providers, which would make it easier for physicians to both assess vaccination needs and aid communication with patients about the efficacy and safety of vaccines.

Commentary

Far More U.S. Health Security Research Effort Aimed at Bioterrorism than Natural Disasters — Dec 3, 2012

Given the broad range of threats facing the United States, including those related to extreme weather, it is imperative that monies invested in enhancing health security be well spent, writes Shoshana Shelton.

News Release

Nation's Health Security Research Is Not Balanced Enough to Meet Broad Safety Goals — Dec 3, 2012

Federal support for health security research is heavily weighted toward preparing for bioterrorism and other biological threats, providing significantly less funding for challenges such as monster storms or attacks with conventional bombs.

Journal Article

Nation's Health Security Research Is Not Balanced Enough to Meet Broad Safety Goals — Dec 3, 2012

Federal support for health security research is heavily weighted toward preparing for bioterrorism and other biological threats, providing significantly less funding for challenges such as monster storms or attacks with conventional bombs.

Journal Article

Electronic Health Records Critical in the Aftermath of Disasters — Dec 1, 2012

A fundamental tenet of preparedness for public health emergencies is the reliance on systems that rest on a bedrock of day-to-day use.

Journal Article

Data Protection Review: Impact on EU Innovation and Competitiveness — Dec 1, 2012

This document presents a rapid assessment of the innovation and competitiveness impacts of the measures affecting: automated processing; control of data processing; and data transfers.

Journal Article

Results of Medical Countermeasure Drills Among 72 Cities Readiness Initiative Metropolitan Statistical Areas, 2008-2009 — Dec 1, 2012

The report describes the results of the first year of pilot data for medical countermeasure drills conducted by 72 metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs).

Journal Article

Detecting Ionospheric TEC Perturbations Caused by Natural Hazards Using a Global Network of GPS Receivers: The Tohoku Case Study — Dec 1, 2012

Recent advances in GPS data processing have demonstrated that ground-based GPS receivers are capable of detecting ionospheric TEC perturbations caused by surface-generated Rayleigh, acoustic and gravity waves.

Report

Options for Financing Louisiana's Hurricane and Storm Damage Risk Reduction System — Nov 28, 2012

Incremental operations and maintenance costs for new hurricane protection infrastructure vary considerably across Louisiana's levee districts, but most can cover costs for infrastructure within their boundaries. Stakeholders will need to determine an equitable cost allocation for infrastructure that spans district boundaries.

Blog

Economic and Security Experts on What Keeps Them Awake at Night — Nov 27, 2012

Former FDIC Chair Sheila Bair, former Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security Admiral James Loy, economist Stephen Roach and others talk with Reuters Editor-in-Chief Stephen Adler on a panel called Assessing Risk: Where Will it Come From? at RAND's Politics Aside event.

Report

An Assessment of TSA's Risk Management Analysis Tool Finds Some Gaps — Nov 26, 2012

The Transportation Security Administration's RMAT has enabled a more sophisticated understanding of terrorism risks to the air transportation system, but TSA should not treat RMAT results as credible estimates. Rather, the results can help to inform the components of terrorism risk and possible influences of system changes on that risk.

Commentary

'New Normal' Requires New Ways to Support Social and 'Human' Recovery — Nov 26, 2012

Recent global disasters vividly illustrate that recovery entails more than simply restoring physical infrastructure such as roads and buildings; it is also a long process of restoring the social infrastructure—the daily routines and networks that support the physical and mental health and well-being of the population, write Anita Chandra and Joie Acosta.

Report

Can More Be Done to Improve Energy Security in the Gulf of Guinea? — Nov 21, 2012

Improving the security of the Gulf of Guinea's oil infrastructure would increase output and promote additional investment, to the benefit of oil importing nations. The U.S. Air Force has expertise that could help build local security capabilities.

Commentary

Latest Alleged Homegrown 'Terrorists' Fit the Mold — Nov 20, 2012

For many U.S.-born terror recruits, the prospect of blowing things up is a solution to an unsatisfactory life. Terrorism does not attract the well-adjusted, writes Brian Michael Jenkins.

Commentary

Obama and Myanmar (Burma): Four Points About Conflict There — Nov 19, 2012

We can expect to see continued jockeying for scarce resources among vulnerable populations around the globe, attempts by majority communities to disenfranchise powerless minority groups, and episodes of extreme weather to blow away any notion that disasters—whether natural, man-made, or both—can't happen here, writes Jonah Blank.

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