Gregory S. Jones

Adjunct Defense Policy Analyst

Off Site Office

Education

A.B. in biology, University of Chicago

One Page Bio

Media Resources

This researcher is available for interviews.

To arrange an interview, contact the RAND Office of Media Relations at (310) 451-6913, or email media@rand.org.

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Overview

Gregory S. Jones is an adjunct defense policy analyst at the RAND Corporation. His research has focused on the potential for terrorists and hostile countries to acquire and use nuclear, chemical, biological, and radiological weapons, and the formulation of policies and actions to control and counter these weapons. He is author or coauthor of more than 100 reports and articles.

Research Focus

Recent Projects

Improving the effectiveness of the Proliferation Security Initiative

Selected Publications

Carroll, Stephen J., Tom LaTourrette, Brian G. Chow, Gregory S. Jones, and Craig Martin, Distribution of Losses from Large Terrorist Attacks Under the Terrorism Risk Insurance Act, RAND Corporation (MG-427), 2005

Jones, Gregory S., From Testing to Deploying Nuclear Forces: The Hard Choices Facing India and Pakistan, RAND Corporation (IP-192), 2000

Chow, Brian G., Gregory S. Jones, Managing Waste With and Without Plutonium Separation, RAND Corporation (P-8035), 1999

Recent Media Appearances

Interviews: Voice of America

Commentary

Terrorism

ISIS and Dirty Bombs
There has been growing concern that terrorists might use radiological sources to create a Radiological Dispersal Device (RDD). Calculations have shown that an attack would be unlikely to produce radioactive contamination sufficient to kill or even injure anyone, but there would be psychological and economic effects.
Jun 3, 2016
The Cipher Brief
United States

Questions After the First U.S. Bank Takeover by a Chinese State-Controlled Company
In considering foreign application to acquire U.S. companies, the United States needs to consider both risks as well as benefits in both defense and economic dimensions, write Charles Wolf, Jr., Brian Chow, Gregory Jones, and Scott Harold.
May 15, 2012
The RAND Blog and GlobalSecurity.org

Publications

Report
Characterizing the Risks of North Korean Chemical and Biological Weapons, Electromagnetic Pulse, and Cyber Threats
The authors provide a comprehensive overview, based on open sources, of North Korean capabilities in terms of its weapons of mass destruction and cyber operations, assess the threats these pose, and suggest possible responses.
Aug 29, 2022
Tool
Costs and Effectiveness of Interventions to Reduce Motor Vehicle–Related Injuries and Deaths: Project Report and Online-Tool Documentation
This report documents production of an online tool to help assess costs and effectiveness of implementing up to 14 interventions and select those most effective in reducing death and injury from motor vehicle crashes for a given budget.
Dec 14, 2015
Research Brief
How to Get the Biggest Impact from an Increase in Spending on Traffic Safety
According to analysis with a free new tool, allocating increased federal traffic safety funding by cost-effectiveness ratios rather than equally among states would save more than double the number of lives and prevent almost five times the injuries.
Dec 14, 2015
Research Brief
A New Tool to Help Decisionmakers Select Interventions to Reduce Traffic Crash Deaths and Injuries
This brief describes an interactive tool that can help statedecisionmakers choose policies that are effective in reducing motor vehicle accidents in their states and appropriate to state budgets, saving lives and reducing economic and societal loss.
Dec 14, 2015
Research Brief
Should Traffic Crash Interventions Be Selected Nationally or State by State?
According to analysis using a new, free tool, a national allocation of funds for traffic crash prevention might cost less than allocating according to state-by-state needs, but it might save significantly fewer lives and reduce far fewer injuries.
Dec 14, 2015
Research Brief
Which Behavioral Interventions Are Most Cost-Effective in Reducing Drunk Driving?
Drunk driving is extremely dangerous, but not all drunk driving policies are equally cost-effective in all states. This brief describes a tool that can help decisionmakers choose policies that are appropriate for their states and state budgets.
Dec 14, 2015
Report
China's Expanding Role in Global Mergers and Acquisitions Markets
To improve understanding of China's investment patterns, the authors analyze recent and proposed Chinese investment in companies in the United States, Europe, Asia, and the rest of the world.
Nov 22, 2011
Report
U.S. Combat Commands' Participation in the Proliferation Security Initiative: A Training Manual
A manual of nine lecture and seminar sessions to be used by the U.S. Geographic Combat Commands to train personnel for participation in the Proliferation Security Initiative.
Apr 30, 2009
Report
The Global Technology Revolution China, In-Depth Analyses: Emerging Technology Opportunities for the Tianjin Binhai New Area (TBNA) and the Tianjin Economic-Technological Development Area (TEDA) (Chinese-language version)
Tianjin Binhai New Area and the Tianjin Economic-Technological Development Area commissioned a technology-foresight study to help them plan for economic growth. Seven applications stand out; the authors describe drivers, barriers, and plans for each.
Jan 30, 2009
Report
The Global Technology Revolution China, Executive Summary: Emerging Technology Opportunities for the Tianjin Binhai New Area (TBNA) and the Tianjin Economic-Technological Development Area (TEDA)
Tianjin Binhai New Area and the Tianjin Economic-Technological Development Area commissioned a technology-foresight study to help them plan for economic growth. Seven applications stand out; the authors describe drivers, barriers, and plans for each.
Jan 29, 2009
Report
The Global Technology Revolution China, In-Depth Analyses: Emerging Technology Opportunities for the Tianjin Binhai New Area (TBNA) and the Tianjin Economic-Technological Development Area (TEDA)
Tianjin Binhai New Area and the Tianjin Economic-Technological Development Area commissioned a technology-foresight study to help them plan for economic growth. Seven applications stand out; the authors describe drivers, barriers, and plans for each.
Jan 29, 2009
Report
Enhancement by Enlargement: The Proliferation Security Initiative
Details the cost-and-benefit estimates arrived at by five key countries reluctant to affiliate with the Proliferation Security Initiative (the "hold-out" nations) and suggests strategies for changing those estimates in favor of affiliation.
Nov 21, 2008
Report
Distribution of Losses from Large Terrorist Attacks Under the Terrorism Risk Insurance Act
The pending expiration of the Terrorism Risk Insurance Act (TRIA) of 2002 is the impetus for this assessment of how TRIA redistributes terrorism losses, helping to inform policymakers on whether to extend, modify, or terminate it.
Oct 6, 2005
Research Brief
Assessing the Effectiveness of the Terrorism Risk Insurance Act
This study simulates the expected losses from three modes of terrorist attacks and shows how the Terrorism Risk Insurance Act (TRIA) would distribute the resulting losses.
2004
Report
From Testing to Deploying Nuclear Forces: The Hard Choices Facing India and Pakistan
This issue paper discusses what decisions India and Pakistan must make in order to attempt to fulfill these requirements and describes the risks involved in their failure to attain them.
2000
Report
Managing Waste With and Without Plutonium Separation
This study examines whether reprocessing and plutonium recycle will make radioactive waste management more effective and economical.
1999
Report
Does Burning Weapons Plutonium Generate Hotter Waste and Conserve More Repository Space?
This paper describes a comparative methodology that is based on an equal amount of energy generated and an equal amount of weapons plutonium being burned or directly disposed of.
Nov 1, 1998
Report
Air Force Operations in a Chemical and Biological Environment
This documented briefing examines how adversaries might use chemical and biological weapons (CBWs) to paralyze U.S. Air Force operations, how the Air Force might continue operations despite a contaminated environment, and what additional measures might enable the Air Force to sustain tactical aircraft sortie generation and airlift cargo delivery operations in a contaminated environment.
1998
Draft
A Concept for Strategic Material Accelerated Removal Talks (SMART)
The United States, Russia, and other countries should ensure that weapon-usable material is not subject to national diversion. The quickest way to achieve this goal is to transport excess weapon-usable material to a secure foreign storage site.
1996
Draft
An Initial Look at Reprocessing, Recycle and the Waste Issue
The claim that plutonium reprocessing and recycling eases waste management is based on incomplete assessments and inappropriate metrics. The United States should use a systems approach to compare different waste management benefits and options.
1996
Report
The Proposed Fissile-Material Production Cutoff: Next Steps
Examines and proposes some "next steps" to the proposed convention, to further strengthen worldwide control of weapon-usable material.
1995