James V. Marrone

How Can Platforms Deal with Toxic Content? Look to Wall Street

Social media has a content problem. It's not the content itself, although the list of toxic material is long. The problem is the sheer volume of content. Instead of trusting in self-regulation, the United States could use its regulation of Wall Street after 2008 as a roadmap for regulating tech.

Arts Policy During the Pandemic: What Are We Measuring, and What Can We Know?

Few data sources exist for the labor market for artists. Of the sources that do exist, each measures a different piece of a larger puzzle. Those studying the arts labor market will have to grapple with which data source to use and how “the arts” should be defined before undertaking any analysis.

The Pandemic Is a Disaster for Artists

The arts as we know them are likely to be shut down for the foreseeable future, and the vast majority of artists have likely lost some or all of their income. How many artists are out of work, and what could be done to help them?

Arts and Cultural Workers Are Especially Vulnerable to the Pandemic

Workers in the arts and cultural industries could be especially vulnerable to the economic shocks of COVID-19. As the United States reopens and decides its future, it should recognize these vulnerabilities, as well as the benefits that the arts and cultural industries offer.

How You Can Fight Russia's Plans to Troll Americans During Campaign 2020

The goal of Russian interference is to trigger emotional reactions and drive people to ideological extremes, making it nearly impossible to build a consensus. But Americans are less likely to have their emotions manipulated if they are aware that manipulation is the goal.

We're Just Beginning to Grasp the Toll of the Islamic State's Archaeological Looting in Syria

During the Islamic State's rise, looted artifacts were said to be a significant source of income for the group. But no one had identified the value, using empirical data and systematic calculations, of the artifacts that were known to exist in Syria's archaeological sites. Until now.

Report

Review of Reserve Component Activation Data Quality

In this report, the authors quantify the frequency of errors in reserve component (RC) activation data, discuss the potential sources of each type of error, and estimate the potential impact of these errors on RC member benefits.

Commentary

Veterans' Employment During Recessions: Veterans' Issues in Focus

Veterans and nonveterans have different employment support needs and are affected differently by recessions. Understanding these differences can help veterans, employers, policymakers, and veteran-serving organizations prepare for economic shocks.

Report

Improving Precommissioning Assignments and Readiness on the U.S. Coast Guard Offshore Patrol Cutter

Researchers identified approaches the U.S. Coast Guard could take to improve crew satisfaction with precommissioning assignments on offshore patrol cutters and overall fleet readiness, then evaluated the options using five criteria.

Report

Risk-Informed Analysis of Transportation Worker Identification Credential Reader Requirements

This report assesses the cost-effectiveness of a U.S. Coast Guard rule that requires any facility handling certain dangerous cargoes to biometrically verify the identity of anyone accessing a secure area of that facility.

Research Brief

A Dangerous Web: Mapping Racially and Ethnically Motivated Violent Extremism

The authors reviewed literature on racially or ethnically motivated violent extremism (REMVE), analyzed social media data from six platforms, and created a global network map to better understand how to inform counter-REMVE strategies online.

Report

Mapping White Identity Terrorism and Racially or Ethnically Motivated Violent Extremism: A Social Network Analysis of Online Activity

The authors reviewed literature on racially or ethnically motivated violent extremism (REMVE), analyzed social media data from six platforms, and created a global network map to better understand how to inform counter-REMVE strategies online.

Report

Payment of the Full Rate of Special and Incentive Pays to Members of the Reserve Components

In this report, the authors consider the feasibility and advisability of paying eligible part-time members of the reserve component the same full monthly rate of special and incentive pays that full-time active component members receive.

Report

Organizational and Cultural Causes of Army First-Term Attrition

The U.S. Army invests significant resources in new soldiers. When a soldier does not complete a full contract term, the Army views this as a net loss. This report assesses the organizational mechanisms that could be driving attrition.

Report

Russian Propaganda Hits Its Mark: Experimentally Testing the Impact of Russian Propaganda and Counter-Interventions

This report, the third in a series, describes a study designed to assess how people react to and engage with Russia's online propaganda. Media literacy advisories and labeling the source of the propaganda were found to have a counter effect.

Report

From Consensus to Conflict: Understanding Foreign Measures Targeting U.S. Elections

Russia might try to manipulate and divide U.S. voters via social media during the U.S. political campaign season of 2020. This first report in a series of four reviews research on foreign actors targeting local, state, and national elections.

Report

Cultural and Historical Resources Recovery Planning in Puerto Rico: Natural and Cultural Resources Sector Report, Volume II

Many of Puerto Rico's cultural resources were devastated in Hurricanes Irma and Maria. The authors discuss their importance, the damage they endured immediately after the storms, and detail recovery actions in Puerto Rico's recovery plan.

Report

Countering Violent Extremism in Indonesia: Using an Online Panel Survey to Assess a Social Media Counter-Messaging Campaign

This report presents the results of an evaluation designed to assess the effects of countering violent extremism–themed social media content used in a campaign to promote tolerance, freedom of speech, and rejection of violence in Indonesia.

Report

Promoting Peace as the Antidote to Violent Extremism: Evaluation of a Philippines-Based Tech Camp and Peace Promotion Fellowship

This report contains an evaluation of and recommendations from a countering violent extremism (CVE)–themed set of tech camps and fellowships in the Philippines. This report also contains research from a study of CVE radio programming on Mindanao.

Report

The Risk-Mitigation Value of the Transportation Worker Identification Credential: A Comprehensive Security Assessment of the TWIC Program

The Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC) is designed to enhance security at U.S. ports. This report provides the findings from an assessment of the TWIC program, along with the assessors' recommendations.

Report

Tracking and Disrupting the Illicit Antiquities Trade with Open Source Data

The sale of illicit goods provides an important funding source for terrorist organizations, organized crime, and rogue states. The authors of this report use open-source data to examine these networks and guide future policy to disrupt the trade.

Report

Predicting 36-Month Attrition in the U.S. Military: A Comparison Across Service Branches

The author analyzes first-term attrition, using administrative data for all accessions across four military service branches in fiscal years 2002 through 2013 to show what characteristics predict attrition across the first 36 months of service.

Report

Countering Violent Extremism in Nigeria: Using a Text-Message Survey to Assess Radio Programs

The authors present the results of a text message–based randomized controlled trial designed to assess the impact of a countering violent extremism (CVE)–themed radio program broadcast in northern Nigeria in 2018–2019.

Journal Article

Effect of Early-Stage Alzheimer's Disease on Household Financial Outcomes

Our goal in this study is estimate, on net, the financial effects of early-stage Alzheimer's Disease, from the start of first symptoms to diagnosis, on individuals and their families.

Report

An Examination of the Methodology for Awarding Imminent Danger Pay and Hostile Fire Pay

In this report, RAND researchers examine the Defense Department's methodology for awarding hostile fire pay and imminent danger pay and explore whether a different approach might be more effective.

Draft

The Impact of a Spouse Incentive on Employee Retention: Evidence from a Military Spouse Scholarship

The authors evaluate the impact of the U.S. Department of Defense's My Career Advancement Account (MyCAA) Scholarship program, which provides tuition assistance to military spouses for education and training, on the retention of military personnel.

Draft

Re-Evaluating the Returns to Language Skills Using Latent Trait Estimates

Constructs more robust latent trait measures of language fluency using well-established psychometric methods, and re-evaluates the evidence for the wage premium.