Crime and Violence Prevention

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Russia's Frontlines, India's 'Power' Moves, Food Security: RAND Weekly Recap

This weekly recap focuses on dysfunction on Russia’s front lines, India’s regional diplomacy, stopping mass shooters who seek fame, and more.

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When Mass Shooters Are Seeking Fame

What motivates mass shooters? And what might break the cycle of violence? Developing an effective policy response first requires better understanding of the factors that drive would-be attackers to kill.

Pauline Moore, Heather J. Williams @HeatherJWill, et al.

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Outrage Is Not Enough: Preventing Sexual Violence Starts with a Skilled Prevention Workforce

Preventing sexual assault requires a myriad of competencies including an understanding of the contributing factors so that intervention programs can be designed or adapted to address them. RAND developed a first-of-its-kind tool to assess whether sexual assault prevention practitioners have the core competencies to do their job well.

Joie D. Acosta, AnnaMarie O'Neill

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Preventing Violence in Schools: How to Encourage Students to Report Threats

One of the most consistent findings in research on school shootings is that someone knew an attack was possible but didn't report it. There are ways schools can better encourage students to come forward when they see or hear something concerning: tip lines, training, and a lot more trust.

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Earthquake in Turkey and Syria, Facial Recognition, Gun Violence: RAND Weekly Recap

This weekly recap focuses on the devastating earthquake that struck Turkey and Syria, regulating the use of facial recognition technology by law enforcement, improving data collection on gun violence, and more.

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Addressing Gun Violence Requires Better Means of Measuring It

Proposals to reduce firearm violence in the United States are often controversial, sometimes because there are no data demonstrating their effectiveness. The federal government has many of the requisite tools in place to collect the data, and it does it well on a wide range of other problems. Shying away from measuring this problem may also make it more difficult to fix it.

Rosanna Smart @RosannaSmart, Andrew R. Morral @AndrewMorral

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Avoiding a Long War in Ukraine, Gun Violence, Migrant Surges: RAND Weekly Recap

This weekly recap focuses on how the United States can help avoid a long war in Ukraine, responding to the gun violence crisis, limits on teachers’ instruction, and more.

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Responding to the Firearm Violence Crisis: Are Some Newly Enacted Laws Making Things Worse?

Persuasive scientific evidence is accumulating for several commonly implemented laws. Where the science is strong, lawmakers would be wise to consider it when making decisions about how to protect public safety while preserving civil liberties, including the right to bear arms.

Andrew R. Morral @AndrewMorral, Rosanna Smart @RosannaSmart

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U.S. Gun Laws, China's COVID Outbreak, Space in 2050: RAND Weekly Recap

This weekly recap focuses on gun policy in America, the myth of America's “Ukraine fatigue,” the COVID outbreak in China, and more.

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Historic Research Conference Combats the Rise in Gun Violence

With new funding for gun violence prevention research, projects are beginning to produce findings. To capitalize on the new findings and help integrate the growing field of researchers working on gun violence prevention, RAND partnered with other research programs to organize the 2022 National Research Conference on Firearm Injury Prevention.

Liisa Ecola, Andrew R. Morral @AndrewMorral

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Better Data, Less Gun Violence

If the United States is serious about fixing the escalating problem of gun violence, the government needs to measure it. Research that is supported by new funding is overdue but will be hampered until federal and state firearm violence data systems improve.

Andrew R. Morral @AndrewMorral, Rosanna Smart @RosannaSmart

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A New Era for Firearm Violence Prevention Research

Despite many remaining obstacles, the United States may soon have research that clarifies many of the unanswered questions about firearm violence and its prevention. Many critical research questions, neglected for decades, may now benefit from recent federal and private research funding that has supported a surge in research.

Andrew R. Morral @AndrewMorral, Rosanna Smart @RosannaSmart

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Climate, Technology, Trust: Ways to Help Students Report Threats to Their School

When students or others don't know how to report a threat or aren't willing to do so, important opportunities to protect students may be missed. Schools receive little guidance about how to implement an effective reporting program or how to build a robust reporting culture. A recent research effort helps to fill this gap, highlighting seven key implications for school safety planning.

Pauline Moore, Brian A. Jackson

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Veterans Health Care, Media Literacy, Sleep Retreats: RAND Weekly Recap

This weekly recap focuses on the challenges of VA community care, the importance of improving middle schoolers' media literacy skills, tips to improve sleep, and more.

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Back to School, Vaccinating Kids, Space Security: RAND Weekly Recap

This weekly recap focuses on the well-being of America's educators, the effort to vaccinate kids and teens, security in outer space, and more.