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Violence

Supply Chain Management
commentary
Campaign for Fair Food Makes a Real Difference
Susan L. Marquis @susanlmarquis
Aug 25, 2017
Tampa Bay Times
The Fair Food Program protects farmworkers while providing corporations with transparency in their supply chains and tremendous brand protection. It has been widely recognized for improving agricultural working conditions and for changing the culture of America's farm fields.
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Violence
commentary
Why Aren't There More Terrorist Attacks Like the One in London?
Brian Michael Jenkins @BrianMJenkins
Jun 7, 2017
Fortune
The number of attacks like the one on London Bridge are low because jihadist ideologies have failed to gain traction in most Muslim countries, and it's difficult to recruit people remotely. Supporting violence and participating in it are two different things.
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Childhood Bullying
commentary
The Ghost of Bullying
Italo A. Gutierrez @ItaloGuti
May 31, 2017
El Comercio
The idea that bullying is experienced by only a few children and adolescents is false. Most cases are verbal, not physical, and victims tend to remain silent. Research has shown that bullying can have negative long-term effects on a person's life.
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Suicide
essay
Is Suicide Preventable? Insights from Research
May 8, 2017
Conventional wisdom about suicide prevention suggests that one just needs to know what warning signs to look for. But that's not the case.
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Children
commentary
Lessons from Northern Uganda: Post-Conflict Integration of 'Children Born of War'
Mahlet Atakilt Woldetsadik
Apr 12, 2017
The RAND Blog
Children conceived as a result of sexual violence during armed conflict face socioeconomic marginalization, family rejection, stigmatization, and violence. Grass-roots women's organizations in northern Uganda are helping to integrate these children in post-conflict societies.
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Terrorism Threat Assessment
commentary
Two Very Different Views of Terrorism and What to Do About Them
Daniel M. Gerstein @Daniel_Gerstein
Apr 6, 2017
The National Interest
Does the public want fewer government initiatives aimed at fighting terrorism, or more? The answer could lie in the type of attack involved as well as in individual perceptions of risk and how much inconvenience people are willing to accept in the name of public safety.
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Domestic Terrorism
commentary
When Is a Terrorist Really a Terrorist?
Brian Michael Jenkins @BrianMJenkins
Jan 27, 2017
The Hill
Countering mass violence demands a distinction between attackers who are truly inspired by jihadism and those with lesser links. The latter includes people whose mental states and violent tendencies preexist their exposure to the ideology.
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Sexual Assault
commentary
Focusing on Tallying the Number of Campus Sexual Assaults Can Make the Problem Worse
Radha Iyengar @RadhaKIyengar
Jan 6, 2017
Dallas Morning News
Accurate reporting of sexual violence is important. But counting and reporting assaults shouldn't be confused with polices that focus on making sure universities have the resources and support systems they need to help victims.
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Crime and Violence Prevention
commentary
Pitfalls of Predictive Policing
Jessica Saunders
Oct 11, 2016
U.S. News & World Report
The Chicago Police Department's predictive policing program didn't work. To achieve even a 5 percent drop in the city's homicide rate, enormous leaps in both prediction and intervention effectiveness are necessary.
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Domestic Violence
commentary
Domestic Warning Signs of Mass Shootings
Radha Iyengar @RadhaKIyengar
Aug 6, 2016
U.S. News & World Report
After shootings, there is inevitably public debate over gun safety, constitutional rights, police tactics, terrorism, race, and politics. But these discussions rarely focus on a common factor among the perpetrators: a history of violence against women.
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Counterterrorism
blog
Orlando Nightclub Shooting: RAND Experts React
Jun 15, 2016
RAND experts provide perspective on the deadliest mass shooting in U.S. history, what it likely means within the context of the campaign against ISIS, and more.
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Politics and Government
commentary
Flirting with Genocide in Burundi: Paying Attention Could Save Lives
Michael Shurkin @MichaelShurkin
Nov 18, 2015
Newsweek
Burundi has been afflicted by political violence since April. President Pierre Nkurunziza, who helped bring peace to the country in the last decade, is risking everything for the sake of staying in power. He is dragging the country backwards after 10 years of progress.
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Suicide
commentary
Veterans Day 2015: Three Priorities for Preventing Veteran Suicide (And It's Not All on the VA!)
Rajeev Ramchand @RRamchand
Nov 11, 2015
The RAND Blog
The suicide rate among veterans is three times that of nonveterans. Additional research and policy intervention in three important areas could help ensure that fewer veterans die at their own hands.
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Gun Violence
commentary
Gun Violence: Where Is the Research That Might Save Lives?
Jeffrey Wasserman
Nov 5, 2015
Newsweek
Gun violence is an important public health problem that accounts for more than 33,000 deaths each year in the United States but in 1996, Congress stripped the CDC of funding for any research that could be associated with gun control advocacy. The lack of CDC funding has deterred researchers.
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Education Reform
commentary
Rethinking Student Discipline and Zero Tolerance
Joie D. Acosta, Matthew Chinman, John Engberg, Catherine H. Augustine
Oct 14, 2015
Education Week
Restorative practices are an alternative to zero-tolerance school discipline policies. Rather than mandating prescribed punishments for specific misbehaviors, this more tailored approach aims to empower students.
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Domestic Violence
commentary
In Latin America, Breaking the Cycle of Intimate-Partner Abuse One Handwritten Letter at a Time
Mahlet Atakilt Woldetsadik
Sep 30, 2015
The RAND Blog
Latin America has one of the highest rates of intimate-partner violence in the world, but a series of high-profile cases, including the murder of a journalist by her policeman husband, have propelled intimate-partner violence to the fore of Bolivia's public agenda.
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Military Recruitment
commentary
Go Slow on Arming Recruiters
Ben Connable
Jul 31, 2015
The Hill
Several important voices have argued for arming military recruiters in the wake of the recent shootings in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Giving them a chance to fight back against an active shooter may be a sound proposition, but practicalities of military recruiting suggest a patient and thoughtful policy review.
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Terrorism Threat Assessment
commentary
The Allure of ISIS for Young Recruits
Brian Michael Jenkins @BrianMJenkins
Mar 20, 2015
The Hill
Poverty and oppression may explain why people in some countries embrace violent extremism, but it does not account for the flow of Western volunteers or the dreamy allure of fighting for a faraway cause. Biographies of those who have reached out to participate in jihad suggest a variety of motives, including alienation, personal crises, dissatisfaction with empty spiritual lives, and adolescent rebellion.
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Counterterrorism
commentary
Tackling Radicalization Before It Begins
Kim Cragin
Feb 23, 2015
U.S. News & World Report
Why not turn the question of violent extremism inside out and develop programs that reinforce non-radicalization? That is, rather than eliminating drivers, focus instead on strengthening the factors that inhibit violent extremism.
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The Islamic State (Terrorist Organization)
commentary
ISIS's Calculated Barbarity
Brian Michael Jenkins @BrianMJenkins
Feb 10, 2015
The Hill
ISIS's decision to murder its Jordanian hostage by burning him alive may turn out to be a strategic miscalculation, but it is not madness. Through self-selection, continued fighting, and the exaltation of unlimited violence, ISIS has created a cult whose members command and revel in displays of ever-increasing cruelty.
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The Islamic State (Terrorist Organization)
q&a
Experts React to ISIS's Gruesome Execution of Jordanian Pilot
Feb 4, 2015
The RAND Blog
A grisly video released yesterday by ISIS appears to show Jordanian pilot Muath al-Kasaesbeh burned alive in a cage. Why the shift away from beheadings? What does the execution mean for Jordan? What implications will it have for ISIS?
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Domestic Violence
commentary
Domestic Violence as a Way of Life: The Reality for Papua New Guinea's Women
Mahlet Atakilt Woldetsadik
Dec 31, 2014
The RAND Blog
Violence against women is a persistent problem around the world. That's particularly true of Papua New Guinea, where abuse of women by domestic partners, gang members, and members of law enforcement is widespread, drawing comparisons to conditions in conflict zones.
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Discriminatory Practices
commentary
'Product of Mexico': Why Have Corporate/Social Responsibility Programs Failed?
Susan L. Marquis @susanlmarquis
Dec 12, 2014
Newsweek
The Fair Food Program has been a leader in using cooperation, visibility, and accountability to meet the needs of workers, growers, and buyers. Can it be a model for addressing these critical issues in Mexico as well?
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Global Security
commentary
The Tortured Roots of Sectarian Violence
Rick Brennan, Jr. @rickbrennanjr
Dec 12, 2014
The Mark News
The recent increase of sectarian terrorism is best understood as a product of the ancient Sunni-Shiite divide, the growth of modern-day extremist groups, the Iranian-Saudi rivalry, and the growing phenomenon of fractured states.
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Childhood Trauma
blog
How Schools Can Help Students with Traumatic Stress
Oct 2, 2014
Schools are in a unique position to recognize traumatic stress in children. But first, adults throughout the school system -- including teachers, staff, administrators, school resource officers, and parents -- must be aware of the issue, know how to detect signs of trauma exposure, and create a supportive environment.
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Developing Countries
commentary
First Steps Toward Addressing DR Congo's Rape Crisis
Mahlet Atakilt Woldetsadik
Jun 11, 2014
The RAND Blog
An effort to address atrocities against women in the Democratic Republic of Congo has fallen short of advocates' hopes for justice. With its focus on criminal prosecution, the strategy failed to consider the weak infrastructure of the judicial system, left victims' needs unmet, and did little to address prevention.
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Discriminatory Practices
commentary
Wal-Mart Chooses Fairness, Giving Farmworkers a Boost
Susan L. Marquis @susanlmarquis
Feb 7, 2014
Orlando Sentinel
The recent commitment by Wal-Mart Stores to the Fair Food Program is a transformational moment in the decades-long struggle for fair treatment of agricultural workers in America but the decision is hardly the last human-rights battle to be won on behalf of this long-oppressed work force.
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Military Budgets and Defense Spending
blog
At 65, RAND Continues to Make a Difference
May 14, 2013
To celebrate our first 60 years, we created '60 Ways RAND Has Made a Difference,' an online book to illustrate our most notable contributions. On our 65th birthday, we provide five of the most recent ways in which we at RAND are proud to have made a difference.
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Gun Violence
commentary
Guns in Homes: A Health Hazard
Arthur L. Kellermann
Mar 25, 2013
New York Daily News
An ample body of evidence indicates that the benefits of keeping a gun for protection are substantially outweighed by the associated risks, writes Art Kellermann.
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United States
blog
The State of the Union 2013
Feb 13, 2013
The 2013 SOTU address will be remembered for its impassioned call for greater gun control just two months after Sandy Hook. But President Obama's second-term agenda can be characterized by its sheer breadth, reflecting the broad range of policy challenges facing the United States today.
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Gun Violence
commentary
Firearms and Gun Control: Many Questions, Some Answers
Sarah Michal Greathouse, Brian A. Jackson, K. Jack Riley @K_Jack_Riley, Andrew R. Morral, Debra Knopman, Arthur L. Kellermann
Jan 17, 2013
The RAND Blog
President Obama's task force on gun violence has raised the stakes in the policy debate on gun control and policy in the wake of the recent shootings in Colorado and Connecticut. Some of RAND's top researchers share what is, and what isn't, known about firearms and gun control.
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Violence
commentary
Can Improved Mental Health Care Prevent Gun Crimes? The Truth Is, We Don't Know
Terry Schell
Jan 17, 2013
The RAND Blog
If policymakers and the public expect the mental health community to play a significant role in preventing future incidents like Newtown, the mental health research agenda must become a higher national priority in future federal funding decisions, writes Terry Schell.
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Crime and Violence Prevention
commentary
Accounting for Risk of Violent Death
Arthur L. Kellermann
Jan 7, 2013
The Washington Post
As a Southerner who learned to shoot at an early age, I've never had a problem with guns. But emergency-room doctors like me also know how much damage they can cause if misused or allowed to fall into the wrong hands, writes Arthur Kellermann.
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Emergency Preparedness
commentary
Responding to Newtown
Arthur L. Kellermann
Dec 26, 2012
Health Affairs Blog
Art Kellermann reviews what is known from broad outlines of the Newtown attack and past research on gun violence to offer some preliminary thoughts to the Obama Administration's task force and the public.
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Mental Health Treatment
commentary
Shifting the Burden of Mental Health Care: Helping Families
Ramya Chari
Dec 21, 2012
The RAND Blog
In our national conversation on mental health, we should remember the role of families when thinking about treatment and ensure that our policies open up opportunities to support parents, siblings and relatives, and enhance their capacity for care, writes Ramya Chari.
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Gun Violence
commentary
Silencing the Science on Gun Research
Arthur L. Kellermann, Frederick P. Rivara
Dec 21, 2012
The Journal of the American Medical Association
The United States has long relied on public health science to improve the safety, health, and lives of its citizens. Perhaps the same straightforward, problem-solving approach that worked well in other circumstances can help the nation meet the challenge of firearm violence, writes Arthur Kellermann.
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Mental Health Treatment
commentary
In Connecticut, Recovery and Healing Will Take Time
Lisa H. Jaycox
Dec 20, 2012
The RAND Blog
With an event like this, With an event like this, 'recovery' doesn't mean a return to normal, because lives have been permanently altered. Recovery can only mean finding a new normal, a new path forward. And schools, those places of safety and healthy development, can help with that process, by providing a structure and community to support healing, writes Lisa Jaycox.
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Controlled Substances
blog
A New Approach to Reducing Drunk Driving and Domestic Violence
Beau Kilmer @BeauKilmer
Nov 15, 2012
Beau Kilmer, codirector of the RAND Drug Policy Research Center, discusses South Dakota's 24/7 Sobriety Project, which requires those arrested for or convicted of alcohol-related offenses to take twice-a-day breathalyzer tests or wear a continuous monitoring bracelet. Those who fail or skip their tests are immediately subject to modest sanctions—typically a day or two in jail.
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Law Enforcement
commentary
Assessing Mexico's Narco-Violence
Benjamin Bahney, Agnes Gereben Schaefer
May 14, 2009
The San Diego Union-Tribune
Drug-related violence in Mexico has more than doubled over the past 18 months, with a sharp increase in crimes that can only be understood as atrocities. The executions, assassinations, and decapitations may all seem wanton and senseless. But this violence actually has a purpose, write Benjamin Bahney and Agnes Gereben Schaefer.
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Law Enforcement
commentary
Could Mexico Fail?
Brian Michael Jenkins @BrianMJenkins
Feb 13, 2009
Homeland Security Today
The lawlessness along the mexicanborder has gone way beyond alocal crime wave: there has beena dramatic increase in armed robberies, not by lone gunmen but by heavily armed gangs. Kidnappings and homicides are way up—and not just murders but beheadings.... It is starting to look like a terrorist campaign, writes Brian Michael Jenkins.
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commentary
Help for Homeless Women
Suzanne L. Wenzel
Jun 16, 2006
Washingtonpost.com
Published commentary by RAND staff: Help for Homeless Women, in Washingtonpost.com.
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commentary
Semantics are Strategic in the War on Terror
Brian Michael Jenkins @BrianMJenkins
Sep 30, 2004
The Globe and Mail
Published commentary by RAND staff.
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commentary
Get Real in Dealing With Homicides in Los Angeles
George Tita, Mark A. R. Kleiman
Dec 27, 2000
Los Angeles Times
Homicide in Los Angeles is on the rise again. Before accepting any of the canned explanations, we ought to take a closer look. Once we know what's really going on, we have a chance to design strategies that work.
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