2016

commentary

The Pendulum Swings Back: Support for Postsecondary Education in Prison

Correctional educational programs can reduce incarceration costs and recidivism. But it's critical that former inmates can connect with reentry services in the community to complete their education.

Lois M. Davis @LoisMDavis

commentary

Crime and Terror in Europe: Where the Nexus Is Alive and Well

The idea of a crime-terror nexus does appear to be a major threat in Europe, where terrorists and criminals now recruit from the same milieu. Coperation between European law enforcement and intelligence agencies is critical.

Colin P. Clarke

commentary

Curbing Globalisation Won't Halt the Rise of Inequality

Globalization may be one of many factors driving inequality. But ending trade agreements and throwing up trade barriers is unlikely to stop this trend.

Stijn Hoorens @StijnHoorens

blog

Beyond the Headlines: RAND's Christopher Paul Discusses the Russian 'Firehose of Falsehood'

A massive, ingenious, and concerning campaign of propaganda has been pumping westward for years, supporting the Russian agenda in Ukraine and Syria and likely trying to influence the U.S. presidential election.

commentary

The Risks of an Accelerating Rivalry Between China and Japan

China and Japan have a long history of antagonism but their competition for influence in Asia has recently expanded in the economic, diplomatic, and security domains. The U.S., although a staunch ally of Japan, has served as a mediator. Weakening the U.S. role could aggravate Sino-Japanese tensions to a destabilizing degree.

Timothy R. Heath

commentary

How States and Districts Can Leverage the Every Student Succeeds Act to Improve School Leadership

The Every Student Succeeds Act provides states and districts with new chances to invest in school leadership. A review of interventions can serve as a starting point to enact relevant solutions and build the evidence base for what works.

Rebecca Herman, Susan M. Gates

commentary

Putting Health into the Health Care Debate

How much return is the United States getting for spending over 17 percent of its gross domestic product on health care? Not nearly enough. The health care debate should focus on improving population health and ensuring the country is getting the biggest bang for its bucks.

Jeffrey Wasserman

commentary

Moving Outpatient Care into the Community

A prominent feature of NHS England policy, “moving care into the community” means that care traditionally provided in hospitals is moved into primary care, such as general practice. This can benefit patients, but it is also important to look at the costs.

Celine Miani, Eleanor Winpenny

commentary

Investing in Infrastructure? Don't Forget the Electric Grid

Leaving the future of America's electricity grid to chance should not be an option. To maximize the potential benefits of a multibillion-dollar smart grid investment, a closer examination of technology and policy is needed.

Aimee E. Curtright @ACurtright, Kathleen Loa

commentary

Can Trump Make a Deal with Putin?

If executed properly, President-elect Trump's diplomacy could help reverse a destabilizing downward spiral in U.S.-Russian relations and create a vision of what normal relations might entail.

Hans Binnendijk, William Courtney @courtneywmh

commentary

Presidential Policy Directive 1: Forming the National Security Council

If precedent holds, the National Security Council will be defined in the first policy directive that President Trump signs in the early weeks of his administration. Several important questions should be considered.

Daniel M. Gerstein @Daniel_Gerstein, Sarah M. Gerstein

commentary

The Legal Marijuana Middle Ground

There are many ways to legalize marijuana supply besides the for-profit approach. But to learn what effects various models have, the federal government will have to make it easier for states to implement some middle-ground options.

Beau Kilmer @BeauKilmer

commentary

Americans Don't Sleep Enough, and It's Costing Us $411 Billion

Sleep and sleep loss are often considered to be among the most intimate of personal behaviors, but sleep matters to all aspects of society, from an individual's health to the success of the global economy.

Marco Hafner, Wendy M. Troxel @wendytroxel

commentary

Before We Measure Teaching Quality, We Should Know What It Is

The lack of an evidence base on teaching quality and its impact in higher education points to a need for more research, made more pressing by the imminent roll-out of the Teaching Excellence Framework, which intends to assess and monitor teaching quality at UK higher education institutions.

Lucy Strang

commentary

Finding the 'Sweet Spot' in the UK Minimum Wage Debate

Increases in the UK national minimum wages have not had adverse effects on employment overall. But it's important that the new national living wage and minimum wage aren’t increased to a point that is unsustainable for businesses.

Marco Hafner