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Featured Research

  • Kids walking to school

    Kids Benefit from Voluntary Summer Learning Programs

    Sep 7, 2016

    Fourth graders who attended at least 20 days of summer learning programs benefited in mathematics and language arts achievement. When voluntary summer learning programs are effective, what factors are associated with success?

  • A teacher helping two elementary students

    Summer Learning Programs Benefit Low-Income Urban Students

    Sep 7, 2016

    Low-income students lose ground in the summer relative to their wealthier peers. High-quality voluntary summer learning programs can help disadvantaged students catch up and succeed in school, but consistent attendance is crucial.

  • Senior couple reading a brochure they received in the mail

    Scams Team Helps Tackle Mass Marketing Fraud

    Sep 1, 2016

    Mass marketing fraud affects all members of society, regardless of their age, class, occupation, socio-economic background, race, or gender. The National Trading Standards Scams Team is helping to reduce the impact of mass marketing fraud on consumers in England and Wales.

  • Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu participates in a forum hosted by the Center for American Progress in Washington, DC, November 10, 2015

    Israel's Iran Policies After the Nuclear Deal

    Aug 29, 2016

    Israel was one of the most vocal opponents of the Iran nuclear talks. But once the nuclear deal became a reality, Israel's attention turned to nonnuclear challenges, particularly Iran's growing role in Syria.

  • An orthopedics doctor holding an x-ray image and talking to a patient

    Cost Savings Possible from Reducing Use of Low-Value Health Services

    Aug 29, 2016

    The first national study to examine spending on a wide array of low-value health services among adults with commercial health insurance finds that while use of such services is modest, there is considerable potential for cost savings.

  • The Glen Canyon Dam in northern Arizona was built to provide hydroelectricity and flow regulation from the upper Colorado River Basin to the lower

    Using High-Performance Computing to Support Water Resource Planning

    Aug 25, 2016

    Researchers from RAND and the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory used high-performance computer simulations to stress-test several water management strategies over many plausible future scenarios in near real time.

  • Students in the hall

    Can Technology Make Schools Safer?

    Aug 22, 2016

    Concerns about violence have led many schools to seek out safety technologies such as metal detectors, anonymous “tip lines,” and video surveillance systems. How effective are these at helping schools prevent and respond to threats and acts of violence?

  • Veteran filling out job application

    More Research Would Inform Innovative Approaches to Veteran Employment

    Aug 22, 2016

    While the aim of veteran employment programs is to help veterans transition to civilian jobs, their impact is unclear. RAND hosted two workshops to recommend improvements to veteran employment opportunities and identify research gaps.

  • Pharmacist discussing prescription with customer

    Prescription Drug Use Rises, Out-of-Pocket Spending Drops Among Those Newly Insured Under the ACA

    Aug 17, 2016

    A study of nearly 7 million prescription drug users' experiences provides strong evidence that the Affordable Care Act has increased treatment rates while reducing out-of-pocket spending, particularly for those with certain chronic health conditions.

  • The ISIS hashtag is seen typed into a Twitter smartphone app, February 6, 2016

    Examining ISIS Support and Opposition on Twitter

    Aug 16, 2016

    ISIS uses Twitter to inspire followers, recruit fighters, and spread its message. Its opponents use Twitter to denounce the group. An analysis of the communities opposed to ISIS suggests inroads for influence that the U.S. government's social media strategy should explore.

  • A child's handprint drawing

    Options for Investing in Access to High-Quality Preschool in Cincinnati

    Aug 16, 2016

    Like many other major American cities, Cincinnati is seeking to expand access to and raise the quality of preschool programs, especially for its most vulnerable kids. What are the city's options?

  • Spider web

    Growth of the Online Illicit Drugs Trade

    Aug 8, 2016

    Silk Road was the first major online marketplace for illegal goods on the hidden web. Since the FBI took it down in 2013, copycats have filled the void. Transactions for illicit drugs on cryptomarkets have tripled and revenues have doubled.

  • Teenage girl looking at a pregnancy test

    Getting to Outcomes® Guide for Teen Pregnancy Prevention

    Aug 5, 2016

    This guide is designed to help organizations assess the need for and select a teen pregnancy prevention program, identify specific goals and outcomes, create a detailed plan, identify and use evaluation measures, and apply data for program improvement.

  • The American flag reflects in the glasses of an Army officer in Ghazni province, Afghanistan, April 22, 2012

    U.S. Military Pay Tables and Retention

    Aug 3, 2016

    To help retain America's most experienced service members, Congress extended the military's basic pay tables to 40 years in 2007. Would retention be equally achieved by reverting to a 30-year pay table?

  • U.S. National Security Adviser Susan Rice listens as Chinese State Councilor Yang Jiechi speaks during a meeting in Beijing, China, July 25, 2016

    Exploring the Course and Consequences of a Sino-U.S. War

    Jul 28, 2016

    Premeditated war between the United States and China is very unlikely. But the danger that a mishandled crisis could trigger hostilities cannot be ignored. A new analysis illuminates various paths a war could take and their possible effects.

  • Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and interior ministers from Oman, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, and Bahrain before their meeting in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, April 27, 2016

    The Outlook for Arab Gulf Cooperation

    Jul 26, 2016

    Understanding what binds and divides the six Gulf Cooperation Council states can help policymakers prepare for future trends in a region with high stakes for U.S. strategic interests.

  • An Afghan Local Police recruit receives his certificate of completion on graduation day in Ghazni province, Afghanistan, September 26, 2013

    Afghan Government Support for Local Police Program Is Shaky

    Jul 21, 2016

    Established by U.S. and NATO special operations forces, the Afghan Local Police program was designed to become part of the Afghan Ministry of Interior Affairs (MOI). The MOI has made progress in logistics, personnel management, and training activities, but faces serious gaps in its ability to sustain the program.

  • A man enters a polling station as voters take part in the final 2016 U.S. Democratic primary in Washington, DC

    How Might Clinton and Trump Fare in the General Election?

    Jul 18, 2016

    Data from primary season suggest that Hillary Clinton will likely succeed in uniting her supporters and in-party castaways during the general election. Donald Trump may face a more challenging situation.

  • Person in wheelchair getting physical therapy

    Quality of Care in VA Health System Compares Well to Other Health Settings

    Jul 18, 2016

    The Veterans Affairs health care system generally performs better than or similar to other health care systems on providing safe and effective care to patients, with some exceptions.

  • Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu attends a cabinet meeting in Golan Heights, near the ceasefire line between Israel and Syria, April 17, 2016

    What Are Israel's Interests and Options in Syria?

    Jul 18, 2016

    Israel has few good options for intervening in the Syrian conflict. Why? Because there is no likely outcome that would be more favorable to Israel than Syria's violent status quo.