The Homeland Security Operational Analysis Center (HSOAC) conducts research and analysis for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in two program areas, the Acquisition and Development Program, and the Strategy, Policy, and Operations Program.
The U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) faces a challenge in determining the optimal length of days away from home port for personnel on major cutters. The authors analyze how USCG servicemembers serving on major cutters respond to various levels of personnel tempo, as well as the effects of working conditions on these responses.
To support the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) across its missions, RAND operates the Homeland Security Operational Analysis Center (HSOAC). The HSOAC 2017–2018 Annual Report offers an overview of HSOAC capabilities, highlights how RAND is supporting the DHS mission, and looks ahead at projects in the core research programs.
The U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) depends on its fleet of more than 1,600 boats to conduct its most critical operations, which span all 11 of the USCG's statutory missions. This report contains a review of the USCG boats acquisition program and the programs of similar organizations inside and outside the USCG, possible funding and structural strategies, and recommendations for USCG leadership.
This report provides an inventory of U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) analytic capabilities in the including current capabilities in use for decisionmaking, as DHS establishes an Analytic Agenda. It details the inventory approach and enumerates the analytic capabilities of each business process owner providing a benchmark for evaluating the analytic maturity of such processes and a strategic direction to improve data collection.
Unlawful migrants from Central America apprehended at the U.S.-Mexico border each year often hire smugglers for assistance or pay others for rights of way during their journey north. The authors of this report examine what is known or knowable about the structure, operations, and financing of actors that engage in human smuggling along routes from Central America to the United States and develop a preliminary estimate of associated revenue.
RAND researchers examined the structure, operations, and financing of actors that engage in human smuggling along routes from Central America to the United States and developed a preliminary estimate of revenues associated with human smuggling.
This report documents the results of a study designed to identify the root causes of female attrition in the active-duty Coast Guard. The study analyzed trends in retention data and conducted focus groups with over 1,100 active-duty Coast Guard members. The report describes key retention factors identified through these analyses and provides recommendations for addressing identified barriers to Coast Guard female retention.
For active-duty women, many complex factors influence the decision to stay in or separate from the Coast Guard. This brief summarizes research on these factors and makes recommendations for improving female retention in the Coast Guard.
This report documents the proceedings of a Homeland Security Operational Analysis Center workshop in which key experts considered a genetic database of "sequences of interest." This effort is intended to further the understanding of the potential user base for such a database and the needs of these stakeholders, as well as potential risks related to safety, security, proprietary rights, and privacy to improve biotechnology research efforts.
Researchers examined past U.S. countering violent extremism and terrorism prevention efforts and explored options to strengthen them. This document summarizes findings from the main report.
RAND researchers examined past U.S. countering violent extremism and terrorism prevention efforts and explored options to strengthen them. They found that current capabilities are relatively limited and future efforts must build trust to succeed.
Researchers examined past U.S. countering violent extremism and terrorism prevention efforts and explored policy options to strengthen terrorism prevention in the future. They found that current terrorism prevention capabilities are relatively limited and that there is a perceived need for federal efforts to help strengthen local capacity. However, any federal efforts will need to focus on building community trust to be successful.
National biodefense is a critical element of national security. Environmental biodetection and human biosurveillance are part of the foundation of national biodefense. This report examines the Department of Homeland Security's chemical and biological defense research and development portfolio to identify priorities for future investments to effectively address biological threats.
The Joint Requirements Council (JRC) is an executive-level body in the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) charged with building a unified, effective, and efficient operational requirements process for DHS. This report offers actions to improve the JRC's efficacy, effectiveness, and ability to plan for the future. We preliminarily recommend that DHS give the JRC more authority over components and add staff to ease the JRC workload.
The Homeland Security Operational Analysis Center (HSOAC) 2016–2017 Annual Report offers an overview of HSOAC capabilities and highlights how RAND is supporting the mission of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
This report briefly summarizes a gap analysis and alternatives analysis of the Coast Guard cost-estimating workforce and provides recommendations to achieve flexibility to deal with future requirements.
This report documents a research project that focused on identifying priority potential Arctic capability gaps with respect to U.S. Coast Guard operations in the region in the present and in the 2030s. It is becoming increasingly important to determine how to operate in the region, given changing conditions and the potential for increasing activity that will drive demand for more frequent U.S. government presence across a spectrum of roles.
