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RAND's research on law, business, and government includes analyses of the criminal and civil justice systems, governments and political systems, international trade and economic development, and the banking and finance sectors. Notable studies have addressed the effects of gun policies in the United States and liability in the age of autonomous vehicles.

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New Tool Shows State-by-State Firearm Policies and Death Rates
An online tool allows users to see how firearm death rates vary across the United States and explore how changes in gun policy might affect those rates for each state. It shows that states in the northeast and the coastal west have the lowest firearm death rates, while states in the south and mountain west have rates that are especially high.
Feb 22, 2023
Commentary
Senate Bill 9's Underwhelming First Year Shouldn't Be a Surprise; It Was by Design
In 2021, the California state Legislature passed legislation allowing a streamlined pathway for homeowners to produce duplexes and split lots. But a year after the law took effect, the resulting housing production pipeline looks to be trivial. Why has the law that some were convinced would make the sky fall barely registered?
Feb 10, 2023

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Report
How Did COVID-19 Affect Prison Education?
Many U.S. correctional systems shut down or cut back on education and vocational programs because of the pandemic. But having to adapt to COVID-19 restrictions helped accelerate the adoption of online and hybrid learning models and the use of technology for prison education programs.
Mar 23, 2023
Periodical
RAND Review: March-April 2023
The cover story describes how K-12 schools can build trust with students to increase threat reporting and strengthen school safety. The Q&A with Ashley Woo explores how restrictions on race- and gender-related topics are affecting teachers.
Mar 22, 2023
Essay
The Time to Prevent Shortfalls in Critical Materials Is Now
China's domination of the rare earth market is a matter of economic and national security concern. Existing plans to diversify the market and help the United States break its reliance on China likely don't go far enough or fast enough, and the clock is running.
Mar 20, 2023
Blog
Opioids in America, Silicon Valley Bank, Semiconductors: RAND Weekly Recap
This weekly recap focuses on addressing America's illicit opioids problem, Silicon Valley Bank’s demise, Taiwan’s semiconductor dominance, and more.
Mar 17, 2023
News Release
On World Sleep Day, New Research Reveals the Socioeconomic Impact of Insomnia on Global Populations
Insomnia is the most common sleep disorder and exacts a significant toll on an individual's mental and physical health, quality of life, and productivity. But the consequences of insomnia go well beyond the individual, with cascading effects on families, employers, and global economies.
Mar 17, 2023
Testimony
Evaluation of the California County Resentencing Pilot Program
The California County Resentencing Pilot Program was established in 2021 and will run through September 1, 2024. In the program's first year, what were some of the implementation challenges participants faced? And what are some early results from the nine pilot counties' case reviews?
Mar 17, 2023
Q&A
Amplifying Teachers' Voices: Q&A with Ashley Woo
Ashley Woo, an assistant policy researcher at RAND and a Ph.D. candidate at the Pardee RAND Graduate School, aims to bring teachers' perspectives into policymaking. In this interview, she discusses her research on teachers' responses to state restrictions on how they can address topics related to race and gender in the classroom.
Mar 16, 2023
Report
The societal and economic burden of insomnia in adults: An international study
This study sought to examine the societal and economic burden of insomnia through a literature review, secondary database analyses and economic modelling. Findings indicate a substantial burden.
Mar 16, 2023
Report
Rethinking Case Management and the Process of Civil Justice Reform: Summary and Papers Presented at a UCLA-RAND Center for Law and Public Policy Conference
This publication summarizes the discussions and presents four pieces of scholarship presented during the UCLA-RAND Center for Law and Public Policy-sponsored "Rethinking Civil Case Management" conference.
Mar 15, 2023
Commentary
Financial Panic in the Age of Digital Banking and Social Media
Bank runs as a source of systemic risk are nothing new. To manage systemic risks in the age of social media, regulators may need to anticipate where the crisis will go and build in automatic brakes to slow them down. There likely won't be time to react at the speed of negotiation between regulators and bankers.
Mar 14, 2023
Commentary
Reducing Racial Disparities in VA Disability Compensation Decisions
Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary Denis McDonough recently announced formation of an equity team to examine and address racial differences in disability compensation grant rates. This is encouraging progress, particularly after years of reluctance on the part of the department to acknowledge there might be a problem.
Mar 13, 2023
Report
Talent Management and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in the Department of the Air Force: Qualitative Review of Programs, Practices, and Partnerships
Researchers conduct a qualitative literature review and interviews with subject-matter experts to identify the Department of the Air Force's existing and planned efforts to improve diversity, equity, and inclusion in its military force.
Mar 9, 2023
Commentary
Consequences of the War in Ukraine: The Economic Fallout
Before Russia invaded Ukraine, projections estimated global economic growth in 2022 would be around 5 percent. But the war in Ukraine contributed to slowed economic growth in 2022 and a slowed recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. What are the broader consequences for the global economy?
Mar 7, 2023
Journal Article
Evaluation Framework for the Strength in Places Fund: A Report for UK Research and Innovation (UKRI)
This report sets out the evaluation framework for the Strength in Places Fund. It includes a process evaluation to understand what has worked in the design and delivery of the fund and an impact evaluation to understand what SIPF has achieved.
Mar 7, 2023
Commentary
Consequences of the War in Ukraine: Two Areas of Contention—Turkey and the Balkans
Turkey is navigating a narrow path between its NATO commitments and its relationship with Russia. The Western Balkans remain an arena of competition between pro-Russian and pro-Western elements. It's not clear how events might play out, but there are indications and track records.
Mar 6, 2023
Report
Strategic advantage in a competitive age: Definitions, dynamics and implications
SONAC commissioned RAND Europe to refine their working definition of strategic advantage. The team developed case studies and conducted expert workshops to explore the types of advantage and how actors seek to maintain and exploit their advantages.
Mar 6, 2023
Report
Quantifying the link between COVID-19, conflict risk, and the global economy
Our research suggests that COVID-19 will significantly increase the risk of civil conflict in African countries. We estimate this effect will, in turn, have negative global repercussions via international trade losses.
Mar 3, 2023
Commentary
To Heal Russia, Exorcise Fear
In ordering the invasion of Ukraine, Russian President Vladimir Putin and his ex-KGB cohort in the Kremlin have invited disaster on Russia. For centuries, Russia's secret police have caused the country harm and terrorized its people. Only by easing its deadly grip might Russians gain freedom.
Mar 2, 2023
Commentary
Consequences of the War in Ukraine: A Bleak Outlook for Russia
Whatever may happen in Ukraine or in Russia, things will never be the same. A Russian failure in Ukraine could lead to escalation and a world-changing wider war, or it could lead to dramatic changes within Russia. Either outcome would make for a very different world.
Feb 28, 2023
Report
Identifying Types of Sexual Assault and Harassment in the Army Can Inform Prevention Efforts
Sexual assault prevention efforts in the Army are heavily oriented to the kinds of assaults seen in college populations. But in the Army, a much larger fraction of sexual assaults have male victims; are done with the intent to abuse, bully, or haze; involve multiple perpetrators; do not involve alcohol; or occur in the workplace.
Feb 24, 2023

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Research conducted by

Researcher Spotlight

Natalie Picken

Senior Analyst

Natalie Picken (she/her) is a senior analyst at RAND Europe, working in the area of home affairs and social policy. She has research interests and experience in research projects spanning employment, criminal justice systems, child and family policy, and education. Methodologically, Picken has…
Travis Hubble

Ph.D. Student, Pardee RAND Graduate School, and Assistant Policy Researcher, RAND

Travis Hubble is a Ph.D. student in the Research, Analysis, and Design stream at Pardee RAND Graduate School and an assistant policy analyst at RAND. He has a J.D. and an M.A. in philosophy from Boston University and a B.A. from Brigham Young University. Prior to coming to RAND he served in the…

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