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Racial Equity

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RAND research has addressed racial equity from several angles. Studies have explored such topics as disparities in the U.S. criminal justice system, unequal economic opportunities and barriers to employment for people of color, the achievement gap between minority and nonminority students, and how differences in access to quality health care can affect individual and community health and well-being.

Commentary

How State Critical Race Theory Bans Could Trickle Down to the Classroom

Aug 31, 2021

Given widening achievement disparities in math and reading over the course of the pandemic, and potential blowback to teaching anything related to race or gender, avoiding any lessons on the experiences of women or people of color will be the path of least resistance in many schools. But discussing racism and sexism in a safe environment is crucial for students to become active, knowledgeable citizens.
Content

Racial Equity Policy Research: Q&A Series

Sep 7, 2021

In this Q&A series, a diverse group of RAND experts discuss their ongoing research projects and the critical questions they hope to answer.

Explore Racial Equity

Report

Strengthening Trust Between Police and the Public

Amid recent tensions between law enforcement and the public, three key questions must be answered to build the foundation for long-lasting mutual trust, especially given technological changes that are increasing transparency.

May 1, 2015
Report

Improving the Recruiting and Hiring of Los Angeles Firefighters

The city of Los Angeles should revise its hiring process for firefighters in ways that increase diversity among highly-competitive applicants, minimize processing demands on the city, and create greater transparency for applicants in minimum qualifications and selection criteria.

Jan 22, 2015
Journal Article

Minority Parents' Perspectives on Racial Socialization and School Readiness in the Early Childhood Period

Very young minority children have already been alerted by their parents to unfair treatment due to racial discrimination.

Jan 8, 2015
Commentary

Data Key to Tackling Racial Profiling in Ferguson

Authorities in Ferguson would be wise to consider following Cincinnati's example in dealing with mistrust between police and citizens after the police shooting of a young black man. The city embarked on a thorough examination of racial profiling by its police force and took steps to deal with the perception that bias was influencing the way police officers performed their duties.

Aug 21, 2014
Report

Improving Demographic Diversity in the U.S. Air Force Officer Corps

To what extent does the representation of women and racial and ethnic minorities in the Air Force match the make-up of the general population? Despite the Air Force's efforts, minority groups and women are underrepresented in the active-duty line officer population, particularly among senior leaders.

May 20, 2014
Report

Early Education Plays Role in Bridging the 'Digital Divide'

Digital literacy plays an important role in a child's ability to succeed in school and later life. Incorporating technology into early childhood education help close the “digital divide” that separates low-income students and their more-advantaged peers.

Mar 3, 2014
Report

Education and Vocational Training in Prisons Reduces Recidivism, Improves Job Outlook

Inmates who participate in correctional education programs have a 43 percent lower odds of returning to prison than those who do not. Employment after release is 13 percent higher among prisoners who participated in either academic or vocational education programs than those who did not.

Aug 22, 2013
Report

Limiting the Potential for Racial Profiling of Immigration Laws

Law enforcement agencies should be required to collect data that can be used to monitor the implementation of state and local immigration enforcement laws, to ensure that they are applied in a race-blind manner.

May 3, 2013
Report

How Can Police Departments Use Lessons Learned by the Military to Develop a Diverse Workforce?

Lessons from the military can be used to inform police personnel management who are concerned about recruiting and promoting a racially/ethnically diverse workforce: qualified minority candidates are available, career paths impact diversity, and departments should leverage organizational commitment to diversity.

Dec 10, 2012
Journal Article

Racial/Ethnic Disparities in Medicare Part D Experiences

Racial/ethnic minorities report more difficulties in getting drugs and needed information through Medicare's Part D program. However, quality improvement efforts may reduce these disparities in beneficiary experience with prescription drug coverage.

Oct 29, 2012
Blog

Understanding the Roots of Dramatic Black-White Cancer Disparities in the Nation's Capital

The burden of cancer is not experienced equally across the population: Nationwide, black Americans have higher rates of death from cancer than white Americans, and nowhere has this disparity been more apparent than in the nation's capital, writes Rebecca Anhang Price.

Oct 22, 2012
Report

Cancer Disparities Between D.C. Blacks and Whites Greater Than Those Nationwide

Across the United States in 2009, overall cancer incidence was 4 percent higher among blacks than among whites. The disparity was more striking in Washington, D.C., where the overall cancer incidence among black residents was 54 percent higher than the incidence among white residents.

Sep 6, 2012
Commentary

Victims of Terrorism-by-Mistaken-Identity

Perpetrators of hate-crimes against Sikhs often think they're attacking Muslims. This may not make the slaughter any more or less heinous, but it's another example of hatred flowing from ignorance, writes Jonah Blank.

Aug 8, 2012
Report

Identifying Barriers to Diversity in Law Enforcement Agencies

Law enforcement agencies can use barrier analysis, a method of assessment aimed at identifying potential obstacles to obtaining resources or participating in a program, to better understand and address the challenge of creating diversity among their personnel.

Jul 26, 2012
Commentary

Dropping Out, Imprisoned or Killed: Disparities in Outcomes Faced by Young African American Men

Boys and men of color—in particular, young African American men—are particularly vulnerable to racial and ethnic disparities. That such disparities exist should surprise no one. Nor should the fact that such disparities diminish the life chances of those affected, writes Lois M. Davis.

Aug 26, 2011
Report

Methods for Assessing Racially Biased Policing

Discusses an array of methods that have been used to assess, using data on stops made by police officers, the existence or extent of racially biased policing.

Jul 29, 2011
Report

Cincinnati Police Department Traffic Stops: Analyzing Racial Disparities

RAND has developed a fair, yet rigorous approach to analyzing traffic stop data for racial bias. Based on five years of data from the Cincinnati Police Department, the approach addresses bias in the decision to stop, flags officers with disparate stop patterns, and assesses bias in search and citation rates.

Sep 25, 2009
Multimedia

Reparable Harm: Assessing Disparities Faced by Boys and Men of Color in California

In this Congressional Briefing held on August 10, 2009, Rebecca Kilburn, director of the Promising Practices Network on Children, Families and Communities and of RAND Child Policy, discusses the disparities for boys and men of color relative to their white counterparts across specific socioeconomic, health, safety, and school readiness indicators in California.

Aug 10, 2009
Report

Report Quantifies Level of Disadvantage Faced by Boys and Men of Color in California

The first multi-dimensional effort to quantify the disparities faced by African-American and Latino boys and men in California across a broad spectrum of health and social factors provides a disquieting outlook for their lives.

Jan 4, 2009
Report

Path to Diversity Success Varies According to Company's History, Culture, Mission

Companies recognized for exemplary diversity may follow a core set of motives and behaviors, but best practices alone do not always contribute to a high level of diversity.

Jan 1, 2008

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