RAND Social and Economic Well-Being Commentary

Commentary from RAND researchers on topics related to social and economic well-being.

Social Determinants of Health
New Data on How We're Measuring a Culture of Health
Sep 13, 2019
Alonzo L. Plough, Anita Chandra
We are seeing small but positive changes in the appreciation of the social determinants of health and the need for broader community health investments. People are expanding their views of what influences health and there have been some targeted improvements in health care and public health access. Yet, the critical systemic changes needed for more transformative health improvements have been slower to follow.
Crime and Violence Prevention
'Stand Your Ground' Laws May Be Causing More Harm Than Good
Sep 12, 2019
Andrew R. Morral @AndrewMorral, Rosanna Smart @RosannaSmart
Americans have debated whether “stand your ground” laws or gun-free zones make us safer or less safe for decades. These are debates about factual matters that are, in principle, knowable. Without research on these and other topics, bad laws will inadvertently be passed or retained.
Environmental Pollution
We Built an App to Detect Areas Most Vulnerable to Life-Threatening Haze
Sep 10, 2019
Tianjia Liu, Miriam Elizabeth Marlier, et al.
Forest and land-use fires are ravaging Indonesia's Sumatra and Kalimantan islands. Haze from these fires threatens lives as inhaling smoke can cause heart and respiratory diseases, leading to premature deaths. We developed a new online tool to provide decision-makers with information to protect people living downwind from the fires.
Disaster Recovery Operations
Hurricane Recovery in the Bahamas: Turning Good Intentions into Good Decisions
Sep 6, 2019
Melissa L. Finucane @MelissaFinucane, Joie D. Acosta
Recovery in the Bahamas will have to be a balancing act. Plans will need to allow for transition toward long-term strategic goals for the nation, but also be mindful of not perpetuating inequities.
Autonomous Vehicles
Bargain-Hunting Robocars Could Spell the End for Downtown Parking—Cities Need to Plan Ahead Now
Aug 29, 2019
Corey Harper, Constantine Samaras
Imagine a scene from the near-future: You get dropped off downtown by a driverless car. You slam the door and head into your office or appointment. But then where does the autonomous vehicle go? It's a question that cities would be wise to consider now. Self-driving cars may be on the roads within the next decade or two.
Environmental Science and Technology
How Citizen Scientists Are Protecting Their Communities
Aug 29, 2019
After Superstorm Sandy, residents of Sunset Park, Brooklyn cleaned up debris, pumped out basements, and teamed up with researchers to find out what was in the floodwater. They established safety protocols to help local businesses prevent their chemicals from escaping and wrote a guide to help other communities.
Crime and Violence Prevention
No Need to Wait for Congress to Address Mass Shootings
Aug 23, 2019
John S. Hollywood, Jordan Reimer
After three mass shootings in the span of a week left 53 wounded and 34 dead, pressure is mounting on Congress to respond with legislation to restrict access to guns and ammunition. But there is no need to wait for new laws. There are steps that can be taken immediately that evidence suggests could help prevent attacks or reduce the death toll from them.
Catastrophic Liability Risk Management
Allocating Costs for California Wildfires
Jul 24, 2019
Lloyd Dixon
Wildfires in California have caused and will likely continue to cause substantial losses for residents, businesses, and government agencies. It is important to distribute these losses in a manner that provides incentives to reduce their magnitude over time.
Community Health and Well-Being
How Pittsburgh Is Addressing Social and Economic Disparities
Jul 2, 2019
Pittsburgh has been taking a hard look at race, wealth, and opportunity. In partnership with RAND, the city has run and published its numbers on subjects ranging from police contacts to business ownership to graduation rates as part of a commitment to do better.
Transportation Safety
How to End U.S. Roadway Deaths by 2050
Jun 24, 2019
Tens of thousands of people die on American roads every year. Bringing that number down to zero by 2050 is possible. We would have to change how we think about road safety, stop accepting car crashes as accidents, and make smart investments in technology.
Drug Markets and Supply
China's Ban on Fentanyl Drugs Won't Likely Stem America's Opioid Crisis
May 22, 2019
Bryce Pardo @brycepardo, Beau Kilmer @BeauKilmer
Given China's recent decision to ban the unauthorized manufacture of fentanyl, authorities there appear to recognize a growing problem. But China cannot solve the U.S. opioid problem. The United States could do more to reduce demand for opioids as well as drug users' exposure to these powerful drugs.
Childhood Trauma
Childhood Trauma Is More Common Than You Think. This School-Based Intervention Can Help
Apr 23, 2019
A program developed at RAND helps children exposed to trauma confront and subdue their stress and anxiety. The program grew out of the 1990s street violence of South Los Angeles and has since helped kids from Newtown to Fukushima. Researchers are tailoring this intervention for children in Puerto Rico whose lives were upended by hurricanes.
Social and Emotional Learning
What Two New Studies Reveal About Restorative Justice in Middle School
Apr 17, 2019
Joie D. Acosta, Catherine H. Augustine, et al.
There are many nuances to the implementation and impact of restorative practices. This suggests that continued experimentation could allow school districts to realize the benefits of instituting these practices and reduce the cost of doing so.
Opioids
A Holistic Approach to Solving the Opioid Crisis
Apr 15, 2019
While federal, state and, local governments deploy strategies to tackle the opioid crisis, the problem continues to proliferate. RAND researchers suggest that these strategies fail to solve the larger problem because they've largely been developed in silos. The opioid crisis is an ecosystem, and mitigating the problem will require a holistic approach.
Neighborhood Influences on Health
Pittsburgh's Hill District Is Losing More Than a Supermarket
Apr 1, 2019
Tamara Dubowitz @TamaraDubowitz, La'Vette Wagner
When the Shop 'n Save in Pittsburgh's Hill District closed its doors for good, residents lost the ability to go to a supermarket near their homes. But they also lost something less tangible: a symbol of hope, opportunity, and change for their neighborhood.
Water Resources Management
How to Ensure Quality Drinking Water Service for All? One Option Is Fewer Utilities.
Mar 26, 2019
David Catt, Michelle E. Miro, et al.
California's Human Right to Water Bill declares that “every human being has the right to safe, clean, affordable, and accessible water.” One clear barrier to reaching this target is the sheer number of small water utilities that pose service sustainability and public health risks to their customers.
Refugees
Economic Burden or Opportunity? How Syrian Refugees Can Contribute to Local Economies
Mar 25, 2019
Fadia Afashe, Louay Constant
The influx of refugees escaping the war in Syria has placed an enormous economic burden on the countries that host them. Despite the challenges, host countries have an opportunity to capitalize on the presence of refugees to grow their own economies for the mutual benefit of all.

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Climate Change and U.S. Security in the Arctic

The U.S. Workforce Development and Employment System Needs an Overhaul

Beyond Hawks and Doves: A Better Way to Debate U.S.–China Policy

Elevating Teacher Voices, Along with Their Salaries to Professionalize Teaching in Louisiana

Improving Gender Diversity in the U.S. Coast Guard

The Policy Currents Podcast

Helping Children Cope with Trauma: A School-Based Intervention

Planning for the Rising Costs of Dementia

Addressing the Invisible Wounds of War

Helping Coastal Communities Plan for Climate Change

RAND Social and Economic Well-Being Commentary

New Data on How We're Measuring a Culture of Health

'Stand Your Ground' Laws May Be Causing More Harm Than Good

We Built an App to Detect Areas Most Vulnerable to Life-Threatening Haze

Hurricane Recovery in the Bahamas: Turning Good Intentions into Good Decisions

Bargain-Hunting Robocars Could Spell the End for Downtown Parking—Cities Need to Plan Ahead Now

How Citizen Scientists Are Protecting Their Communities

No Need to Wait for Congress to Address Mass Shootings

Allocating Costs for California Wildfires

How Pittsburgh Is Addressing Social and Economic Disparities

How to End U.S. Roadway Deaths by 2050

China's Ban on Fentanyl Drugs Won't Likely Stem America's Opioid Crisis

Childhood Trauma Is More Common Than You Think. This School-Based Intervention Can Help

What Two New Studies Reveal About Restorative Justice in Middle School

A Holistic Approach to Solving the Opioid Crisis

Pittsburgh's Hill District Is Losing More Than a Supermarket

How to Ensure Quality Drinking Water Service for All? One Option Is Fewer Utilities.

Economic Burden or Opportunity? How Syrian Refugees Can Contribute to Local Economies

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