Publications from the RAND Justice Policy program cover topics related to public safety and the performance of the U.S. criminal justice system for federal law enforcement and other agencies, police departments, and other clients.
RAND Justice Policy also conducts research on topics related to civil justice through the RAND Institute of Civil Justice (ICJ).
RAND Justice Policy publications are categorized in the following issue areas; some publications are cross-listed in multiple categories:
Forensic DNA databases help solve crimes after the investigative trail has gone cold. Familial DNA and moderate stringency searches are logical extensions in cases where there is no exact DNA match, but these methods are not widely used. The authors present evidence from current practices in the United States, England, and Wales to support policymakers as they make decisions on the use and effects of familial and moderate stringency search.
This tool shows criminal justice policymakers how state policies affect the size and racial composition of forensic DNA databases. Users can view current state policies or change inputs and assumptions to see how database composition is impacted.
In this article, we examined characteristics of adolescents who reported DUI and RWID in the past year using a baseline survey and then assessed associations between baseline reports of DUI and RWID with reports of alcohol and marijuana use and consequences 6 months later.
The overdose crisis in North America continues to worsen, prompting many jurisdictions to consider opening supervised consumption sites (SCS) that allow individuals to consume street-sourced drugs under medical supervision.
This report provides detailed information about state-legal cannabis production and sales in Washington, as well as insights about the total amount of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) obtained from legal and illegal sources by Washington residents. In the third year after implementing a regulatory system for cannabis, between 40 percent and 60 percent of THC obtained by state residents was likely purchased in Washington's state-licensed stores.
This report presents challenges and needs associated with threats to correctional institution safety and security, including violence, contraband, and compromised staff members. In light of the ongoing challenges the corrections sector faces in countering these threats, RAND researchers convened an expert workshop to better understand the challenges and identify the high-priority needs associated with threats to institutional security.
Los Angeles County is home to the largest jail system in the world and has one of the most acute homelessness problems in the United States. This report presents early interim findings about an initiative that provides housing coupled with case management: Six-month and 12-month housing stability rates were 91 percent and 74 percent, respectively, and of the cohort placed in housing more than a year ago, 14 percent had new felony convictions.
An expert panel of law enforcement leaders identified challenges facing law enforcement today; their priorities are presented in this report. Panel members reported feeling that the challenges were tractable but that addressing them will take concerted and collective effort across the criminal justice community, including stakeholders from local communities, social service providers, vendors, and researchers.
Evaluates a large-scale effort to significantly increase certainty and celerity of sanction for an offense while keeping severity low.
Existing civil liability law is flexible enough to address most hacked autonomous vehicle claims. Manufacturers and operators will need to stay abreast of attacks and take precautions to avoid similar attacks and reduce liability exposure.
