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Reports

Russia

How Are European Countries Vulnerable to Russia?

Jan 18, 2017

Larrabee, et al.

Russia's aggression against Ukraine has highlighted potential threats to NATO and the EU. But European countries differ in how susceptible they are to possible Russian actions.
United States

Domestic Political Discord Is Now the Greatest Threat to U.S. Global Leadership

Jan 18, 2017

Hoehn, et al.

The United States needs a coherent international strategy for today's turbulent world. But this will be hard to pursue without more domestic political consensus on America's global role.
Emerging Technologies

Preparing the U.S. Legal System for Emerging Technologies

Jan 10, 2017

Jackson, et al.

Personal technology gathers data that can be useful in criminal justice proceedings. But this can also pose challenges for protecting individual rights. Identifying future conflicts ahead of time can help.
Autonomous Vehicles

Don't Rely Solely on Test-Driving to Assess AV Safety

Jan 9, 2017

Americans drive three trillion miles a year and cause one death every 100 million miles. To prove they are safer than human drivers, autonomous vehicles would have to be test-driven astronomical distances. Regulators should pursue other ways of reducing uncertainty about their safety.
Syria

How to Prevent State Collapse in Syria

Jan 9, 2017

Parasiliti @ATParasiliti, et al.

Syria will likely be a weak state in a volatile region when its civil war ends. How can U.S. policy create conditions for a transition that helps fight terrorism and preserve state institutions?
Veteran Health Care

Supporting the U.S. Air Force's Wounded Warriors

Jan 6, 2017

Sims, et al.

A high proportion of airmen injured in combat experience mental health issues. And 15 percent of those surveyed were unemployed. Recovery and reintegration are likely to take a long time. This will require ongoing program evaluation and continuous efforts to improve program offerings.

Blog Posts

Marijuana

Trump's Marijuana Options

Jan 17, 2017

Kilmer @BeauKilmer

The new administration will have at least six options for addressing marijuana — they are not mutually exclusive and each comes with tradeoffs. Importantly, they are all compatible with a federal approach that encourages and supports discussions about marijuana prohibition and its alternatives.
Domestic Terrorism

The Wrong Terrorism Narrative

Jan 15, 2017

Willis @HenryHWillis

Solving the problem of homegrown terrorism in the U.S. requires understanding the true nature of the complex problem of violent extremism. With such knowledge, authorities and communities will be better able to develop strategies to prevent the next tragic terrorist killing.
Russia

Iran Is at Putin's Mercy

Jan 12, 2017

Nader @AlirezaNader

Russia and Iran have forged an unprecedented, but fragile alliance in the Middle East. But there's no guarantee that Putin won't sell Iran out if he manages to forge better U.S. relations under Trump.
Politics and Government

Hey Washington Experts — Don't Roll Your Eyes Over Trump, Roll Up Your Sleeves

Jan 12, 2017

Spirtas

Policy experts do not want to be irrelevant or ignored. The Trump administration does not want to fail, and needs to generate winning policies. By working together, the administration and the policy community could help one another, and, more importantly, the nation.
Counterterrorism

Mali's Persistent Jihadist Problem

Jan 12, 2017

Chivvis @CChivvis

The 2013 French intervention in Mali averted an al Qaeda-backed thrust toward the capital of Bamako and reduced the threat from other jihadist groups. To ensure a new threat does not materialize in Mali, France will need staying power and support from its European partners and the U.S.
Affordable Care Act

Repeal-and-Delay Would Make Budget Neutrality for ACA Replacement Difficult

Jan 11, 2017

Eibner @Chrissyeibner

As Congress considers repealing and replacing the Affordable Care Act it will need to consider how federal budget scoring can affect the fate of legislation. Depending on the ultimate cost of a replacement, finding enough savings to offset costs while maintaining budget neutrality could make it difficult to pass a replacement.

Multimedia and Infographics

International Diplomacy

Trump and Russia: Challenges and Opportunities

Jan 13, 2017

In this Call with the Experts, our panel discusses the risks and opportunities that lie ahead with respect to U.S.-Russian relations.
Health Insurance

The RAND Health Insurance Experiment: A Retrospective at 40 Years

Jan 12, 2017

In June 2016, RAND hosted a two-day celebration to mark the 40th anniversary of the RAND Health Insurance Experiment (HIE), the largest, most comprehensive, evidence-based health policy study in U.S. history.
Artificial Intelligence

What Is the Future of Artificial Intelligence?

Dec 14, 2016

In this Events @ RAND podcast, a panel of experts discusses the role of AI in society, including its incredible promise and the pressing concerns it presents.
Incarceration

Why Correctional Education Matters

Dec 11, 2016

RAND research on correctional education explores the effects on recidivism and post-release employment outcomes, as well as its cost-effectiveness.
Sleep

Sleepy Teens: A Public Health Epidemic

Dec 4, 2016

RAND's Wendy Troxel discusses how early school start times contribute to an epidemic of sleep deprivation among teens.
Marijuana

Legalizing Weed: Not a Simple Vote

Oct 18, 2016

In this Call with the Experts, Beau Kilmer, codirector of the RAND Drug Policy Research Center, discusses the controversy surrounding marijuana policy and highlights issues policymakers and voters should consider before making their decisions.