About the Homeland Security Program
Research in the Homeland Security Program supports numerous governmental agencies at the federal, state and local levels and entities in the private sector. That support includes work for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the U.S. Department of Justice, and other agencies charged with preventing and mitigating the effects of terrorist activity within U.S. borders, as well as improving preparedness, response, and recovery from natural disasters. Projects in this program include national preparedness, critical infrastructure protection, cybersecurity, emergency management, terrorism risk management, security cost-benefit analyses, border security, enhanced capabilities for responders, domestic threat assessments, domestic intelligence, and manpower and training.
Featured Project
The RAND Worldwide Terrorism Incident Knowledge Database Project — May. 23, 2008
The Terrorism Incident Database defines and categorizes terrorist attacks in order to help analysts, policymakers, and practitioners understand general trends in the threat. It is based on over 30 years of research by analysts at RAND.
Visit the RAND Terrorism Incident Database
Selected News and Publications
A Framework for Planning Cost-Effective Rail Security Against a Terrorist Attack — Dec. 11, 2007
U.S. communities depend on reliable, safe, and secure rail systems, but such systems are vulnerable to terrorist attack. A framework developed for rail security planners and policymakers can help guide cost-effective plans to secure their rail systems from attacks.
Full Document
News ReleaseResearch Brief
Stealing the Sword – Limiting Terrorist Use of Advanced Conventional Weapons — Nov. 14, 2007
Nations that are developing advanced weapons need to agree upon anti-terrorist strategies before production begins, or they risk letting terrorists acquire and use the weapons in attacks. Efforts should focus on making security forces aware of threats posed by the weapons and developing safeguards that would render weapons inoperable to anyone other than intended operators.
Terrorism Risk Modeling for Intelligence Analysis and Infrastructure Protection — October 31, 2007
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) tries to send money to the areas most at risk of terrorism. The authors applied the same risk model used in the insurance industry, and concluded that the DHS should concentrate its resources on a small number of cities.
Network Technologies for Networked Terrorists — October 11, 2007
This book explores the role that communications and computer technologies play in how terrorists plan and conduct operations, the net effect of their use, the purpose and manner in which the technology is used, the operational actions of terrorists, and possible responses of security forces. Author conclusions and recommendations are included.
Regaining Information Superiority Against 21st-Century Insurgents — Sep. 27, 2007
U.S. counterinsurgency efforts need to exploit information power by connecting with and learning from the population itself to increase the effectiveness of both the indigenous government and the U.S. military and civilian services that support it.
Full DocumentPaper 1Paper 2Paper 3Paper 4
Should the Terrorism Risk Insurance Act of 2002 Be Extended? — June 5, 2007
Interim findings from a RAND Center for Terrorism Risk Management Policy project suggest that the Terrorism Risk Insurance Act performs well on outcomes examined for conventional attacks but not for chemical, biological, radiological, or nuclear ones.
Lessons Learned from the Army's Response to Hurricane Katrina — June 4, 2007
The U.S. Army should change the way it plans for domestic emergencies, according to this recent study, by creating 10 regional task forces in the National Guard. Each task force would be prepared to respond to natural disasters or terrorist attacks within 18 hours.
News ReleaseFull Document Visit the Arroyo Center
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