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Law Enforcement

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As one arm of the criminal justice system, law enforcement is responsible for maintaining social and public order. RAND research is relevant to many issues affecting law enforcement agencies in the United States, with a focus on public safety, quality policing and community policing, and the recruitment and retention of quality officers.

Q&A
Reducing Police Violence: Q&A with Melissa Labriola
A succession of high-profile police killings has prompted some departments and communities to seek change. But data is sparse, and research is thin. Melissa Labriola helped lead a study of police violence and developed a road map for future research that could move the field forward.
Sep 1, 2022
Commentary
What Support Do Officers Need to Perform at Their Peak?
Police1's second annual survey on “What Cops Want” shows both major strengths and substantial challenges in the profession. Law enforcement leadership can use the findings to better support and engage their officers.
Jun 14, 2022

Explore Law Enforcement

Report
Language, Labels, and the DHS Lexicon: Analysis to Support a More-Inclusive Lexicon for Securing the Homeland
The authors analyze U.S. Department of Homeland Security documentation, processes, and procedures and then identify ways to improve them and to create an organizational culture that supports the lasting implementation of more-inclusive terminology.
Jun 19, 2023
Report
Decision Aid Framework Development to Inform the Application of Federal Assistance: Improving Sharing of Criminal History Record Information for Personnel Vetting
Researchers identified factors inhibiting the provision of information to the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency from law enforcement agencies and developed a framework to help assess which areas might benefit from federal assistance.
May 3, 2023
Blog
Earthquake in Turkey and Syria, Facial Recognition, Gun Violence: RAND Weekly Recap
This weekly recap focuses on the devastating earthquake that struck Turkey and Syria, regulating the use of facial recognition technology by law enforcement, improving data collection on gun violence, and more.
Feb 17, 2023
Report
Regulating the Use of Facial Recognition by Law Enforcement
Facial recognition technology is developing rapidly and is increasingly being used in policing. What do policymakers need to understand in order to minimize the risks it poses, while also maximizing its benefits?
Feb 15, 2023
Journal Article
Study to Support an Evaluation of the European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Training (CEPOL): Final Report
This is the final report of the study to support the European Commission's evaluation of the European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Training (CEPOL).
Feb 14, 2023
Blog
State of the Union 2023: Insights from RAND
In his second State of the Union address, President Joe Biden covered a wide range of issues facing the United States at home and abroad, including police violence, gun policy, Russia's war in Ukraine, and U.S. competition with China.
Feb 8, 2023
Report
Cryptocurrency and Blockchain Needs for Law Enforcement
As cryptocurrency is increasingly used for both legitimate business transactions and illegal activities, law enforcement must adapt. In this report, researchers describe cryptocurrency-related research and development needs for law enforcement.
Jan 12, 2023
Report
A Multi-Site Evaluation of Law Enforcement Deflection in the United States
The authors describe how law enforcement deflection programs have been implemented at six U.S. sites and identify key program facilitators and barriers. The authors also conducted outcome analyses at two of the sites.
Jan 10, 2023
Essay
Hackathon Focuses on Making Policing More Equitable
Hackathons bring new ideas and perspectives to hard policy problems and introduce college students to the field of policy analysis. The latest hackathon, hosted by Pardee RAND and RAND NextGen, explored ways to make the criminal justice system more equitable and more effective.
Jan 9, 2023
Commentary
A Way Forward for Police Recruiting
Police recruiting is in a prolonged crisis. Without sufficient numbers of quality recruits, no amount of planning, strategies, or programs will succeed. It is critical to draw from a pool of interested persons who are diverse, technologically adept, and who have a spirit of community service.
Dec 16, 2022
Journal Article
Study to Support the Preparation of an Impact Assessment on EU Policy Initiatives Facilitating Cross-Border Law Enforcement Cooperation
This study aims to provide non-binding, factual and not pre-emptive recommendations for possible additional EU measures in the area of intra-EU law enforcement cooperation and to assess and compare the impacts of identified policy options.
Nov 10, 2022
News Release
Second Annual RAND-AUC Consortium Policy Hackathon to Focus on Justice Reinvestment
Undergraduate students from four Atlanta University Center (AUC) Consortium schools will collaborate with Pardee RAND doctoral students to identify potential justice reinvestment policy options during a virtual hackathon offered by the nonprofit, nonpartisan RAND Corporation, Pardee RAND Graduate School, and the AUC.
Oct 26, 2022
Report
Better Data Collection Could Support Efforts to Reduce Deaths in Police Custody
No national data collection program describes all deaths that occur in law enforcement custody. These data are critical to support strategies to reduce such fatalities, to promote public safety through appropriate police responses, and to build trust with communities.
Oct 11, 2022
Blog
Civic Education, Twitter's Bot Problem, Police Reform: RAND Weekly Recap
This weekly recap focuses civic and citizenship education in America, addressing Twitter’s bot problem, why community engagement is key to police reform, and more.
Sep 30, 2022
Commentary
Reforming Policing: A Neighborhood-by-Neighborhood Perspective
Disparities in policing outcomes, so often associated with race and ethnicity, have led to divisive discourse on the necessity of police reform in America. So how might we make progress on police reform? Ultimately, the community, in collaboration with local public officials, should determine what it means to serve and protect.
Sep 28, 2022
Blog
Veterans Health Care, Media Literacy, Sleep Retreats: RAND Weekly Recap
This weekly recap focuses on the challenges of VA community care, the importance of improving middle schoolers' media literacy skills, tips to improve sleep, and more.
Sep 9, 2022
Periodical
RAND Review: September-October 2022
The cover story is a profile of RAND's new president and CEO. Other features explore how teachers and principals have been faring in the COVID era and how to improve media literacy among middle schoolers.
Sep 8, 2022
Report
Amplifying the Speakers: Identifying High-Priority Needs for Law Enforcement Public Information Officers
Law enforcement communications staff are crucial to meeting public expectations for transparency and responsiveness to concerns, but little is known about their needs. Researchers held a workshop to identify priorities for improving the profession.
Sep 8, 2022
Report
Criminal History Record Information Sharing with the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency: Education and Training Materials for State, Local, Tribal, and Territorial Partners
This report presents materials to facilitate more effective and efficient criminal history record information sharing with the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency, which performs federal background investigations.
Sep 7, 2022
Commentary
Letters and Cards Telling People About Local Police Reduce Crime
Researchers conducted a large field experiment to deliver cards and letters to residents of a community with information about local police officers. They then evaluated how knowing some information about individuals one has never met can manifest in judgments about them and potentially reduce crime.
Sep 6, 2022

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RAND Topic:
Law Enforcement

Research conducted by

Researcher Spotlight

Elina Treyger

Senior Political Scientist

Elina Treyger is a senior political scientist at the RAND Corporation, and is also a lawyer. Her work at RAND spans topics in three areas of research: (1) homeland security (with a focus on migration, immigration enforcement, and dis- & misinformation); (2) national security and defense (with a…
Nelson Lim

Director, Workforce, Development, and Health Program, RAND Project AIR FORCE

Nelson Lim is director of the Workforce, Development, and Health (WDH) program in RAND Project AIR FORCE and a senior social scientist at the RAND Corporation. In 2022, Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III appointed Lim a member of the Defense Advisory Committee on Diversity and Inclusion…

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