Policy Currents | The latest RAND updates
View in Browser: [link removed]


** RAND research and commentary on the issues that matter most
------------------------------------------------------------
April 28, 2022


Time for a Peacekeeping Operation in Northern Ukraine?

Now that the Russian military in Ukraine has retreated to positions in Belarus and Russia - presumably to refit and rearm before moving east - a de facto cease-fire is in place in Kyiv and central Ukraine.

According to RAND's Daniel Gerstein and Douglas Ligor, this could present an opportunity for the U.N. to call for a formal cease-fire in reclaimed territory and recommend that willing states move into northern Ukraine with a peacekeeping force.

There are challenges to taking this course of action, and some may argue that establishing a U.N.- or NATO-led peacekeeping mission would be escalatory. Still, now may be a good time to consider it, Gerstein and Ligor say: "The current situation - growing evidence of war crimes, continued apparent orchestrated attacks and criminality against Ukraine’s population, and the demonstrated violations of the law of armed conflict - does not seem sustainable."

Read more: [link removed]


The Geostrategic Consequences of Russia's War

Russia's aggression in Ukraine may prove to be even riskier and costlier than once thought, say RAND's William Courtney and Peter Wilson. They recently broke down some of the long-term geostrategic consequences that are coming into focus. For instance, Russian atrocities appear to have shattered the Kremlin's attempts to sow divisions in the United States and Europe. Further, Ukraine's bravery could hearten proponents of democracy elsewhere and discourage dictators.

Read more: [link removed]

A New Response to Synthetic Opioids

Around 100,000 Americans died of drug overdoses between April 2020 and April 2021. Nearly two-thirds of those deaths involved synthetic opioids. With guidance from RAND, the Commission on Combating Synthetic Opioid Trafficking recently called for a whole-of-nation effort help address this problem. RAND's David Luckey, a senior international defense researcher, and Jayme Fuglesten, director of Congressional Relations, discuss the commission's recommendations in a new Q&A.

Read more: [link removed]


How to Improve Long-Term Outcomes for Veterans with Traumatic Brain Injury

The U.S. Department of Defense estimates that almost half a million service members sustained a traumatic brain injury (TBI) in the past two decades. In a new report, RAND researchers examine the profound effect that TBIs have on veterans throughout their lives; consider the unanswered questions about the effectiveness of treatments and interventions; and offer recommendations for improving care and support for veterans and caregivers.

Read more: [link removed]


Raising the Minimum Wage Lowers the Divorce Rate Among Poor Americans

When states increased their minimum hourly wage by $1, divorce rates among low-income Americans declined by 7 to 15 percent over the next two years. That's according to a new study by researchers at UCLA and RAND. The findings suggest that raising wages may be more effective at helping disadvantaged families than federal programs focused on communication and coping skills. In other words, when the lives of poorer families become easier, it appears that family relationships become easier, too.

Read more: [link removed]


The Risks of Geoengineering

Geoengineering - the intentional manipulation of the climate - could help curb global warming, but it may also have world-altering consequences. In a new animated video, RAND artists-in-residence Juan Delcan and Valentina Izaguirre take a lighthearted look at this serious issue. The plot: A feverish Earth visits the doctor and learns about a new "treatment," geoengineering. Of course, there are serious side effects that she must consider.

Watch the video: [link removed]


** Trending Reports
------------------------------------------------------------
How Extremism Operates Online
[link removed]


Commercial Space Capabilities and Market Overview
[link removed]


** RAND in the News
------------------------------------------------------------
Bryce Pardo on Biden Administration Drug Control Policy
C-SPAN, Washington Journal
[link removed]


Kim Jong Un Puts ICBMs on Parade with Vow to Expand Nuke Program
Bloomberg
[link removed]


Why Has the Russian Military Performed Worse Than Expected?
The Hundred
[link removed]


** Subscribe to the Policy Currents Podcast
------------------------------------------------------------
You already get the latest insights from RAND in your inbox. Why not your earbuds? Policy Currents is available as a weekly podcast. New episodes every Friday.

Subscribe now: [link removed]


** Follow RAND
------------------------------------------------------------
The RAND Corporation is a nonprofit institution that helps improve policy and decisionmaking through research and analysis.

[link removed]

Twitter
[link removed]

Facebook
[link removed]

LinkedIn
[link removed]

Instagram
[link removed]


Privacy statement
[link removed]

Unsubscribe
[link removed]

Manage your subscriptions
[link removed]


RAND Corporation
1776 Main Street
Santa Monica, CA 90401-3208

RAND is a registered trademark.