Publications on Law and Governance
The Caruth Police Institute (CPI), funded by the Communities Foundation of Texas, was designed for the benefit of the Dallas Police Department to create staff development courses and to bring the expertise of academic experts and business leaders to bear on complex policing problems. This report presents a three-year evaluation of the CPI, covering development of its research activities, its impact, and its sustainability.
Implementing a Resource-Based Relative Value Scale Fee Schedule for Physician Services: An Assessment of Policy Options for the California Workers' Compensation Program — 2013
RAND researchers used 2011 medical data to examine the impact of implementing a resource-based relative value scale to pay for physician services under California's workers' compensation system. Current allowances under the Official Medical Fee Schedule are approximately 116 percent of Medicare-allowed amounts and, by law, will transition to no more than 120 percent of Medicare payment amounts over four years. This report details the researchers' findings.
Allowances for Spinal Hardware under California’s Official Medical Fee Schedule: Issues and Options — 2012
Testimony presented before the California State Senate Labor and Industrial Relations Committee on May 9, 2012.
Are There Unusually Effective Occupational Safety and Health Inspectors and Inspection Practices? — 2012
Examines the role of inspector style in influencing the effectiveness of inspections in reducing injury rates.
Evaluating the Communities Foundation of Texas's Gift to the Dallas Police Department: The Caruth Police Institute's First Leadership Course — 2012
In 2006, the Communities Foundation of Texas allocated $10 million to the Dallas Police Department to establish the W. W. Caruth Jr. Police Institute. An evaluation of the institute's first course considered participants' opinions of the course's impact on their approach to their jobs, their relationships with supervisors and subordinates, and their sense of solidarity with their coworkers.
The Injury and Illness Prevention Program (IIPP) requirement has been the most frequently cited standard in California workplace health and safety inspections almost every year since it became effective in July 1991. This evaluation of the IIPP measures program effectiveness using information on citations for violations of the program and data on worker safety in California.
The authors describe how law enforcement agencies can use barrier analysis, a method of assessment aimed at identifying potential obstacles to obtaining resources or participating in a program, to better understand and address the challenge of creating diversity in their workforces. They show how the method can mitigate barriers at various points in the career lifecycle and present case studies featuring police departments that have used the method.
This paper discusses three broad, diversity-related lessons from the Military Leadership Diversity Commission that can inform police department hiring and personnel management: qualified minority candidates are available, career paths impact diversity, and departments should leverage organizational commitment to diversity. Additionally, specific suggestions are given as to how law enforcement agencies can incorporate each of these lessons.
No More Rights Without Remedies: An Impact Evaluation of the National Crime Victim Law Institute's Victims' Rights Clinics — 2012
This report captures the scope of National Crime Victim Law Institute victims' rights clinics and describes how clinic representation affects the exercise of rights in individual cases, the legislation, court rules, appellate decisions, and media reporting pertaining to victims' rights before and after the start of the clinics.
Historically, police agencies have measured their performance against a restricted set of crime-focused indicators, but modern police officers must be prepared to take on a wide variety of roles. Performance measures should be multidimensional to capture this complexity. This report describes some key considerations in designing measures to evaluate law enforcement agencies and includes a detailed review of some international best practices.
The individual talent within any police workforce must be managed in such a way that the skills and knowledge needed to provide effective law enforcement are recognized, appropriately utilized, and fostered. This occasional paper provides an overview of a RAND methodology for creating an effective workforce development system to better align personnel with current and future force requirements.
This brief summarizes a study of how changes to the workers' compensation system have affected return-to-work rates in California, how return-to-work trends compare with policy changes, and recent trends in benefit adequacy.
Attorneys working at federal defender organizations represent financially eligible individuals in federal criminal prosecutions and related proceedings, both at the trial court level and on appeal. This report presents a system of case weights for estimating the funding and staffing requirements of federal defender organizations, discusses factors that might influence defender time expenditures, and describes how such weights should be used.
In March 2009, the Dallas Police Department (DPD) began a unique partnership with two local universities, the University of North Texas and the University of Texas at Dallas: The Caruth Police Institute (CPI) provides officer training and serves as the DPD's research and problem-solving arm. This report examines the extent to which CPI is meeting its goals, obstacles to implementation, and how CPI has responded to these challenges.
How Much Difference Does the Lawyer Make? The Effect of Defense Counsel on Murder Case Outcomes — 2011
Describes the results of a study to examine the effect of defense counsel on outcomes in murder prosecutions in Philadelphia.
Assesses whether targeting new gun buyers with a public safety message aimed at improving gun law awareness affects gun buyers' behaviors.
Medical Care Provided Under California's Workers' Compensation Program: Effects of the Reforms and Additional Opportunities to Improve the Quality and Efficiency of Care — 2011
This book examines the impact that changes to California's workers' compensation (WC) system have had on the medical care provided to injured workers, synthesizes findings from interviews and available information regarding the implementation of the changes affecting WC medical care, and identifies areas in which additional changes might increase the quality and efficiency of care delivered under the WC system.
This study provides evidence on potential economic impact of policies designed to increase the price of alcoholic drinks on consumers, producers and retailers in the UK. Policy-makers used recommendations to implement a new pricing policy.
RAND/UCLA Quality-of-Care Measures for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome: Tools for Assessing Quality of Care and Appropriateness of Surgery — 2011
This study produced two unique tools for healthcare organizations to use to assess, monitor, and provide appropriate care for people with carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS). One tool assesses the quality of care received by a population of patients with CTS; the other identifies whether surgery is necessary, optional, or inappropriate for individual patients.
Sunday Liquor Laws and Crime — 2011
Analyzes the effects of legalization of Sunday packaged liquor sales on crime, focusing on the phased introduction of such sales in Virginia beginning in 2004.
Use of Compound Drugs, Medical Foods, and Co-Packs in California's Workers' Compensation Program: An Overview of the Issues — 2011
Explores issues surrounding the use of compound drugs, co-packs and medical foods under the California workers' compensation program and assesses whether policy changes are needed to promote medically appropriate and efficient use of these products.
Provides a comprehensive analysis of the effects of several large changes to the workers' compensation system on return to work rates for California's injured workers.
Almost 12 million out-of-status aliens currently reside in the United States. The federal government does not require state and local agencies to carry out specific immigration enforcement actions; however, comprehensive immigration reform may do so in the near future. This paper describes variations in enforcement approaches and making their pros and cons more explicit.
The Frequency, Severity, and Economic Consequences of Musculoskeletal Injuries to Firefighters in California — 2010
The most common work-related injuries among firefighters are musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs). Understanding the frequency and severity of firefighter MSDs is more important with recent changes to California workers' compensation. This book describes the effect of work-related MSDs on firefighters' earnings and employment, the reforms' impact on disability ratings, and employment outcomes since the reforms to the medical delivery system.
Examines the effectiveness of employer-based return to work programs.