Critical Releases in Homeland Security: August 12, 2020

From the Introduction: "While our nation responds to the challenges of the COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] pandemic, we must also contend with the tragic aftermath of mass violence that has impacted our communities. [...] This report, NTAC's [National Threat Assessment Center] third analysis of mass attacks that were carried out in public or semi-public spaces, builds upon 'Mass Attacks in Public Spaces - 2017 (MAPS - 2017)' and 'Mass Attacks in Public Spaces - 2018 (MAPS - 2018).' This report provides further analysis of the thinking and behavior of mass attackers, as well as operational considerations for our public safety partners. The study examines 34 incidents of mass attacks - in which three or more people, not including the attacker(s), were harmed - that were carried out by 37 attackers in public spaces across the United States between January and December 2019. In total, 108 people were killed and an additional 178 people were injured. The findings from this report offer 'critical information that can aid in preventing these types of tragedies', and assist law enforcement, schools, businesses, and others in the establishment of appropriate systems to recognize the warning signs and intervene appropriately."

From the Introduction: "'During the spring and early summer of 2020 momentous changes occurred in everyday life in the United States. The COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] pandemic brought widespread quarantines and business closings. The killing of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer on May 25th triggered mass protests, many still ongoing, across the country. In this report, we examine the consequences of these conditions for crime rates in US cities.'"

From the Preface: "When Future Workforce Now: Reimagining Workforce Policy in the Age of Disruption launched in 2018, emerging technologies were rapidly shifting expectations of workers. Meanwhile, many employers struggled to retain talent amid a tight labor market fueled by a decade of economic expansion. Leaders around the globe were and still are adapting to these global forces. Future Workforce Now was launched to assess the impacts of technological disruptions on work, workers and workplaces and their implications for state policy. After more than a year of research and consultation with experts and state leaders, this guide offers governors and state policymakers a comprehensive toolkit for building a technologically resilient workforce ready to thrive in an evolving economy. This publication was written before the COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] outbreak and associated social and economic shocks. The world has since entered an entirely new state of disruption that will only accelerate the trends previously affecting the future of work and workers. This new context reinforces the findings of the Future Workforce Now initiative and underscores the urgency of the policy transformations that should be implemented as part of a systemwide, resilient education and workforce development agenda. States face unprecedented challenges, but leaders should not overlook the opportunity to use the innovations this guide identifies and those developed during the global pandemic."

From the Introduction: "The impact of the COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] pandemic in the United States has been profound. Despite initial declines in cases in May 2020 following implementation of stringent stay-at-home orders, cases are resurging in most states. The number of deaths has been rising in many states, with hospitalization rates for COVID-19 now again matching or exceeding numbers seen at the peak in New York City in March and April. Hospitals are under pressure or approaching a crisis in many places around the country. This resurgence is stressing many sectors of society, from businesses to education to health care. Unlike many countries in the world, the United States is not currently on course to get control of this epidemic. [...] This brief report describes concrete policy actions at the federal, state, and local levels that are needed to get control of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States. Recommendations identify 'quarterbacks,' or responsible designees, to lead each policy action. However, leaders and stakeholders at all levels (federal, state, and local) will need to contribute commitment, technical expertise, insights, and funding to make the proposed actions possible."

From the Preamble: "This plan focuses on a set of immediate, evidence-based, commonsense actions the AAMC [Association of American Medical Colleges] believes is essential to contain the virus and end the pandemic by addressing critical shortages, improving and broadening testing, reducing the virus's spread, reopening schools safely, expanding health insurance coverage, and prioritizing distribution of the vaccine. It also identifies longer-term actions that must be taken to protect and strengthen public health, reduce health disparities, and improve the overall health of our nation and its people."