Mark Totten

Can the use of force first against a less-than-imminent threat be both morally acceptable and consistent with American values? In this timely book Mark Totten offers the first in-depth, historical examination of the use of preemptive and preventive force through the lens of the just war tradition. Although critical of the American incursion into Iraq as a so-called “preemptive war,” Totten argues that the new terrorist threat nonetheless demands careful consideration of when the first use of force is legitimate. The moral tradition, he concludes, provides a principled way forward that reconciles American values and the demands of security.

The military must attract, retain, and promote high-quality personnel. This monograph examines its ability to meet these goals. Using the quality index, we find that those who stay until midcareer and are promoted are significantly higher quality. The armed services must attract, retain, and promote high-quality personnel. This monograph examines their ability to meet these goals in the past. Using the quality index, we find that those who complete their first terms, who stay until year of service (YOS) 8 or YOS12, and those who are promoted to higher grades are significantly higher quality. Our conclusions differ from those drawn from traditional measures because our measure includes information that cannot be predicted at entry but is instead revealed on the job.

When Army equipment fails, its timely repair depends critically on the availability of needed spare parts. This monograph describes the development and implementation of dollar cost banding (DCB), a new algorithm for computing spare parts inventories maintained by Army supply support activities (SSAs). DCB has been used to expand the breadth of deployable inventories, producing immediate and significant gains in performance at little or no additional inventory cost and without sacrificing mobility.

This report focuses on the factors affecting the supply of information technology (IT) personnel to the active duty enlisted force, and the findings point to the conclusion that the IT training opportunities offered by the military can help secure the supply of IT personnel over the long haul. During the 1990s, the private-sector demand for information technology (IT) workers, escalating private-sector pay in IT, growing military dependence on IT, and faltering military recruiting led to a concern that the military cap ability was vulnerable to a large shortfall in IT personnel. This report addresses that concern by use of a literature review, field interviews, data analysis, and a dynamic model that, taken together, offer some policy implications for military planners in terms of how to recruit and retain qualified IT personnel.

How does deployment affect reenlistment? The authors look at this particular issue in wake of the high rate of military deployment throughout the 1990s and with the prospect that deployment will rise even more in the coming years. The research finds that reenlistment was higher among members who deployed compared with those who did not. The analysis suggests that past deployment influences current reenlistment behavior because it enables members to learn about their preferences for deployment.

Youth homicide is an uncommon event, but it raises serious concerns. How should the criminal justice system respond to violent young offenders who take the lives of others? Public discourse focuses on the "depravity" of the acts and of the adolescents involved. The stress is on punishment and retribution. Yet, these children were not "born bad"; they were created, and the social context of their lives is usually ignored. This qualitative study of young offenders convicted of murder and manslaughter takes on the challenge of examining the social-psychological development of young people convicted of homicide. In-depth interviews explore offenders' experiences in early childhood, adolescence, and young adulthood; their accounts of the homicides; and their life in custody. This research shows that the pathways leading young people to homicide are as varied as the types of killings perpetrated. Some were raised in social environments conducive to extreme violence where they witnessed, experienced, and were trained in the use of violence. Others found themselves frustrated and angry by their life circumstances. These experiences contributed to a lack of empathy for their victims and limited their insights into the enormity of their actions. This groundbreaking book addresses a critical gap in the literature, highlighting the importance of community-based early intervention, prevention, assessment and rehabilitation. It is a valuable resource for students and professionals.

Winner: The 2001 Frederick Milton Thrasher Award (awarded by the National Gang Crime Research Center) Youth violence and youth gangs are serious social problems. This groundbreaking study explores how marginal male youth make sense of their physical, sexual, and emotional violence towards those they claim to love-their girlfriends-and how the abuse of girls, gays, and racial minorities is related to the development of familial and gender ideologies in the home and on the street. The construction of masculinity is revealed as an ongoing process, negotiated and developed with the resources at hand. The degree, level, and objects of individual and gang violence are linked to differences in adherence to the patterns of male behaviour and authority the child witnesses in the family and in the gang. The language these male youth use in the in-depth interviews reflects their actions and feelings: it is disturbing, yet powerful. As well as addressing the lack of qualitative information on the subject, this book offers a practical plan for addressing youth violence. It is a valuable resource for students, parents, and professionals.