Murders fell 11 percent, and serious offenses overall dipped 3 percent. Big cities that have boosted law enforcement led the way, but crime also dropped in suburbs and small towns. That suggests that no single change, like New York City's crackdown on minor crimes, is responsible. Fewer turf wars among drug sellers and higher imprisonment rates may account for much of the decline, says criminologist James Lynch of American University. But he warns that the coming rise in the teen population could send crime upward again.
Harsh measures remain in vogue.
The human-rights group Amnesty International likens the rate to Iran's and Iraq's, but Texas officials say the public strongly backs capital punishment. It was one of those rare cases that spawned reforms even before a jury's verdict. Timmendequas could get the death penalty. The price of cleaning up soot Environmentalists are making their case for tough new air pollution standards that have pitted industry against the Environmental Protection Agency in the year's biggest regulatory fight to date. Top polluters include oil, chemical, steel, and power companies.