Big cities in the United States were less deadly places to visit in 2004 as murder rates declined in several urban areas, including New York, Chicago and Washington DC, according to a survey by Associated Press.

Officials in New York and Chicago credit the drop to crime-fighting strategies that included putting more officers on the street and beefing up patrols of dangerous neighborhoods.
"We really targeted gangs, drugs and guns," Chicago police spokesman Pat Camden said.

AP news report
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I am not convinced that these are the true reasons for the decline of these crimes..it has more to do with the deportation of villians to the Caribbean

Further more look at Caribbean sister Jamaica
over 1,000 for 2004 in violent murders ...and seventy+ to date jan 2005...
trinago not too far behind...

the solution> new Constitution...robbertalk..more army patrols, police...more oil and gas...??????

i am sure it is not the PNM!!!!!