Results revealed that crime in the United States is much higher than that reported to police but has probably not increased over the past 20 years. An increase in police appears to have no significant effect on the actual rate of violent crime and a roughly proportional negative effect on the actual rate of property crime. Crime rates are strongly affected by economic conditions and are also affected by demographic and cultural conditions. The demand for police and corrections employees is a negative function of the average salary of public employees, a positive function of per capita income and Federal aid, and a positive function of the crime rates. Findings suggest that because we have so little knowledge of how to reduce crime, we should decentralize decisions on crime prevention and control, beginning with repeal of the 1994 Federal crime law. Tables and reference notes