According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (FBI), Uniform Crime Reports, the crime index rate fell for the fifth straight year in 1996, and is down 10 percent from the rate of 1992. However, the reason or reasons behind this decline are not quite understood. This paper presents a discussion on several factors with the potential to impact the decline in the crime rate during this 6-year time period. These factors include: (1) the role of personal responsibility and the rise in assistance and awareness programs; (2) sentencing policies and incarceration; (3) community policing; (4) the economy or the relationship between crime and employment; (5) demographic changes, specifically age and sex of offender; and (6) community involvement of those responsible for solving the crime problem. The above factors are not all inclusive. There is a need for continued application and refinement of intentional and effective practices. These are seen as the tools of tomorrow’s declining crime rate. 12 Notes