In releasing its latest statistical report on Crime in the United States today, the FBI notes that "Among the many numbers for 2007, the big picture is clear: crime is down."  They further note that "Nationwide, violent crime fell for the first time since 2005. Property crime declined for the fifth straight year. And each of the seven specific offense categories—from aggravated assault to murder—was down from 2006."  The complete report and highlights are available here.