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After the recent Colorado massacre, we ALL want to reduce violence, but we’re divided about how to do it. Sociologists think that "greening" vacant lots may be associated with reductions in certain gun crimes (and it’s certainly easier than trying to get gun laws passed!)

Results of a recent study show that residents living near greened vacant lots feel safer than those near non-greened sites. Additionally, incidents of police-reported crimes may be reduced after greening.
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Justice is different in different countries. In Mexico, they don’t feed you in prison–if your family doesn’t bring you food, you’ll starve. US prison conditions vary, but our sentences are long compared to prison sentences in Europe or Scandinavia. We may not be feeling too lenient after the recent movie theater massacre by the alleged shooter James Holmes, but maybe it’s something we should pay attention to.
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On TV cop shows, victims almost always identify the perpetrators correctly, but real life doesn’t work that way: DNA testing has revealed that witnesses often pick out the wrong person, while detectives, in the background, keep telling the person to "take your time." But new studies show that these witnesses should go with their snap judgments instead.
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Congress is passing more laws than ever, and some of them are downright dangerous. For instance, a new study finds that the number of guns that were subsequently linked to crime sold by a single store–a Milwaukee-area gun shop called Badger Guns & Ammo–increased dramatically after Congress adopted measures likely to reduce the risks gun dealers face if they divert guns to criminals.
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