CRIME BILL . . . EDGING CLOSER TO PASSAGE

House Democrats were in compromise mode today trying to gather the final votes to pass the crime bill, says TIME Washington reporter Julie Johnson. Among the olives on their branch: beefing up a provision to alert a community when any sexual offender from its area is released from prison, and slicing 14 percent from crime prevention programs (to $6 billion). The tally in a late evening count by Johnson: supporters of the bill were 6 votes shy of a majority. The Dems hope for a vote by Saturday.