"U.S. Ships Unsafe Products" by Russell Carollo, Sacramento Bee, September 9, 2007.

• Position: THE Monthly JOURNALISM AWARD - Brief article

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The recent revelation that Toys "R" Us has been importing Chinese toys contaminated with lead and other dangerous chemicals caused a national furor. The Consumer Product Safety Commission, a U.S. government agency charged with regulating product safety, warned parents to take the toys away from children immediately, saying that the agency was "committed to protecting consumers and families."

However, Sacramento Bee staff writer Russell Carollo discovered that the CSPC applies its concern unevenly. For years, it has allowed American companies to export unsafe goods; products considered too dangerous for Americans are deemed to be perfectly safe for Venezualans, Grenadans, and Brazilians. Partly, this is due to lax legislation--only 13 percent of the law's "mandatory" safety standards are, in...