Baltimore's Innovative Approach Cuts Homicides by 23%

Baltimore's 'Safe Streets' Initiative Shows Promise in Reducing Violent Crime Baltimore, MD – A new initiative in Baltimore is demonstrating a significant impact on violent crime, specifically a 23% drop in homicides. The program, which employs former offenders to mediate conflicts and offer support in high-crime areas, is part of a larger national effort to address the root causes of violence. "I was just tired, tired of being in the streets," says one former offender now working in the program. "People getting killed, people just doing anything to survive." He and others are now working to change that. The program's success is not isolated. Similar initiatives across the country have seen a reduction in shootings and killings by more than 30%, according to the Vera Institute. In Baltimore, gun deaths dropped from 312 in 2019 to 171 last year, reflecting the effectiveness of this community-based approach. Mayor Brandon Scott credits these strategies for the drop, while acknowledging that more work remains to be done. The program's success offers a beacon of hope for communities struggling with violence.