So despite the understandable fear and outrage over gun violence in Baltimore, shootings are down sharply. But that is a myth.Īccording to Baltimore Police Department data, as of September 8, homicides in Baltimore are down 21.5% from the same time last year, and 2022 had a slight drop in homicides from the previous year. Similarly, because youth violence gets even more attention, many people assume youth are the leading contributors to gun violence. This is why as gun violence has fallen in Baltimore and throughout Maryland in the past year, many residents report that it does not feel like violence is down. And while the actual increase was bad enough, the fear of violence was exasperated by constant coverage in the traditional press and social media. Violent crime increased after the onset of the COVID pandemic across the country, especially in Baltimore. There is also significant misinformation about that violence. There is legitimate concern about the amount of violence in Baltimore and other parts of Maryland. NICJR is working with the Maryland Department of Juvenile Services and the city of Baltimore on violence reduction initiatives.
The writer is executive director of the National Institute for Criminal Justice Reform.
