Last year, after the Dali cargo ship lost power, it crashed into the Francis Scott Key Bridge, causing a partial collapse. In the immediate aftermath, as city officials took stock of the damage, some pointed to Baltimore’s Black mayor, Brandon Scott, as the source of the problem. Of course, there was no credible reason to blame him for the catastrophe or to believe anyone in city leadership could have prevented the collision. Yet, this talking point gained traction among those who buy into the racist beliefs that Black people are unfit to lead. But what happens when Black leaders are successful? In this case, some experience cognitive dissonance, as they confront contradictory ideas — their endorsement of racist stereotypes and the positive social change achieved under their leadership. Some, it seems, deny this reality to maintain their worldview.
Now that crime rates in Baltimore, Maryland, have dropped precipitously under Mayor Brandon Scott’s administration, his critics have grown silent. This is to be expected, as acknowledging the success of a Black leader’s approach would mean abandoning their racist assumptions. The city has become safer, and that’s remarkable when we consider the strategies used to achieve this decline. But before we dig into the details of this multi-faceted approach, let’s consider how we got into this situation in the first place. “For much of the 20th century, the devaluing of Black lives led to segregation and racist housing policy through redlining that shut out chances for Black people to purchase homes and build wealth, making it more difficult to start and invest in businesses and afford college tuition (Perry et al., 2018).” As a result, many black communities, including those in Baltimore, lack adequate resources. You might wonder what high levels of poverty have to do with crime. They’re more interrelated than some may expect.
Indeed, the problem of race and poverty in this country is inextricably linked. While black communities are stereotyped as being high-crime areas, far too many overlook that high rates of poverty are the byproduct of generations of racist laws and policies. And research suggests poverty and crime are related. A special Department of Justice report examined data from 2008–2012 and found households below the poverty level “had more than double the rate of violent victimization as persons in high-income households.” So, it stands to reason that if Americans genuinely wanted to reduce violent crime, they’d need to address racial wealth disparities. That would mean investing in black communities that have been systematically neglected. For instance, the Albert Shanker Institute report found that Black students are 3.5 times more likely to attend school in “chronically underfunded” districts. Racist assumptions held by some Americans portray some racial groups as less intelligent or more likely to engage in criminal behavior. But these are legitimizing myths, used to distract from the systemic racism at the heart of the problem.
You know the expression, “when all you have is a hammer, you think every problem is a nail.” Well, this characterizes the dilemma at the heart of American society. While approximately 2% police arrests end in convictions, many continue to believe increasing police presence is a surefire way to make our communities safe. Even though the data over the past fifty years suggests it’s an insufficient method. This belief that police can prevent crime, is ingrained in the public, and dampens support for reforms or alternative systems of public safety. “Despite worst fears,” policing reform didn’t make the city more dangerous. Baltimore data showed a “36% decrease in the city’s homicide rate, a 30% decrease in non-fatal shootings, as well as homicide clearance rates jumping to an unheard-of 70%,” following reforms federal judge James K. Bredar noted at a quarterly hearing. “Police reform is undeniably happening in Baltimore, but crime is not going up.” Indeed, he said, “It’s going down.” While these reforms are far from perfect, they may provide a path forward for cities with high instances of violent crime. The success in Baltimore may offer a case study others may learn from.
Free Black Thought, a nonprofit highlighting diversity of thought within the black community, provided a list of the five measures Baltimore mayor Brandon Scott used to reduce the crime rate to its lowest point since 1978. First and foremost, they suggested the city adopted a “comprehensive violence prevention plan,” a multiyear strategy that treats violent crime in Baltimore as “a public health crisis rather than solely a law enforcement issue, emphasizing prevention” and “intervention,” alongside traditional law enforcement methods. This included (a) “targeted interventions for those considered high risk,” such as those “most likely to be involved in gun violence through outreach, social services, and job opportunities,” (b) “community engagement,” such as fostering collaboration among neighbors through the use of “trauma-informed care and victim support programs.” These measures are associated with a “66% decrease in shooting victims and a 31% drop in aggravated assaults.”
Secondly, Brandon Scott’s administration employed a Group Violence Reduction Strategy (GVRS) that offers individuals the choice to “accept social services and support to exit violent lifestyles or face swift enforcement if they continue.” The results are clear, as homicides have dropped to a fifty-year low following the adoption of evidence-based strategies. Another of Baltimore’s approach has been to “Focus on Youth and Equitable Development.” By investing in after-school programs, expanding mentorship opportunities, and improving job training initiatives, they’ve helped to “steer young people away from violence.” Scott’s administration has also incorporated crime reduction efforts into “broader equity goals, such as neighborhood development and clean communities, aiming to reduce underlying factors like poverty and disinvestment.” Besides investing in partnerships, such as serving as a co-chair on Mayors Against Illegal Guns, Scott has advocated for increasing victim support programs.
Some seem eager to cast blame on Black leaders, as some did after a portion of the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsed. However, when they do something right, such as launching programs to reduce crime, there is little public recognition or interest in celebrating those achievements.
While praising Baltimore’s progress, it’s essential to recognize the city’s ongoing history of racism that impacts Black citizens in the modern era. For instance, in 2015, a 25-year-old Black man, Freddie Gray, suffered severe spinal cord injuries while in police custody. Officers held the blue line and denied any brutality, even though a healthy Black man didn’t become incapacitated on his own accord. Seven days after being hospitalized, Gray died from complications related to his injuries. Public outrage prompted prosecutors to charge six officers in connection with his death, but like many cases in our country, none faced accountability. Reporting by Vox revealed that police officers in America are prosecuted for murder in less than 2% of cases. Considering that one officer involved in Gray’s case will oversee the Baltimore Police Integrity Unit, and you’ll see the problem — it’s a painful irony that someone suspected of violating a citizen’s civil rights would be assigned to any unit emphasizing “integrity.” Like the phrases “protect and serve,” the term rings hollow given the nation’s history of harming Black people.
The Department of Justice found the Baltimore Police Department “engaged in a pattern and practice of unconstitutional policing,” following Gray’s death in police custody. As a result, the local department was required to follow a federal consent decree, an agreement to implement necessary changes, including limiting the use of force and promptly investigating public complaints. Sadly, even after these proposed changes, officer misconduct investigations in the city remain a flawed process. According to Conarck, police officers struggle most with providing the public with timely updates. While the consent agreement states that internal investigations should be completed within 90 days, they have repeatedly failed to meet that deadline. In five cases, too much time elapsed “between the end of the criminal investigation and the closure of the administrative investigation,” with “no explanation for the delay.”
There’s no way a police department can improve its relationship with the community without transparency and accountability. But, as long as police are tasked with policing themselves, poor outcomes are to be expected, and they disappoint citizens. Ask abolitionists, and they’ll tell you this is one reason why they believe reforms are futile. American policing needs to be replaced, they argue with evidence-backed alternatives to public safety. Author Alex Vitale noted, “Well-trained police following procedure are still going to be arresting people for mostly low-level offenses, and the burden will continue to fall primarily on communities of color because that is how the system is designed to operate- not because of the bases of misunderstandings of officers.” Whether you believe that policing must fundamentally change or be abolished, it’s clear the status quo in many cities is harmful. And beyond concerns about crime, Americans should consider where we go from here.
A Munk School report submitted by the Baltimore Police Department included interviews with custodial arrestees. Despite reforms aimed at reducing crime, findings showed perceptions of police job performance declined precipitously within a year. For example, in 2021, 15% of detainees viewed police performance as “good,” whereas 30% viewed it as “terrible.” In 2022, only 5% held a “good” perception, while 38% saw police performance as “terrible.” In one interview, a detainee said he was “scared of them,” referring to police officers who arrested him. When asked why, he responded, “Because of Freddy Gray.” His statement illustrates how the death of a Black man in custody created a ripple effect in the community, fostering ongoing mistrust of police. While imperfect, the progress in Baltimore is encouraging so far. Leaders in other cities with high crime rates may look to Baltimore’s example as a possible blueprint.
For a racist, there’s nothing a Black person can do to prove they deserve respect. They can go to school, have the same qualifications as White peers, and still face discrimination. So, it’s no surprise to many of us that Mayor Brandon Scott’s success in office isn’t enough to convince critics that he did earn his position, that he’s fit to lead a major city. Honestly, he has made some remarkable progress. If his critics were intellectually honest they’d concede to this point. While Baltimore still faces challenges in ensuring Black residents have equal access to resources and opportunities, this progress deserves recognition. Scott’s administration demonstrated that adopting a multi-faceted, non-punitive approach — focusing on systemic issues rather than just increasing police presence — can be effective. His leadership has contributed to real change. Even if racists refuse to acknowledge a Black mayor’s achievements, those of us in the black community and others concerned with public safety will.
This post originally appeared on Medium and is edited and republished with author's permission. Read more of Allison Gaines' work on Medium.