Crime prevention plan is helping to reduce violence in Baltimore City, Mayor Brandon Scott says

Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott said the city's efforts to combat crime are working.

The mayor sat down with WJZ on Tuesday to discuss the city's downward crime trends.

As of Tuesday, April 1, homicides are down 22% and non-fatal shootings have declined by 28% compared to this time in 2024, according to Baltimore City data.

With the murders still down by 10 and other shootings down nearly 30, the mayor said it's not a time to celebrate.

"We are just acknowledging the progress and pushing forward," Scott said.

Scott said total violent crime is down 20% this year, aggravated assaults are down 13%, robberies are down 22%, auto thefts are down 46%, and carjackings are down 23%. The mayor also said about 600 guns have been recovered by police.

"We are not resting on that," Scott said. "There are still far too many people being murdered and injured in our city. We won't stop."

Violence prevention plan at work

Mayor Scott credits the city's Comprehensive Violence Prevention Plan, which aims to prevent violence with a public health approach, community engagement, and accountability.

From the beginning, the prevention plan has aimed to approach violence as a public health issue. In the updated plan, there's a new focus on youth justice. It builds upon some of the plan's previous work but also adds new goals.

"We are seeing crime across the board drop in the city, and we just want to work together with everyone to keep that going," Scott said. "We are seeing that work and seeing that partnership under the vision and plan that I laid out coming to fruition."

"Not a cause for celebration"

Mayor Scott told WJZ that Baltimore residents have noticed the drop in violent crimes. However, Scott said residents won't be happy until crime is eliminated from Baltimore City. 

"They are like me, they know it is not a cause for celebration," Scott said. "We are going to keep working at this each and every day until we get to the point where there aren't any homicides or any shootings. That's when we will truly be happy, and a time to celebrate."

Warmer weather and violence

With the temperatures warming up, and spring break and summer break approaching, Mayor Scott understands that's when people will gather outside.

In 2024, Baltimore enforced a youth curfew to slow crime statistics. The city's youth curfew policy required anyone younger than 14 to be home by 9 p.m. For those younger than 17, the curfew was set at 10 p.m. on weekdays and 11 p.m. on the weekends.

Scott has not said whether another youth curfew will be issued this year. 

"When more people are out, more conflict will arise," Scott said. "It's about making sure we stick to the plan and adjust when necessary, making sure we do the things we know we can control."

 On March 30, police said a 16-year-old was injured in a shooting near the Inner Harbor during a large gathering.