In 2011, Baltimore hit an 18 year low for the total number of homicides and the homicide rate. This reversed sharply when city officials allowed the Black Lives Matter movement [BLM] to conduct a major race riot in 2015. Homicides exploded overnight, and the city set a new record for the highest homicide rate in the city’s history. This was widely referred to as “The Ferguson Effect.” The city of Ferguson, MO also saw an incredible rise in homicides and violent crime after the BLM riots one year early.
The 2015 homicide surge in Baltimore has never ended. Last July, Baltimore’s new may Brandon Scott, announced plans to reduce gun violence by 15% annually for the next five years. So far, his plan has failed to produce any results.
Year: Total Homicides (Population, Homicide Rate)
1977: 171 (826k, 20.7 per 100k)
1993: 353 (732k, 48.2 per 100k) former record for highest number and the highest rate
2011: 196 (630k, 31.1 per 100k) 18 year low for both total number and rate
2015: 334 (622k, 53.7 per 100k) new all time highest rate
2016: 318 (621k, 51.2 per 100k)
2017: 343 (620k, 55.3 per 100k)
2018: 309 (615k, 50.2 per 100k)
2019: 348 (609k, 57.1 per 100k) new all time highest rate
2020: 335 (586k, 57.2 per 100k) new all time highest rate
2021: 337 (584k, 57.7 per 100k) new all time highest rate
Police Commissioner Michael Harrison says that despite the continued high number of homicides, street robberies and property crimes allegedly went down. However, in cities with high homicide rates, the police spend less and less time investigating lesser crimes, and people stop reporting them. People don’t think the police will do anything to help.
Politicians love to play the “well murders were still high, but other crime went down” game. This is usually disingenuous, and they know that lesser crimes are still as high as ever.
Police also reported that the homicide clearance rate for 2021 was the highest in three years. However, the 2021 rate was still a dismal 42%.
