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Baltimore City recorded fewest youth homicides in a decade during first half of 2025 [1]
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Date: 2025-08
Baltimore City recorded fewest youth homicides in a decade in first half of 2025
Baltimore City recorded fewest youth homicides in a decade in first half of 2025
Baltimore City recorded fewest youth homicides in a decade in first half of 2025
Baltimore is seeing a sharp reduction in homicides and shootings compared to 2024, according to police.
Baltimore police said the number of juveniles killed in the first half of 2025 is the lowest in over a decade.
As of Friday, Aug. 1, overall homicides are down 24.3%, and non-fatal shootings are down 19.5%, according to Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott.
Scott and Gov. Wes Moore credit the drop in violence to programs aimed at keeping young people away from guns and out of harm's way.
Scott on Thursday said gun violence should be treated as a public health issue, not solely a police matter.
"We all know that zero tolerance and lock up everyone Black and lock up everyone poor, policing didn't work," Scott said. "It's never been about how many arrests a police department is making. It's about who and for what, and the certainty of the accountability for everyone."
In a social media post Friday, Scott thanked multiple organizations and agencies for helping bring crime numbers down.
"From the brave men and women of Baltimore Police Department, to our team at Baltimore Mayor's Office of Neighborhood Safety and Engagement-MONSE, to our partners in the Governor's Office, the State Attorney's Office, U.S. Attorney's Office, and the Office of the Attorney General, to organizations working on the ground to prevent violence in our communities, and—most importantly—to residents standing up to violence in their neighborhoods, Baltimore is saying enough is enough," Scott said.
Tackling youth crime in Baltimore
Tackling youth crime has been a specific priority for Baltimore leaders.
The Mayor's office last month announced that as of the end of June, Baltimore saw the fewest homicides in a period of 50 years.
In the same announcement, he said auto thefts were down 34%, robberies were down 22%, arson was down 10%, and carjackings were down 15%.
When it comes to crime reduction, the city's Group Violence Reduction Strategy has been touted by city leaders.
In July, the program expanded to South Baltimore in an effort to make more strides.
Jaylen, a 20-year-old Youth Advocate Program participant, said he remembered being in the hospital with a bullet in his stomach. He said the program helped him "become a man."
Youth Advocate Programs (YAP) are a subsidiary of the Group Violence Reduction Strategy, along with Roca, a separate violence intervention and behavioral health program
South Baltimore is now the fifth district in the city to be a part of the GVRS.
"The strategy has led to over 414 arrests and connected over 261 individuals to life coaching and wraparound services through YAP, Inc., and Roca. Approximately 95.8% of participants have not been revictimized, and 97.7% have not recidivated after enrolling in services as part of the strategy," Scott said in a statement Monday.
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[1] Url:
https://www.cbsnews.com/baltimore/news/baltimore-city-youth-homicides-2025/
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