Murder Price in Baltimore Lowest since 1975, How “The Wire” Present Made Issues Worse

The metropolis of Baltimore is thought for the Ravens soccer staff, distinctive accents of metropolis natives and most notably, the early 2000s hit drama “The Wire.” However beneath all the tradition and scrumptious seafood, Baltimore’s status has been plagued with violent crime. Now, after generations of a excessive crime, there’s hope for the reason that Black mayor has been working extra time in the direction of change.

Mayor Brandon Scott’s exhausting work has been paying off, as 2025 marks one other 12 months with the town’s homicide fee at a historic low. In reality, homicides are the bottom its been in 50 years. The town as soon as named “Mobtown” is having a renaissance of types, and when you look again to 50 years in the past, you’d by no means see it coming.

The bulk Black metropolis has handled violence for the reason that Nineteen Seventies, in accordance with The Washington Put up. In 1992, the town reported 333 killings, breaking its personal report set the 12 months earlier than. This problem was solely exacerbated with the 2015 demise of Freddie Gray, a Black man killed by Baltimore police. Information of his homicide sparked nation-wide civil unrest, particularly in Baltimore. The town reported 45 homicides in July of that 12 months alone, in accordance with The Baltimore Banner.

Regardless of crime remaining a urgent problem for residents, it is crime tv exhibits like “The Wire” and “Murder” which introduced Baltimore’s violent previous to the forefront of Hollywood.

“The Wire–” starring Michael Ok. Williams and Idris Elba– follows detectives and gangsters as their paths in Baltimore’s meanest streets intersect, usually ending in tragedy. The collection is arguably top-of-the-line from the early 2000s, however through the years, metropolis natives have expressed the true injury it is accomplished to their residence.

Sonja Sohn, who performed police detective Kima Greggs within the present, mentioned a number of metropolis officers had beef with the present. “They actually weren’t happy with the depiction of Baltimore and a few of them took the storylines personally,” Sohn advised The Guardian in 2017.

The critically-acclaimed present by no means gained an Emmy, however someway, Baltimore’s dangerous status turned cemented nation-wide due to it. “I feel it has left a long-lasting adverse stereotype about Baltimore Metropolis,” person @instantcoffee69 mentioned on Reddit. “Baltimore has some dangerous facets, but in addition huge array of fantastic and distinctive facets. Nevertheless it’s been boiled all the way down to ‘is rather like the wire?'”

That is why Baltimore’s historic change for the reason that “The Wire” led to 2008 is value greater than easy reward. “The Metropolis has seen a 23.6 % drop in homicides and a 23.4 % drop in non-fatal shootings” in 2025 alone, the mayor’s workplace reported.

Mayor Scott offers a lot of the credit score to his administration’s Complete Violence Prevention Plan. It features a five-year technique to make the town’s streets safer whereas increasing providers for victims and anti-human trafficking efforts. In keeping with Mayor Scott, this has been integral to establishing belief inside the group and in addition investing within the youth, who’s disproportionately tied to crime.

“Baltimore has seen one of the important drops in violent crime within the nation,” Md. Gov. Wes Moore mentioned on X. “We have now extra work to do, however the knowledge is evident: Our method to enhancing public security is working.”

Mayor Scott championed this, saying his work is not over. “This isn’t a time for celebration. One demise is one too many,” he declared. “We’ll proceed to double down on evidence-based methods, as we work to lastly remedy the illness of violence that has plagued our communities for a lot too lengthy.”