Worthy Christian News > US News > Baltimore City will no longer prosecute prostitution and drug possession

Baltimore City will no longer prosecute prostitution and drug possession

by Karen Faulkner, Worthy News Correspondent

(Worthy News) – Following a year-long experiment that aimed to reduce the spread of COVID-19 in prisons, Baltimore City’s State Attorney has announced the city will no longer prosecute low-level offenses, including drug possession, prostitution, and minor traffic violations, the Christian Post reports. While some have warned against the decision by State Attorney Marilyn Mosby, Baltimore City’s Police Commissioner and its Mayor are in favor of the move.

Ms. Mosby’s office explained in a statement that a decision was taken last year to stop prosecuting low-level offenses in an effort to slow the spread of COVID-19 in jails. As a result, the state’s attorney’s office said, the city saw “a decrease in arrests, no adverse impact on the crime rate, and address the systemic inequity of mass incarceration.”

According to Ms. Mosby’s office, violent crime in Baltimore decreased by 20% from March 13, 2020 to March 13, 2021. Property crime went down by 36% during the same period, the Christian Post reports.

In a separate statement, the Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services said: “the overall incarcerated population in Baltimore City is down 18% during COVID and … there has been a 39% decrease in people entering the criminal justice system compared to this time last year.”

Baltimore’s Mayor Brandon Scott and City Police Commissioner Michael Harrison are in favor of continuing Ms. Mosby’s policy. In a statement, Mr. Harrison said his department “continues to work collaboratively with the State’s Attorney Office to focus on violent crimes and reducing violence in our city.”