BALTIMORE — Over the past 2 years Baltimore State's Attorney Ivan Bates says his office has been able to increase the number of people it put behind bars, which he says brings down violent crimes in the city.
"So when you're looking at holding almost a thousand more people accountable, that's one of the ways in which we feel we have been able to work with all of our partners to make such a quick dramatic change in terms of having the violent crime drop in terms of some of the homicide rates drop," says Ivan Bates.
So far in his term, Bates has convicted 2,129 people for violent crimes.
People who have illegal firearms with a felony criminal record, who were selling drugs while illegally carrying a gun, or who have committed murder or attempted murder with a gun.
Out of the 2,129 there are 1,723 in prison.
He says most of the cases are repeat offenders.
"But violent crimes, now we have that moving in the right direction, you know. Now the next thing is what can we also do to expand," says Bates.
He says in addition to the increase in convictions, his office has also gotten lengthier sentences, dropped fewer cases, and enhanced victim and witness support, more than the previous administration.
All of the criminals sent to prison within the past 2 years, have at least a 5 year sentence without the chance of getting out on parole.
He says he is now working to establish programs to help some inmates when they are in jail so they have a better quality of life when they get out.
"We have to have a plan so when these individuals come home to make sure that they do not continue to be in that life of crime that led them to prison," he says.
Bates says he wants to focus on permanent solutions to help reduce violent crimes long after his administration.
"And so we have to make sure that as we climb as a community, our city moves in the right direction are we lifting all of those others to make sure we can move together," says Ivan Bates.
He says unfortunately there is not a simple solution.
That's why he talks with people in different communities throughout Baltimore.
"Every neighborhood is different and every issue in a neighborhood is different from you know, east side to west side, Cherry Hill, everything is different and so when you hear the issues and problems then my prosecutors can better focus on what types of cases were bringing what were doing with types of investigations we may need to do." says Bates.
Bates says his staff is the reason for the success.
With the help of grant funding from Governor Moore he was able to expand his office which ultimately led to more convictions.
