BALTIMORE — Some COVID-related decisions are here to stay. That's the message tonight from Baltimore City's State Attorney Marilyn Mosby.
She says the city will no longer arrest and prosecute people for minor offenses such as drug possession or sex work.
The city stopped focusing on these crimes at the beginning of the pandemic, to slow the virus's spread in jails. Mosby says it worked and at the same time, the city's crime rate didn't go up.
"We have gone in and eliminated 1,400 warrants, we've dismissed 1,400 cases, we've been able to decrease the number of individuals going in and out of the jail by 39 percent, we've been able to decrease the overall city jail population by 18 percent and yet, violent crime is down."
In all, Mosby says violent crime is down 20 percent in the city. Property crime is also down 36 percent.
