Baltimore will no longer prosecute drug possession, prostitution and other minor crimes

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Mosby made the announcement on Friday in response to her office’s one-year experiment not to prosecute minor crimes to reduce the spread of Covid-19 behind bars.

Today, the US war on drug users is over in the city of Baltimore. We are leaving the era of severe crime prosecution and zero-tolerance policies behind and no longer going into the status quo of criminalizing predominantly colored people for addiction, he said. Mosby in an official press release.

The experiment, known as The Covid Criminal Justice Policies, is an approach to crime developed in conjunction with public health authorities. Rather than prosecuting people arrested for petty crimes like prostitution and public urination, the program treated those crimes as public health issues and worked with community partners to find solutions.

The program has led to a decrease in the total Baltimore detained population by 18%, while violent crime and property crimes have decreased by 20% and 36%, respectively, the press release said.

Mosby said her office will no longer prosecute the following crimes: possession of drugs and drug paraphernalia, prostitution, trespassing, minor traffic violations, open container violations, and urinating and defecating in public.

Mosby said she plans to refocus law enforcement on more serious crimes plaguing the city that have contributed to its violent reputation.

“ When the courts open next month, I want my prosecutors to work with the police and focus on violent crimes, such as armed robbery, carjacking cases, and drug distribution organizations that are the underbelly of the Baltimore violence, and not use valuable jury time for those that suffer from addiction, ”Mosby said.

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Her decision was supported by Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott and Baltimore City Police Commissioner Michael Harrison. But the Republican state of Sen. Robert Cassilly told CNN-affiliate WBFF that while he supports the prosecution’s verdict, Mosby’s decision is closer to making the law than enforcing it.

“Prosecutors take an oath to uphold the constitution in the state of Maryland and the constitution says the general assembly sets policy, not prosecutors,” Cassilly told the station. “I respect the full discretion of the prosecution. That is not the discretion of the prosecution, that is an exercise in legislation.

Mosby said the state law firm is also working with the Baltimore Police Department and Baltimore Crisis Response Inc. (BCRI), a crisis center dealing with mental health and drug abuse, to provide services in lieu of arresting individuals who commit these lesser crimes.

“Rather than arrest and prosecution, BCRI will connect individuals with services in areas such as mental health, housing and substance use,” the press release said.

Mosby’s office, along with Baltimore Police and BCRI, will be committed to supporting sex workers by partnering with local organizations such as SPARC, a center for women in Southwest Baltimore, Baltimore Safe Haven and the Baltimore branch of the Sex Workers Outreach Project .

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