Violence in Baltimore

There are numerous factors contributing to the increasing crime rates in Baltimore. While poverty, race, and abuse are said to be the causes, in reality, the causes are believed to be the Baltimore Police Department and its long history of mistreatment to minorities, particularly the Black community. By installing body cameras on all officers by the end of the year, the BPD is hoping to tame the crime rate in Baltimore. Although this may solve the largely public issue of police brutality and give justice to some victims, the larger issue is of the smaller, daily crimes that go unpunished as a result of the complex network of criminal justice bureaucracies and cover up much of the most obscene police work.  Minority neighborhoods across the country have faced decades of inappropriate police behavior and have been taken advantage of. Many Americans have not experienced this kind of police interaction for many reasons- many white Americans do not interact regularly with black people, it is not talked about, and it’s not addressed. White people look up to law enforcement, black people fear it. Bad cops thrive in cities where disasters can set fire, as seen with the 2015 Freddie Gray case and protests. This tour will follow the history of violence in Baltimore and how it has contributed to the problem of slow violence.