Baltimore a City of Homicide

Tamika Carter

May 11, 2009

History of Maryland

Dr. Neverdon-Morton

Baltimore a City of Homicide

        Baltimore City is not only known as Charm City by it residents it is also known by names such as: Bodymore, Murderland, Harm City, and the City that Bleeds. These names portray the picture of a city that is riddled with violence and crime. Baltimore’s murder rate has been above the national average for more than a decade. Many feel that Baltimore’s high homicide rates are directly linked to its high drug activity, poverty, and increasing gang activity. These issues can definitely be viewed as factors, but Maryland’s history may also play a role in the excessive murders happening in Baltimore City today.

        In the year 2000 there were 262 murders committed in Baltimore City alone (www.fedstats.gov). In 2008 the year ended with 232 murders and at five months into the year 2009 the city is at 76 murders and counting. This is a dramatic increase compared to the homicide rates at the same time last year. The pace of this years homicides forecasts that by the end of  2009 homicides in Baltimore City will be above 250 (Aaron Coad).

        Many have heard the old proverb “History repeats itself.” In reading about the history of Maryland one can see that violence is not a new occurrence in this state. Back to the beginning of Maryland becoming a colony one can see how violence and crime became imbedded in the moral fibers of this state. Maryland’s mother country Great Britain banished convicts to the American colonies (usually for seven years). The felon population grew in Maryland because of its many ports. By 1755 in Baltimore, Anne Arundel, Charles, and Queen Anne’s counties one adult white male in ten was a British convict (Brugger, 86). Aside from this practice being dangerous deporting convicts to the colony would cause a crime wave (Brugger, 87). As we move forward we see that the state of Maryland plays a major role in both the Revolutionary and Civil Wars. The violence continues to grow in Maryland with racism and discrimination. Lynching and hate crimes became normal events in the State of Maryland. Lets move even farther ahead to the present and we see that violence and murder is a major issue in Maryland’s inner cities namely Baltimore City. The homicide rate in Baltimore City alone is alarming. In 2006, Baltimore City ranked 2nd on Forbes list of America’s Most Murderous Cities and ranked 5th for overall violent crimes in America (forbes.com).

        Violence in Baltimore City for as long as I can remember has always been a hot topic for city officials. Campaigns have been determined based on a candidates view on how to decrease the murder rate in the city. These senseless murders not only affect the victim and the family of the victim; it also affects the whole community.

        One can find a news report at any given time of a murder that has been committed in Baltimore City. In the array of articles that I selected many of them were just factual accounts of murders. In between, I was able to find a few articles that actually took a stance on the violence in the city. One particular article tells how the leniency of Americas gun laws affect the nation but also its affects on Baltimore City. In this article a frightening figure is given: there are 280 million guns on the streets in the United States compared to its 307 million population of people. That is a ratio of almost one gun per person. How do we fight against violence with a statistic such as this? Ironically, the last article I read was written by Bill Henry. He is a councilman in Baltimore City’s 4th district. In his article he suggests that the leaders in Baltimore City need to explore other avenues in curtailing the city’s homicide rate. He suggests that the money used to expand police protection is necessary. It may also be beneficial to invest the same amount of funding into other programs such as: after school programs, recreation centers, and city wide projects that provide activities for the youth. He feels that if we catch the children at a young and impressionable age and guide them in the right direction this would possibly decrease the need for more police. His suggestion is that we invest now for the long term and stop placing a band-aid on a continuously swelling wound.