Baltimore will no longer prosecute drug possession, prostitution and other low-level offenses

[Nexus2]

Baltimore City State's Attorney Marilyn Mosby says the city will no longer prosecute for prostitution, drug possession and other low-level offenses.

Mosby made the announcement on Friday following her office's one-year experiment in not prosecuting minor offenses to decrease the spread of Covid-19 behind bars.
"Today, America's war on drug users is over in the city of Baltimore. We leave behind the era of tough-on-crime prosecution and zero tolerance policing and no longer default to the status quo to criminalize mostly people of color for addiction, said Mosby in an official press release.
Prison inmates are twice as likely to die of Covid-19 than those on the outside, new report finds
Prison inmates are twice as likely to die of Covid-19 than those on the outside, new report finds
The experiment, known as The Covid Criminal Justice Policies, is an approach to crime developed with public health authorities. Instead of prosecuting people arrested for minor crimes like prostitution and public urination, the program dealt with those crimes as public health issues and work with community partners to help find solutions.

The program has led to decreases in the overall incarcerated Baltimore population by 18%, while violent and property crimes are down 20% and 36% respectively, according to the press release.
Mosby said her office will no longer prosecute the following offenses: drug and drug paraphernalia possession, prostitution, trespassing, minor traffic offense, open container violations, and urinating and defecating in public.

https://www.cnn.com/2021/03/27/us/baltimore-prosecute-prostitution-drug-possession/index.html

I'm not entirely sure about this approach (why are sex worker considered mental issues, for instance) but its hard to argue with numbers, though correlations doesn't automatically mean causation. Does anyone else have any thought on the subject? I'm quite interested in hearing what members that happen to live in Baltimore think of this change.

[al bupp]

1. They just got around to watching the wire, I suppose

One of the best shows of its ilk, ever, imho.

[flying rabbit]

2. No more rip and runs

Westside's gonna have to find a new way.

[Nexus2]

10. Rip and Runs? [nt]

[flying rabbit]

11. Quick street level drug busts

A term used by the police in "The Wire". Assuming I got the vernacular correct.

[Nexus2]

16. Thanks! [nt]

[Delarage]

8. One of my quarantine accomplishments!

Binged on The Wire. I always loved Homicide, too.

[MichMan]

3. So if all the below is happening in front of your house, nothing will be done?

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

Sounds fantastic

[WhiskeyGrinder]

4. If you read the article, it has information about the organizations, including the cops, that will

respond to these complaints. The city just won't prosecute them. It's been doing this for a year already.

[MichMan]

5. I did read it. The city will refer people to substance abuse and sex worker resources

The vast majority of people offered those services will tell the police to fuck off and continue to do what they are doing unabated and the police will go away.

If you want to put up with all of that in front of your house and your family, go ahead. Maybe Baltimore residents think it's great; I don't live there so I can't say.

[Delarage]

9. I'm not sure about this, either

Someone hanging out in my mom's yard drinking, then standing up and taking a leak and/or a dump before staggering off? Doesn't sound great.

[Nexus2]

20. There's city (I want to say London?) where public nudity is criminal or prosecuted unles

Its causing complaints from people in the area, maybe something like that?

[Victor_c3]

6. Ann Arbor, Michigan (or at least its county) is doing the same

I agree with the prostitution part. I never understood why the sex industry is shamed so much or why there is such a stigma around selling sex. So long as there isn’t trafficking, pimping, or anything underage going on, I think prostitution should be left alone.

Keeping prostitution illegal forces prostitutes into dangerous situation where they can’t call the police for help. A good friend of mine was a prostitute when she was younger and some of her stories are absolutely horrifying. She’s been beaten and assaulted numerous times. It’s hard for her to leave the profession when she is a single mother and she wants to be home and be a part of her daughter’s life. She can see guy a for an hour or two and make $300 or she could work a shitty job for $10 an hour (if she is lucky) and need to work nearly a week to see that much money.

[honest.abe]

7. If prostitution was legalized, safe and easily accessible the price wouldnt be $300/hr.

Probably similar to the shitty job you mentioned.

[kcr]

13. Take away the safe and you've got it right

Being a woman in the world isn't safe to begin with, baseline. I have no idea where this myth that prostitution is safe came from. Legalizing it will only drive the demand up, not down. More women will feel pressured into doing it. It will become another shitty dangerous job that poor women will face, advocated for by the privileged who mostly have no clue.

[Nexus2]

15. Interesting point

Last edited Mon Apr 5, 2021, 11:59 AM - Edit history (1)

Has their been a look into the fees charged by sex workers in regions where its legal vs where its illegal? Even where its illegal, many prostitutes make far less than 300 an hour as I understand.

[roamer65]

18. A good study would be Australia.

They legalized it quite a few years ago. Very regulated.

[MoonlitKnight]

29. Pretty much everywhere in the world but here

The United States continues to try to make human behavior illegal because of the few who are unable to control themselves want it outlawed for everyone. It’s amazing the restrictions we still have on things like alcohol in some parts of the country.

If you recall the scandal with the secret service in Colombia, the actual scandal was that the agents refused to pay and the Colombian police charged them as they supported the workers rather than making them live in more fear.

The focus should be on stopping trafficking and offering a way out.

[Nexus2]

12. Sex:Illegal to sell, perfectly legal to give away [nt]

[roamer65]

19. We put a very progressive prosecutor in office.

There will be a lot of positive changes here in Washtenaw County.

[Johnny2X2X]

25. Legalizing prostitution has mixed results

Human trafficking is the issue. People say women(or men) should be free to sell sex from themselves, and I agree, the problem is the "free" part. The majority of prostitutes are forced or coerced into it right now, and in countries with legalized prostitution the results are mixed at stopping this aspect.

It is not a choice for the majority right now, it is either forced or coerced or driven by drug addiction.

No prostitute should be arrested, most are the victims of crime, not the perps of crime. Pimping or forcing a woman into the sex trade should be viewed as a more serious crime, pimps should be locked up for decades.

[Wingus Dingus]

14. Sounds like they gave up.

Sorry, people who live in those neighborhoods. Maybe you can move. Edit to add: Interesting, using Covid as a cover for surrender.

[Hortensis]

21. Good since the old ways aren't much to set aside. I hope studies of the results

adds more valuable information, positive and negative, for municipalities.

As for sex workers needing mental health support and treatment, the rates of various types of mental problems among them are much higher than average. Especially among those prone to arrest by street cops, instead of higher-pay workers with their own books of business or whatever. Not surprising when you think about it.

[Nexus2]

22. I really hope there is more study and attention paid to this.

The information on crime statistic, impact on the citizens as well as other effects Its a fascinating social experiment which could really pave to beneficial new ideas and reformation.

[joetheman]

23. I have always believe that black crime stats are so high compared to whites because

white crime or minor felonies just are not reported or even enforced the way blacks are. I see white drivers breaking traffic laws all over the place but 8 of ten folks I see pulled over are black. And that is in Maryland. Just think what iti is like in AL. GA, MI in and around large cities.

[AZProgressive]

24. Quality of life arrests do very little to reduce crime

So many of these comments don't know what they are talking about.

It is better to focus on high end investigations or serious crimes.

They have been doing quality of life arrests for decades and nothing has changed.

[Johnny2X2X]

26. Violent and property crimes are down!

"The program has led to decreases in the overall incarcerated Baltimore population by 18%, while violent and property crimes are down 20% and 36% respectively, according to the press release."

That's the key point here, this led to a drop in the crime that we all care about. More freedom equals less crime.

[Nexus2]

27. I discussed this with some acquaintances and I got this link

Is it complete BS? It feels like it, but the person that sent it hasn't evidence any major RW alliance, he seems pretty politically neutral, but then I get this out of nowhere

[AZProgressive]

28. That YouTube Host seems right wing these days

Tim Pool

Podcaster Joe Rogan invited Pool onto his podcast, The Joe Rogan Experience, following an interview with Twitter founder Jack Dorsey. The two men demonstrated a limited understanding of Twitter, censorship, and abuse during the discussion, wrote Atlantic contributor Devin Gordon.[41] They criticized the banning of Milo Yiannopoulos from Twitter, arguing that the provocateur had not truly encouraged his fans to harass Ghostbusters actress Leslie Jones.[42] In early 2019, Rogan invited Pool and Dorsey, as well as Twitter chief legal officer Vijaya Gadde, back on his podcast. Pool described cases where he asserted conservatives were unfairly suspended on Twitter. In particular, Pool brought up the banning of Alex Jones and argued that Twitter rules against misgendering transgender users is ideological. Gadde said that Twitter is a free speech platform on which punishments are based on evaluation of consistently-applied harassment guidelines.[43][44]

In August 2020, Donald Trump liked a tweet of Pool's expressing sympathy and support for Kyle Rittenhouse, a 17-year-old boy from Antioch, Illinois, who had shot three protesters during civil unrest in Kenosha, Wisconsin, killing two. Trump's son, Donald Trump Jr., retweeted a statement by Pool describing how the case of Rittenhouse had convinced Pool to vote for Trump. Trump Jr. also retweeted Pool noting that "the DOJ is dropping the hammer" in pursuing prosecution of 74 protesters in Portland.[45][46][47][48]

As of 2019 and 2020, Pool's audience was largely right-wing.[47][49][50]

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tim_Pool

Someone mentioned The Wire upthread and I think the show is a good example. In season 1 the character Avon Barksdale is based on Melvin Williams who was prosecuted in the 80s. That is why you see pagers so much in the season.

https://www.baltimoresun.com/news/crime/bal-easy-money-david-simons-fivepart-series-on-melvin-williams-20151203-htmlstory.html

In episode one most of the officers especially Narcotics are busy doing street rips and they have no idea who Avon Barksdale is even though his organization committed a lot of murders. They end up doing a complicated investigation and we are able to solve murders and lock up enforcers.

This former Police Major was the inspiration for the Bunny Colvin character

The Former Top Cop Who Wants to Legalize Drugs

https://www.newsweek.com/drug-legalization-major-major-neill-franklin-baltimore-police-department-369822

In later seasons the character Marlo Stanfield was inspired by Timmirror Stanfield who was more of a violent sociopath than the rest.

https://www.ncjrs.gov/html/bja/gang/bja4.html

[Nexus2]

30. Thanks! [nt]