Baltimore Still Bleeds: Governor Moore’s Crimes “Progress” Isn’t Enough

Let’s lay it out plainly: reducing murders from 263 to 201 in a city like Baltimore doesn’t qualify as triumph—it’s merely a minor retreat from catastrophe. Governor Wes Moore often frames this drop as historic progress. Yet for those mourning a loved one, the difference between 300 annual murders and 200 is moot when each number equates to untold suffering and lives gone.

In 2023, Baltimore recorded approximately 263 homicides, and in 2024 it dropped to 201, the lowest total since 2011. Those numbers, while technically improved, still reflect a city critically out of step with comparable peers. WikipediaBaltimore | City Mayor’s Office | CBS NewsJustice.gov

Now consider Pittsburgh. While we lack a firm 2024 annual total, data show that in the first half of 2025, homicides were just 17, down from 27 in the same period a year prior—a remarkable 37% decrease. That’s roughly 34 per year, in a city half Baltimore’s size. Axios

Then there’s Cleveland. In 2024, homicide tallies dropped to just 104—a dramatic plunge from the 180 recorded in 2020. Throughout the year, the city’s justice and safety initiatives, which include the RISE program, led to an approximate 36% reduction in homicides, along with sharp declines in felonious assaults and robberies. AP News+15Ideastream Public Media+15Police1+15

So why, in the face of similarly challenged cities achieving these numbers, is Baltimore still failing to deliver a comparable level of public safety? Celebrating “we’re doing better than last year” is cold comfort when the bar remains lethally low.

Governor Moore touts a roughly 23% year‑over‑year decline—fine, metrics matter when stacked against meaningful benchmarks. But Baltimore should be leading, not limping behind. The Governor’s office claims multiple coordinated investments—$50 million to BPD, plus support to prosecutors and community agencies. That’s sincere work, I acknowledge. The Washington Post+1 | AP NewsJustice.gov

But the standard isn’t “better than we used to be”—the standard is “safe enough that families don’t brace for bullets at night.” If Pittsburgh can keep its total near 34, Cleveland near 104, surely Baltimore can target—and achieve—something similarly ambitious.

Here’s what real accountability should look like:

1. Set peer‑city targets. Baltimore should publicly commit to a sub‑150 homicide goal within two years, aligning with Cleveland’s numbers. Weekly metrics—not slick dashboards—should track actual shootings, arrests, clearances, and repeat offenders detained. This isn’t politics—it’s public faith.
2. Focus relentlessly on those driving the violence. It’s not about volume—it’s about who’s causing the harm. Isolate that 1–2%, prosecute them swiftly, but pair it with meaningful rehabilitation and alternatives. Baltimore’s clearance rate is up (homicide clearance now ~68%), but that only matters if it outpaces peers. alleghenycountyanalytics.us+11Justice.gov+11arxiv.org+11
3. Back violence interrupters without spectacle. Programs like Safe Streets and Baltimore’s Group Violence Reduction Strategy have real impact. They offer life coaching and legal incentives in lieu of further bloodshed. If Charlotte’s doing better with fewer resources, it’s time Baltimore scales—and protects—what works. AP News
4. Stop treating federal presence as virtue signaling. Deploying National Guard troops may look tough—but for residents, it’s hollow. Yes, they provide presence—but they’re not trained for community restoration. Real safety comes from relationships, not uniforms. The Washington Post | AP News+1

This isn’t a polemic against Governor Moore; his intentions may be earnest. But leadership means rising above casualties. It means crafting strategies that don’t merely shrink numbers—they drive them into the ground. Families don’t want “less bad”—they want the peace to send their kids outside without one parent clutching the phone every minute.

Until Baltimore’s annual homicide count aligns with Cleveland’s or Pittsburgh’s, any claims of “progress” are just soothing headlines—not actual public safety. The city deserves safety, not less than last year’s carnage. And our leaders, including the Governor, must demand results, not excuses.

Caroyln Spencer is a Contributor for Direct Line News. She can be reached at Carolyn.Spencer@mcgopclub.com

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Carolyn Spencer

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