Researcher Questions Success of Baltimore’s No-Prosecution Policy

A member of the Baltimore Police Department removes crime scene tape on July 30, 2015, from a corner where a victim of a shooting was discovered. Patrick Semansky/AP Photo

The movement to stop prosecuting low-level crimes gained momentum during the COVID-19 pandemic, and Baltimore’s chief prosecutor Marilyn Mosby was among those leading the way.

Early in the pandemic, as courts drastically cut operations, Mosby stopped prosecuting nine low-level offenses—including drug possession, prostitution, and trespassing—so her prosecutors could focus on serious crimes.