New report ranks Baltimore second in nation for violence prevention strategy
Baltimore received the second-best score in the nation for its violence prevention systems in the 2024 Violence Prevention Index report released Wednesday by the Community Justice Action Fund (CJAF), an advocacy group dedicated to ending gun violence.
Baltimore City was one of 100 cities assessed in the report.
The city scored 85 points, ranking second among 100 cities for its public health-centered approach to violence prevention, guided by Mayor Brandon Scott's Comprehensive Violence Prevention Plan. Washington, D.C. ranked first with 93 points, and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania ranked third with 76. The average score was 34.
The Community Justice Violence Prevention Index evaluates a city's policies and systems aimed at reducing gun violence, rather than measuring the results of violence prevention programs. The goal of the report is to assess the strength of each city's infrastructure and network designed to prevent gun violence, according to CJAF.
Among the factors the scorecard took into account were a city's firearms regulations, violence intervention programs, housing and food insecurity programs, workforce development, school-based prevention programs, behavioral and mental health programs, restorative justice programs, violent crime rates, and whether a city has an office of violence prevention.
How much has violence decreased?
Baltimore's 2024 VPI score jumped 13 points from its 2023 score of 72, according to CJAF.
Mayor Scott has touted Baltimore's recent crime reduction progress, with the city first reporting its lowest homicide count in decades on Sept. 1.
Earlier this week, the city said homicides were down 50% since 2023.
As of October 1, Baltimore recorded 103 homicides and 244 non-fatal shootings for 2025, compared to 150 homicides during the same point in 2024, the mayor's office said.
How has Baltimore worked to reduce crime?
Baltimore's Comprehensive Violence Prevention Plan aims to prevent violence with a public health approach, community engagement, and accountability.
"I have been committed to this strategy from day one, even when it was not the popular approach, because it is the right thing to do," Scott said.
Baltimore City's Group Violence Reduction Strategy (GVRS) was launched in Jan. 2022, in the city's Western District. Since its inception, the program has expanded to five police districts, including South Baltimore, as of July 2025. It's one of the city's most highlighted community engagement efforts, included in the violence prevention plan.
GVRS focuses on the highest-risk individuals, offering them participation in rehabilitation and mentorship programs.