Baltimore again ranks second in nation for violence prevention strategy
For the second year in a row, Baltimore has ranked No. 2 in the nation for its violence prevention strategy.
The ranking was issued by the Community Justice Action Fund, an advocacy group that seeks to end gun violence and advance criminal justice reforms. The organization looked at 100 cities for its 2025 study, known as the Violence Prevention Index (VPI).
The city receiving the highest score to rank No. 1 was Washington D.C. At No. 3 was Chicago, followed by Philadelphia and Memphis.
"Baltimore's score reflects landmark investments in community violence intervention, victim services, and wraparound supports designed to assist those at the highest risk of being involved in violence," said a statement released by the City of Baltimore.
The Community Justice Action Fund describes its VPI as "the nation's only comprehensive analysis of how cities are investing in public health-based strategies to prevent gun and community violence."
Cities evaluated in three main categories
The analysis examines 100 U.S. cities with the highest levels of gun violence and evaluates them across 35 criteria grouped into three key categories. The rating categories include intervention and risk factor reduction, addressing the root causes of violence and whether cities dedicate adequate resources to violence prevention efforts.
"The historic progress we have made as a city is not a coincidence; it's because Baltimore has been intentional about evolving the way we think about public safety, building the systems needed to support our shared vision for public safety, and investing in intervention and prevention alongside constitutional law enforcement," Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott said. "Our focus now is sustaining this work, because any one life lost to violence in Baltimore is one too many."
Baltimore City said that in 2025, it saw a 31% decrease in homicides and a 24% decline in non-fatal shootings. The reductions were achieved "by deepening investments in community violence intervention, focused deterrence, and trauma support resources." The city says that as of August 19, 2026, homicides have dropped by an additional 22.9% and nonfatal shootings by an additional 6.7%.