Baltimore homicides, year to date, are only up a bit compared to last year. Through March 24th, 50 this year compared to 47 in 2015.
Rarely is more murder good news. But it’s certainly an improvement from last year, post riot. From May through December 2015, there were 269 murders in 244 days. So 50 murders in 84 days in 2016 is strangely good news. Yes I know it’s low season. But it’s still a good sign. We’ll see if it lasts.
Off Topic: Prof, are you going to post about Brussels and the challenges of proactive policing in the hood over there?
JSM
Probably not. Other than a passing ability to recognize and comprehend Flemish Dutch and some strong feelings on immigration, I don't know much about the place.
I was thinking more of the way people over here are using it as a looking-glass for proactive policing in the US, whether against terrorism or against common gangs. Some of the candidates expressed their strategies and Bratton fired back vehemently, apparently indicating that not only is Broken Windows/Quality-of-Life/behavioral-profiling unsuitable for regular crime prevention, it's also unsuitable for terrorism prevention.
JSM
The idea that we need to "Patrol and secure Muslim neighborhoods before they become radicalized"? That's crazy talk. Especially because he might be talking about my neighborhood (probably in the range of 20 percent Muslim). I'm with Bratton: "The statements he made today is why he's not going to become president of this country."
I did write this a few years ago:
copinthehood.com/2013/10/the-intellegence-of-nypds-demographics.html
I fear that the statements Cruz made recently are PRECISELY the reason he may become president.