justice from the frontlines: Aug. 14, 2023

Popular Baltimore rap producer Whiteboy was killed in a shooting at the beginning of August. He was a cornerstone producer for most of Baltimore’s top rappers, including YG Teck, OTR Chaz, Roddy Rackzz and 448 RIQ. Police are still investigating the incident, but they believe that Whiteboy was targeted. The Baltimore Banner (Aug. 4, 2023)

The Baltimore Police Department (BPD) has been under a consent decree since 2017 after the U.S. Department of Justice found that the department engaged in a pattern and practice of unconstitutional policing. As part of the consent decree, BPD is required to collect and release data on its stops and searches, but a new report from the monitoring team overseeing the consent decree found that BPD’s data collection and reporting on stops and searches is still not adequate. The Baltimore Banner (Aug. 14, 2023)

Juvenile crime in Washington, D.C. has been on the rise. In response, a summit was held in Southeast D.C. to engage young people in finding solutions. The summit called on young people to help remedy juvenile crime by speaking out against violence and participating in community programs. WTOP (Aug. 13, 2023)

DC has seen a surge in gun violence this summer, with August being the deadliest month so far. The city has recorded 17 homicides in August, bringing the total number of killings in 2023 to 97. Police and community leaders are working to address the issue, but they say more needs to be done to prevent gun violence. DCist (Aug. 8, 2023)

DC Councilmember Trayon White is calling for more action to address gun violence in the city, after a recent spike in homicides. White met with DC Police Chief Robert Contee to discuss the issue, and is calling for more resources to be dedicated to preventing gun violence. White also wants to see more investment in programs that help children stay safe, such as after-school programs and mentorship programs. WJLA (Aug. 8, 2023)

The Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) is facing a staffing crisis. In order to address this crisis, MPD is implementing a number of new recruitment initiatives. These initiatives include increasing pay and benefits, offering signing bonuses, and waiving some hiring requirements. The MPD is currently about 1,000 officers short of its authorized strength of 4,000 officers. DC Crime Facts (Aug. 11, 2023)

Pamela A. Smith, the new acting chief of the Metropolitan Police Department, says it will take a “whole-of-community” approach to fight crime in Washington, D.C. Smith has pledged to focus on increasing police presence in high-crime areas, building trust with the community, and addressing the root causes of crime. She faces a daunting task, as D.C. has seen a significant increase in violent crime in recent years. Washington Post (Aug. 8, 2023)

Treating addiction inside

California has the highest rate of drug addiction among incarcerated people in the country. An estimated 70% of people in state prisons have a substance use disorder. In response to this crisis, the state is expanding access to addiction treatment in prisons. This includes providing medication-assisted treatment (MAT) for opioid addiction, as well as counseling and other services. Expanding access to addiction treatment is an important step in addressing the opioid crisis and reducing recidivism. MAT has been shown to be effective in reducing opioid use and overdose deaths. Additionally, treatment can help people address the underlying causes of their addiction, which can make it less likely that they will re-offend after they are released from prison. New York Times (Aug. 10, 2023)

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LJ Dawson
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Founder of The Des and freelance criminal justice reporter based in Washington, D.C.