Baltimore prosecutor’s tough stance on repeat offenders slashes crime rate

Baltimore City State’s Attorney Ivan Bates says the days of going easy on repeat offenders are over.

The Democratic prosecutor is promising accountability after years of violent crime in the city, crediting a tougher stance on gun crimes and repeat offenders for a sharp drop in homicides and shootings.

“We realized it’s about the victims,” Bates told “Fox & Friends” Wednesday, responding to questioning about soft-on-crime policies adopted by other Democratic prosecutors.

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Fox News’ Brian Kilmeade contrasted Bates’ approach with that of progressive prosecutors in other areas, noting that some legal philosophies emphasize leniency toward marginalized communities in an effort to address systemic inequities.

“A number of the victims within the community were also minorities and African Americans, and they have a right to be safe and free in their house,” Bates said.

“We wanted to make sure that everybody, didn’t matter your race, didn’t matter where you’re from, everybody has a right to be safe, and it wasn’t a Democrat issue, it wasn’t a Republican issue, it was a people issue. At the end of the day, there were too many murders, too much violence, and we needed to make a change.”

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Bates said his office’s crackdown on repeat violent offenders and illegal gun crimes helped drive a 22% drop in homicides compared to last year.

For him, the strategy is simple: 

“Hold violent repeat offenders accountable, especially with illegal handguns. We had too many murders, 300-plus murders for eight years straight. That’s a terrible number to have,” he said. 

“If you lock up violent repeat offenders, you hold them accountable. We invoke the mandatory minimum that allows it under the law: five years without the possibility of parole. There’s no discretion. The judge must give a violent repeat offender five years…. When you send those individuals to jail, the community is safer at that moment in time, and they can get themselves together, but they will be held accountable.”

Data from the Baltimore Police Department shows 2,129 repeat violent offenders have been sent to prison under the new strategy – double the number under the previous administration.

At the same time, 64% of homicide cases have been closed, 44% of non-fatal shooting cases have been closed and non-fatal shootings have dropped by 19%. 

Homicides fell 23% by the end of 2024 (201 vs. 261 in 2023) and non-fatal shootings dropped 34% (414 vs. 635). BPD also reported clearance rates above national averages in several categories. 

This comes as President Donald Trump floats the idea of deploying National Guard troops to blue cities across the U.S. to mitigate crime.

On that topic, Bates said, “We’re working very closely with all the federal agencies,” adding that Maryland Democratic Gov. Wes Moore has recently deployed some members of state police in the city of Baltimore. 

“We’re working together. We can always use the financial support, the financial help, but we’re moving in the right direction. We’re moving together as a team, and my thing is, when we’re moving the ball down the field, let us score because we’re going to win.”

Fox News’ Stepheny Price contributed to this report.