On Thursday, July 7th, Baltimore City Mayor Brandon M. Scott released the City’s first annual report providing a year-in-review progress update on the implementation of its Comprehensive Violence Prevention Plan (CVPP).
The report details the work of the Mayor’s Office of Neighborhood Safety and Engagement (MONSE). Although the agency’s mission is broad in scope, a primary goal of MONSE is to holistically address the challenges of trauma and violence on young people, families, and neighborhoods in Baltimore. MONSE has been entrusted with $50 million in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds over the next three years for violence prevention efforts, including community violence intervention, victim services, youth justice, re-entry services, and community healing.
Mayor Scott explained his administration’s approach to public safety in a press release:
‘Making Baltimore a safer city for all of our residents is the most critical undertaking of my administration; however, we can only produce sustained outcomes if we center our approach to public safety around public health, trauma-informed practices, and the lived experiences of our residents,’ said Mayor Scott. ‘This is not work that occurs overnight, but MONSE and my entire administration remain committed to building and operationalizing systems that will help us move Baltimore forward towards a healthier and safer future.’
The Administration highlighted the following accomplishments in its report:
- Began implementation of the Group Violence Reduction Strategy (GVRS) in the Western Police District
- Developed a framework for a Community Violence Intervention (CVI) ecosystem
- Made award announcements totaling over $17.6 million
- Finalized and publicly released the findings and recommendations of MONSE’s internal evaluation of cultural and operational norms associated with Baltimore’s 10 current Safe Streets sites
- Laid the foundation for expanded victim services for gunshot survivors
- Built the infrastructure for case management within MONSE
- Activated the first Coordinated Neighborhood Stabilization Response (CNSR)
- Expanded services available to youth at risk of involvement with the criminal justice system
- Began to lay a strong foundation for and work in partnership with two communities – Fayette Street Outreach/Penrose and Brooklyn/Curtis Bay – as part of a Neighborhood Policing Plan (NPP) pilot program
- Closed out a backlog of previous contracts
- Re-established the Criminal Justice Coordinating Council (CJCC)
- Testified in legislative hearings before the Maryland General Assembly and Baltimore City Council
The full Baltimore City Comprehensive Violence Prevention Plan Annual Report can be found here.
