Many retreated into their homes, afraid drug dealers would retaliate by burning them out, or worse. The kids coming up, there's no hope for them that I can see. Boyd Booth residents refused to give up and began a comprehensive strategy to reclaim their neighborhood. These statistics only liint at the overall improvement in the quality of life in this neighborhood. Streets and alleys once filled with trash are now more regularly cleaned.
Elderly people feel more comfortable sitting outside on a summer evening.
Children play without the constunt danger of being the victim of a random drug-related shooting. The essential ingredient in this turnaround was a comprehensive strategy planned and implemented by a team of community residents along with a community organizer, a lawyer, a community police officer, an urban planner, local businesses and city officials. The strategy received key support from the Comprehensive Communities Program, a collaborative effort administered by the Mayor's Coordinating Council on Crimihal Justice. This effort involved city agencies such as the Baltimore Police Department, nonprofits such as the Citizen's Planning and Housing Association and the Community Law Center, and the community associations where the effort was targeted. It recognized the need to develop and implement a comprehensive strategy that addressed all the factors contributing to crime in the community.