Baltimore Sun crime reporter Justin George is interviewed in this Q and A from the Trace. George recognizes that the issues of crime and gun violence are intertwined with poverty and inequality in the city. These problems are systemic and complex—even if we stemmed the tide of guns, he says, “entire blocks are vacant, and you don’t have jobs. And you have a heroin problem. ” George acknowledges the need for sensitivity and the potential for unintended consequences when well-meaning outsiders—be they journalists or police officers— impose solutions or scrutiny on a community. When asked how the city might turn things around, he points to what he’s heard most from residents: more recreational and economic opportunities for young people.
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