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The Boyd Booth Story: A Community Takes Charge
In the early 1990's, residents of Boyd Booth, a small community in
Southwest Baltimore, couldn’t leave their homes because of the open air
drug markets and drug related murders sweeping their community. The
community seemed to be disintegrating under the pressure of a virulent open
air drug market. A May, 1991, Evening Sun article described Boyd
Booth as a "battleground:"
Residents of Boyd Booth heard gunshots at night and found blood
on their sidewalks in the morning. Many retreated into their homes,
afraid to report the violence to the police, afraid drug dealers would
retaliate by burning them out, or worse.
In 1992, fed up with having lost control of their community, the residents
organized and sought help from outside resources such as the Baltimore City
Police Department, the Community Law Center and the Citizens Planning and
Housing Association. Since that time, Boyd Booth has been the scene of an
effective community based effort to reduce drug related violent crime. Boyd
Booth community residents proved that they were far from powerless, and today,
the community is a dramatically different place to live. The following
statistics tell part of the story. Between 1992 and the end of 1997:
# Violent crime dropped by 51%;
# Total crime dropped 39%;
# Drug related calls for service dropped 59%.
These statistics only hint at the overall improvement in the quality of
life in this neighborhood. While the economic and demographic conditions are
basically the same, the quality of life is vastly improved. Streets and alleys
once filled with trash are clean. Elderly people can feel more comfortable
sitting outside on a summer evening. Children play without the constant danger
of being the victim of a random drug related shooting. Because of the high
degree of violent crime believed to derive from drug activity, bringing drug
nuisance abatement cases against negligent property owners was a significant
feature of the Law Center’s activity in Boyd Booth.
What happened in Boyd Booth?
The essential ingredient in this turnaround was a comprehensive strategy
planned and implemented by community residents with the assistance of a
dedicated community organizer and a Community Law Center attorney. Other
efforts supporting residents included: a close collaboration with the
district police, particularly its Drug Enforcement Unit; a task force of
City agencies and community associations; and, a partnership with a drug
treatment program which involved participants in the treatment program in
community activities. In addition, a small fund of money was obtained to
board vacant houses, erect fencing, install lighting, and make other minor safety
improvements. Finally, a continuing partnership with Bon Secours Hospital,
the largest employer in the community was an important component of the
program.
The comprehensive strategy involved several dimensions of activity over a
two year period:
1) The community denied drug dealers space in which to conduct their
trade.
Vacant drug houses were boarded and plans were developed to
rehabilitate the structures for home ownership or rental. Vacant lots
used for dumping trash and storing drugs were closed off and fenced.
Community residents conducted frequent and strategic cleanups. Outdoor
lighting was enhanced, and public phones were removed from two active
drug corners. Urban planners assisted in the design of such strategic
defensible space plans as closing off alleys used for escape by drug
dealers from the police. Drug nuisance abatement civil actions were filed against the owners of drug houses who failed to respond to notice
from Law Center attorneys.
2) Community residents learned to effectively communicate their
intolerance of drugs and criminal activity to the dealers and users.
Residents held anti-drug marches and vigils for 17 continuous weeks.
Signs were placed in house windows telling drug dealers to leave the
neighborhoods. After cleanups, residents organized community picnics and
cookouts on drug corners. Residents learned to work closely with the
district police to identify and collect evidence for cases against
owners of drug houses. They cooperated with the criminal justice system
and the City’s Drug Court.
3) Residents sought the participation of all community stakeholders.
Block captains were trained to help residents get involved.
Landlords and owners were contacted and held accountable for the
conditions of their properties. Residents sought a dialogue with
absentee landlords and assisted them with tenant screening committees.
Finally, the faith community held vigils and marches week after week.
4) The final dimension of program was to offer positive activities for
youths as an alternative to drugs.
Youth programs and new summer programs for neighborhood children were
created. School based programs such as non-violent dispute resolution
and Drug Abuse Resistance Education (DARE) were utilized. The community
offered genuine support to recovering addicts. Employment, job training
and job placement opportunities were created.
Did Boyd Booth just move the problem to the next community?
This is a frequently asked question about community based efforts to get
rid of open air drug markets. The answer is that an open air drug market can
only move to the next community that will stand for it. Open air drug
dealing, like other crime, requires an appropriate habitat — apathy,
trash, deterioration, weak neighborhood bonds, poor physical maintenance,
community disorganization.
The more important question is whether, if another community mobilizes
itself, could an open air drug market move back to Boyd Booth? The answer to
this is clearly no. Through the efforts and partnerships of community residents,
Boyd Booth has become extremely difficult terrain in which to operate an open air market.
The important next step is for neighborhoods adjacent to Boyd Booth
to employ the same strategy. This is the concept behind a comprehensive
community strategy program which works in Boyd Booth and many other Baltimore
City neighborhoods.
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Last Updated:
September 25, 2006 ©
2006 Community Law Center, Inc. Baltimore, Maryland
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The Community Law Center, Inc.
