Many people have strong preconceptions about Baltimore, whose violent crime and homicide rates consistently rank above America’s national average, and which was ranked the third most dangerous US city for 2023 by Forbes. Concerns about the city's safety aren’t unfounded and it was chosen as the setting for long-running crime drama The Wire for such reasons.

But to reduce the city to grim statistics would be short-sighted. In a bid to cast off the shadow of its notorious reputation, Baltimore has been working hard to clean up its act.

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