Police activity has little or no effect on crime rates ("Baltimore Police ditch 'stop and frisk' in name but not practice," Sept. 23).
Crime is basically driven by economics. People on the economic edge of survival turn to crime to keep from falling into abject poverty. The poorer the people, the greater the incentive for crime.
Baltimore has a lot of people on the economic edge, and the city is also a hub of the illegal drug business, which can be a way out of poverty. The combination ensures a high crime rate.
The police department is part of the prosecution of criminals after the fact, but it plays a minuscule role in crime prevention.
William L. Akers, Windsor Mill