There are some real solutions to problems like Baltimore. But I don't think this is a comprehensive plan, and I think it requires patience.
1. Shift in drug policy. This does not mean legalization. But it does mean a shift from punishment to treatment for users and addicts. Having a drug addict sitting in prison does nothing but earn money for private prison corporations. Having a drug addict go through treatment and become a functioning member of society helps everything. Note that this also helps the single-mother problem we all love talking about.
2. Guns. Banning certain ammunition or certain models is just a waste of time. Hell, banning all guns would be a waste of time. Two things I can think of would help. First, we need to crack down on the illegal gun trade. I like something COH has suggested, that we need to remove statutory protections for gun manufacturers. They should be open for lawsuit just like anyone else. Now, I'm not saying we should have strict liability. But if someone actually can prove negligence on the part of a manufacturer, distributor or seller, they should have the chance to do so. Also, sorry, but we're going to have to crack down on gun shows. They are a major vector for untraceable sales. Second, there are some ways of getting guns off the streets. Anonymous gun buybacks by police is one. Sure, it won't get every gun, but just reducing the number of illegal firearms in circulation is a good thing.
3. Education. I'm not talking about simply dumping more money into school districts. I'm talking about where the money goes. Kids who have access to music and arts at a young age are going to develop more successfully than kids who don't.
4. Major social campaigns. I don't care if it's churches or publicly-owned community centers. We need to 1) cut down on the number of parents who play no role in the raising of their own children and 2) offer community support for those parents who are nevertheless forced to go it alone. It might not always "take a village," but a village can be a huge help.
5. Let's go ahead and throw marriage equality in there. Gay couples raise kids, too. Let's strengthen their family unit.
6. Moral education. Maybe it's just that this guy was attacked by Slate, and I instinctively defend anyone who is attacked by Slate, which is one of my least favorite liberal-leaning media outlets of all time, but I think Justin McBrayer is on to something when we suggests that
we (purposefully or not) teach our children that there are no moral facts, and that this is a bad development. He's off-base on some stuff (like his cliche and unsupportable attack on Common Core), but I think the foundation of his argument is solid. This is another place where the village matters. Parents aren't the only ones who teach morals. Teachers spend more time with children than anyone outside of parents, and if we're not letting teachers actually teach morals, then we're missing a huge opportunity.
7. Economic development. Jobs solve a lot of problems. Some people fall into crime simply because they need an opportunity for economic mobility or support, and that's all that's available to them.