Houston murders drop in first six months of 2017 despite upward tick nationwide

Photos: The most shocking crimes of 2017

Police tape remains outside the Electric Chair tattoo parlor where a man was killed ﻿June 15, 2016 in Houston.

Keep going for a look at the most shocking crimes in 2017 so far. less Photos: The most shocking crimes of 2017

Police tape remains outside the Electric Chair tattoo parlor where a man was killed ﻿June 15, 2016 in Houston.

Keep going for a look at the most shocking crimes in ... more Photo: Elizabeth Conley, Staff Photo: Elizabeth Conley, Staff Image 1 of / 36 Caption Close Houston murders drop in first six months of 2017 despite upward tick nationwide 1 / 36 Back to Gallery

Murders are rising across the country -- but not in Houston.

New Orleans crime analyst Jeff Asher wrote on FiveThirtyEight today that big cities across the U.S. are experiencing a continued rise in murders.

Across the nation, according to Asher's analysis, U.S. cities have experienced about 4 percent more murders than they did for the same period of time last year.

(This finding should be taken with a healthy dose of salt: Asher points out that this year's rise in murders is lower than the spikes in 2016 and 2015, and if it holds will remain relatively low compared to decades past.)

"Big cities tend to exaggerate national murder trends, both up and down — so a large rise in big-city murder usually corresponds with a slightly smaller national increase." -- FiveThirtyEight.

Houston saw murders rise to a five-year high of 303 in 2015. This year, however, murders are down by 20 percent - 31 less in the first six months of the year compared to 2016. Federal and local law enforcement have taken new steps to try to reduce gun violence.

According to the Houston Police Department, there have been 136 murders committed in Houston from Jan. 1, 2017 through today. Last year, 171 murders were committed in that time, and 153 committed in the same time period in 2015.

Clearance rates on homicides have also risen - by 16 percent - Chief Art Acevedo said Thursday.

"We're responding to many more things," he said.

Soon after he took over the department in December, Acevedo devoted more investigators to work weekends and nights and to respond to non-lethal shootings and other aggravated assaults. He also created a new city-wide tactical unit and a new overnight investigative squad targeting non-lethal shootings.

"I'm convinced we charged people for lesser offenses that if not pursued, would have turned into homicides," he said.

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St. John Barned-Smith covers public safety and major breaking news for the Houston Chronicle. Follow him on Twitter and Facebook. Send him tips at st.john.smith@chron.com.