Violent and property crime in Houston overall spiked in the first few months of this year compared to 2011 – a year that saw a significant drop in crime, reports the Houston Chronicle. In the first quarter of this year, murders increased 27 percent and robberies jumped 26 percent citywide, compared to the same period in 2011.
Parts of southwest Houston had among the highest levels of violent crime. Over the last five years, neighborhoods in southwest and west Houston have experienced more violent crime, such as robbery and aggravated assaults, than other areas of the city, said police Capt. Charles Dunn. The newspaper offers a map so that readers easily can see the crime hot spots.